4th. [Feb. 1779] About 10 o'clock Capt. McCarty arrived with
a company of volunteers from Cahokia; and about two o'clock in the (after)
noon, the batteau set off under the command of Lieut. Rogers, with forty-six
men, with orders to proceed to a certain station near St. Vincents, till
farther orders.
5th. Raised another
company of volunteers, under the command of Capt. Francis Charleville, which,
added to our force, increased our number to 170 men * * [torn off) * *
artillery, pack-horses, men, &c; about 3 o'clock we crossed the Kaskaskia
with our baggage and marched about a league from town. Fair and drizzly
weather. Began our march early. Made a good march for about nine hours, the
road very bad, with mud and water. Pitched our camp in a square, baggage in the
middle; every company to guard their own squares.
8th. Marched early
through the waters, which we now began to meet in those large and level plains,
where, from the flatness of the country, {the water) rests a considerable time
before it drains off. Notwithstanding which our men were in great spirits,
though much fatigued.
9th. Made another day's
march. Fair the part of the day.
10th. Crossed the
river of the Petit Fork upon trees that were fell for that purpose. The water
being so high there was no fording it,—still raining and no tents—encamped near
the river. Stormy weather.
11th. Crossed the
Saline river. Nothing extraordinary this day.
12th. Marched across
Cot plains; saw and killed numbers of buffaloes. The road very bad from the
immense quantity of rain that had fallen. The men much fatigued. Encamped on
the edge of the woods. This plain or meadow being fifteen or more miles across,
it was late in the night before the baggage and troops got together. Now
twenty-one miles from St. Vincents.
13th. Arrived early at
the two Wabashes. Although a league asunder they now made but one. We set to making
a canoe.
14th. Finished the
canoe and put her into the river about 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
15th. Ferried across
the two Wabashes, it being then five miles in water to the opposite hills,
where we encamped. Still raining. Orders not to fire any guns for the future
but in case of necessity.
16th. Marched all day
through rain and water, crossed Fox river. Our provisions began to be short.
17th. Marched
early—crossed several runs, very deep. Sent Mr. Kennedy, our commissary, with
three men, to cross the river Embarras, if possible, and proceed to a
plantation opposite Port St. Vincents, in order to steal boats or canoes to
ferry us across the Wabash. About an hour by sun we got near the river
Embarras. Found the country all overflown with water. We strove to find the
Wabash. Traveled till 8 o'clock in mud and water, but could find no place to
encamp on. Still kept marching on. But after some time Mr. Kennedy and his
party returned. Found it impossible to cross Embarras river. We found the water
falling from a small spot of ground; staid there the remainder of the night.
Drizzly and dark weather.
18th. At break of day
heard Gov. Hamilton's morning gun. Set off and marched down the river. Saw some
fine land. About two o'clock came to the bank of the Wabash; made rafts for
four men to cross and go up to town and steal boats. But they spent day and
night in the water to no purpose, for there was not one foot of dry land to be
found.
19th. Capt. McCarty's
company set to making a canoe; and at 3 o'clock the four men returned after
spending the night on some old logs in the water. The canoe finished, Capt.
McCarty with three of his men embarked in the canoe and made the third attempt
to steal boats. But he soon returned, having discovered four large fires about
a league distant from our camp, which seemed to him to be fires of whites and
Indians. Immediately Col. Clark sent two men in the canoe, down to meet the
batteau, with orders to come on day and night; that being our last hope, and
(we) starving. Many of the men much cast down, particularly the volunteers. No
provisions of any sort, now two days. Hard fortune!
20th. Camp very quiet
but hungry; some almost in despair; many of the Creole volunteers talking of
returning. Fell to making more canoes, when, about 12 o'clock, our centry on
the river brought to a boat with five Frenchmen from the Post, who told us we were
not as yet discovered, that the inhabitants were well disposed towards us,
&c Capt. Willing's brother, who was taken in the fort, had made his escape
to us. And that one Masonville, with a party of Indians, were then seven days
in pursuit of him, with much news,—more news to our favor, such as repairs done
the fort, the strength, &c, &c. They informed us of two canoes they had
adrift some distance above us. Ordered that Capt. Worthington, with a party, go
in search of them. Returned late with one only. One of our men killed a deer,
which was brought into the camp. Very acceptable.
21st. At break of day
began to ferry our men over in our two canoes to a small hill called the Momib
or Bubbriss. Capt. Williams, with two men, went to look for a passage and were
discovered by two men in a canoe, but could not fetch them to. The whole army
being over, he thought to get to town that night, so plunged into the water
sometimes to the neck, for more than one league, when we stopped on the next
hill of the same name, there being no dry land on any side for many leagues.
Our pilots say we cannot get along, that it is impossible. The whole army being
over we encamped. Rain all this day—no provisions.
22d. Col. Clark
encourages his men, which gave them great spirits. Marched on in the waters.
Those that were weak and famished from so much fatigue, went in the canoes. We
came one league farther to some sugar camps, where we stayed all night. Heard
the evening and morning guns from the fort. No provisions yet. Lord help us!
23d. Set off to cross
the plain called Horse-shoe Plain, about four miles long, all covered with
water breast high. Here we expected some of our brave men must certainly
perish, having froze in the night, and so long fasting. Having no other resource
but wading this plain, or rather lake, of waters, we plunged into it with courage,
Col. Clark, being first, taking care to have the boats try to take those that
were weak and numbed with the cold into them. Never were men so animated with
the thought of avenging the wrongs done to their back settlements, as this
small army was.
About one o'clock we
came in sight of the town. We halted on a small hill of dry land called
Warren's Island, where we took a prisoner hunting ducks, who informed us that
no person suspected our coming at that season of the year. Col. Clark wrote a
letter by him to the inhabitants, in the following manner:
To the Inhabitants of
Post St. Vincents:
Gentlemen :—Being now
within two miles of your village with my army, determined to take your Fort
this night, and not being willing to surprise you, I take this method to
request such of you as are true citizens, and willing to enjoy the liberty I
bring you, to remain still in your houses. And those, if any there be, that are
friends to the King, will instantly repair to the fort and join the Hair-buyer
General, and fight like men. And if any such, as do not go to the Fort shall be
discovered afterwards, they may depend on severe punishment. On the contrary,
those that are true friends to liberty, may depend on being well treated. And I
once more request them to keep out of the streets; for every one I find in arms
on my arrival, I shall treat as an enemy.
(Signed,) G. R. CLARK.
In order to give time
to publish this letter, we lay still till about sundown, when we began our
march all in order, with colours flying and drums braced. After wading to the
edge of the water breast high, we mounted the rising ground the town is built on
about 8 o'clock. Lieut. Bayley, with fourteen regulars, was detached to fire on
the Fort, while we took possession of the town, and ordered to stay till he was
relieved by another party, which was soon done. Reconnoitered about to find a
place to throw up an entrenchment. Found one, and set Capt. Bowman's company to
work. Soon crossed the main street, about one hundred and twenty yards from the
first gate. We were informed that Capt. Lamath, with a party of twenty-five
men, were out on a scout, who heard our firing and came back. We sent a party
to intercept them, but missed them. However, we took one of their men, and one
Capt. Maison Ville, a principal man; the rest making their escape under the
cover of the night into the fort. The cannon played smartly. Not one of our men
wounded. Men in the Fort badly wounded. Fine sport for the sons of Liberty.
1
Even Bowman’s journal only hints at the privations these men
suffered as they slogged through the chilling mad and water on their way to
Vincennes. To do so on a full stomach
was one thing but these men often had nothing to eat. The intrepidity of Clark’s men and their
skilled marksmanship soon forced the capitulation of Hamilton and his men. This victory at Ft. Sackville sealed the
American conquest of the Illinois country from the British. How differently things might have turned out
were it not for the reckless daring and devotion of a starving, shivering band
of American citizen soldiers. Lord, may
we be so bold in Your cause!
Christ, not man, is King!
Dale
1) George Rogers
Clark, Campaign In The Illinois (Cincinnati, OH: Robert Clarke & Co., 1907),
p. 83-8.
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