hero tales from american history-第4部分

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es；　teeming　with　game；　and　inhabited　by　many　warlike　tribes　of　Indians。

Here　and　there　through　it　were　dotted　quaint　little　towns　of　French　Creoles；　the　most　important　being　Detroit；　Vincennes　on　the　Wabash；　and　Kaskaskia　and　Kahokia　on　the　Illinois。　These　French　villages　were　ruled　by　British　officers　comanding　small　bodies　of　regular　soldiers　or　Tory　rangers　and　Creole　partizans。　The　towns　were　completely　in　the　power　of　the　British　government；　none　of　the　American　States　had　actual　possession　of　a　foot　of　property　in　the　Northwestern　Territory。

The　Northwest　was　acquired　in　the　midst　of　the　Revolution　only　by　armed　conquest；　and　if　it　had　not　been　so　acquired；　it　would　have　remained　a　part　of　the　British　Dominion　of　Canada。

The　man　to　whom　this　conquest　was　clue　was　a　famous　backwoods　leader；　a　mighty　hunter；　a　noted　Indian…fighter；　George　Rogers　Clark。　He　was　a　very　strong　man；　with　light　hair　and　blue　eyes。　He　was　of　good　Virginian　family。　Early　in　his　youth；　he　embarked　on　the　adventurous　career　of　a　backwoods　surveyor；　exactly　as　Washington　and　so　many　other　young　Virginians　of　spirit　did　at　that　period。　He　traveled　out　to　Kentucky　soon　after　it　was　founded　by　Boone；　and　lived　there　for　a　year；　either　at　the　stations　or　camping　by　him　self　in　the　woods；　surveying；　hunting；　and　making　war　against　the　Indians　like　any　other　settler；　but　all　the　time　his　mind　was　bent　on　vaster　schemes　than　were　dreamed　of　by　the　men　around　him。　He　had　his　spies　out　in　the　Northwestern　Territory；　and　became　convinced　that　with　a　small　force　of　resolute　backwoodsmen　he　could　conquer　it　for　the　United　States。　When　he　went　back　to　Virginia；　Governor　Patrick　Henry　entered　heartily　into　Clark's　schemes　and　gave　him　authority　to　fit　out　a　force　for　his　purpose。

In　1778；　after　encountering　endless　difficulties　and　delays；　he　finally　raised　a　hundred　and　fifty　backwoods　riflemen。　In　May　they　started　down　the　Ohio　in　flatboats　to　undertake　the　allotted　task。　They　drifted　and　rowed　downstream　to　the　Falls　of　the　Ohio；　where　Clark　founded　a　log　hamlet；　which　has　since　become　the　great　city　of　Louisville。

Here　he　halted　for　some　days　and　was　joined　by　fifty　or　sixty　volunteers；　but　a　number　of　the　men　deserted；　and　when；　after　an　eclipse　of　the　sun；　Clark　again　pushed　off　to　go　down　with　the　current；　his　force　was　but　about　one　hundred　and　sixty　riflemen。　All；　however；　were　men　on　whom　he　could　dependmen　well　used　to　frontier　warfare。　They　were　tall；　stalwart　backwoodsmen；　clad　in　the　hunting…shirt　and　leggings　that　formed　the　national　dress　of　their　kind；　and　armed　with　the　distinctive　weapon　of　the　backwoods；　the　long…barreled；　small…bore　rifle。

Before　reaching　the　Mississippi　the　little　flotilla　landed；　and　Clark　led　his　men　northward　against　the　Illinois　towns。　In　one　of　them；　Kaskaskia；　dwelt　the　British　commander　of　the　entire　district　up　to　Detroit。　The　small　garrison　and　the　Creole　militia　taken　together　outnumbered　Clark's　force；　and　they　were　in　close　alliance　with　the　Indians　roundabout。　Clark　was　anxious　to　take　the　town　by　surprise　and　avoid　bloodshed；　as　he　believed　he　could　win　over　the　Creoles　to　the　American　side。　Marching　cautiously　by　night　and　generally　hiding　by　day；　he　came　to　the　outskirts　of　the　little　village　on　the　evening　of　July　4；　and　lay　in　the　woods　near　by　until　after　nightfall。

Fortune　favored　him。　That　evening　the　officers　of　the　garrison　had　given　a　great　ball　to　the　mirth…loving　Creoles；　and　almost　the　entire　population　of　the　village　had　gathered　in　the　fort；　where　the　dance　was　held。　While　the　revelry　was　at　its　height；　Clark　and　his　tall　backwoodsmen；　treading　silently　through　the　darkness；　came　into　the　town；　surprised　the　sentries；　and　surrounded　the　fort　without　causing　any　alarm。

All　the　British　and　French　capable　of　bearing　arms　were　gathered　in　the　fort　to　take　part　in　or　look　on　at　the　merrymaking。　When　his　men　were　posted　Clark　walked　boldly　forward　through　the　open　door；　and；　leaning　against　the　wall；　looked　at　the　dancers　as　they　whirled　around　in　the　light　of　the　flaring　torches。　For　some　moments　no　one　noticed　him。　Then　an　Indian　who　had　been　lying　with　his　chin　on　his　hand；　looking　carefully　over　the　gaunt　figure　of　the　stranger；　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　uttered　the　wild　war…whoop。　Immediately　the　dancing　ceased　and　the　men　ran　to　and　fro　in　confusion；　but　Clark；　stepping　forward；　bade　them　be　at　their　ease；　but　to　remember　that　henceforth　they　danced　under　the　flag　of　the　United　States；　and　not　under　that　of　Great　Britain。

The　surprise　was　complete；　and　no　resistance　was　attempted。　For　twenty…four　hours　the　Creoles　were　in　abject　terror。　Then　Clark　summoned　their　chief　men　together　and　explained　that　he　came　as　their　ally；　and　not　as　their　foe；　and　that　if　they　would　join　with　him　they　should　be　citizens　of　the　American　republic；　and　treated　in　all　respects　on　an　equality　with　their　comrades。　The　Creoles；　caring　little　for　the　British；　and　rather　fickle　of　nature；　accepted　the　proposition　with　joy；　and　with　the　most　enthusiastic　loyalty　toward　Clark。　Not　only　that；　but　sending　messengers　to　their　kinsmen　on　the　Wabash；　they　persuaded　the　people　of　Vincennes　likewise　to　cast　off　their　allegiance　to　the　British　king；　and　to　hoist　the　American　flag。

So　far；　Clark　had　conquered　with　greater　ease　than　he　had　dared　to　hope。　But　when　the　news　reached　the　British　governor；　Hamilton；　at　Detroit；　he　at　once　prepared　to　reconquer　the　land。　He　had　much　greater　forces　at　his　command　than　Clark　had；　and　in　the　fall　of　that　year　he　came　down　to　Vincennes　by　stream　and　portage；　in　a　great　fleet　of　canoes　bearing　five　hundred　fighting　men…British　regulars；　French　partizans；　and　Indians。　The　Vincennes　Creoles　refused　to　fight　against　the　British；　and　the　American　officer　who　had　been　sent　thither　by　Clark　had　no　alternative　but　to　surrender。

If　Hamilton　had　then　pushed　on　and　struck　Clark　in　Illinois；　having　more　than　treble　Clark's　force；　he　could　hardly　have　failed　to　win　the　victory；　but　the　season　was　late　and　the　journey　so　difficult　that　he　did　not　believe　it　could　be　taken。　Accordingly　he　disbanded　the　Indians　and　sent　some　of　his　troops　back　to　Detroit；　announcing　that　when　spring　came　he　would　march　against　Clark　in　Illinois。

If　Clark　in　turn　had　awaited　the　blow　he　would　have　surely　met　defeat；　but　he　was　a　greater　man　than　his　antagonist；　and　he　did　what　the　other　deemed　impossible。

Finding　that　Hamilton　had　sent　home　some　of　his　troops　and　dispersed　all　his　Indians；　Clark　realized　that　his　chance　was　to　strike　before　Hamilton's　soldiers　assembled　again　in　the　spring。　Accordingly　he　gathered　together　the　pick　of　his　men；　together　with　a　few　Creoles；　one　hundred　and　seventy　all　told；　and　set　out　for　Vincennes。　At　first　the　journey　was　easy　enough；　for　they　passed　across　the　snowy　Illinois　prairies；　broken　by　great　reaches　of　lofty　woods。　They　killed　elk；　buffalo；　and　deer　for　food；　there　being　no　difficulty　in　getting　all　they　wanted　to　eat；　and　at　night　they　built　huge　fires　by　which　to　sleep；　and　feasted　〃like　Indian　war…dancers；〃　as　Clark　said　in　his　report。

But　when；　in　the　middle　of　February；　they　reached　the　drowned　lands　of　the　Wabash；　where　the　ice　had　just　broken　up　and　everything　was　flooded；　the　difficulties　seemed　almost　insuperable；　and　the　march　became　painful　and　laborious　to　a　degree。　All　day　long　the　troops　waded　in　the　icy　water；　and　at　night　they　could　with　difficulty　find　some　little　hillock　on　which　to　sleep。　Only　Clark's　indomitable　courage　and　cheerfulness　kept　the　party　in　heart　and　enabled　them　to　persevere。　However；　persevere　they　did；　and　at　last；　on　February　23；　they　came　in　sight　of　the　town　of　Vincennes。　They　captured　a　Creole　who　was　out　shooting　ducks；　and　from　him　learned　that　their　approach　was　utterly　unsuspected；　and　that　there　were　many　Indians　in　town。

Clark　was　now　in　some　doubt　as　to　how　to　make　his　fight。　The　British　regulars　dwelt　in　a　small　fort　at　one　end　of　the　town；　where　they　had　two　light　guns；　but　Clark　feared　lest；　if　he　made　a　sudden　night　attack；　the　townspeople　and　Indians　would　from　sheer　fright　turn　against　him。　He　accordingly　arranged；　just　before　he　himself　marched　in；　to　send　in　the　captured　duck…hunter；　conveying　a　warning　to　the　Indians　and　the　Creoles　that　he　was　about　to　attack　the　town；　but　that　his　only　quarrel　was　with　the　British；　and　that　if　the　other　inhabitants　would　stay　in　their　own　homes　they　would　not　be　molested。　Sending　the　duck…hunter　ahead；　Clark　took　up　his　march　and　entered　the　town　just　after　nightfall。　The　news　conveyed　by　the　released　hunter　astounded　the　townspeople；　and　they　talked　it　over　eagerly；　and　were　in　doubt　what　to　do。　The　Indians；　not　knowing　how　great　might　be　the　force　that　would　assail　the　town；　at　once　took　refuge　in　the　neighboring　woods；　while　the　Creoles　retired　to　their　own　houses。　The　British　knew　nothing　of　what　had　happened　until　the　Americans　had　actually　entered　the　streets　of　the　little　village。　Rushing　forward；　Clark's　men　soon　penned　the　regulars　within　their　fort；　where　they　kept　them　surrounded　all　night。　The　next　day　a　party　of　Indian　warriors；　who　in　the　British　interest　had　been　ravaging　the　settlements　of　Kentucky；　arrived　and　entered　the　town；　ignorant　that　the　Americans　had　captured　it。　Marching　boldly　forward　to　the　fort；　they　suddenly　found　it　beleaguered；　and　before　they　could　flee　they　were　seized　by　the　backwoodsmen。　In　their　belts　they　carried　the　scalps　of　the　slain　settlers。　The　savages　were　taken　redhanded；　and　the　American　frontiersmen　were　in　no　mood　to　show　mercy。　All　the　Indians　were　tomahawked　in　sight　of　the　fort。

For　some　time　the　British　defended　themselves　well；　but　at　length　their　guns　were　disabled；　all　of　the　gunners　being　picked　off　by　the　backwoods　marksmen；　and　finally　the　garrison　dared　not　so　much　as　appear　at　a　port…hole；　so　deadly　was　the　fire　from　the　long　rifles。　Under　such　circumstances　Hamilton　was　forced　to　surrender。

No　attempt　was　afterward　made　to　molest　the　Americans　in　the　land　they　had　won；　and　upon　the　conclusion　of　peace　the　Northwest；　which　had　been　conquered　by　Clark；　became　part　of　the　United　States。



THE　BATTLE　OF　TRENTON

And　such　they　areand　such　they　will　be　found：　Not　so　Leonidas　and　Washington；　Their