THE GEORGE ROGERS CLARK EXPEDITION
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of the State of Virig^inia and not that of the British crown. Clark's men had at the same time captured Rocheblave and the other military commanders, and the surprise was complete.
All ni^ht longf Clark's men patrolled the streets and commanded the people to keep to their houses until daybreak. So wholesome was the fear of the back- woodsmen that the French settlers were completely cowed. The most that they hoped for was that their lives migrht be spared; they dared not hope to escape captivity and transportation. M. Gibault, the Roman Catholic priest, came to Clark to ask that the people migrht have the privilege of assembling in the church to bid each other farewell before they should be separated, and soon after a deputation of citizens waited on Clark, which consented that the Americans should take their prop- erty, but begged that they might not in captivity be separated from their wives and children. Clark informed the priest that the Americans believed in religious freedom and had no disposi- tion to interfere with any church. He told the people that he had no intention of carrying them into captivity, but that he came to bring them the bless- ings of liberty. He declared that if they would become loyal citizens and take the oath of fealty to the Republic, they should be welcome to all the priv- ileges of American citizenship. Those who did not so choose would be al- lowed to depart from the land in peace with their families.
All of those who have written about the expedition speak of the enthusiasm of the French settlers, who passed in a moment from the depth of dispair to the height of joy. The priest was a man of ability and influence and he be- came Trom that time forth a devoted and effective champion of the Amer- ican cause. Clark told the settlers of the alliance between France and the United States and the entire population became enthusiastic in their efforts to assist Qark in winning the remaining posts to the American cause.
A deputation of troops and citizens hastened to Cahokia. a place a few miles south of East St. Louis, on the Mississippi river, and persuaded the in-
habitants of that settlement to take the oath of allegiance to the American Re- public. Clark next sent a similar de- tachment, accompanied by Father Gi- bault, to take possession of Vincennes, the British post on the Wabash. The possession of this fort was secured through the diplomacy of the priest without bloodshed. Clark, having so few men, could not spare a garrison for Vincennes, and he therefore put the post under the command of Captain Leonard Helm, and Helm proceeded to drill the Frenchmen, who had taken the oath of allegiance to the United States, and to organize them into a militia force. A civil government was now organized and John Todd was named as commandant. He was a mem- ber of Clark's company and a great uncle of Mary Todd, the termagant wife of Abraham Lincoln.
Clark was now face to face with a most difficult situation. His troops, like the men who subsequently won the victory of King's Mountain, were the bold, adventurous spirits found on the frontier, who were only too ready to engage in a foray, but who were al- ways restive under discipline, and anx- ious to cut short their term of service. They now considered the object of the expedition accomplished, and wanted to disperse to their several homes. Clark confiscated some slaves who had been held by the British commander Rocheblave, and sold them for five hun- dred pounds, which he distributed among his troops as prize money. With additional presents, and with many promises, he succeeded in inducing one hundred of his men to agree to remain with him for eight months longer. With this handful of troops, he was distant many hundred miles from the nearest American settlement and still further from his base of supplies. The French- men in the various settlements in the Illinois country he knew were not to be depended upon, and the country teemed with Indians who were always fickle, treacherous and cruel, and who were at present avowedlv hostile. Pat- rick Henrv and Thomas Jefferson had not thought that it would be possible to hold the Illinois county, even should Clark succeed in t^^<(^nj^
