war-that the people might be destroyed for the want of this small supply-and that I was in hopes they would consider these matters, and favor us by sending the ammunition at public expense. They replied that they were really disposed to do every thing for us in their power consistent with their office, which I believed. After making use of many arguments to convince me that even what they proposed was a stretch of power, they informed me that 'they could venture no farther.' An order was issued to the keeper of the magazine to deliver me the ammunition. I had for twelve months past reflected so much on the various situations of things, respecting ourselves and the continent at large, that my resolution was formed before I left the council-chamber. I resolved to return the order I had received, and immediately repair to Kentucky, knowing that the people would readily fall into my first plan-as what had passed had almost reduced it to a certainty of success. I wrote to the council, and inclosed the order, informing them that I had weighed the matter, and found that it was out of my power to convey those stores at my own expense such a distance through an enemy's country-that I was sorry to find we should have to seek protection elsewhere, which I did not doubt of getting-that if a country was not worth protecting, it was not worth claiming, etc. What passed on the reception of this letter, I can not tell. It was, I suppose, nothing more than what might be expected by a set of gentlemen zealous in the welfare of their country, and fully apprised of what they might expect to take place in Kentucky. I was sent for. Being a little prejudiced in favor of my mother country, I was willing to meet halfway. Orders were immediately issued, dated August 23d, 1776, for conveying those stores to Pittsburg, and there to await further orders from me.

"Things being amicably settled, I wrote to Kentucky giving information of what I had done, and recommended them to send to Pittsburg and convey the ammunition by water to their own country. This they never received. I waited until the fall session, when I was joined by my colleague, Mr. Jones. We laid our papers before the assembly. They resolved that we could not take our seats as members, but that our business should be attended to. Colonel Henderson, one of the

purchasers of the Cherokees, being present, retarded our business. Colonel Arthur Campbell, one of the members, being also opposed to our having a new county, wished us annexed to the county on the frontiers of which we lay, and which he represented. This caused it to be late in the session* before we got a complete establishment of a county by the name of Kentucky. * * * *The commandants of the different towns of the Illinois and Wabash, I knew were busily engaged in exciting the Indians. Their reduction became my first object-expecting, probably, that it might open a field for further action. I sent two young hunters to those places [in the summer of 1777] as spies, with proper instructions for their conduct, to prevent suspicion. Neither did they, nor any one in Kentucky, ever know my design until it was ripe for execution. They returned to Harrodstown with all the

*December 7, 1776.

Silas Deane, who, early in 1776, was commissioned by authority of Congress to go to France as a political and commercial agent, wrote as follows to the committee of secret correspondence:

*

*

"PARIS, 1st December, 1776.

"To effect considerable loan in Europe is perhaps difficult. * * any It is obvious, that let the loan be made when it will, it must have a day fixed for payment, and respect to some fund appropriated to that purpose. The relying on future taxes is holding up to the people a succession of distresses and burdens which are not to cease even with the war itself— whereas, could they have a prospect of paying the expenses of the war at the close of it, and enjoying the remainder of their fortunes clear of incumbrance, it must greatly encourage and animate both the public and private spirit in pushing it on with vigor. * The good and wise part, the lovers of liberty and human happiness look forward to the establishment of American freedom and independence as an event which will secure to them and their descendants an asylum from the effects and violence of despotic power, daily gaining ground in every part of Europe. From these and other considerations, on which I need not be minute, emigration from Europe will be prodigious immediately on the establishment of American independence. The consequence of this must be the rise of the lands already settled, and a demand for new or uncultivated land. On this demand I conceive a certain fund may now be fixed. *I trace the river Ohio from its junction to its head, thence north to lake Erie, on the south and west of that lake to Fort Detroit, which is in the latitude of Boston; thence a west course to the Mississippi, and return to the place of my departure. These three lines, of near one thousand miles each, include an immense territory in a fine climate, well watered, and by accounts exceedingly fertile; it is not inhabited by any Europeans of consequence, and the tribes of Indians are inconsidera

*

*

mformation I could reasonably have expected. I found from them that they had but little expectation of a visit from us, but that things were kept in good order, the militia trained, etc., that they might, in case of a visit, be prepared-that the greatest pains were taken to inflame the minds of the French inhabitants against the Americans, notwithstanding they could discover traces of affection in some of the inhabitants-that the Indians in that quarter were engaged in the war, etc.

"When I left Kentucky, October 1st, 1777, I plainly saw that every eye was turned toward me, as if expecting some stroke in their favor. Some doubted my return, expecting I would join the army in Virginia. I left them with reluctance, promising them that I would certainly return to their assistance, which I had predetermined. On my arrival at Williamsburg, I remained a considerable time settling the accounts of the Kentucky militia, and making remarks of every thing I saw or heard, that could lead me to the knowledge of the disposition of those in power. Burgoyne's army having been captured, and things seeming to wear a pleasing aspect, on the 10th December I communicated my design to Governor Henry. At first he seemed to be fond of it; but to detach a party at so great a distance, (although the service performed might be of great utility,) appeared daring and hazardous, as nothing but secrecy could give success to the enterprise. To lay the matter before the assembly, then sitting, would be dangerous, as it would soon be known throughout the frontiers; and probably the first prisoner taken by the Indians would give the alarm, which would end in the certain destruction of the party. He had several private councils, composed of select gentlemen. After making every inquiry into my proposed plans of operation, (and particularly that of a retreat, in case of misfortune, across the Mississippi into the Spanish territory,) the expedition was resolved upon; and as an encouragement to those who would engage in said service, an instrument of writing was signed, wherein those gentlemen promised to use their influ

ble, and will decrease faster than the lands can possibly be demanded for cultivation. To this I ask your attention as a resource amply adequate, under proper regulations, for defraying the whole expense of the war, and the sums necessary to be given the Indians in purchase of the native right."-SPARKS' DIP. COR. OF Am. Rev., i, 77.

ence to procure from the assembly three hundred acres of land for each in case of success. The governor and council so warmly engaged in the success of this enterprise, that I had very little trouble in getting matters adjusted; and on the 2d day of January, 1778, received my instructions, and £1,200 for the use of the expedition, with an order on Pittsburg for boats, ammunition, etc. Finding, from the governor's conversation in general to me, on the subject, that he did not wish an implicit attention to his instructions should prevent my executing any thing that would manifestly tend to the good of the public, on the 4th I set forward, clothed with all the authority that I wished. I advanced to Major William Smith £150 to recruit men on Holston, and to meet me in Kentucky. Captain Leonard Helm, of Fauquier, and Captain Joseph Bowman, of Frederick, were to raise each a company, and on the [1st?] February arrive at Red Stone Old Fort.*

'Being now in the country where all arrangements were to be made, I appointed Captain Wm. Harrod, and many other officers, to the recruiting service; and contracted for flour and other stores that I wanted. *** I received information from Captain Helm that several gentlemen took pains to counteract his interest in recruiting, as no such service was known of by the assembly. Consequently he had to send to the governor to get his conduct ratified. I found also opposition to our interest in the Pittsburg country. As the whole was divided into violent parties between the Virginians and Pennsylvanians, respecting territory, the idea of men being raised for the State of Virginia affected the vulgar of the one party; and as my real instructions were kept concealed, and only an instrument from the governor, written designedly for deception, was made public, wherein I was authorized to raise men for the defense of Kentucky, many gentlemen of both parties conceived it to be injurious to the public interest to draw off men at so critical a moment for the defense of a few detached inhabitants, who had better be removed, etc. These circumstances caused some confusion in the recruiting service. On the 29th March, I received a letter from Major Smith by express, informing me that he had raised four companies on Holston, to be marched

*Now Brownsville, on the river Monongahela.

immediately to Kentucky, agreeably to his orders; and an express from Kentucky informed me that they had gained considerable strength since I left that quarter. The information of four companies being raised, with Bowman's and Helm's, which I knew were on their way to join me at Red Stone, caused me to be more easy respecting recruits than otherwise I should have been. The officers only got such as had friends in Kentucky, or those induced by their own interest, and desire to see the country. Meeting with several disappointments, it was late in May before I could leave the Red Stone settlement, with those companies, and a considerable number of families and private adventurers. Taking in my stores at Pittsburg and Wheeling, I proceeded down the river with caution." * * * *

On arriving with his forces at the Falls of the Ohio, Colonel Clark took possession of an island which contained about seven acres. He divided this island among a small number of families, for whose protection he constructed some light fortifi

cations.

Of the four companies that were recruited by Major Smith, on the Holston, only one had arrived in Kentucky; and when Clark disclosed to the troops his daring designs against Post Vincennes and Kaskaskia, he was deserted by the greater part of that company. Another obstacle interfered with his plans. He found that the settlers of Kentucky, owing to the hostile temper of the Indians, could not at that time hazard a material diminution of the strength of their forts by joining the expedition under his command.

The memoir of Clark proceeds: -"On the [24th] of June, 1778, we left our little island and run about a mile up the river in order to gain the main channel; and shot the falls at the very moment of the sun being in a great eclipse, which caused various conjectures among the superstitious. As I knew that spies were kept on the river, below the towns of the Illinois, I had resolved to march part of the way by land; and of course left the whole of our baggage, except as much as would equip us in the Indian mode. The whole of our force, after leaving such as was judged not competent to the expected fatigue, consisted only of four companies, commanded by Captains John Montgomery, Joseph Bowman, Leonard