T7+-+6.4C

T7 - 6.4C Angus Niedert, Brandt Vermillion (Victory at Vincennes)

** A BATTLE OF A LIFETIME, ONE TO REMEBER ** **VINCENNES, INDIANA February 25, 1779 ** - George Rogers Clark and his men made history. Clark has taken over Fort Vincennes at 10:00 a.m... Colonel Henry Hamilton and his troops exited Fort Vincennes after being defeated by George Rogers Clark that day. They had no choice, but to surrender to them. Clark spread his men around the fort and used the landscape to make Hamilton think he was out numbered. Hamilton knew it was best to give up. After he exited the fort, George Rogers Clark proudly raised the American flag to wave in the air under his leadership. George Rogers Clark achieved his goal February 25, 1779, and he was proud of it. On January 29, 1779 George Rogers Clark wrote a letter to the Governor of Virginia, Patrick Henry. This letter contained information about George Rogers Clark's plan to take over many British forts. He would take over the forts to free up the Mississippi River for safe passage. Patrick Henry thought that this was a good idea, so he decided to sponsor Clark and his men in succeeding in the plan. This was the first step to Clark's victory.

George Rogers Clark gathered a group of men to help him on his journey because he clearly could not do it himself. On February 6, 1779, Clark and his troops set out for his grand prize, Vincennes. Clark captured many other British forts along the way. He traveled through many rivers that were icy cold, but he never stopped. A few of the rivers he traveled across by boat and a few by foot. Many of his men followed shivering, weak, and barely able to keep up, but they kept going even under these conditions. They came upon a sheet of water that was four miles across, that is when men began to decide they didn't want to go any further, so Clark went to his bravest and toughest captain. Captain Bowman told him to kill any men who refused to move on. Clark said, "He ordered him to kill the first man who refused to go forward." Clark kept going confident that when he reached Vincennes it would be his. He traveled many miles through harsh rivers and even harsher conditions. Making his way through any disaster that wanted to challenge his ability is what Clark did until he reached his final destination, Vincennes.

On February 23, 1779 Clark marched his men into Vincennes. After fighting broke out around Clark, his men began to silence the cannons that were the biggest threats to the men by shooting through the portholes killing and wounding the cannon gunners. "Meanwhile, Clark received local help from the villagers who gave him powder and ammunition they had hidden from the British, and Young Tobacco, a Piankeshaw chief, offered to have his 100 men assist in the attack." Unfortunately Clark had to turn this offer of extra men down because he did not want to them to be mistaken for enemy Indians. Around 9:00 a.m. February 24, 1779 Clark sent a message into Colonel Hamilton demanding him to surrender. Hamilton who thought he had a chance refused to surrender Vincennes to Clark, and so the fighting went on day and night. Hamilton still refusing to surrender to Clark.

On February 25, 1779 at around 10:00 a.m. Hamilton had enough of the fighting. Hamilton put the guns and cannons away and surrendered unconditionally. Clark gladly accepted the surrender and took over his new fort. As soon as Clark walked in he renamed the fort Fort Patrick Henry and raised his American flag to signify his take over. Clark then took Hamilton, 7 officers, and 18 prisoners to Williamsburg.

George Rogers Clark was a very successful man during his lifetime. He conquered many British forts. One thing he did not do was give up. Clark faced many dangers like flooded rivers and the British army, but never backed down to either one of them that is why Clark was so successful. He fought and pushed himself to his full potential. He lived his life to the fullest. He was a leader not a follower, and he got somewhere in life by sticking to his goals. Clark's life was full of adventures that changed our country and its future. George Rogers Clark was a man who could live in the wild, support a group of men, but most of all he was a leader who took control.

Reported By Angus Nietert and Brandt Vermillion Tyrrell 7th Period