Page:Pacific Monthly volumes 9 and 10.djvu/152

102 at Kaskaskia was in good repair; that the militia were well drilled and in constant readiness to repel an attack; that it was expected if any attack were made, the attacking party would ascend the Mississippi for the purpose of making it, and that spies were therefore on the lookout for any American force ascending that river.

Clark now left the Ohio and started to march across country through what is now Southern Illinois, to reach Kaskaskia. He divided his small band into four companies, each under command of a captain. The captains were John Montgomery, Joseph Bowman, Leonard Helm and William Harrod.

It is impossible to determine exactly how many men Clark had with him at this time. It was certainly less than two hundred, and Mr. Helm Bruce, of Louisville, Kentucky, who has made a careful study of the question, thinks that his numbers were about one hundred and thirty-five. There were at least three hundred men under arms at Kaskaskia, and the country thereabouts was inhabited by hostile Indian tribes able to bring a large number of warriors into the field on short notice. The commandant of Kaskaskia was a Frenchman named Rocheblave. He was thoroughly devoted to the English cause and held a commission from George the Third.

On Clark's march from the Ohio river westward, he lost his way and the party were thrown into confusion. Clark doubted the loyalty of his guide, John Saunders, who was one of the party of hunters he had met off the mouth of the Tennessee. Clark told Saunders that if he did not find the road and find it quickly that Saunders would be shot. After an hour or two Saunders remarked: "I know that point of timber," and pointed out the way to Kaskaskia.

On the evening of July 4th, they reached the Kaskaskia river, within three miles of the town. Two years before on this day the Declaration of Independence had been signed, and now on this second anniversary of Independence Day a blow was to be struck which was to win for the American people that great western land from which was to spring forth the greatest man of the nineteenth century, he who was to emancipate the slave and make an accomplished fact of Jefferson's declaration that all men are created free and equal.

Clark's men kept in the woods until after it grew dusk, and then marched quietly to a little farm on the bank of the Kaskaskia river about a mile from the town. The family were taken prisoners and Clark learned from them that some days before the townspeople had been aroused by the rumor of a possible attack, but that their suspicions had been lulled and that they were then off their guard. He further learned that there were but few Indians in the town at this time. Clark ferried his men across the Kaskaskia river under cover of darkness, devoting about two hours to this work. He then divided his force into two divisions; one of them was to spread about the town so that no one would escape, while he himself led the other portion up to the walls of the fort.

The lights were lit, the officers of the post had given a ball. Anticipating the presence of no enemy, the sentinels had left their posts and all were present at the scene of mirth and gaiety. One of his captives showed Clark a postern gate by the riverside and through this he entered the fort, having placed his men about the entrance. He himself entered the dancing hall, unattended and unobserved, and for a few minutes stood with arms folded watching- the dance. The pretty Creole girls and their partners were "tripping the light fantastic" to the music of the violin, all unmindful of the important act in the drama of American history about to be played on the stage of this frontier post. Suddenly an Indian observed Clark, sprang to his feet and gave the warwhoop. The startled dancers looked around and, in the language of Senator Lodge, "they saw standing by the door with folded arms, the grim, silent figure of Clark in his buckskin, the American backwoodsman, the leader of the coming conquering race." The music ceased, but Clark told them to go on with the dance, only to remember that they were dancing under the dominion