over his tongue, swallowed, and returned his gaze intent to the governor.
“Anyhow, I organized a government for Kentucky, as I wrote you, and made military discipline for its defense. Made as my captains four of the keenest Indian fighters as ever slipped through the woods. Daniel Boone, Jim Harrod, John Todd, and Ben Logan. What men! By God, sir! But by spring, as you know, the Indians resumed their raids across the Ohio in big bands, led and outfitted by the British. Hamilton at Detroit is supplying ’em with scalping knives and paying a bounty for all the scalps and captives they can get.”
The governor nodded and stared grimly into the fire.
“Since then,” Clark continued, “it’s been pretty much one routine, defending our forts against siege, getting what food we can, chasing Indians about the woods—or being chased by them—dressing our wounded, and burying our dead; that seems to be most of our business. Them able to bear arms are spread so thin among the settlements that even the ladies sometimes have to spell them at the firing ports. Disease takes as many as the fighting, though, cooped up as they are in those stockades with their animals. And not able to get out and plant or harvest, why, you can imagine they’re on rations not fit for a rat. But get by they do, and live a life while they’re at it. You’d be astounded at some of the tales. Why, a fellow was killed and scalped one day in March, and his widow was married up a month later by a gent whose own wife had been massacred some short time previous … Boone’s leg was broken by a bullet in a raid outside Boonesboro, but a big free scout named Simon Butler—mark that name well—toted him into the fort with them at his heels …
“Now that’s the Kaintuck as it is today, and to defend it long with those few men as we have is desperate at best. If John Bowman hadn’t arrived with that company of militia you sent, I couldn’t have left to come here now. Settlers are returning back over the mountains in numbers, and that hurts us sorely.Part of my way back this journey, I escorted a party of seventy-six, besides women and children.”
Governor Henry was nodding gravely, his lips compressed in a thin white line.
“You know as well as I do, Governor, we have to keep strong settlement out there to keep the British and their Indians off the back door of the colonies,” the frontiersman went on.
“I do. I do.”
“That country has to be kept secure.”
“That I know, too. I marvel at those that stay. But now, George, I know you, and I know you don’t come and get a man’s ear merely to lament a situation. You’re here to suggest some remedy, I presume.”
“Correct, Excellency,” said Clark with a sly grin.
“Very well. I’m receptive to hearing it. Mind you, I can make no promises. Virginia’s picking her own purse and getting naught but lint.”
“You’ve read my letter, about what my spies learned of the enemy post at Kaskaskia on the Mississippi …”
“Yes. And your somewhat incredible notion of invading it.” The governor shook his head, looking into his wineglass.
“Not so incredible as it might seem, though, precisely because
they
would think it incredible. They expect no offensive from us there, and their defense is lax. Most of its British garrison is habitually up at Detroit. Rocheblave commands the place with a collection of idlers, Creoles, and scoundrels, and they themselves are some disenchanted with the British rule. Our risk in taking it would be small, compared with the amount of mischief we could stop by doing so.”
“Go on. I am still listening.”
“Rocheblave, as the functionary for General Hamilton, gives presents and bounties to the Indians thereabouts, and incites ’em to raid our settlers in Kaintuck. And Kaskaskia has cannon to control that part of the Mississippi against any communications we might desire, and at the same time hold it open as a supply route for the British at
“Anyhow, I organized a government for Kentucky, as I wrote you, and made military discipline for its defense. Made as my captains four of the keenest Indian fighters as ever slipped through the woods. Daniel Boone, Jim Harrod, John Todd, and Ben Logan. What men! By God, sir! But by spring, as you know, the Indians resumed their raids across the Ohio in big bands, led and outfitted by the British. Hamilton at Detroit is supplying ’em with scalping knives and paying a bounty for all the scalps and captives they can get.”
The governor nodded and stared grimly into the fire.
“Since then,” Clark continued, “it’s been pretty much one routine, defending our forts against siege, getting what food we can, chasing Indians about the woods—or being chased by them—dressing our wounded, and burying our dead; that seems to be most of our business. Them able to bear arms are spread so thin among the settlements that even the ladies sometimes have to spell them at the firing ports. Disease takes as many as the fighting, though, cooped up as they are in those stockades with their animals. And not able to get out and plant or harvest, why, you can imagine they’re on rations not fit for a rat. But get by they do, and live a life while they’re at it. You’d be astounded at some of the tales. Why, a fellow was killed and scalped one day in March, and his widow was married up a month later by a gent whose own wife had been massacred some short time previous … Boone’s leg was broken by a bullet in a raid outside Boonesboro, but a big free scout named Simon Butler—mark that name well—toted him into the fort with them at his heels …
“Now that’s the Kaintuck as it is today, and to defend it long with those few men as we have is desperate at best. If John Bowman hadn’t arrived with that company of militia you sent, I couldn’t have left to come here now. Settlers are returning back over the mountains in numbers, and that hurts us sorely.Part of my way back this journey, I escorted a party of seventy-six, besides women and children.”
Governor Henry was nodding gravely, his lips compressed in a thin white line.
“You know as well as I do, Governor, we have to keep strong settlement out there to keep the British and their Indians off the back door of the colonies,” the frontiersman went on.
“I do. I do.”
“That country has to be kept secure.”
“That I know, too. I marvel at those that stay. But now, George, I know you, and I know you don’t come and get a man’s ear merely to lament a situation. You’re here to suggest some remedy, I presume.”
“Correct, Excellency,” said Clark with a sly grin.
“Very well. I’m receptive to hearing it. Mind you, I can make no promises. Virginia’s picking her own purse and getting naught but lint.”
“You’ve read my letter, about what my spies learned of the enemy post at Kaskaskia on the Mississippi …”
“Yes. And your somewhat incredible notion of invading it.” The governor shook his head, looking into his wineglass.
“Not so incredible as it might seem, though, precisely because
they
would think it incredible. They expect no offensive from us there, and their defense is lax. Most of its British garrison is habitually up at Detroit. Rocheblave commands the place with a collection of idlers, Creoles, and scoundrels, and they themselves are some disenchanted with the British rule. Our risk in taking it would be small, compared with the amount of mischief we could stop by doing so.”
“Go on. I am still listening.”
“Rocheblave, as the functionary for General Hamilton, gives presents and bounties to the Indians thereabouts, and incites ’em to raid our settlers in Kaintuck. And Kaskaskia has cannon to control that part of the Mississippi against any communications we might desire, and at the same time hold it open as a supply route for the British at
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