Battle+of+Vincennes

=__**George Rogers Clark Captures British Fort at Vincennes, Illinois**__= The Battle of Vincennes took place in February 1779. It was part of the Illinois Campaign to protect colonists from retaliation by [|Native Americans], who thought that they were encroaching on their hunting grounds, and to open the [|Mississippi River] for safe passage. A [|militia] Captain, George Rogers Clark, came up with a plan to capture [|French settlements] which had aligned themselves with the British. The British were in charge of the settlements of [|Detroit], [|Kaskaskia], and Vincennes and actually encouraged the Native Americans to attack settlers by paying them for [|scalps]. Colonial Henry Hamilton was actually given the nickname "Hair Buyer". George Rogers Clark convinced the [|Virginia Assembly] to finance the capture of these British strongholds. Kaskaskia was captured without incident and Clark persuaded Jesuit Priest Father Gibault to travel with him to Vincennes where the townspeople were convinced to pledge their allegiance to the [|colonies]. Colonial Hamilton regained control of Vincennes and Clark and his men took a British prisoner, who gave them information. Clark was outnumbered with only forty seven men but he had them march in a circle around fort Vincennes to give the appearance of thousands of troops. Clark convinced Hamilton to surrender by killing two Native American prisoners with a [|tomahawk]. The British were prevented from having control over the Midwest. =George Rogers Clark= One of the heroes of the American Revolution was the brother of [|William Clark] of the famous [|Lewis and Clark Expedition]. George Rogers Clark was involved in the military since [|Lord Dunmore's War], where he was part of the Virginia militia as a Captain. Detroit, Kaskaskia, and Vincennes were three British strongholds that were supplying the Native Americans with weapons for them to attack colonists in Kentucky. The Continental Army could not spare soldiers and Clark was given permission to seize these outposts which were north of the Ohio River. This became known as the [|Illinois Campaign]. The capture of Vicennes became known as Clark's greatest military achievement and was the basis for his reputation as a military hero. His success was used to encourage an alliance with France and General [|George Washington] recognized that this victory was achieved without the use of regular army and funds. Virginia benefited from Clark's success also by claiming the northwest and calling it Illinois County.

=Pierre Gibault= Pierre Gibault is known as the "Patriot Priest". He was a [|Jesuit missionary] in the [|northwest territory] during the American Revolution. He met with George Rogers Clark and told him that he supported the American cause but was worried about his congregation. He convinced French residents to support the Americans and to accept American money. He exchanged [|Spanish milled dollars] for [|American continental promissory notes] which helped finance most of the Illinois Campaign. He Convinced Clark that he could take the Vincennes without fighting and troops. He converted most of the residents to the American cause and told the British Colonial Governor, [|Henry Hamilliton], that his troops would be denied all supplies unless they released [|Francis Vigo], a Spanish citizen. Father Gibault was viewed unfavorably by many of his fellow clergymen who were still loyal to the British. Because of Gibault's influence over the townspeople, Clark was able to succeed in the Illinois Campaign and he is considered a hero of the American Revolution.



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