|  Fall,
1775, to the Virginia Council requesting support for
Kentucky:
"I am sorry to find that we
should have to seek protection elsewhere . . .if a country
were not worth protecting, it was not worth claiming."
Clark was requesting that Kentucky be recognized as
part of Virginia.
March 6-26, 1777, Diary excerpts
at Harrodsburg:
"Thomas Shores and William Ray
killed near Shawnee Spring. . . A small party of indians
killed and scalped Hugh Wilson. . .Archibald McNeil
died of wounds. . .A large party of indians. . .killed
and scalped Garret Pendergreet; killed or took prisoner
Peter Flin."
That's 6 heads of families in three weeks. There were
only about 200 people in Harrodsburg at this time.
June 24, 1778, Memoir of the
outset of the campaign:
"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. . .The whole of our force consisted
only of four companies."
Summer, 1778, Speech to the
Indian Chiefs at Cahokia:
"Men and warriors, pay attention.
. .I carry in my right hand war, and peace in my left.
. .Here is a bloody belt and a white one. Take which
you please. Behave like men. . .if you take the bloody
path you shall leave town in safety. . . and we will
try like warriors to keep our clothes stained with blood.
. .If, on the other hand, you should take the path of
peace and. . . listen to the bad birds that may be flying
through the land, you will no longer deserve to be counted
as men but as persons with two tongues who ought to
be destroyed."
He spoke to the Indians from a position of the power
that he didn't have in a voice they were unaccustomed
to hearing. The British gave them presents, Clark had
none to give.
February 3, 1779, To Gov. Patrick
Henry of Virginia:
"I know the case is desperate,
sir. . . no time is to be lost. Was I shoer of enforcement,
I should not attempt it. Who knows what fortune will
do for us? Great things have been affected by a few
men well conducted. Perhaps we may be fortunate."
This was to explain his subsequent winter march on Vincennes
with only approximately 180 men.
February 23, 1779, Ultimatum
to Lt. Gov. Henry Hamilton at Vincennes:
"I expect you shall immediately
surrender yourself with your garrison prisoners at discretion.
If any of the stores be destroyed or any letters or
papers burned, you may expect no mercy, for by heavens
you shall be treated as a murtherer."
This from a commander with less than 175 effective men
to a commander well fortified until spring when many
Indian reinforcements were due.
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