Our country in story . ugh it was mid-winter on the bleak prairies of Illinois,he immediately set out with a company of his men alongthe fur-traders trail to Vincennes. Father Gibaultblessed them as they marched away. Over all the prairies the snows were melting, the rainsfalling, and the rivers flooding. Deep and deeper grewthe creeks and the sloughs as they neared the bottom-lands oi the Wabash. Knee-deep, waist-deep, breast-high, over their shoulders the waters flowed as theywaded across. Sometimes they were even swimming,breaking the ice for miles as they went. But still on andon they stag
Our country in story . ugh it was mid-winter on the bleak prairies of Illinois,he immediately set out with a company of his men alongthe fur-traders trail to Vincennes. Father Gibaultblessed them as they marched away. Over all the prairies the snows were melting, the rainsfalling, and the rivers flooding. Deep and deeper grewthe creeks and the sloughs as they neared the bottom-lands oi the Wabash. Knee-deep, waist-deep, breast-high, over their shoulders the waters flowed as theywaded across. Sometimes they were even swimming,breaking the ice for miles as they went. But still on andon they staggered following their undaunted leader whiletheir fourteen-year-old drummer boy, seated on the shoul-ders of a tall soldier, beat the charge with all his might, 246 OUR COUNTRY IN STORY though his hands were so numb that he could scarcelyhold the sticks. Never has the history of our countryrecorded another such march. Clark and his men pressed on until close upon Vin-cennes. There in the mud, nearly frozen and starved,. THE WAKCH TO VINCENNES Clark penned on his knee a letter to the citizens ofVincennes. This is what he told them: I will take your fort tonight. Those who are true Americansremain quietly in their homes. Those, if any there be, who arefriends of the King will repair to the fort, join the hair buyer gen-eral, and prepare to fight. Take this, said Clark to a hunter from the post whomhe had encountered on the way. Tell the people of Vin-cennes that I have come against the British and notagainst them, and that we shall enter their town with therising of the moon. With the friendly light of the moon full upon them, WEST TO THE MISSISSIPPI 247 Clark and his sharpshooters began to rain their bulletsupon the fort from behind their entrenchments. Surrender! demanded Clark of Hamilton at daybreak. Give me some days to consider, answered Hamilton. Not an hour, was Clarksreply. The fort soon surrenderedand with it British rule in theNorthwest Territory endedforever. Let the
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