The Early Life of George Rogers Clark

American Revolution
Written By Tom Hand

On the eve of the American Revolution, the lands west of the Appalachians were ripe for conquest as the area was lightly defended by the British. All that was needed to exploit the situation and takeover this vast territory was an intrepid man with a vision. That leader would emerge in the person of George Rogers Clark. Born on November 19, 1752, on the family farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, George was not a great student. Recognizing his natural restlessness precluded farming as an occupation, father and son agreed George should learn surveying, and he proved to be an eager pupil. By age nineteen, with a head full of knowledge, some surveying equipment, and a rifle, George Rogers Clark headed west to make it on his own.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the early life of George Rogers Clark, and why it still matters today.

Images courtesy of Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, The New York Public Library, Library of Congress, University of South Florida, Wikipedia.

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Kentucky had suffered greatly from Shawnee raids in June 1780 and Colonel George Rogers Clark decided it was time to take the fight into their homeland. His invasion across the Ohio would lead to the largest battle west of the Appalachians during the American Revolution.

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With the capture of Fort Sackville, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia, Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark had gained control of the southwestern portion of the Province of Quebec, better known as the Illinois Country, for the United States. Clark was at the height of his popularity, but the ambitious twenty-six year old wanted more and turned his attention to the crown jewel of British possessions in that part of the world, Fort Detroit.

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Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark and his band of 120 determined men arrived on the outskirts of Fort Sackville in the fading sunlight on February 23, 1779, undetected by the British garrison. They were tired and hungry, filthy and unshaven; they had not eaten for four days. After a two hundred mile trek across the flooded fields of what is now eastern Illinois, with their goal before them, Clark prepared to attack.

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Clark’s Intrepid Winter March to Vincennes

Following the British retaking of Fort Sackville on December 17, 1778, Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark’s plan to conquer the Illinois Country for the United States was in peril. Without this strategic location in American control, his invasion of the southwestern portion of the Province of Quebec would be for naught, and continued incursions into Kentucky by Britain’s Indian allies would continue unabated.

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The capture of Kaskaskia and Cahokia by Colonel George Rogers Clark had been surprisingly easy, with no bloodshed whatsoever. Not one to rest on his laurels, Clark immediately began to formulate a plan to crack a potentially tougher nut located about 180 miles to the east, the British post of Fort Sackville.

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George Rogers Clark Leads Invasion of Illinois Country

As the American Revolution continued in the east, the British removed all regular troops from their western outposts to assist in the more active theater. Naturally, that exposed a weakness in their defense, one that the intrepid George Rogers Clark would soon exploit with an invasion of the southwestern region of the Province of Quebec. The results of this conquest would be felt several years later when this land captured by Clark was granted to the United States by the Treaty of Paris.

The American Revolution Moves West
The American Revolution Moves West

Soon after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the fledgling United Colonies invaded the British Province of Quebec. Despite the heroic efforts of men like General Richard Montgomery, Colonel Benedict Arnold, and Colonel Daniel Morgan, the 1775-76 invasion failed at the granite walls of Quebec City. A second, lesser known invasion, led by George Rogers Clark succeeded wonderfully a few years later, resulting in the largest capture of British territory during the American Revolution.

The Early Life of George Rogers Clark
The Early Life of George Rogers Clark

On the eve of the American Revolution, the lands west and south of the Appalachians were ripe for conquest. All that was needed to exploit this cauldron of trouble and take over this vast land was an intrepid man with a vision and a band of determined followers. That leader would emerge in the person of George Rogers Clark, and his extraordinary efforts would secure the Ohio River Valley for the United States.

Tom Hand
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