Clark Learns about Hamilton's Move

On January 29, 1779, Mr. Francis Vigo, a Spanish merchant, arrived from Vincennes and told Clark about Hamilton's take over.

From Clark's Memoir:

"We now viewed ourselves in a very critical situation . . . . We knew that Governor Hamilton, in the spring . . . would be at the head of such a force that nothing in this quarter could withstand his arms; that Kentucky must immediately fall, and well if the desolation would end there . . . . We saw but one alternative, which was to attack the enemy in their quarters. . . . the enemy could not suppose that we should be so mad as to attempt to march eighty leagues through a drowned country in the depths of winter; that they would be off their guard and probably would not think it worth while to keep out spies; that . . . we might surprise them."

225th Anniversary Exhibit

• Home
• Under Many Nations
• American Revolution in the East
• American Revolution in the West
• Clark Goes West
• Year of the "Bloody Sevens"
• Clark's Daring Plan
• The Campaign Begins
• Taking Kaskaskia
• Taking Cahokia
• Taking Fort Sackville
• Peace with the Indians
• The British Retake Fort Sackville
• Clark Learns about Hamilton's Move
• March to Vincennes - February 5, 1779
• March to Vincennes - February 15, 1779
• March to Vincennes - February 17, 1779
• March to Vincennes - February 22, 1779
• March to Vincennes - February 23, 1779 - The Dry Ground
• March to Vincennes - February 23, 1779 - Warriors Island
• March to Vincennes - February 23, 1779 - Clark Attacks the Fort
• The Fort under Siege - February 24, 1779
• Terms of Surrender Determined - February 24, 1779
• Clark and the End of the American Revolution
• Clark after the American Revolution
• Plat of Clark's Grant
• Additional Aspects of Clark's Life and Work
• Clark's Death
• Celebrating Clark
• Note on the Sources
• Who's Who
• Timeline
• Exhibit Bibliography
• Contributing Organizations