The life of George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was born in 1752 on a 400-acre farm near the Rivanna River. He was the second son of John and Anne Rogers Clark. His older brother, Jonathan Clark, was two years old at the time of his birth. George probably had a typical childhood for that time period. He would have received most of his schooling from his relatives. In his free time, he probably learned how to plant, hunt, ride horses, and wrestle. From his later journals, historians have concluded that he had good reading and writing skills. In 1757, the Clark’s sold their land and moved to a small plantation in Caroline County, Virginia. This plantation had been left to them from their uncle, John Clark. 
When George was 18 years old, his youngest brother, William Clark, was born. At that time, John and Anne Rogers Clark had six boys and four girls. It was during this year that George learned how to survey from his grandfather.
In 1772, Clark left his family to go on a surveying trip to the West. While away, he located land for his family and friends to come live in Kentucky, and he worked as a guide for settlers who were moving to the West. He also participated in Lord Dunmore’s War and became known for fighting like an Indian. 
     In the mid seventies, the Revolutionary War broke out and Indians harassed the settlers living in Kentucky to discuss this issue. In June of 1776, Clark met with many representatives from Kentucky. He and a few other delegates were elected to travel to Virginia. Their goal was to gain recognition and protection as a country from Governor Patrick Henry. On his trip, he achieved his goals by securing the support and protection of Virginia. The Assembly at Williamsburg also declared Kentucky to be a separate county of the Commonwealth as opposed to an attached area of Virginia. On his trip, Clark also succeeded at convincing Patrick Henry to send him a small army North of the Ohio River. This army would enable him to capture the British outposts at Kaskasia, Cahokia, and Vincennes. 
     By September of 1788, Clark had taken control of Kaskasia, Cahokia, and Vincennes without firing a single shot. This was partly due to the assistance of the French settlers and militia who held the posts after Clark gained control of them. His control over these posts cut off the British trade with the Spanish in New Orleans. In addition, he was able to persuade many people to accept the, belt of peace, with him. 
     Clark’s next goal was to attack the British Fort in Detroit. Governor Henry Hamilton, who was also known as the Hair Buyer, governed this fort. He was given this name because he would pay Indians to attack Kentucky settlers and in return, they would bring him scalps. But before Clark could achieve this goal, Hamilton along with 500 men attacked and took over Fort Sackville at Vincennes. When Clark heard the news that Vincennes had been captured, he was left with three options. He could wait until spring to attack. He could give his forts up and return back to Kentucky to defend it. Or he could move first by attacking immediately, despite the cold weather. Clark chose to re-take Fort Sackville. 
Meanwhile, Hamilton had released nearly 200 of his Indians to return home for the winter. He also allowed many of his French militia to return to Detroit. This left Hamilton with about 100 men to defend his fort during the winter. 
At Kaskaskia, Clark began to gather his men to retake Fort Sackville. In early February of 1779, Clark began the trip with his men to Vincennes. This was a 180-mile trip through a heavily flooded wilderness. The men often walked in chest high water and there was little food. They slept in shallow water with their backs against small trees. Clark did all he could to keep the men’s spirits high. He encourages them to sing and to laugh as much as possible. 
After taking Vincennes, Clark wanted again to pursue the British headquarters in Detroit. However, supplies never came from Virginia to Fort Nelson, which was a fort that stood where Louisville now is. Clark continued to lead military actions until the end of the war. In 1781, Clark encountered Benedict Arnold and his troops. Arnold was sailing down the James River with 27 ships filled with British troops. Nobody knew what Arnold’s plans were, but they new that he had to be stopped. Clark decided to set up a trap for the troops. He had a few of his men set out in front of the British troops. When the British moved in on these men, Clark’s men attacked them from hidden spots. This was a Shawnee tactic and it worked. The British were forced to retreat. 
     One year after the war ended, Clark was named as a principle surveyor of public lands set aside for the men who served in the Virginia state military forces. He acted as chairperson of the Board of Commissioners, which supervised the portion of lands in the Illinois grant. He was also consulted on problems with Indian affairs along the Ohio River. He held these positions for approximately 20 years. 
     Clark took personal responsibility for many expenses that came up in his attacks that Virginia and the United States Congress failed to repay. During his campaigns, Clark promised each man a payment of 300 acres of land for his service. Thomas Jefferson once offered him the adventure of a lifetime, the exploration of the Northwest Territory. Clark refused this offer because of his dept. However, his younger brother, William, later went on this adventure. 
For the remainder of his life, creditors hounded Clark. In 1803, Clark was fable to build a two-story cabin on a point over looking the Falls of Ohio. He lived there with two servants who helped him operate a gristmill in town. In 1809, Clark fell into his fireplace. Due to severe burns on his leg, Clark’s leg had to be amputated. After the amputation, he moved to his sister’s house at Locust Grove. This house was located eight miles away from Louisville, Kentucky. He lived there until his death on February 13, 1818.

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