He did the same thing at Cahokia,
farther up the river. The French scattered through the western
country naturally sided with the Americans, fighting now in
alliance with France. The British sent out a force from Detroit
to try to check the efforts of Clark, but in February, 1779, the
indomitable frontiersman surprised and captured this force at
Vincennes on the Wabash. Thus did Clark's two hundred famished
and ragged men take possession of the Northwest, and, when peace
was made, this vast domain, an empire in extent, fell to the
United States. Clark's exploit is one of the pregnant romances of
history.*
* See Chapters III and IV in "The Old Northwest" by Frederic
Austin Ogg in "The Chronicles of America".
Perhaps the most sorrowful phase of the Revolution was the
internal conflict waged between its friends and its enemies in
America, where neighbor fought against neighbor. During this
pitiless struggle the strength of the Loyalists tended steadily
to decline; and they came at last to be regarded everywhere by
triumphant revolution as a vile people who should bear the
penalties of outcasts. In this attitude towards them Boston had
given a lead which the rest of the country eagerly followed. To
coerce Loyalists local committees sprang up everywhere.
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