extract from what is called “Col.  Clark’s Journal.”  This is the official report which he speaks of as being carried by William Moires, his express, who was taken by the Indians (see his letter to Henry of April 29th; there seems, by the way, to be some doubt whether this letter was not written to Jefferson; there is a copy in the Jefferson MSS.  Series I., Vol.  I.).  This is not only the official report, but also the earliest letter Clark wrote on the subject and therefore the most authoritative.  The paragraph relating to the final march against Vincennes is as follows: 

“I order’d the march in the first division Capt.  Williams, Capt.  Worthingtons Company & the Kaskaskia Volunteers, in the 2d commanded by Capt.  Bowman his own Company & the Cohos Volunteers.  At sun down I put the divisions in motion to march in the greatest order & regularity & observe the orders of their officers.  Above all to be silent—­the 5 men we took in the canoes were our guides.  We entered the town on the upper part leaving detached Lt.  Bayley & 15 rifle men to attack the Fort & keep up a fire to harrass them untill we took possession of the town & they were to remain on that duty till relieved by another party, the two divisions marched into the town & took possession of the main street, put guards &c without the least molestation.”

This effectually disposes of the account, which was accepted by Clark himself in his old age, that he ostentatiously paraded his men and marched them to and fro with many flags flying, so as to impress the British with his numbers.  Instead of indulging in any such childishness (which would merely have warned the British, and put them on their guard), he in reality made as silent an approach as possible, under cover of the darkness.

Hamilton, in his narrative, speaks of the attack as being made on the 22d of February, not the 23d as Clark says.] The rapidly gathering dusk prevented any discovery of his real numbers.

In sending in the messenger he had builded even better than he knew; luck which had long been against him now at last favored him.  Hamilton’s runners had seen Clark’s camp-fires the night before; and a small scouting party of British regulars, Detroit volunteers, and Indians had in consequence been sent to find out what had caused them. [Footnote:  Hamilton’s “brief account” in the Haldimand MSS.  The party was led by Lt.  Schieffelin of the regulars and the French captains Lamothe and Maisonville.] These men were not made of such stern stuff as Clark’s followers, nor had they such a commander; and after going some miles they were stopped by the floods, and started to return.  Before they got back, Vincennes was assailed.  Hamilton trusted so completely to the scouting party, and to the seemingly impassable state of the country, that his watch was very lax.  The creoles in the town, when Clark’s proclamation was read to them, gathered eagerly to discuss it; but so great was the terror of his name, and so impressed and appalled