The wilderness between the Ohio river and the French villages was traversed with considerable difficulty; but after an arduous march, his little band reached Kaskaskia, which they surrounded. Feigning great sternness, he ordered the inhabitants to remain within doors, posted guards in the streets, and during the night caused his troops to patrol the town with the most hideous outcries and Indian yells.
By these means the simple inhabitants were deceived, the fort and town taken without bloodshed, and the British garrison made prisoners of war. Cahokia surrendered on the approach of a detachment of Clark's men without firing a gun, and the whole of Illinois was thus easily and quickly annexed to the American Republic. This was the first war between civilized nations which had been carried into this State. Col. Clarke left garrisons at the captured posts, and departed to seek new conquests elsewhere.
The wilderness between the Ohio river and the French villages was traversed with considerable difficulty; but after an arduous march, his little band reached Kaskaskia, which they surrounded. Feigning great sternness, he ordered the inhabitants to remain within doors, posted guards in the streets, and during the night caused his troops to patrol the town with the most hideous outcries and Indian yells.
By these means the simple inhabitants were deceived, the fort and town taken without bloodshed, and the British garrison made prisoners of war. Cahokia surrendered on the approach of a detachment of Clark's men without firing a gun, and the whole of Illinois was thus easily and quickly annexed to the American Republic. This was the first war between civilized nations which had been carried into this State. Col. Clarke left garrisons at the captured posts, and departed to seek new conquests elsewhere.
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