They had no idea that any band of
Americans which could be mustered west of the mountains would dare to
attack them, and so were careless in their guard, and maintained only
small garrisons at the various forts.
All this Clark found out by means of spies which he sent through the
country, and finally, having his plan matured, he went again to Virginia
in December, 1777, and laid before Governor Henry his whole idea,
explaining in detail why he thought it could be carried out
successfully. Henry was at once enthused with it, so daring and full of
promise he thought it, and he enlisted the aid of Thomas Jefferson. The
result was that when Clark set out on his return journey, it was with
orders not only to defend Kentucky, but to attack Kaskaskia and the
other British posts, and he carried with him L1,200 in paper money, and
an order on the commander of Fort Pitt for such boats and ammunition as
he might need.
With great difficulty, Clark got together a force of about a hundred and
fifty men, one of whom was Simon Kenton. He could not get many
volunteers from Kentucky because the settlers there thought they had
all they could do to defend their own forts without going out to attack
the enemy's and only a few men could be spared. In May, 1778, this
little force started down the Ohio in flat boats, and landing just
before they reached the Mississippi, marched northward against
Kaskaskia, where the British commander of the entire district had his
headquarters.
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