Key Facts
- Date
- February 1779
- Theater
- American Revolutionary War frontier
- American commander
- Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark
- British commander
- Lt. Gov. Henry Hamilton
- Departure point of march
- Kaskaskia, Illinois
Strategic Narrative Overview
Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark led a daring winter march of American militia from Kaskaskia through flooded lowlands, covering roughly 180 miles in harsh February conditions. Arriving at Vincennes, Clark's force surprised the garrison. To intimidate Hamilton and signal resolve to local Native American observers, Clark ordered the public execution of four Odawa captives taken during the approach. This act, combined with the unexpected appearance of the American force, broke British and allied morale.
01 / The Origins
During the American Revolutionary War, Britain maintained frontier posts across the Old Northwest, relying on Native American allies and small garrisons to hold the region. Fort Sackville at Vincennes was a key British stronghold commanded by Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton, known to colonists as the 'Hair-Buyer.' American control of the interior was tenuous, and the British had retaken Vincennes from American hands in late 1778, threatening patriot settlements along the frontier.
03 / The Outcome
Faced with a determined enemy and collapsing Native American support, Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton surrendered Fort Sackville to Clark in February 1779. Hamilton was taken prisoner and sent to Virginia. The American victory extended patriot influence deep into the Old Northwest and contributed to the eventual cession of the region to the United States in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, denying Britain a buffer territory north of the Ohio River.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
George Rogers Clark.
Side B
1 belligerent
Henry Hamilton.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.