Brigadier General George Rogers Clark to George Washington, 21 May 1781
From Brigadier General George Rogers Clark
Pittsburg 21st May 1781
Sir
I this moment Recivd yours of the 25th of april the Intelligence is by no means alarming to me, it corresponds with my former suspicion.1
I have for Several years past kept up a constant chain of Intelligence from the Lakes through the channell of the Illinois inhabitants—And a few hours after yours I Recevd dispatches from the missisippi St Vincent River2 & the whole a confirmation of your Excellencys Hints Except that part of their coming by the way of the allegany River—But Rather through the western pass as more Immediatly among the Indian nations whom they would wish to have with them, And what greatly favours the Idea is that upwards of one thousand Ouabash Indians have again declard themselves in our favour and of course will draw their attention that way for some time, for fear that our troops in that Quarter Reinforcd by those Indians should make a diversion on the lakes while they had drawn of their forces to pitsburg, For in fact it has been the Influence of our posts in the Illinoise and Ouabash3 that have Savd the frontiers and in a great measure baffled the designs of the Enemy at Dutroit If they get possession of them they then Command three times the number of Valuiable warriors they do at present and be fully Enabled to carry any point they aim at Except we Should have a formidable force to oppose them.
I Am well acquainted with Colo. Connely and Should be happy to meet him on Equal terms, If his dependence is principally on Indians and we should fortunatly git into the field before him he will probably meet with a disapointmt But should he be Independant of them since our circumstances will be truly deplorable, Excep we had other measures of drawing the Inhabitants of this country to the field besides perswasive arguments which is too much our dependence at present, I wrote to the governor of pensylvania on this Subject but Receivd no answer,4 I cant think any thing of Importance is to be Expected by the way of winango5 but much to be apprehended from the other Quarter, I Refer you to Capt. Randolph for the news of this Quarter. I have the Honr to be yr Excells. Devoted Servt
G. R. Clark. B.G.
LS, DLC:GW. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote on the docket: “Ansd 8th June by Capt. Randolph” (see GW to Clark, that date; see also Clark to GW, 20 May).
1. In his letter of 25 April, GW had warned Clark of an intelligence report that Loyalist lieutenant colonel John Connolly intended to join British forces in Quebec and launch attacks against Fort Pitt, Pa., and its surrounding posts.
2. Clark refers to the Wabash River. Vincennes, also known as Post St. Vincents, was located on that river.
3. Clark refers to the frontier posts at Cahokia, Kaskaskia, and Vincennes, located in the country around the Illinois and Wabash rivers.
4. Clark likely refers to his letter to Joseph Reed of 23 March. Clark received Reed’s reply, dated 15 May, on 3 July (see Reed to Clark, 15 May, and Clark to Reed, 4 Aug., in , 550, 579–80).
5. Venango, Pa., was on the Allegheny River about a hundred miles north of Fort Pitt.