e. The legislature approved a vague plan "to march against and attack any of our western enemies. Governor Henry then gave Clark two sets of instructions. The public order authorised Clark to enlist seven company's of fifty men, he gave Clark 1200 dollars in currency,promoted him to lieutenant, and told him to proceed to Kentucky and await instructions from Governor Henry. The second, private order gave Clark total control of the troops. Though he felt it would take 500 men to make his campaign a success Clark returned to Kentucky on January 2nd with no more than 180 soldiers. The journey was very tranquil, with no attacks from Indians along the way, and on May 12, 1778 they arrived close to the Kentucky shore on Corn Island a small island of about seventy acres that lied in the middle of the Ohio River. It was here that they cut down trees and set up camp, building two rows of cabins for the troops and their families to live in and two blockhouses to store ammunition and provisions . Corn Island was very important to the Clark's campaign because it provided complete safety, surrounded by rushing water and trees they were protected from attacks of any kind. It allowed Clark and his soldiers to relax before going to battle. On June 24th, 1778 at 9:00 am under a total eclipse of the sun Clark and his four companies began a four day trip down the Ohio River to the mouth of the Tennessee River. The men continued on foot to the Kaskaskia River where they "Procured a sufficiency of vessels" to cross the Kaskaskia River to the British Fort Gage in the city of Kaskaskia. On the night of July 4th, 1778 Clark and his men took possession of the fort without firing a shot. The story of what Clark did is much more interesting than the plain fact that they took the fort. On that night after all the inhabitants of the fort had been disarmed Clark proceeded to the British Governor's home where Mr. Rocheblave, the acting Governor w...
