<P> On February 5, 1779, Clark set out for Vincennes with Captain Bowman, his second - in - command, and 170 men, nearly half of them French volunteers from the village of Kaskaskia in the Illinois Country . Later, in a letter to his friend and mentor George Mason, Clark described his feeling for the journey as one of "forlorn hope," as his small force was faced with a long journey over land that was "in many parts flowing with water ." While Clark and his men marched across country, 40 men left in an armed row - galley, which was to be stationed on the Wabash River below Vincennes to prevent the British from escaping by water . </P> <P> Clark led his men across what is now the state of Illinois, a journey of about 180 miles . Clark later remembered that the weather was "wet, but, fortunately, not cold for the season" but found "a great part of the plains under water several inches deep ." This made the men's march "difficult and very fatiguing ." Provisions were carried on packhorses supplemented by wild game the men shot as they traveled . They reached the Little Wabash River on 13 February and found it flooded, making a stream about 5 miles (8 km) wide . They built a large canoe to shuttle men and supplies across . The next few days were especially trying: provisions were running low, and the men were almost continually wading through water . They reached the Embarras River on February 17 . They were now only 9 miles (14 km) from Fort Sackville but the river was too high to ford . They followed the Embarras down to the Wabash River, where the next day they began to build boats . Spirits were low: they had been without food for the last two days, and Clark struggled to keep men from deserting . Clark later wrote that "I conducted myself in such a manner that caused the whole to believe that I had no doubt of success, which kept their spirits up ." Even so, a February 20 entry in Captain Bowman's Field Journal describes the men in camp as "very quiet but hungry; some almost in despair; many of the creole volunteers talking of returning ." By February 22, Bowman reports that they still have "No provisions yet . Lord help us!" and that "Those that were weak and famished from so much fatigue went in the canoes" as they marched towards toward Vincennes . </P> <P> On February 20, five hunters from Vincennes were captured while traveling by boat . They told Clark that his little army had not yet been detected, and that the people of Vincennes were still sympathetic to the Americans . The next day, Clark and his men crossed the Wabash by canoe, leaving their packhorses behind . They marched towards Vincennes, sometimes in water up to their shoulders . The last few days were the hardest: crossing a flooded plain about 4 miles wide, they used the canoes to shuttle the weary from high point to high point . Shortly before reaching Vincennes, they captured a villager known to be a friend, who informed Clark that they were still unsuspected . Clark sent the man ahead with a letter to the inhabitants of Vincennes, warning them that he was just about to arrive with an army and that everyone should stay in their homes unless they wanted to be considered an enemy . The message was read in the public square . No one went to the fort to warn Hamilton . </P> <P> Clark and his men marched into Vincennes at sunset on 23 February, entering the town in two divisions, one commanded by Clark and the other by Bowman . Taking advantage of a slight elevation of land which concealed his men but allowed their flags to be seen, Clark maneuvered his troops to create the impression that 1,000 men were approaching . While Clark and Bowman secured the town, a detachment was sent to begin firing at Fort Vincennes after their wet black powder was replaced by local resident François Busseron . Father Pierre Gibault convinced residents to support the American cause . Despite the commotion, Hamilton did not realize the fort was under attack until one of his men was wounded by a bullet coming through a window . </P>

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