USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > Rock County, Wisconsin; a new history of its cities, villages, towns, citizens and varied interests, from the earliest times, up to date, Vol. I > Part 9
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The fort at The Forks having been lost to the Virginians, Washington constructed another at Great Meadows, which was named Fort Necessity, as a base for future operations against the French. While at Great Meadows Washington received a rein- forcement of 150 soldiers from Virginia and North Carolina and about an equal number of Indians. A large French force was sent forward in aid of those at The Forks, and Washington found himself confronted with a force of 1,400, while his own force was about 300 whites and a few Indians.
On July 3, 1754, Washington was attacked by a force of about 600 French. He successfully resisted the attack and held his fort for the day. His supplies being exhausted, he was compelled to surrender the fort, but upon the condition that he be allowed to march away with the honors of war.
This first campaign in the struggle between the English and French resulted favorably to the French. It was not, however, a lasting success, for the defeat of Virginia in attempting to pro- tect her frontier against French encroachments aroused not only Virginia and all of the colonies having unprotected western frontiers but the government of England, for if the French were not driven from the territory granted to the colonies by England, France would rule this continent and the English colonies be confined to the Atlantic coast.
The question then ceased to be colonial and became one of very great importance to European powers.
After the withdrawal of Washington from Fort Necessity the
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fort at The Forks was named Fort DuQuesne in honor of the Marquis DuQuesne de Menneville, the governor of Canada. It bore this name until the approach of General John Forbes in 1758 with an English force of 6,000 men, when it was abandoned and destroyed by the French. During the next year a new fort was built by General Stanwix, which was named Fort Pitt in honor of William Pitt, first earl of Chatham, then a very popular and influential member of the English government and known as the "Great Commoner." The information of the repulse of Washington was received with much surprise in Virginia, and while both English and French nations were professedly at peace and were endeavoring to adjust their difficulties in America, both were preparing to defend by force the rights claimed by them. Virginia appealed to England for aid, and General Braddock, an experienced officer, with two regiments of 500 men each, was ordered to Virginia. He arrived on February 20, 1755. The duty assigned to him was to capture and hold Fort DuQuesne. Washington, who had retired from the army, was invited by Brad- dock to become a member of his staff and he accepted the invi- tation.
Braddock's preparations for his march were very slow. He did not reach the vicinity of Fort DuQuesne until July 7. The French force then occupying the fort consisted of 108 officers and regulars, 146 Canadians and about 640 Indians. On July 9 Braddock moved forward toward the fort in solid masses and was soon met by the French and Indians, who availed themselves of the protection of the trees and shot down the British troops like so much game. Braddock refused to follow the advice of Washington and allow his men to fight from behind trees, as frontiersmen were accustomed to do. He was mortally wounded and his force fled from the field. Of the eighty-six officers under Braddock sixty-three were killed, and out of his force of 1,373 non-commissioned officers and privates only 459 were unhurt. Five Canadians were wounded and twenty-seven Indians were killed or wounded.
One of the bravest and most competent leaders of the Indians engaged in the battle on the side of the French was Charles de Langlade, of northern Wisconsin, for whom Langlade county in this state was named.
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This most disastrous battle was not decisive of the conflict between England and France.
The war thus commenced continued until the surrender of Quebec September 13, 1759, and the surrender of Montreal Sep- tember 8, 1760. Fort DuQuesne was abandoned by the French and occupied by the English November 25, 1758.
By the definitive treaty between England and France, signed at Paris on February 10, 1763, France ceded to England all of its right and title to the territory east of the Mississippi except a small portion in Louisiana.
By this treaty France ceased to have any interest in the terri- tory northwest of the Ohio and in all territory embraced in Wis- consin.
After the treaty of Paris between England and France was signed, and on October 7, 1763, George III issued a proclamation in relation to the government and boundaries of the territory ceded by France. By this proclamation such territory was di- vided into four provinces-Quebec, East Florida, West Florida and Granada. The southerly line of Quebec, as fixed by this proclamation, ran from Lake Nipissing, near the northeast shore of Georgian bay, easterly, crossing the St. Lawrence river at 45 degrees north latitude, near the northerly line of New York and Vermont. The territory now embraced in Wisconsin was not af- fected by the proclamation. It did, however, contain provisions that affected the colonies whose grants ran "from sea to sea." It provided that no governor of the colonies should grant patents for lands beyond the bounds of his province and that no official of an Atlantic colony should allot any lands situated farther west than the sources of the rivers flowing into the Atlantic, and all persons were forbidden to make any purchase or settlement of any lands so reserved.
By this proclamation the king also reserved under his sov- ereignty, protection and dominion, for the use of the Indians, all lands not included within the limits of the governments of Que- bec and East and West Florida. The territory northwest of the Ohio, including that portion embraced in the state of Wisconsin, was a portion of the lands not included in either of the three gov- ernments. One of the purposes of this proclamation undoubtedly was to reassert the right of England to control the territory em- braced in the charters of Virginia. Massachusetts and Connecti-
HISTORIO EVOLUTION OF ROCK COUNTY
cut, and take from them rights given them by their respective charters.
In April, 1774, the parliament of England passed an act known as the Quebec Act, by which the boundaries of the province of Quebec were extended southerly to the Ohio river so as to include the territory north of that river, thus making Wisconsin a part of the province of Quebec.
The following provisos were, however, contained in the act:
"Provided always, that nothing herein contained relative to the boundary of the province of Quebec shall in any wise affect the boundaries of any other colony."
"Provided always, and be it enacted, that nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to make void, or to vary or alter any right, title or possession derived under any grant, conveyance, or otherwise howsoever, of or to any lands within the said province, or the provinces thereto adjoining, but that the same shall remain and be in force, and have effect, as if this act had never been made."
The proclamation of 1763 organizing the province of Quebec did not make the territory northwest of the Ohio a part of that province or establish a government for that territory. No sepa- rate government was established for it by England prior to the Quebec Act of 1774. It seems to have been conceded by the Brit- ish government that the territory northwest of the Ohio was in- cluded in the charter of Virginia and that it was the duty of that province to provide for its government. Virginia denied the right of the British parliament to include any portion of her territory in the boundaries of the province of Quebec without her consent.
The passage of the Quebec Act produced serious apprehension and distrust on the part of the colonists. From the time of the passage of the act the current of events moved rapidly toward the final separation of the colonies from the mother country. In May General Gage, as governor of Massachusetts, arrived in Bos- ton with four regiments. The Connecticut legislature condemned the action of parliament. General Gage dissolved the general court of Massachusetts. Governor Dinwiddie dissolved the house of burgesses of Virginia. Conventions were called and met to appoint delegates to a colonial congress. The people assembled and compelled the councilors appointed by General Gage to re- sign. The first continental congress met in Philadelphia and
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adopted a declaration of rights, insisting on self-government. The Massachusetts house of representatives resolved itself into a provincial congress and appointed a committee of safety. It also voted to enrol 12,000 minute men. The Connecticut assembly ordered that preparation be made to resist the British govern- ment. The colonists of Rhode Island seized forty-four pieces of ordnance in the batteries at Newport. A party of colonists at Portsmouth, N. H., entered a fort and carried away 100 barrels of powder. A Maryland convention voted £10,000 with which to purchase arms. The first blood of the revolution was shed at Concord. The fortress at Ticonderoga was captured by Colonels Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold. The fortress at Crown Point was taken by Colonel Seth Warner. The second continental con- gress met at Philadelphia and selected George Washington to command the colonial forces. Generals IIowe, Clinton and Bur- goyne arrived in Boston with 12,000 fresh troops. The battle of Bunker Hill was fought and the War of the Revolution began.
During this period the purpose of the colonists of Virginia was in no way uncertain. In 1774 in every county a committee of safety was appointed and an independent company of minute men formed, who were sworn to obey the orders of the committee. On March 20, 1775, the Virginia convention met in the old St. John's church in Richmond. It was in this convention that Pat- rick Henry made that wonderful appeal for action, that was at once effective and is more frequently quoted than any other ut- terance of that exciting period.
The general assembly of Virginia met on May 6. 1776, at Wil- liamsburg. On May 15 this convention unanimously adopted two important resolutions, one directing its delegates to the general congress to propose to that body that it declare the united colonies free and independent states. The other resolution was to provide for the appointment of a committee to prepare a declaration of rights and a plan of government. A bill of rights was prepared and adopted June 12. and on June 29, five days before the declaration of independence, a preamble and constitution were adopted.
By this constitution all lands that were embraced in the char- ter of 1609, and that had been included within the boundaries of other colonies, were ceded and released to such other colonies, and the constitution then declared that
"The western and northern extent of Virginia shall in all
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other respects stand as fixed by the charter of King James I, in the year 1609, and by the public treaty of peace between the courts of Britain and France, in the year 1763."
This declaration was a reiteration of the claim of the colony of Virginia to the territory northwest of the Ohio.
The constitution did not fix the name of the new government, but it declared that all commissions and grants should run "in the name of the commonwealth of Virginia."
The colony of Virginia by the adoption of a constitution was the first of the English colonies in America to sever her rela- tions with England and declare and exercise her own sovereign- ty. The constitution adopted by her delegates was the first con- stitution creating an effective and independent government by the people.
Its adoption was the first assertion of independent sovereignty by the colonists and marked the way from colonial government to independent statehood for the other colonies. After the adop- tion of the constitution the convention at once proceeded to elect Patrick Henry governor. He took the oath of office July 5, and the government of the new state at once went into operation.
These acts and proceedings of the colony of Virginia are of especial interest to the citizens of Wisconsin, for during all of this active and interesting period of the history of our country the territory embraced in the state of Wisconsin was claimed by Virginia as a part of her domain.
After the Treaty of Paris was signed by France, releasing to England all of her rights in the territory north of the Ohio, a large number of the French residing in that territory left it and English soldiers came in and occupied the posts.
After Virginia had severed her relations with England and declared herself an independent government she insisted that the territory northwest of the Ohio belonged to her and that the occupation thereof by the soldiers of England must cease.
There was in the territory of Virginia south of the Ohio a stalwart young frontiersman and Indian fighter of Scotch-Irish descent, named George Rogers Clark. He had fought the Indians in the Dunmore War and was anxious to aid his native colony in her struggle for independence. From his knowledge of the conditions existing in the Mississippi valley he became convinced that the English forces occupying the posts in that portion of
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
Virginia could be expelled from it. After carefully maturing a plan for an expedition for that purpose he proceeded to Williams- burg, the seat of government of the new state, and presented his plan privately to Governor Patrick Henry, who approved it and appointed him a major of militia and authorized him to enlist the men necessary for his expedition. As his success depended upon secrecy, he had difficulty in securing the men he desired. The ostensible purpose of the enlistment was to protect the set- tlers south of the Ohio from incursions by the Indians. His real purpose he did not care to disclose, fearing that the English might be advised of it and be prepared to meet him. He, how- ever, succeeded in raising a force of from 150 to 200 men, and on June 24, 1778, embarked on the Ohio. He halted at the falls of the Ohio, where Louisville is now situated, constructed a block- house on an island in the middle of the falls and planted corn for future use. He left there those of his force who were unable to endure the fatigue of the coming campaign. He here first dis- closed to his men the real purpose of the expedition. He then proceeded down the river to the site of old Fort Massac, below the mouth of the Tennessee river. Hiding his boats there, he made as rapid a march as possible to Kaskaskia. The post was com- pletely surprised and on July 4, 1778, surrendered without re- sistance. He then sent a detachment to capture Cahokia. This post also surrendered without resistance. Clark remained at Kaskaskia to establish and put in operation a government for the protection of the people. Being advised that it was the purpose of Hamilton, the lieutenant governor of Quebec, who was in com- mand of the post of Vincennes, to retake Kaskaskia, Clark de- cided to anticipate his action and take Vincennes. On February 7, 1779, Clark, with a portion of his army, commenced his ad- vance on Vincennes. On February 18 he appeared before Vin- cennes and on the next day Hamilton surrendered the post. Want of space prevents a statement in detail of the strategy, courage and endurance of Clark and his little band in securing these suc- cesses.
George Rogers Clark was born near Monticello, in Albemarle county, Virginia, on November 12, 1752. His ancestors are said to have been Scotch-Irish. His early years were spent in Caro- line county, Virginia. He fitted himself for a surveyor. He served under Governor Dunmore against the Indians in what is
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HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF ROCK COUNTY
known as the Dunmore War. In 1775 he went into that portion of the territory of Virginia now embraced in the state of Ken- tucky, and there pursued his profession. When the Indians, un- der the influence of the British, invaded the homes of the settlers, Clark became the leader of the people in defending and protect- ing themselves. He was appointed a major of militia in 1776 and was also elected a delegate to the Virginia convention. He did not reach Williamsburg, where the convention was held, until it had adjourned. He procured the formation of the new county of Kentucky, embracing that portion of Virginia now the state of Kentucky. The incursions of the Indians into the white settle- ments for theft, rapine and murder were encouraged and pro- moted by the British soldiers in the Mississippi valley. Clark be- lieved that they should be driven off from Virginia territory. He sent spies into their camps and on their reports matured the plan for their expulsion that he presented to Governor Patrick Henry. It was said of him: "All that rich domain northwest of the Ohio was secured to the republic at the peace of 1783 in con- sequence of his prowess."
He died near Louisville, Ky., February 18, 1818, and was buried in the Cave Hill cemetery. The place where he sleeps is marked by a small stone upon which are the letters "G. R. C."
The period of the Revolution, so full of strenuous effort, ex- alted patriotism, patient endurance, personal sacrifice and inspir- ing achievement, presents no grander character than that of George Rogers Clark. No soldier of the revolutionary period possessed higher qualities. His wonderful self-possession, great tact and power of endurance, with his indomitable will, enabled him to overcome almost insurmountable difficulties, endure in- credible hardships and achieve complete and important successes without loss of time or men. It is doubtful if any other officer of that day could have conceived and carried to a successful ter- mination the campaign planned and executed by him, the re- sults of which probably hastened the successful termination of the struggle of the colonies for independence and saved to the future nation that marvelously rich and extensive valley without which it never could have expanded to the Pacific coast and be- come the great and influential nation that is now our pride.
His splendid services and their important results have been eclipsed by what seemed more important events on the Atlantic
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coast and have received scant recognition and appreciation. Com- plete justice may be done him without in any way detracting from the reputation of the able and patriotic officers and soldiers of the eastern colonies. His name should be honored and his he- roic services kept in remembrance by all who have found homes in the vast domain from which he expelled the foes of our country.
Colonel Clark captured Kaskaskia July 5, 1778, Cahokia fell a few days later, and Vincennes in August, 1778. In October, 1778, the house of burgesses of Virginia passed an act organizing the county of Illinois, which provided that
"All the citizens of the commonwealth of Virginia who are already settled or shall hereafter settle on the western side of the Ohio shall be included in a distinct county which shall be called Illinois county, and the governor of this commonwealth, with the advice of the council, may appoint a county lieutenant or commandant-in-chief in that county during pleasure."
In pursuance of this act Governor Patrick Henry on December 12, 1778, appointed as county lieutenant John Todd, who organ- ized a county government. He was unsuccessful in his adminis- tration of the affairs of the county, and, becoming discouraged, left Illinois in the autumn of 1779 and returned to Kentucky. He did not resign his office. In his absence his deputy, Richard Winston, performed the duties of lieutenant and was later ap- pointed lieutenant of the county. Rock county was a portion of the new county of Illinois. This was the first county organiza- tion to which the territory embraced in Rock county became subject.
Upon the expulsion of the British Virginia promptly asserted her sovereignty and proceeded to establish a government and en- force law and order in her western domain.
After the expulsion of the British from the territory north- west of the Ohio and the organization of that territory into a county and the establishment of a civil government therein, Vir- ginia insisted that if there were doubts about her right to the territory northwest of the Ohio under her charters she was en- titled to it by conquest, for after she became an independent state she had raised troops and sent them, under her own officers and at her own expense, into the territory described in her charters and claimed by her, and had driven ont those who denied her
R. J. Dowd
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HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF ROCK COUNTY
right and claim, and established there an active, operative gov- ernment.
Neither Massachusetts, Connecticut nor New York at any time entered into the possession of any portion of the territory northwest of the Ohio. Nor did either of those colonies in any way aid or offer to aid Virginia in her efforts to exclude the Brit- ish from that territory. Nor did they or either of them, prior to the conquest by George Rogers Clark, in any way protest against the claim of Virginia that the territory northwest of the Ohio be- longed to her under her charters.
On December 16, 1773, the "Boston tea party" occurred. It was followed by an act of parliament closing the port of Boston. This act was called the "Boston port bill." When the passage of the act was announced the colonists that were opposed to Brit- ish rule were thoroughly aroused. Serious deliberation was given the situation. A meeting of representatives of all the colonies was proposed by Virginia, New York and Rhode Island and agreed to by all of the colonies. Massachusetts was requested to fix the time and place of meeting.
On June 17, 1774, the legislature of Massachusetts adopted a resolution fixing September 1, 1774, at Philadelphia, as the time and place of such meeting. All of the colonies except Georgia sent representatives to this meeting, and she agreed to concur in what should be done by the representatives of the other colonies.
The meeting convened on September 5, 1774, and organized by the election of Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, as president, and Charles Thomson, of Philadelphia, as secretary. This meeting is called "the first continental congress." It adopted articles of association of the colonies and considered many matters pertain- ing to their welfare. On October 26 it adjourned to meet at Philadelphia May 10, 1775.
At the time fixed the congress reassembled in Philadelphia. Peyton Randolph was again elected president. On his resigna- tion during the session, John Hancock was elected president. Among the important proceedings of this session was the appoint- ment on June 15 of George Washington as commander-in-chief of the armies of the colonies.
On June 11. 1776, congress adopted a resolution providing that a committee be appointed to prepare the form of a confed- eration to be entered into between the colonies, and on the fol-
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lowing day a committee of five was appointed. The committee made its report, embracing articles of confederation, which were under consideration from time to time until July 9, 1778, when they were finally adopted. The first article declared that the style of the confederacy should be "The United States of Amer- ica." The articles were ratified by all of the colonies except Maryland, which refused to ratify them until those colonies whose territory extended to the Mississippi released to the con- federacy all of their claims to the territory northwest of the Ohio. Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York insisted that their claims to such territory were just and valid claims and should be recognized, while the colonies making no claim to any part of such territory strenuously objected to the allowance of such claims and persisted in their refusal to join in the adoption of the proposed articles of confederation if such claims were to be recognized and allowed.
After much delay and discussion the colonies making claims to the lands northwest of the Ohio, for the purpose of getting rid of all antagonisms and promoting harmony between the colonies, and to secure the adoption of the articles of confederation, gen- erously consented to cede to the new government to be formed all rights claimed by them in the territory northwest of the Ohio.
On March 1, 1781, New York ceded to the United States all of her rights in all lands west of her present boundaries.
The War of the Revolution, that began on the village green of Lexington April 19, 1776, was terminated by the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1783. Immediately there- after negotiations were begun for a treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain. Provisional articles therefor were signed at Paris November 30, 1782. The final definative treaty was not signed until September 3, 1783.
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