ater at Kaskaskia near
the Mississippi in what is now Illinois and captured the small British
garrison, with the friendly consent of the French settlers about the
fort. He did the same thing at Cahokia, farther up the river. The
French scattered through the western country naturally sided with the
Americans, fighting now in alliance with France. The British sent out
a force from Detroit to try to check the efforts of Clark, but in
February, 1779, the indomitable frontiersman surprised and captured this
force at Vincennes on the Wabash. Thus did Clark's two hundred famished
and ragged men take possession of the Northwest, and, when peace was
made, this vast domain, an empire in extent, fell to the United States.
Clark's exploit is one of the pregnant romances of history. *

* See Chapters III and IV in "The Old Northwest" by Frederic
Austin Ogg in "The Chronicles of America".

Perhaps the most sorrowful phase of the Revolution was the internal
conflict waged between its friends and its enemies in America, where
neighbor fought against neighbor. During this pitiless struggle the
strength of the Loyalists tended steadily to decline; and they came at
last to be regarded everywhere by triumphant revolution as a vile people
who should bear the penalties of outcasts. In this attitude towards them
Boston had given a lead which the rest of the country eagerly followed.
To coerce Loyalists local committees sprang up everywhere. It must be
said that the Loyalists gave abundant provocation. They sneered at rebel
officers of humble origin as convicts and shoeblacks. There should be
some fine hanging, they promised, on the return of the King's men to
Boston. Early in the Revolution British colonial governors, like Lord
Dunmore of Virginia, adopted the policy of reducing the rebels by
harrying their coasts. Sailors would land at night from ships and commit
their ravages in the light of burning houses. Soldiers would dart out
beyond the British lines, burn a village, carry off some Whig farmers,
and escape before opposing forces could rally. Governor Tryon of New
York was specially active in these enterprises and to this day a special
odium attaches to his name.

For these ravages, and often with justice, the Loyalists were held
responsible. The result was a bitterness which fired even the calm
spirit of Benjamin Franklin and led him when the day came for peace to
declare that the plundering and murdering adherents of Kin