The Capture of Fort Kaskaskia.
"Fort Kaskaskia, an old French fort of western Illinois, situated on Kaskaskia River, and garrisoned by the British was, at the time of its capture in splendid repair with a well drilled militia and spies constantly on the lookout. Rochenblave, the commandant of the fort, had two or three times as many men as Col. Clark, and would have made a vigorous fight if he had not been taken by surprise. Clark's force after the toil and hardships of much traveling across rivers and tangled pathless forests, was much reduced, and it was only his audacity and the noiseless speed of his movements, that gave him a chance of success with the odds so heavily against him. He ferried his men across the stream under cover of darkness and profound silence. Inside the forts, lights were lit, and through the windows came the sound of violins. The officers of the fort had given a ball, the young men and girls were dancing, revelling within, while the sentinels had left their posts. One of the men whom Clark had captured, on his approach to the fort, showed him a postern gate by the river side, through which he entered the fort, having placed his men about the entrance. Advancing to the great hall, where the revel was held he leaned silently, with folded arms, against the door post, looking at the dancers. An Indian lying on the floor of the entry suddenly sprang to his feet uttering the unearthly war whoop. The dancing ceased, the women screamed, while the men ran towards the door, but Clark standing unmoved and with unchanged face, grimly bade them continue their dancing, but to remember that they now danced under Virginia and not Great Britain. At the same time his men seized the officers, including the commandant, Rochenblave, who was sent a prisoner to Williamsburg, Virginia."
Among his papers falling into the hands of Colonel Clark, were the instructions which he had from time to time received from the British Governor of Quebec and Detroit, urging him to stimulate the Indians to war by the proffer of large bounties for the scalps of the Americans. This shows of what importance the capture of this fort was at that period, a defence against the scalping knife of the Indians as well as the power of the British tyrant.