The intense firing from both sides went on until about four o’clock in the morning. Then Colonel Clark withdrew all his troops save a few observation parties, and the firing ceased.
About nine o’clock George Rogers Clark sent a flag of truce into the fort with a message to Hamilton asking him to surrender immediately. This Hamilton refused to do and the firing began anew. But three hours later Hamilton sent out a flag asking for a three-days’ truce. Clark refused, but offered to have a conference with Hamilton in the church at once.
While Clark waited for his answer, everyone outside the fort, French and Americans alike, watched the fort gate to see what would happen. Willie and Jim were in the front row, waiting as impatiently as the rest.
“Jim!” Willie cried. “Look! The gate is opening.”
And indeed it was. Out came a dignified man in the striking red uniform of a British colonel of regulars, a handsome Indian and a grinning American.
“That man in red must be Hamilton himself,” Willie whispered.
“And there’s Captain Helm!” exclaimed Jim. “You know he’s been Hamilton’s prisoner since last December.”
The three men walked on to the church. There they were met by George Rogers Clark and Captain Bowman. All of them went into the church to hold their conference.
The villagers all began talking at once, wondering what would happen next. The American soldiers relaxed a little, but still held their rifles.
As Willie and Jim started to walk up the street, a woman ran out from the crowd calling to them. “Boys! Jim Hudson.”