62 The Winning of the West 



Thus the whole burden of making ready the ex- 

 pedition was laid on Clark's shoulders. The ham- 

 pered Virginian authorities were able to give him 

 little beyond their goodwill. He is rightfully en- 

 titled to the whole glory ; the plan and execution were 

 both his. It was an individual rather than a State 

 or national enterprise. 



Governor Henry's open letter of instructions 

 merely ordered Clark to go to the relief of Ken- 

 tucky. He carried with him also the secret letter 

 which bade him attack the Illinois regions; for he 

 had decided to assail this first, because, if defeated, 

 he would then be able to take refuge in the Spanish 

 dominions beyond the Mississippi. He met with 

 the utmost difficulty in raising men. Some were to 

 be sent to him from the Holston overland, to meet 

 him in Kentucky ; but a combination of accidents re- 

 sulted in his getting only a dozen or so from this 

 source. 13 Around Pittsburg the jealousy between 

 the Virginians and Pennsylvanians hampered him 

 greatly. Moreover, many people were strongly op- 

 posed to sending any men to Kentucky at all, deem- 

 ing the drain on their strength more serious than 

 the value of the new land warranted ; for they were 

 too short-sighted rightly to estimate what the fron- 

 tiersmen had really done. When he had finally 

 raised his troops he was bothered by requests from 



13 Four companies were to be raised on the Holston ; but 

 only one actually went to Kentucky ; and most of its mem- 

 bers 'deserted when they found out about the true nature of 

 the expedition. 



