70 The Winning of the West 



forced to do the best he could without them ; but he 

 succeeded well in his endeavors to organize troops, 

 as he found the Creole militia Very willing to serve, 

 and the Indians extremely anxious to attack the 

 Americans. 22 He had under his orders two or three 

 times as many men as Clark, and he would certainly 

 have made a good fight if he had not been surprised. 

 It was only Clark's audacity and the noiseless speed 

 of his movements that gave him a chance of success 

 with the odds so heavily against him. 



Getting boats the American leader ferried his men 

 across the stream under cover of the darkness and 

 in profound silence; the work occupying about two 

 hours. He then approached Kaskaskia under cover 

 of the night, dividing his force into two divisions, 

 one being spread out to surround the town so that 

 none might escape, while he himself led the other 

 up to the walls of the fort. 



Inside the fort the lights were lit, and through 

 the windows came the sounds of violins. The offi- 

 cers of the post had given a ball, and the mirth-lov- 

 ing Creoles, young men and girls, were dancing and 

 reveling within, while the sentinels had left their 

 posts. One of his captives showed Clark a postern- 

 gate by the river-side, and through this he entered 

 the fort, having placed his men round about at the 

 entrance. Advancing to the great hall where the 



22 Haldimand MSS., Carleton to Hamilton, May 16, 1777; 

 Rocheblave to Carleton, February 8, 1778; Rocheblave to 

 Hamilton, April 12, 1778; Rocheblave to Carleton, July 4, 

 1778. 



