74 The Winning of the West 



to dinner, responded in very insulting terms. There- 

 upon Clark promptly sent him as a prisoner to Vir- 

 ginia (where he broke his parole and escaped), and 

 sold his slaves for five hundred pounds, which was 

 distributed among the troops as prize-money. 



A small detachment of the Americans, accom- 

 panied by a volunteer company of French militia, at 

 once marched rapidly on Cahokia. The account of 

 what had happened in Kaskaskia, and the news of 

 the alliance between France and America, and the 

 enthusiastic advocacy of Clark's new friends, soon 

 converted Cahokia; and all of its inhabitants, like 

 those of Kaskaskia, took the oath of allegiance to 

 America. Almost at the same time the priest Gi- 

 bault volunteered to go, with a few of his compa- 

 triots, to Vincennes, and there endeavor to get the 

 people to join the Americans, as being their natural 

 friends and allies. He started on his mission at 

 once, and on the first of August returned to Clark 

 with the news that he had been completely success- 

 ful, that the entire population, after having gathered 

 in the church to hear him, had taken the oath of 

 allegiance, and that the American flag floated over 

 their fort. 26 No garrison could be spared to go to 

 Vincennes ; so one of the captains 27 was sent thither 

 alone to take command. 



The priest Gibault had given convincing proof of 

 his loyalty. He remarked to Clark rather dryly that 



26 Judge John Law's "Address on the Colonial History of 

 Vincennes," p. 25. 



27 Leonard Helm. 



