In the Current of the Revolution 105 



some of the Indians and Vincennes people would 

 certainly be slain, and the rest would be thereby 

 made his bitter enemies, even if he succeeded. On 

 the other hand, he found out from the prisoner 

 that the French were very lukewarm to the Brit- 

 ish, and would certainly not fight if they could 

 avoid it; and that half of the Indians were ready to 

 side with the Americans. Finally, there was a good 

 chance that before dark some one would discover 

 the approach of the troops and would warn the 

 British, thereby doing away with all chance of a 

 surprise. 



After thinking it over Clark decided, as the less 

 of two evils, to follow the hazardous course of 

 himself announcing his approach. He trusted that 

 the boldness of such a course, together with the shock 

 of his utterly unexpected appearance, would para- 

 lyze his opponents and incline the wavering to fa- 

 vor him. So he released the prisoner and sent him 

 in ahead, with a letter to the people of Vincennes. 

 By this letter he proclaimed to the French that he 

 was that moment about to attack the town; that 

 those townspeople who were friends to the Ameri- 

 cans were to remain in their houses, where they 

 would not be molested ; that the friends of the king 

 should repair to the fort, join the "hair-buyer gen- 

 eral," and fight like men; and that those who did 

 neither of these two things, but remained armed 

 and in the streets, must expect to be treated as 

 enemies. 31 



31 Clark's "Memoir." 



