George Rogers Clark

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George Rogers Clark

George Rogers Clark (born November 19, 1752 near Charlottesville , Colony of Virginia , † February 13, 1818 in Locust Grove , Kentucky ) was an American pioneer , fighter in the American Revolutionary War and Indian expert .

Life

In colonial America, the Royal Proclamation of 1763 forbade the establishment of settlements beyond the Allegheny Mountains . Nevertheless, out of a thirst for adventure and in search of fertile land, many young men decided to move west to what is now Kentucky . One of them was Clark. At the age of 20 he first gained experience in the west with land surveys beyond the Allegheny Mountains. He then joined Lord Dunmore , who waged war against the Indians. In the Indian battles, Clark's military talent was shown for the first time.

The threat to the Kentucky settlements prompted Clark to call a meeting in Harrodsburg in June 1776 . Clark was sent as a delegate to Virginia, where he brought up the concerns of the settlers: Virginia should give the area the same protection as its own counties , otherwise they wanted to found their own state. The governor of Virginia bowed to Clark's demands, Kentucky was given county status, and Clark was given 500 pounds of gunpowder in defense of the same .

In the American War of Independence , the British allied themselves with the Indians, Clark fought the British outposts with small units and a guerrilla tactic from the self-created base ( Corn Island ) near the Ohio River .

After the war, he moved to the fast-growing city of Louisville , Kentucky, which he founded, where he also served on the Indian Commission . His many years of experience with the North American Indians made him a negotiating partner valued by both sides.

After Clark had to have a leg amputated after an accident, he retired to Locust Grove, where he still received diplomatic visits. He died on February 13, 1818 and was initially buried at the family seat. His body was later exhumed and buried in Louisville.

Although Clark always received less attention from posterity than his 18 years younger brother William , who was one of the leaders of the Lewis and Clark expedition , his services as a military person and Indian expert are as undisputed as his contribution to the development of Kentucky.

According to him, these are Clarke County in Virginia and other Clark counties named.

literature

Web links

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