4 Vincennes: The British Barrier to the West

Upon arriving in Vincennes on February 23, 1779, Clark’s men, tired, cold, wet, and starving from the lack of food on the march, were provided for by the local French inhabitants who greeted the Americans warmly. That same evening, Clark’s men surrounded the fort and began to fire on it. Clark knew it would still be tricky for his small force to intimidate Hamilton into surrendering, so he employed several different strategies to strengthen his position.