GEORGE ROGERS CLARK Selected Papers From The 1983 And 1984 George Rogers Clark Trans-Appalachian Frontier History Conferences

The annual George Rogers Clark Trans-Appalachian Frontier History Conference was inaugurated in October 1983 to encourage research into this absorbing and fascinating field of study and to serve as a focal point for its presentation. Although papers on the subject are often presented at other meetings, no regularly scheduled conference had existed which was devoted solely to this theme. It was felt that the great importance of both George Rogers Clark and the Settlement of Vincennes in the early history of this region made this historic city on the Wabash River, the site of George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, a perfect setting for such a gathering.

To a far greater extent than on the later Trans-Mississippi frontier, the events that transpired in the Trans-Appalachian region in its early recorded years were of critical importance in the subsequent shaping of world history. It was in this vast area lying between the Appalachian Mountains, Mississippi River, Great Lakes and the Gulf Coast, that a direct confrontation took place among the Indians, French, British, Spanish and Americans during the formative period of North American history.

The saga of this area is an extremely complex one, filled with great adventure, incredible bravery, tremendous hardship, and continuous intrigue. The remarkable personalities that have played their roles here are legion including DeSoto, LaSalle, Radisson, Groseilliers, Jolliet, Marquette, Iberville, Langlade, Croghan, Pontiac, Boone, Kenton, Sevier, Clark, Girty, Dragging Canoe, Little Turtle, Wayne, McGillivray, Bowles, Wilkinson, Harrison, Tecumseh, and Jackson. If, as Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage," the players in this drama could not have asked for a better setting, a more colorful backdrop, or a stronger plot.

These selected papers from the 1983 and 1984 conferences cover a wide variety of topics. Linda Carlson Sharp's "Unjust Encroachments: British and French Territorial Claims in North America to 1763" examines the early maps of the continent with emphasis on the conflicting claims in the Trans-Appalachian area. D. R. Farrell's "Mobilizing for War: Logistics and the British War Effort in the West, 1775 - 1783" looks at the many problems involved in waging war on a remote frontier. William L. Potter's "Redcoats on the Frontier: The King's Regiment in the Revolutionary War" illuminates the activities of these soldiers in an often shadowy border conflict. William Coffins' "The Spanish Attack on Fort St. Joseph" looks at the underlying factors in this seemingly minor military operation. David A. Simmons' "Military Architecture on the American Frontier" discusses various types of fortifications and their role in the region. Patrick J. Furlong's "Problems of Frontier Logistics in St. Clair's 1791 Campaign" explores the many difficulties the United States had with military operations in the late 18th century wilderness. Richard Day's "Michel Brouillet, 1774 - 1838: A Vincennes Fur Trader, Interpreter, and Scout" provides an example of an engaging frontier figure. Robert W. McCluggage's "Pioneer Stereotypes" gives a colorful, and often humorous, insight into the early population of the region.

Initiating and carrying out an annual conference such as this always brings challenges, both those expected and those unforeseen. For their great assistance, support and effort, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to former Superintendent Roy F. Beasley, Jr., Superintendent John Neal, Terri Utt, and Pat Wilkerson, of the National Park Service, and to President Phillip M. Summers, Robert R. Stevens, and Chelsea M. Lawlis of Vincennes University. In addition, I want to thank the Eastern National Park and Monument Association and the Vincennes University Printing Center for making this publication possible.

Robert J. Holden
Historian, National Park Service and Conference Coordinator

Vincennes, Indiana
July 23, 1985