catholic church - Indiana Catholic History

26 TRADITIO X AXD HISTORY.
place. They were the commandant, Capt. Helm,
and a man named Helm. The latter had a cannon
well charged and placed in the open fort-gate,
while Helm stood by it with a lighted match in
his hand. When Hamilton and his troops approached
within hailing distance, the American
officer, in a loud voice, cried out" halt I" This
stopped Hamilton's approach, and in reply he demanded
the garrison to surrender. Helm exclaimed,
"No man shall enter here until I know
the terms." Hamilton answered, "You shall have
the honors of war," and then the fort was surrendered
with its garrison of one officer and one private."
Hamilton was enforced from Detroit. Col.
Clark's celebrated march against Vincenpes in
the year following has been duly recorded further
on.
4. Up to 1783, Indiana and the territory of which
it formed part belonged, by conquest, to the State
of Virginia; but in January of this year, the General
Assembly of that State ceded all right, title
and claim, which it held to the territory northwest
of the Ohio, to the Congress of the United States.
The transfer was effected early in 1784.
5. By an ordinance of 1787 the territory northwest
of the Ohio was created a territory of the
United States; and on the 5th of October, Major
General Arthur St. CJair was elected by Congress
governor of the territory. He took up quarters in
the new settlement of Marietta, Ohio, engaged in
constant warfare with the Indians until the month
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