克拉克几乎没有受过正规教育。[6]他和祖父住在一起,这样他就能在唐纳德·罗伯逊开设的学校接受普通教育。该校的著名校友包括詹姆斯·麦迪逊和加罗林的约翰·泰勒(英语:John Taylor of Caroline)。[10]同时,他也在家里接受辅导,这是这一时期弗吉尼亚种植园主的孩子的惯例。当时没有公共教育。他的祖父向他传授了测量相关的知识。
1777年,独立战争的炮火蔓延到肯塔基。英国殖民当局副总督亨利·汉密尔顿(英语:Henry Hamilton (colonial administrator))武装了当地的印第安人,并以“收回狩猎场”来吸引他们,鼓励他们对肯塔基州的殖民者发动袭击。而此时的大陆军没有余力去向西北进攻或保卫肯塔基,因此只能完全由当地殖民者承担保卫工作。[18]作为肯塔基县民兵的领袖,克拉克花了几个月的时间来保卫县境内的定居点,抵御印第安人的突袭,同时制定了对英军进行打击的计划。他的战略包括占领俄亥俄河以北的英国前哨站点,以极大削弱英国在印第安人当中的影响力。[13][19]
1780年6月,一支由英国人和来自底特律地区的肖尼人、特拉华人和怀安多特人等印第安人组成的混合部队入侵肯塔基州。他们占领了两个设防的定居点,并俘虏了数百名囚犯。然而,1780年8月,克拉克率领的部队在肖尼人居住的皮夸村(英语:Battle of Piqua)取得了胜利。[29]后来,人们在俄亥俄州斯普林菲尔德附近修建了乔治·罗杰斯·克拉克公园,以纪念这场胜利。[31]
1782年8月,另一支英国-印第安人联合部队在蓝舔战役(英语:Battle of Blue Licks)中击败肯塔基民兵。克拉克是肯塔基民兵组织的高级军官,但没有参加战斗,因此他在弗吉尼亚州议会上受到了严厉的批评。[34]作为对外界指责的回应,1782年11月,克拉克带领另一支探险队进入俄亥俄,摧毁了大迈阿密河沿岸的几个印第安人村庄,包括位于今俄亥俄州迈阿密县的皮夸村。这是独立战争中最后一次大规模的远征。[35]
1785年和1786年,克拉克相继协助达成了《麦金托什堡条约(英语:Treaty of Fort McIntosh)》[45]和《芬尼堡条约》,但印第安人和欧洲裔定居者之间的暴力冲突仍然持续升级。[30][44]根据1790年美国政府的一份报告,自独立战争结束以来,有1500名肯塔基定居者在印第安人的袭击中丧生。[46]为了终结这种袭击,克拉克在1786年带领一支1200人的部队,对沃巴什河沿岸的印第安人村庄发起了进攻。这场行动是西北印第安战争的第一次行动[47],但最终未能取得胜利。由于物资短缺,大约300名民兵叛变,因此克拉克不得不撤退,但在此之前,他与当地部落达成了停火协议。然而,詹姆斯·威尔金森等人散布流言,称克拉克在军队中经常喝醉。[48]克拉克得知这些指控后,要求进行正式调查,但弗吉尼亚州州长拒绝了他的要求,弗吉尼亚州议会也谴责了他的行为。流言的传播使得克拉克的名誉受损,从此他再也没有带兵作战。克拉克离开肯塔基,越过俄亥俄河,来到印第安纳边境,在今印第安纳州克拉克斯维尔附近定居下来。[48][49]
然而,1794年初,华盛顿发布《中立性宣言(英语:Proclamation of Neutrality)》,禁止美国人实施任何威胁美国的中立性的行动,并威胁要派遣安东尼·韦恩将军到马萨克堡,以阻止远征。法国政府召回了热内,并取消了他授予美国人的对西班牙战争的任务。克拉克的计划自此宣告失败,雪上加霜的是,他无法说服法国人偿还费用。[57]独立战争结束时,克拉克的声誉已经因为早期的指控而染上污点,而这些外国阴谋又使得他的声誉进一步受损。[58]
克拉克从未结婚,也从未有过任何恋爱关系,然而,他的家人认为他曾与西属路易斯安那副总督费尔南多·德·莱巴(英语:Fernando de Leyba)的妹妹特雷莎·德·莱巴相爱。威斯康星州历史协会档案中的“德雷珀手稿”中有他的侄女和堂兄写的文章,证实了他们的观点,即克拉克确实有过一段失败的恋情,并为此抱憾终生。[73]
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