克拉克幾乎沒有受過正規教育。[6]他和祖父住在一起,這樣他就能在當勞·羅伯遜開設的學校接受普通教育。該校的著名校友包括占士·麥迪遜和加羅林的約翰·泰勒(英語:John Taylor of Caroline)。[10]同時,他也在家裏接受輔導,這是這一時期維珍尼亞種植園主的孩子的慣例。當時沒有公共教育。他的祖父向他傳授了測量相關的知識。
1777年,獨立戰爭的炮火蔓延到肯塔基。英國殖民當局副總督亨利·咸美頓(英語:Henry Hamilton (colonial administrator))武裝了當地的印第安人,並以「收回狩獵場」來吸引他們,鼓勵他們對肯塔基州的殖民者發動襲擊。而此時的大陸軍沒有餘力去向西北進攻或保衛肯塔基,因此只能完全由當地殖民者承擔保衛工作。[18]作為肯塔基縣民兵的領袖,克拉克花了幾個月的時間來保衛縣境內的定居點,抵禦印第安人的突襲,同時制定了對英軍進行打擊的計劃。他的戰略包括佔領俄亥俄河以北的英國前哨站點,以極大削弱英國在印第安人當中的影響力。[13][19]
1780年6月,一支由英國人和來自底特律地區的肖尼人、特拉華人和懷安多特人等印第安人組成的混合部隊入侵肯塔基州。他們佔領了兩個設防的定居點,並俘虜了數百名囚犯。然而,1780年8月,克拉克率領的部隊在肖尼人居住的皮夸村(英語:Battle of Piqua)取得了勝利。[29]後來,人們在俄亥俄州春田市附近修建了喬治·羅傑茲·克拉克公園,以紀念這場勝利。[31]
1782年8月,另一支英國-印第安人聯合部隊在藍舔戰役(英語:Battle of Blue Licks)中擊敗肯塔基民兵。克拉克是肯塔基民兵組織的高級軍官,但沒有參加戰鬥,因此他在維珍尼亞州議會上受到了嚴厲的批評。[34]作為對外界指責的回應,1782年11月,克拉克帶領另一支探險隊進入俄亥俄,摧毀了大邁阿密河沿岸的幾個印第安人村莊,包括位於今俄亥俄州邁阿密縣的皮夸村。這是獨立戰爭中最後一次大規模的遠征。[35]
1785年和1786年,克拉克相繼協助達成了《麥金托什堡條約(英語:Treaty of Fort McIntosh)》[45]和《芬尼堡條約》,但印第安人和歐洲裔定居者之間的暴力衝突仍然持續升級。[30][44]根據1790年美國政府的一份報告,自獨立戰爭結束以來,有1500名肯塔基定居者在印第安人的襲擊中喪生。[46]為了終結這種襲擊,克拉克在1786年帶領一支1200人的部隊,對沃巴什河沿岸的印第安人村莊發起了進攻。這場行動是西北印第安戰爭的第一次行動[47],但最終未能取得勝利。由於物資短缺,大約300名民兵叛變,因此克拉克不得不撤退,但在此之前,他與當地部落達成了停火協議。然而,占士·威爾金森等人散佈流言,稱克拉克在軍隊中經常喝醉。[48]克拉克得知這些指控後,要求進行正式調查,但維珍尼亞州州長拒絕了他的要求,維珍尼亞州議會也譴責了他的行為。流言的傳播使得克拉克的名譽受損,從此他再也沒有帶兵作戰。克拉克離開肯塔基,越過俄亥俄河,來到印第安納邊境,在今印第安納州克拉克斯維爾附近定居下來。[48][49]
然而,1794年初,華盛頓發佈《中立性宣言(英語:Proclamation of Neutrality)》,禁止美國人實施任何威脅美國的中立性的行動,並威脅要派遣安東尼·韋恩將軍到馬薩克堡,以阻止遠征。法國政府召回了熱內,並取消了他授予美國人的對西班牙戰爭的任務。克拉克的計劃自此宣告失敗,雪上加霜的是,他無法說服法國人償還費用。[57]獨立戰爭結束時,克拉克的聲譽已經因為早期的指控而染上污點,而這些外國陰謀又使得他的聲譽進一步受損。[58]
克拉克從未結婚,也從未有過任何戀愛關係,然而,他的家人認為他曾與西屬路易斯安那副總督費南度·德·萊巴(英語:Fernando de Leyba)的妹妹特雷莎·德·萊巴相愛。威斯康星州歷史協會檔案中的「德雷珀手稿」中有他的侄女和堂兄寫的文章,證實了他們的觀點,即克拉克確實有過一段失敗的戀情,並為此抱憾終生。[73]
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延伸閱讀
Alberts, Robert C. George Rogers Clark and the Winning of the Old Northwest. Washington, D. C.: National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior. 1975. OCLC 2020739.
Carstens, Kenneth C.; Carstens, Nancy Son (編). The Life of George Rogers Clark, 1752–1818: Triumphs and Tragedies. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. 2004. ISBN 0-313-32217-1.
Nester, William R. George Rogers Clark: "I Glory in War". Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. 2012. ISBN 978-0-8061-4294-4.
Seineke, Kathrine Wagner. The George Rogers Clark Adventure in the Illinois: and Selected Documents of the American Revolution at the Frontier Posts. New York: Polyanthos. 1981.