A fortification built by
Col. George Rogers Clark (q. v.), on the west side of the
Mississippi.
He had designed to extend his invasion to
Detroit, but troops to reinforce him had been added to the force of another bold leader (see
Shelby, Evan), and he had to abandon the undertaking.
Jefferson, then governor of
Virginia, gave instructions for the occupation of a station on the
Mississippi River between the mouth of the
Ohio and the parallel of 36° 30′; and in the spring of 1780
Clarke chose a strong position 5 miles below the mouth of the
Ohio, whereon he built
Fort Jefferson.
Here the
Americans planted their first sentinel to watch over the freedom of the navigation of the “
Father of waters.”