The Winning of the West, Volume 2: From the Alleghanies to the Mississippi, 1777-1783

In Short

This history captures the volatile era of 1777–1783, when the American frontier became a secondary, yet decisive, theater of the Revolutionary War. It chronicles the relentless conflict between backwoods pioneers, British-backed Indian coalitions, and rival colonial forces. Through the eyes of frontiersmen like George Rogers Clark and Daniel Boone, the narrative reveals the transformation of the Northwest Territory from a contested borderland into the bedrock of a new republic. Its enduring power lies in its unflinching portrayal of the harsh, often lawless conditions that forged an American identity, balancing the era’s grand territorial ambitions against the grim realities of daily warfare.

The Story

The narrative opens in the late 1770s, a period when the frontier is a powder keg. British Lieutenant-Governor Henry Hamilton orchestrates an alliance among the northwestern tribes at Detroit, arming them to strike against the encroaching American settlements. This initiates a cycle of reciprocal violence, where "Long Knives"—the backwoodsmen—and their indigenous counterparts engage in a desperate, intimate, and unforgiving struggle for control of the Ohio Valley and the Kentucky region.

The heart of the account follows George Rogers Clark, a commander of immense resolve who shoulders the impossible task of governing a vast, hostile territory with a handful of ill-disciplined men. Lacking support from a distant and unsure Virginia government, Clark must master both the diplomatic complexities of local French creoles and the tactical demands of a guerrilla war against the British. His leadership culminates in the legendary march to Vincennes, where his men endure freezing temperatures and flooded plains to reclaim the post, securing a vital foothold for the United States.

As the conflict deepens, the narrative shifts to the grueling life of the settlers. For these people, the war is not a series of grand battles, but a sequence of raids, sieges, and sudden, lethal encounters. Figures like the intrepid scout Simon Kenton embody the era’s volatility—capable of immense kindness and fierce, unrestrained rage. The settlers build small, fragile palisaded towns that exist in a state of permanent alert, where the sight of a panicking animal often serves as the only warning of an impending raid.

The arc of the conflict reaches a turning point in the south at the Battle of King’s Mountain. As the Revolutionary War draws to a close, the frontier struggle becomes inextricably linked to the broader, vicious civil war between Whigs and Tories. The narrative details the ferocious retribution that follows the American victory, highlighting how the absence of centralized law turned neighbors into bitter enemies and necessitated a rough, improvised justice.

Even as the war officially concludes, peace remains elusive. Settlers continue to push south of the French Broad, leading to renewed friction with the Cherokees. The cycle of encroachment, retaliation, and broken peace treaties persists, complicated by rogue elements on both sides who operate beyond the control of their respective leaderships. The book concludes by reflecting on the character of the pioneers—a harsh, homely, and individualistic people who, despite their frequent brutality and social shortcomings, successfully expanded the boundaries of the new nation. It posits that this frontier crucible was the forge of the American spirit, noting that from this very environment would emerge figures like Abraham Lincoln, the ultimate product of the backwoods experience.

How It Unfolds

The war takes root The British and their tribal allies convene at Detroit to organize a systematic campaign against American settlers. This initial mobilization transforms isolated border clashes into a strategic, region-wide conflict.

The struggle for command George Rogers Clark assumes authority over a vast and unruly territory, balancing military defense with the delicate administration of French-speaking creoles. He finds himself entirely dependent on his own resourcefulness when supplies and communication from the coast fail to arrive.

The march to Vincennes Clark leads his exhausted men through frozen, submerged landscapes in a desperate push to seize key British posts. This grueling expedition becomes the defining moment of American success in the Northwest.

The settler's reality The narrative pivots to the daily life of those who endure the war in small, fortified clearings. The constant threat of violence, exemplified by the accounts of scouts like Simon Kenton, dictates the rhythm of survival and the necessity of communal vigilance.

Civil war in the south The conflict spills into the Carolinas, where the struggle for independence dissolves into a brutal vendetta between local factions. The culmination at King’s Mountain illustrates the savage nature of this domestic strife and the subsequent, often bloody, settling of scores.

The aftermath of expansion Even as the formal war ends, the relentless movement of pioneers into new territories keeps tensions with indigenous tribes high. The book concludes with the establishment of the first permanent settlements and the emergence of a distinct, uniquely American backwoods society.

The People

George Rogers Clark stands at the center of this history as a man of formidable executive ability and iron will. Faced with mutinous troops, a lack of funding, and a hostile population, he manages to hold the Northwest for the Americans through sheer tactical brilliance and personal magnetism. He is the architect of the frontier's strategic survival, yet he remains a solitary figure, forced to bear the weight of a territory that the fledgling government in Virginia barely understands.

Daniel Boone appears as the archetype of the frontier scout—cold, grave, and remarkably taciturn. Unlike the men he leads, he is not driven by self-promotion; his value lies in his uncanny ability to survive the wilderness and his staunch loyalty to those he protects. Simon Kenton serves as a vital counterpoint: a man of immense physical strength and agility, he is notably honest and unsuspecting, frequently exploited by sharpers. Kenton’s life demonstrates the duality of the era, as he moves from being a helpful, friendly neighbor to a terrifying warrior when provoked.

The narrative also highlights figures like the priest Gibault and the patriot Francis Vigo, whose loyalty and personal financial sacrifices were essential to the American cause. They represent the diverse, often overlooked individuals—neither purely American nor British—who were caught between powers. Finally, the "backwoodsman" is presented as a collective protagonist. Whether they are the "true, hardy" pioneers who eventually build a stable society or the "squalid" squatters who live in poverty and suspicion, these people are characterized as a harsh, unyielding force. Their individual desires and flaws drive the westward expansion, creating a legacy that eventually shapes the national character.

In Its Own Voice

"He was an ambitious, energetic, unscrupulous man, of bold character, who wielded great influence over the Indians; and the conduct of the war in the west, as well as the entire management of frontier affairs, was intrusted to him by the British Government."

(This describes Henry Hamilton, the British official responsible for coordinating the war against the Americans from Detroit.)

"The backwoodsmen were above all things characteristically American; and it is fitting that the two greatest and most typical of all Americans should have been respectively a sharer and an outcome of their work."

(This concludes the author’s reflection on how the frontier experience shaped the nation, connecting the backwoods pioneers to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.)

What It's Really About

The central theme is the brutal, often chaotic process of nation-building at the edge of civilization. The book argues that the American West was not won by coordinated, top-down strategy, but by the relentless, individualistic momentum of settlers who operated with little guidance from their home governments. It explores the moral ambiguity of this expansion, acknowledging the "dark blot" of frontier violence against peaceful populations while framing it within the survivalist logic of the time. The fundamental question is one of identity: how a disparate group of people—descended from a "strong, harsh, and homely race"—developed into a distinct, unified American people through the shared experience of conquest and the forging of their own improvised, sovereign laws in the wilderness.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy history that feels like an unvarnished, high-stakes chronicle will appreciate this work. It does not treat the westward movement as a romantic adventure; instead, it presents the frontier as a gritty, dangerous, and morally complex environment. You will find it valuable if you are interested in the granular, ground-level perspective of the American Revolution, far away from the polished halls of Congress.

Be aware that the writing reflects the attitudes of a different era. The text is dense with 19th-century prose, occasionally marked by judgmental language regarding different classes of settlers and indigenous peoples. Furthermore, the sheer volume of names, dates, and local skirmishes can be demanding; the book is an exhaustive historical document that expects the reader to engage with its complex political and territorial disputes.

What will stay with you is the intensity of the struggle. The descriptions of survival—people hiding in woods, the constant presence of scouts, and the desperate, makeshift governance—provide a vivid, haunting look at the "bone of their bone" reality of the frontier. It is a demanding read, but it provides an essential, if unflinching, window into the formative years of the American experiment. If you can navigate the period-specific biases, you will gain a profound understanding of the iron-willed, often violent nature of the people who secured the American interior.