Kaskaskia.
The Illinois country under the rule of the French contained six distinct settlements, one of which was Kaskaskia, situated upon the Kaskaskia River, 5 miles above its mouth, and within 2 miles of the Mississppi River. Kaskaskia, under the French regime, was, comparatively speaking, a large town, containing from 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitants. When the French were expelled from this region by the British and Americans, the population rapidly decreased. On July 5, 1778, the town was captured by the Americans under George Rogers Clarke (q. v.), who was acting under authorization of Patrick Henry, at that time governor of Virginia.
