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French-Colonial Home Site of Jean Baptiste Hamelin
Cahokia,
IL ,
USA
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Illinois State
Historical Marker
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We honor Captain Jean Baptiste Hamelin and the citizens of Cahokia for their sacrifice, and the role they played in the American Revolutionary War. In the latter days of The Revolutionary War, both American and British had ambitions to control the Mississippi River transportation route. In May 1780, the British attacked all the Mississippi river towns, including Cahokia. In retaliation, Captain Jean Baptiste Hamelin lead a group of Cahokians against the British Fort St. Joseph in Michigan. Hamelin's forces captured the British traders and trade goods and headed for home. A party of British caught up with them on December 5,1780. Hamelin's forces suffered casulties and some were taken prisoner; others escaped back to Cahokia. Captain J.B. Hamelin lost his life fighting for the fledgling American Country. Jean Baptisste Hamelin was from a prominent French-Canadian family who had arrived in Canada in the 17th century. His forebears were Seigneurs in Grondines, Quebec. Severel generations of Hamelilns became fur traders and voyaguers and had deep ancestral roots in Michilimackinac, MI and Cahokia. J.B Hamelin served in the Second Canadian Regiment of the Continental Army, until he was recruited to serve with George Rogers Clark in Cahokia in 1779. The Hamelin home site was discovered and excavated by the Illinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program (ITARP) in the spring of 2007. The home site was occupied around 1760-1780, and included period 'Poteaux En Terre' (post-in-ground) structures indentified as a dwelling, barn and outbuildings.
Last updated: 2/14/2015 15:17:00 |
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Related Themes: American Revolution, the Revolutionary War.
See more historic sites related to Illinois in the Revolution.
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