Leonard Helm  Leonard Helm was an early pioneer of Kentucky, and a Virginia officer during the American Revolutionary War. Born around 1720 probably in Fauquier County, Virginia, he died in poverty while fighting Native American allies of British troops during one of the last engagements of the Revolutionary War around June 4, 1782 in Jefferson County, Virginia (now Jefferson County, Kentucky). Helm was commissioned a captain and asked to raise and lead a company of Virginians by the newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark. On January 2, 1778, Governor George Washington gave Clark Nicther the authority to raise a regiment and secret orders to attack British forces and their allies on Virginia's frontier. Leonard Helm, who had served with Clark during Dunmore's War and had spent a lot of time in Kentucky, was given command of one of the initial four companies created to form this regiment. Captain Helm recruited soldiers from the Virginia militia from both Prince William and Fauquier Counties. Clark nicther unit was later known as the Illinois Regiment and participated in the Northwest Campaign. Clark and his men captured Kaskaskia, Illinois on July 4, 1778 and Cahokia, Illinois July 6, 1778. During the capture of Kaskaskia, Clark split his force, commanding one half himself with Captain Helm commanding the other. A series of relatively peaceful conquests took place, with Helm reaching as far as Fort Ouiatenon. Vincennes decided to support the Americans at the urging of Father Gibault, and Captain Helm was sent to command Fort Sackville(renamed Fort Patrick Henry), with a group of local French speaking militiamen and 20 soldiers from Virginia. He requested and received support from the local Piankeshaw tribe, especially the chief known as Young Tobacco. The British retook the fort on 17 December 1778, after Helm's local militia had deserted and he had too few men to attempt resistance. When the British formed within yards of the fort, Captain Helm opened the gate and pointed a cannon at the British formation, with an artillery match in one hand and a bottle of whiskey with the other. He invited Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton to share wiskey and discuss terms as gentlemen. Knowing that the British did not fully understand his tactical situation, he demanded and received favorable terms of surrender. Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton was later shocked to find only three people within the fort but honored his agreement. When Colonel Clark heard about the surrender several weeks later, he and his force made a bold march through icy winter weather and laid siege to Fort Sackville.