General George Rogers Clark was the commander of what was called the Illinois regiment of the Virginia State Line during the Revolutionary War.  Men were recruited to go west to secure the area for the newly formed United States of America. Frontier fighter George Rogers Clark presented a plan to Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia where effective steps would be taken to loosen the hold on the whole Northwest.  Supported by Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee, Clark gained Henry's support, and received secret orders authorizing him to raise a command, to attack Kaskaskia, and if feasible, Detroit.  One of the great campaigns of the Revolution began late in June of 1778, when a band of  Kentucky "long knives" under George Rogers Clark set off down the Ohio River in a string af flat-boats, bound for Kaskaskia.
  Clark's mission was the conquest of the entire Illinois Country, the area that is now Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, which was held by the British and their allies, the shawnees, Delaware, Miamis, and the Ottawas. For this task, Clark had just under 200 men.
  Leaving their boats below the mouth of the Tennessee River, Clark's frontiersmen headed off through the prairies and trackless forests. Their only food and equipment was what they carried on their backs.  Kaskaskia was taken completely by surprise and Prairie Du Rocher, Cahokia, and Vincennes fell quickly into Clark's hands.  These successes were an imminent threat to Detroit, and on October 7, 1778, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Hamilton led some 200 whites and indians south against Vincennes taking it easily from the few men Clark had there.
  Two months later the audacious Clark was moving against Hamilton. This time with about 180 men. By February 13, 1779, Vincennes was only 20 miles away, but floods had driven off all the game. The hungry men had to push through icy water that was often shoulder deep. Clark, always out front, inspired and drove his half-starved, frozen troops until they reached a point 2 miles from Vincennes where they could build fires and dry their clothes.
  A captured Frenchman brought news that Clark's approach was still unknown in the town, but that 200 indians had just joined Hamilton's forces. Although his ammunition was nearly exhausted, Clark resolved to attack that very night. At dusk he had 20 American flags attached to poles, spaced them at wide intervals along his line of march and started his little army off on a zig-zag course toward the town. The defenders, believing they were being attacked by 20 companies, held out through the night, but he next morning, Clark received Hamilton's offer to surrender. Few campaigns in history on which so much demanded have been conducted with more resourcefulness and bravery.
  Clark's magnificent victory gave the United States complete control over the entire northwest for the remainder of the war. His men covered 180 miles from Kaskaskia to Vincennes in 18 days, often without food and marching through icy waters and forests.  Henry Hamilton called it a military feat " unequaled perhaps in history". Among the list of noncommissioned officers and men on this mission were Micajah and his brother, Isaac Mayfield.
  Micajah continued to serve in the Army until 1783. He was the only Mayfield who qualified for bounty land, which was in Clark County, IN. He never occupied the land; he chose to sell instead.