What Is Xavier Cathedral’s Relationship to the Revolutionary War?

Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, also known as the Old Cathedral, is the site of a cemetery where many soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War are buried. The cathedral was built in 1826 and it is located in Vincennes, which is Indiana’s oldest town. The patriots are buried in the connecting French and Indian cemetery.

The cathedral complex is the oldest Catholic cathedral in Indiana. In addition to the cemetery, the complex contains a 1841 rectory, library and museum. Next to the cathedral is the site of Fort Sackville, which played a key role in the American Revolution. On February 25, 1779, British Lieutenant-General Harry Hamilton surrendered to American Colonel George Rogers Clark at this fort. Seven murals at the George Rogers Clark Memorial at this site show the battle and surrender.