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JOHN D. BARNHART |
October |
to a Serjeant. the Court Marshal ordered him to run three times thro the companies Met by the Miamis on the plain near the Village19-, a Mock fight, aired the powder &c-assembled all the chiefs told them the cause of my coming, thanked all present for theire quiet behavior, told them they should have an Ox, informed them I should not give any rum at theire feast-find from [them] Mr. de Celoron had been 6 or 7 days at this place, he had reported at Miamis, the Virginians were at Ouiat,20 which so alarmed them that they hid theire corn &ca--
25th an Ox to the Miamis, one to the other
Nations, one to the Troops-- Sent forward to the caring place 6 battaus with
20,000 w of provisions-- aired our powder &ca-Sent 1 Lieut. 1 Serjt &
17 Privates to the portage21--
Oct. 26th had a council in the open field, with the Ottawas, Chipoways, Hurons, Miamis, Showanese, Potaw[a]tiamis, &ca--Smoked in the pipe of the River Indians, Shawones & Charakees-exerted them all to act with resolution, Shewed them a road belt, told them I should Keep that Road clear let it lead where it might, where the Americans were to be found-- The Mahingan of the Tawi22--promised to go before us to Ouiat, sound them, and let us know theire disposition--
27th Sent off Lieutinant Du Vernet23 and Shiffolen24 with 4 boats and 32 men to the portage-Louison arrived with Nanaquibey &ca25--The four Nation Cheafs Shewed Me, the Chickasaws belt to the Miamis by the Delaweys and Shawanees-Verry slow doings at the portage
28th Sent off Captain La Mothe26
with a Division of his Company to the
____________
19. The plain was near the site of Fort Wayne, Indiana; see note 5 above. From October 25 to 31 Hamilton was at the Miamis.
20. Ouiat was an abbreviation for Fort Ouiatenon and the community of traders and Indians located a short distance below the mouth of Tippecanoe River. Here were the Wea or Ouiatenon Indians and a village of Kickapoo.
21. Hamilton stated that he started on the portage path from the west bank of the St. Joseph River, and that the path was approximately nine miles in length. Later maps show the portage beginning on the west bank of the St. Mary's River. Probably the path was the same except at the start. It ended at the Little River at the point where the water was deep enough to float the boats.
22. On the last page of the manuscript of Hamilton's longer Journal in the Houghton Library of Harvard University is a list of four Indians "given to" the Lieutenant Governor. "Mohingan, the Wolf," was given by the "Tawi" or Ottawa. In the longer Journal, Gros Loup, a Miami chief, was recorded as the one making the Journey to Ouiat. See Barnhart, Hamilton and Clark, 108, 154, 227 note 164.
23. Lieutenant Henry DuVernet was an officer in the King's Regiment. He prepared a "Sketch of the River Miamis . . . taken in the Month of Novr. 1778, H:Duvernet, 2d Lt. R. R. Ar." which is in the Map Room of the Canadian Archives Ottawa.
24. Lieutenant Jacob Schieffelen was an officer of the Volunteer Militia of Detroit.
25. Louis Chevalier was a trader on the St. Joseph of Lake Michigan who brought a small band of Potawatomi to meet or join Hamilton's expedition. Nanaquíbè, a Potawatomi chief, led the band.
26. Guillaume La Mothe was captain of the Detroit Volunteer Militia.
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1955 |
DIARY OF HENRY HAMILTON |
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portage-Met all the Cheafs on the Miamis Plain took my leave and set off to pied Froid-the other side of the River St. Joseph---
29th Got up the artillery boat with great difficulty Met Lorimer,27 gave him directions to communicate with Cap Lemoute--left Majr Hay,28 & Captain Maisonville29 at pied Froid, and went across the portage 3 Leagues --Sent off Liut Du Vernet & Sheffolen with the cannon & Fixt ammunition, to pass down the creek30 in perogues--found all the provisions under Capt. McLeods order, housed and as well sheltered as Possible-in the evening went down the Creek, Cleared away logs &ca found Stumps roots and other incumbrance, which were removed as well as possible-the River in Some places no higher or wider than necessary for one Vessle-in others from ten to 30 yards over-The Indians preserve the Beaver here for the use of the dam,-after Sunset on my return met Liet. Du Vernet who had got the perigues loaded, and had got down within 1/2 miles of the Dam- ordered him to proceed to join Lt. St Cosme who was employed with five men to clear the Chimin couvert31--
30th Ordered Lieutenant la P. de Quindre with 14 men to follow Lieutenant Du Vernet with 7 perogues loaded with provisions, Stoped the Beaver dam to raise the water--
31st Set out for Camp before Sunrise at which time the Water had risen 7 Inches at the dam--
1st Novr Left the landing with 7 Batteaus and 3 perogues loaded with provisions--opened the dam and by the help of the Water kept up got through Chemin couvert-then had to pass the Volets32 encamped below the Riviere a boette33--
2nd Early in the Morning Sent off a party down
the River to clear away logs &ca employed the rest of the men to make a dam
across the River, not only to float the heavy boats left astern, but to keep up
water for Lieutenant Du Vernet who had written me word, that his boats was
nearly adry- Scarce any rain Since leaving Rocher de bout---
_________
27. Peter Louis Lorimier or Laramie had a
trading post on Loramie's Creek near the start of the portage between the Great
Miami and the St. Mary's River. Dictionary of American Biography (20
vols., and index, New York, 1928-1937,
XI (1943), 413.
28. Jehu Hay was a deputy Indian agent and major of the Detroit militia. He was a native of Chester, Pennsylvania. See Thwaites and Kellogg, Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 130 note 27.
29. Alexis Maisonville was a captain in the volunteer militia of Detroit and a brother of Francis Maisonville. See above note 13.
30. Little River rose near the present Fort Wayne, Indiana, and flowed into the Wabash River near present Huntington, Indiana.
31. The chemin couvert or covered way was a narrow portion of the Little River where the trees arched over the stream. It is now in the southwestern corner of Allen County, Indiana.
32. A swampy wider portion of the river was called by Hamilton les Volets.
33. The Aboite River is a small tributary of the Little River.
18 |
JOHN D. BARNHART |
October |
3rd Continue to work at the dam--
4th The water raised 3 feet above the lower leavel of the log on another dam determined to make a Sluice--at 8 at night Major Hay arrived with the remainder of the Batteaus-
5th Arrived St Marie with letter from Miamis & Detroit Traders (except Mr Celoron) permitted to come to Ouiat with Merchandise--
6th Broke the dam and encamped a Mile below River Langloise34--
th Broke the dam made here by Major Hay who had been Sent a head for that purpose, and with the first dawn proceeded to the pays plat, almost the whole day labored to drag the Boats over Rocks & shoals--the Men in the Water from 10 oclock till after Sunset at which time only one batteau had got down the rifle-the petit Rocher a screen of Rocks on the west side of the River--
8th a Violent Rain-much provision damaged--
9th Set out from petit Rochere the men 5 hours in the water 1/2 past 3 arrived below the Forks of Ouabache where Lt Du Vernet was encamped repaired our Boats terribly crazed35--
Nov. 10th Aired our Bales, and repaired our boats-held a talk with the Cheafs, who Shewed the young men the example of going up for Provisions which had been left at pint Rocher to lighten the boats--
11th Snow-Sent off 3 perogues to petit Rocher to bring down the remainder of the provisions-. Ordered Mr Baubin36 to go after Miami who had encamped 5 leagues a head to tell them theire behaviour was neither pleasing to me, or the other Indian Nations and to instruct theire Cheafs accordingly37
12th exercised the cannon and Small arms at a Mark-arms in exceeding good order-ordered a picquet this Night of 1 Liet. 1 Serjt 28 rank & file--news by Captain McKee38
13th Repairing Batteaus, and Sending down provision by land-
14th 14,000 w forwarded by land, yet the boats
so lightened could not be forwarded, but by the mens labouring in the water,
whilst it frozed the water on their cloaths &ca-My own battau and the one
with carpenters,
__________
34. Landois Creek is also a small tributary of Little River.
35. The boats had probably been cracked or split open by the rocks.
36. Charles Beaubien was the interpreter for the Miami Indians.
37. In the longer Journal this point is explained. See Barnhart, Hamilton and Clark, 49-50 and 122. Hamilton permitted the Indians to camp according to their own customs November 16 and after.
38. Alexander McKee, captain in the Indian department and a native of Pennsylvania who remained loyal to the King, led bands of Indians against the American frontier during the Revolution.
| 1955 | DIARY OF HENRY HAMILTON |
19 |
were the only boats that got to l Erable Penchee39 at dark half frozen---
15th An hour before day unloaded my own boat and sent the men to assist in bringing down the rest, to show the way, and employ'd the carpent[ers] to make fires, to comfort the working men--
Nov. 16 Left l Erable penchee haveing repaired our boats as well as possible and taken in all our provisions and Store-The Savages desired theire own lules [rules?] might be observed viz--, encamped with theire nations on the flanks next the Enemy-
17th Rained all day, however got down 7 leagues and encamped on the S. East Side of the River-
18th The water excessive cold, yet the men obliged to work up to theire middles--passed the Mississinous,40 and encamped at less arbres mataches, about a league below the little River or Calumet41- haveing halted about noon to make a fire, a Messenger from the Miamis, of Eel River came to us, who said his Village was ready to receive us and was rejoiced to here of our coming-We heard the Same of the Ouiattanes Indians-
19th A fine day repaired our Batteaus-the Miamis & Riviere a languille, & Pouteouattamies of Tikipicone came to meet us42--
20th it Snowed almost all day, and blew hard, went to the Village, and talked to the old men.
21st Hard frost with high wind-passed the Rock called the Ship43 The Savages and foremost boats got down below the grand Rapids, a league above Eel River-The rest stoped at different distances as the dificueltties of the way required-at Night several of the boats remained fast on the Rocks, the Men not being able to disern the Channel-
22nd Before the Sun was up I went to the
encampment opposite the headmost boats--it had frozen hard in the night and
before the men could be got at theire boats they were forced to break the ice
with poles, and dragged in the water-light pirogues were sent up to assist in
lightining the grounded boats, and the men carried the Provisions &ca-on
theire backs by land to the lower-most boats---Some boats made four trips,
worked 'till dark when large fires were made and some Spirits Issued to
________
39. The sloping maple, l'Erable Penchee, was a day's journey down stream from the Forks of the Wabash.
40. The Mississinewa River is an important tributary of the Wabash River.
41. The Calumet River is shown on maps of this period as flowing into the Wabash from the north between the Eel and the Mississinewa. The longer Journal explains les abres mataches as the painted trees.
42. Riviere a l'anguille is the modern Eel River, an Important tributary of the Wabash. Several Indian villages were located near its mouth. The Tikipicone was probably the Tippecanoe River, which enters the Wabash a short distance above modern Lafayette, Indiana.
43. "The Ship" was Cedar Island at Logansport, Indiana.
20 |
JOHN D. BARNHART |
October |
the Soldiers, who much needed such refreshments---Many boats greatly damaged by the ice, and dragging on the Shoals--one entirely cut thro-
23rd Snowed repaired our boats, and brought down our provisions landed above---determined to send an advanced party to Ouiat to Sound the Indians, prevent confusion approved by the Cheafs-
24th A fine day--Continue the repairs of our boats-passed Eel River 150 yards wide at the mouth--1/2 an hour before Sunset found the Ouabache frozen over determined to break thro' least the Continuance of the cold might delay us considerably worked with great labor and encamped about a Mile above petit Rocher not haveing halted for five hours--
25th The water verry low--great labor and difficulty the floating ice cutting the mens legs as they worked in the water--
26th The boats were loaded before Sunrise--the frost was verry severe. the wind high and the water so rough we could scarce make out the channel after geting 1/2 a mile were forced to go ashore, make fires & recruit the men with a Dram--about 3 p. m. found the River entirely barred with Strong ice--obliged to brake away with poles, and paddles, and by swaying to and fro in the boats about 2 miles below found another strong barrier of ice to break thro' before we could get to the channel on the S. Side of the Garlic Island44--the Indians had attempted to pass here in Vain--at Night a hard gale at S.W. cleared away the ice and softened the air.
27th Set off early and had but little difficulty--about 11 landed to make fires and refresh the Men--ordered the mens arms to be ranged on horses near theire Tents and a watching sentinal, on each Street to give notice of any allarm from the out Picquets camp or Qt45 Guards- also to give notice to take in the arms in case of a rain--
28th Stoped at the cabin of the Tete Blanche46--he
told me the Tobaccos Sale47 of lands had disgusted all the Indians
that the situations of theire families only had prevented theire taking
an active part against the rebels, but that my arrival would be a great
encouragement--Sent off Major Hay with some cheafs to apprize the Indians of
Ouiat and to get information---
____________
44. The Garlic Island was probably an island about four miles above present-day Delphi, Indiana.
45. This figure or abbreviation is unreadable. It may be an abbreviation for Quartermaster.
46. Tete Blanche or White Head was a chief of the Wea or Ouiatenon.
47. This is a reference to a purchase by the Wabash Land Company of two large tracts of land along the Wabash River from the Piankashaw chiefs, Old and Young Tobacco. It was made without authority from the British government.