o Vol. 7, pp. 346, 352, 353, 355,
o Vol. 8, pp. 109, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196
346 |
FORT WAYNE IN 1790 |
not to hurt him; which they did not.- The Chiefe who was out hunting heard of a
prisoner being taken sent word immediately that he should not be hurt- Its
about fifteen days ago since he was taken- They have washed his face- but not
his boddy, which will be done & also cleanly dressed when the Chiefe Black
(Bairde) arrives, a Belt of Wampums is now making which will be thrown over his
head when he's adopted & which he'll ware. He's being lately from Virginia
shews very plainly that he was not in the action last Spring, and that some
evil minded people who wanted to hurt him in the mind of the Indians- He's
quite a young man, his name is McMullen.
15th. Monday. Rained, Hailed, Thunder'd & Lightened about day breake this morning as if heaven & Earth was comeing together- Still Rains- Did not raine much after 10 o'Clock, but Springkled which made it very dis-grable- The weather much changed, we were obliged to open the windows almost all day.- Dined with J. B. Richerville in company with J. B. Lassell, F. L. & Kinzie.
16th Tuesday. What with Thaw & Raine the Snow is almost off the Grounde. Rained pretty smart this morning- Rained very hard all day-
17th Wednesday. Yesterday being Mardi Gras the Friars of St. Andrew, supped together at Mr. Richervilles. Mr. Ironside being unwell could not come. They sang a good many songs & retired to their cells in good time- The water has risen exceedingly this last night- at least 12 feet. Breakfasted this morning at Mr. J. B. Richervilles- Rained most part of the night.
18th. Thursday. Water much higher, it now runs thro the Village in such
a manner that it separates it in three parts-
the place that it runs in at, is quite rappid; This part of Vil-
352 |
FORT WAYNE IN 1790 |
shiny day. As I'm not overfond of Canoes I do not mean to return to the Compys
House.- Breakfasted at Mr. Adamhers & I'm engaged to dine there also. 11
o'Clock, Water seemingly Rising
26th. Friday. Very little frost last night.- Gloomy day Water rose a little last night & is still rising.- Canoes goes thro several yards ever since the day before yesterday. There is not above three Houses that you can walk to without wetting yourself or going in a Canoe. Went in a Pirogue with J. B. Richerville & F. Lassell & paid a visit to Mr. Leith in the Friponne,61 also to Mrs. Cicott in her Garrett- This last House has at least water half way up to the Garrett Floor Sun shined about 1/2 past l2 o'Clock. Pd. J. B. Lassell a visit alone. The water had obliged Richerville to quit his House & go to his mother's, Her House is very high from the Earthe, which prevents the water coming to it as soon as the others.
27th. Saturday. Wind began to blow very hard last night about 10 o'Clock & continued the most part of the night. Froze very hard- Water lowered a little- Very fine day 1 o'Clock- Water still falling. High wind this afternoon, S. W, About Sun sett the wind dyed away & it became a perfect Calme; A very beautifull Evening- Water has fallen about 4 inches at least this day.
28th. Sunday. Froze very hard last night. Water fallen about 15 Inches since last night. Very fine Sun shiny day
61Probably this term is used in the sense of warehouse. Toward the close of the French régime in Canada royal storehouses were established at Quebec and Montreal. Because of the official speculation that developed in connection with their administration both the storehouse at Quebec and the one at Montreal became popularly known as La Friponne, or The Cheat. See Francis Parkman Montcalm and Wolfe (Boston, 1885), II, 24. It seems probable that the terms passed into more or less general use as the designation for storehouses at the French posts.
FORT WAYNE IN 1790 |
353 |
Our floor quite dry- Payed a visit to Mr. Abbott this afternoon in comp'y with
Miss. Adamher, Dufresne & Coco Lassell- from that we went to see Mr.
Lafontaine.- Coco got damned drunk- After those visits, J. B. Lassell, J. B.
Richerville & Francois Lassell & myself gave the ladys a row upon &
down the River, the fiddler played a few tunes and myself on the flute.
1 March. Monday. Water has fallen at least two feet since yesterday- Froze hard and snow'd a good deal this morning. 10 o'clock Its now thawing which makes it very dirty & disagreeable- Water still falling very much.- 6 o'clock- Little Raine & Sleete this Evening- The snow entirely gone.
2d. Tuesday. Very dark disagreeable day- Water fallen greatly, the Bank entirely dry- but very much worne away- particularly opposite to Blue Jacketts door its not above five or six feet wide- before it was at least 10 or 12. Mr. Leith & Kinzie have moved back to us this morning. Yesterday afternoon Mr. Ironside & Myself moved our baggage down from the Lofte.- This day The King of the Shawnee called the (Wolfe) Capt. Snake & another Chiefe of the same Nation came to this place- that a meeting should be made of the Principal Traders & Inhabitants of the place, which was done- He then got up and spoke as follows- Fathers & Brothers here assembled, this is to acquaints you that we are now going to gather all our straggling nation together and build a village a little distance up from here- for which we have to request you will let us have a little Tobacco & Vermillion- by & when our village is Built we shall hold a grand Council & informe you of our Wants- What we want now is to rise the hearts of our young men. And you may be assured you shall lose nothing by it, for we mean to cultivate the land and rase a
FORT WAYNE IN 1790 |
355 |
the window.- (The Property of Mr. Leith's) The fellow at first denied it, but
when he found there were such convincing proofs against him, he acknowledged
it, by saying there was no harme in taking a little Hay. It's some time now
that the Hay has been Perceived going damned fast; Mr. Kinzie has at the same
time a good deal of property in the said House- Mr Adamher however has sent him
a summons to appear before him at Mr. Leithes desire. The fellow appeared is
obliged to get security for his good behaviour hereafter.
Raine most part of the afternoon. This afternoon, the Little Turtle, the Grees wife & Brother arrived here with some other of their family from their wintering & hunting Ground. The Grie has been sick but is now getting better.
6th. Saturday. Raine & high wind all night- Very dirty disagreeable darke Clowdy day, Wind blows very hard. 4 o'Clock. Begins to freeze very hard.
7th. Sunday. Froze excessively hard all last night.- Very cold Windy day. This morning the Little Turtle, The Gries Brother &c. left this for their home- Sent a pound of Tobacco to the Grie with my Compliments. This afternoon Mr. Leiths pierogue arrived here from Roch de Bout, which left this the 24th Feby.
8th. Monday. An excessive cold day, Wind blows very hard &c A great deal of Ice floating down the River. Clowdy & a little Snow in the morning- but turned out very clear in the afternoon.
9th. Tuesday. Very fine Sun Shiny day- not so cold as yesterday and very calme. The River full of floating Ice.
Three months this day I left Detroit.
10th. Wednesday. Very mild day- Very thick over head- a great deal of Snow fell this last night. This day the Chili-
INDIANA'S FIRST WAR |
109 |
signs, 27 soldiers, 110 habitants, 38 Iroquois, 28 Arkansaws, 100 Illinois, 160
Miamis, which made up a small army of 146 French and 326 Indians.
He left in command at the Illinois in his absence Sieur De la Buissonniere, captain, and Sieur de Montcharvaux, infantry ensign, to assemble the 180 Illinois Indians who were in winter quarters, and lead them to Ecorse à Prudhomme, where he would wait for them. He arrived at Ecorse à Prudhomme the 28th of February, and built there a small palisade fort, where he left 26 men, including three sick soldiers, and a militia captain named Jolibois to command. He left there the fifth of March following for the Chickasaw country.
When he was about 18 leagues from the Chickasaw villages he sent three Illinois
Indians and a Miami Indian to find out whether M. de Bienville had arrived.
They reported that they had seen nothing. He took counsel with the Iroquois,
who,
not trusting in the report of the Illinois, induced him, in order to be more
certain, to send for reconnoisance four of their people with four Illinois, a
Chickasaw adopted by the Miamis, and a Canadian called Framboise. to learn the
position of the Chickasaw fort and the number of their cabins. They reported
that they had seen about 15 cabins on a little hill, five or six on another, a
small fort about 40 feet long by 30 wide, and that they believed that there
might be in that village 30 or 35 cabins more.
M. D'Artaguiette took counsel with all the chiefs of the allies, and asked them what they wished to do. The Illinois and Miami chiefs replied to him that they would rely upon what was decided by the Iroquois, who were cleverer than they were. The Iroquois said that they
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INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY |
river I am well told are but about 12 miles from Ohio above; the rapids and
by a Small portage may form a water passage aCross the Country into ouabache
which no doubt will answer a more Valuable purpose for transporting property
than a great road, the difference between a land & water Carryage I saw
plainly exemplifyed in that Country, for from the rapids
of Ohio to Danville in Kentucke is about 80 miles by land and from the rapids
to Post st Vincent by water is above 450, Yet
12 Shillings pr hundred wt. is the freight of the latter, and 20
Shillings the Carriage of the former. . . ."
Filson has left another account of the journey in which he gives a more detailed description of the route he followed From this, apparently, they did not follow a clearly defined path all the way; at times they seem to have made their way in the general direction of their destination as best they could by beds of streams and through uncut woods.8 "Departed from Post St Vincent the 6th day of augt 1785 at 9 O'Clock A. M. on a Journey to the falls of Ohio, Capt Pierrault, Captn Buckley & myself in Company with three indians (Madmoiselle, his adopted son, & a Delaware, the first a Sachem of the Vermillion tribe) arrived in the evening to white river Lodged comfortably under the Spreading branches of an ancient poplar, on the eastern bank. feasted next morning on a young raccoon we killed the evening before which was dressed by the indians
"Sunday morning augt7th Continued our Journey in an eastward direction as we did the preceeding day until we Came to Patoka about 4 miles distance this small river appears to run a S W Course its Confluance with Wabashe is about 2 miles below the Mouth of white river after passing 2 miles up Patoka in ENE direction we Crossed and went by the Genl Course of that river 6 miles, in a NE direction our passage up Patoka was in a wide extended Bottom exceeding fertile Covered with abundance of grass this ground we suposed was exceeding Swampy during the Winter & Spring Season but observing higher ground for Cultivation at a Small
8Journal of journey from Vincennes to Falls of Ohio, 1785. Draper MSS. 10ccb, Wisconsin Historical Society. Photostat in Indiana Historical Society Library.
CLARK'S AND FILSON'S ROUTES |
193 |
distance we Concluded that this wet ground would be exceedingly interesting to
the proprietor for medow here our indians killed two raccoon in Mid day arrived
at 2 P. M. at a pond whose water was good kindled a fire & prepared our
prey for food.- From thence Steered a ESE Course leaving patoka after passing a
mile Came upon a drain of water passing through extensive pararies,
interspersed as by art, with groves and long reaches of different Species of
trees and Covered richly with grass that almost Concealed our horses passing
through. No good water, traveled this afternoon about 3 miles and encamped
near the aforsd drain lodged Comfortably. Next Morning augt
8th Continued our Journey through the pareries, on an easterly
Course, after passing about 3 miles We Came over a number of small drains which
soon formed a large Channel and by its meanders Sometimes NE & at others .
. . east we passed down a large Bottom for about 6 Miles until we came to a
large Channel by the indians Called Big river and little water therein Shortly
after passing this our guides killed a fine Buck our Course from this
about east for 3 miles to Blue river this river is 114 yd wide
here Crossed it at right angles this river appears to run a SW &
S Course Big river afforsd a S cour[se] Joins it at 5
miles below our Crossing. On the easterly Bank of blue river kindled a fire and
dined on a part of the buck we had killed. afterward proceeded by direction of
our guides eastwardly by about 5 miles up Blue river which a little above where
we dined made a turn- its Course N of West left the river in the evening which
their appeared to be a NE Course from us and Continued our former Course a
Small distance, and encamped the weather serene lodged comfortably
and next morning (being Tuesday augt 9th) Continued our
Journey eastward, passed Some hilly land, and Some low level ground not Very
fertile which was much Cut by Water- and at Some Seasons might Contain large
Streams, but was now almost dry; one of these directing its Course eastward, we
passed down the Same, by its meanders. Great difficulty in Crossing the Cuts
and passing through Brambly woods. bad water, and Scarce. Left the afforesd
Creek to the right hand and progressing about 4 miles further encamped. about
noon we
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INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY |
killed a monstrous bear, kindled a fire this evening and prepared Some food.
this day our Journay Might be 20 miles lodged Comfortably and next morning
Wednesday Augt 10th Continued our Journey East 2 miles,
when Coming
to a path our guides went on it North 2 1/2 miles and afterwards directed their
Course NE which in about 10 miles travel from morning brought us to Blue river
again here we arrived about noon & Dined on the bank. In the afternoon
Steered eas[t]ward and after passing about 6 miles in that direction Came into
thickets almost impassable and was obliged to go north to extricate ourselves
and accidentally found a fine Spring the Stream of which ran but a little
distance then we encamped Our Journey this day might be 15 miles a
great deal of good limestone land full of Sinks and badly water[ed] From the
Sinking Spring thursday aug 11th we Continue our Journey east 3
miles to Deer Creek Crossed it Nearly at right angles. Continued our
Course 2 miles further, and Came near blue river again. We then directed our
course ESE & passing a M further Crossed Deer Creek which appeared to run a
NW Course Continued ESE 2 miles further and Crossed Stoney Creek which
directed its Course as the afforsd passed on our ESE Course 1/2
miles further crossed a Small Branch and then encamped for Dinner at 12
O'Clock thin Stream run into Ohio River & the land through which we
passed fertile & level except Sinks holes & not many
Springs Continued our Course ESE in the afternoon 3 miles and encamped on
a Branch which directed its Course to the [MS. illegible] near which we killed
a monstrous he Bear and [MS. illegible] part of it four our provision this
day our journey might be [MS. illegible] miles Much water. Friday morning
12th day of augt Steered a SE Course and Soon passed the
dividing ridge which divide the waters that fall into ohio from them that fall
into Blue river after passing 6 miles Came upon a Creek that runs S into
ohio passed about noon over the head branches of another Creek passed
many brushy Pararies and encamping at noon had traveled about 12 miles the
land in large good but badly watered traveled this afternoon about 6 M
& Camped on a Branch of Indian C Saturday morning, Aug 13, passed down the
Branch to indian Creek down which we pass a little way but finding it not
CLARK'S AND FILSON'S ROUTES |
195 |
[MS. illegible] our Course, it being SE we crossd it and Soon Came
into exceeding brushy Pararies almost impassable distressd for
water altered our Cours to S, and passing about 3 miles Came to a large
branch of Indian Creek that run a SW Course we Steered from this a SSE Course
but after passing 3 miles Came into the brushy pareries, our old Chief then
directed his course E, and Came in the even[in]g on a large Branch of the last
Sd branch killed a turkey We here encamped our
Journey this day not more than [MS. blank] We Spread our tent. a wet night lay
tolerably well. Sunday morning augt 14 Continued our Journey SE
passing about 3 miles Came upon a Branch of Silver Creek traveled 4 miles
on this Branch and Came to the main Branch which run SSE leaving it to the
right hand Cross a branch that run west to meet the other here we Changed
our Course to S. 3 miles & encamped. This day we traveled about 18
miles generally good land but badly watered Sunday night rested well.
Monday morning aug 15th Continued our Journey S. endeavoring to find
Ohio."
Filson returned to Vincennes by water on his trading journey, arriving about Christmas time. The Indians in the region north of the Ohio were becoming increasingly hostile the Americans at the Post, and he found the little town isolated and in a high state of alarm. The breach between the French and the Americans seemed widened rather than otherwise by the Indian treacheries against the latter.
On March 16, 1786, Filson joined with some of the Americans in an appeal to George Rogers Clark to march again to the Wabash and relieve the inhabitants. On the first of June he prepared a petition to Congress on behalf of the Americans, stating that they were exposed "daily to danger and frequent death" and in need of military protection.9
That same night Filson came near death himself. Determined to carry back firsthand news of the distress of the settlement, he and three companions left Vincennes and started
9Helderman, Leonard C. (ed.), "Danger on the Wabash; Vincennes Letters of 1786," in Indiana Magasine of History, XXXIV (1938), 456-58. See also Helderman, "John Filson's Narrative of his Defeat on the Wabash, 1786," in Filson Club History Quarterly, Filson Club History Quarterly, XII (1938), 187-88.
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INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY |
down the Wabash bound for Louisville. Near the mouth of White River they were
spied by a party of Indians. Two of Filson's companions were killed outright,
but the third hid himself beneath a fallen tree. Filson escaped into the woods,
and his pursuers, either confused by his circuitous movements or diverted by a
supply of "spirituous liquor" on board the abandoned boat, gave up
the chase.10
After a ten-day recuperation Filson decided to set out for the Falls by the overland trail. He started on the night of June 12. "The moon shone with a agreeable lustre," he wrote,11 "and, accompanied a small distance by some of our most valuable friends, we directed our course for the falls of Ohio: and during the nocturnal hours traveled about fifteen miles: Although every step was disagreeable through brushy woods, and swampy grounds, yet safety from savages, afforded us some pleasure: next day rafted over White river, A. M., continuing our course one and a half point south of east; concluding ourselves out of the reach of the savages lurking around the Post.
"The country lying between the Post and Louisville or Clarksville has a diversity of soil and timber and this being my second tour, suppose myself able to form a good judgment thereof; which for the information and satisfaction of my gentle reader for whose sake I write; have delineated my two journeys on my map of the country, which from my own and some others observation I rest assured, is the best that can be given at this day. The explanation thereof, with the plan annexed, points out the particulars referring thereto. I concluded the journey in seven painful, days and arrived safe at the falls of Ohio."
10Helderman, "John Filson's Narrative of his Defeat on the Wabash, 1786," in Filson Club History Quarterly, XII, 188-90. This narrative is printed with some modification in Durrett, Reuben T., John Filson, The First Historian of Kentucky. . . (Filson Club Publications Number One, Louisville, 1884), pp. 58-65.
11Helderman, "John Filson's Narrative of His Defeat on the Wabash, 1786," in Filson Club History Quarterly, Xll, 194. As Helderman states, Filson implies that he made a map of the country between Vincennes and Louisville, but no such map has been found. Two years earlier Filson's map of Kentucky had been published. Perhaps he contemplated expanding this to include southern Indiana.