20 |
The St. Clair Papers. |
On the 15th ult., I left the Muskingum in the barge, accompanied by Lieutenant
Beatty and Lieutenant Pratt, and arrived at the Rapids of the Ohio in
ninety-two hours. I spent a week with Major Wyllys at the garrison. On my
return I traveled by land from Louisville to Limestone, by the way of Danville
and Lexington, (Limestone is one hundred and eighty miles distant from the
Falls by that route), and returned to Muskingum on the night of the 10th
instant.
During my short stay at the Falls, I endeavored to make myself acquainted with the politics of the country, and to gain as perfect a knowledge as I possibly could of what was going forward amongst the inhabitants of Kentucky. The free navigation of the Mississippi is the general subject of discourse amongst them. The inhabitants to the westward of the Alleghany Mountains are unanimously opposed to its being closed. If such a measure should take place, they will look upon it as the greatest of grievances, as the prosperity of the Western world depends entirely upon this outlet. Kentucky, at present, by the returns of their County Lieutenants, muster five thousand fighting men. You will please to judge what a flourishing country this must be in the course of a few years, from the number of migrators to it. Curiosity prompted me to order the officer of the day to take an account of the number of boats, etc., which passed the garrison. From the 10th of October, 1786, until the 12th of May, 1787, one hundred and seventy-seven boats, two thousand six hundred and eighty-nine souls, one thousand three hundred and thirty-three horses, seven hundred and sixty-six cattle, and one hundred and two wagons, have passed Muskingum, bound for Limestone and the Rapids. If Congress should be of opinion that it will be expedient to shut the navigation, I think a respectable post at the mouth of the Ohio or the Wabash will be necessary, otherwise from all appearances the people will become so strong in the course of a little time as to force a trade at all events.
Very irregular proceedings have been carried on in that country. The Wabash Indians have been invited to a treaty, to be held at Post Vincent on the 1st of this month. It was thought a number of them would assemble, but after reconsidering the matter, it was judged best to hold no treaty with them. General Clarke, with a party, was to proceed to the Post, in order to amuse the Indians, so that they might peaceably disperse and commit no hostilities. A Captain Dalton, with about one hundred men, raised for three years, had taken a position at Post Vincent, but his men have all disbanded for want of provisions. By what I could learn, the French
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Correspondence, Addresses, Etc. |
21 |
inhabitants have suffered greatly, his party having impressed their cattle and
distressed them very much.
I know of no legal authority either for these people to invite the Indians to a treaty or for Captain Dalton, with his men, to station himself at Post Vincent. It is a village of considerable consequence, and a party of regular troops being posted there would countenance and encourage the inhabitants, who, by all accounts, are well affected to the interest of the United States. From the Rapids to Post Vincent, by land, is about ninety miles distant, and from thence to Kaskaskia by land about the same distance. From the best information I could obtain, I humbly beg leave to observe, that Post Vincent and the Illinois country are well worthy of the immediate notice and attention of Congress.
Amongst other irregularities committed, the following is another instance: A boat came from New Orleans to the Post to trade. Her cargo was valued at upwards of two thousand pounds. She was seized, and the owners robbed of their property. The seizure was made as Spanish property, and designed as a retaliation.
If it was consistent, I could wish much to have four companies of riflemen annexed to the regiment. There is no better place to raise them than in Kentucky. I believe there would be very little difficulty in recruiting in a short time that number of expert woodsmen well acquainted with the customs of Indians, and who want nothing but regular officers to command them to make them good soldiers. I am convinced that such a corps would be highly useful.
When I was at Limestone, a party of the Shawanese had brought in six or seven prisoners. They were encamped on the opposite shore, waiting to exchange them for an equal number of theirs, taken in Colonel Logan's expedition. I went over the river and made a speech to their chief, called the Wolf. I observed that frequent murders were committed in the Kentucky country by the Indians, and that they would provoke the Thirteen Great Fires at last to such a degree that they would send their young warriors and destroy all
34 |
The St. Clair Papers. |
est attention to them. They are amazingly fond of whisky, and destroyed a
considerable quantity of it. I trust that you may find this conference with the
Indians attended with very little expense; I question whether the whole,
whisky, provisions, and presents, will cost the public more than one hundred
and fifty dollars. Their interpreter is a half Frenchman, and married to a Wea
squaw. He has very great influence among them. I judged it necessary to pay
extraordinary attention to him.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of several letters from you, which I shall fully answer by the next conveyance, particularly one of the 2d August, inclosing me a brevet commission of brigadier-general.
After finishing the conference with the Indians, and obtaining the inclosed petitions of the inhabitants of Post Vincennes to Congress, relinquishing their charter, and trusting to the generosity of that honorable body, I judged it expedient to leave a garrison at the Post, as it would have been impolitic, after the parade we had made, to entirely abandon the country. Accordingly, Major Hamtramck commands there. His command consists of Captain Smith's company, fifty-five, and part of Ferguson's company, forty; total, ninety-five. I have ordered him to fortify himself, and to regulate the militia, who are to join him in case of hostilities.
Having arranged all matters to my satisfaction, as we had a long and tiresome voyage before us, I began to think of winter quarters. Accordingly, on the 1st of October I marched by land with the well men of Captains Zeigler's and Strong's companies (total, seventy-one), for the Rapids of the Ohio. I gave orders to Major Wyllys to command the fleet, and to embark for the Rapids the next morning, with the late Captain Finney's and Mercer's companies, and the sick of the other companies, and a brass three-pounder. I omitted mention of my taking into our possession some ordnance and ammunition (public property) at Louisville and at the Post. At the former we got a brass six-pounder with several swivels; at the latter, from Mr. Dalton, two brass three-pounders. I thought it best that the public property should be under our own charge.
We marched along what is called Clarke's Trace, and arrived on the 7th October at the Rapids of the Ohio. I was mistaken, in a former letter, concerning the distance; it is about one hundred and thirty miles. We saw no Indians, nor signs of Indians. From the Falls to the Post the country is in general hilly, and good wheat land. Major Wyllys, with the fleet, arrived at Clarkesville on the 21st. On the 23d and the 24th the men were all employed in drag-
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Correspondence, Addresses, Etc. |
89 |
act in small detachments, along so extended and weak a frontier, at the same
time that they are so expensive (in the end often more so) than offensive
operations, will always prove abortive, and the militia of Pennsylvania and
Virginia are too distant from each other to be joined- that part at least of
the frontier of Virginia from which a thousand men could be drawn. Offensive
measures should then be resorted to, but these the state of public affairs
forbids if they can possibly be avoided, and nothing in my power to obviate the
necessity of them will be neglected.
But a war with the Western tribes, at least, seems inevitable, both from the circumstance that there is no reason to expect them at the treaty, and from the intelligence General Harmar received two days ago, which as he transmits it by this opportunity, I forbear to trouble you with. A war with them will probably involve some others, and it will soon become general. In that case, permit me to give you my ideas of the most effectual manner of bringing them to their senses.
From the Falls of the Ohio to Ouiatanon is little more than one hundred and fifty miles; from the Little Miami to the Omie (Omi) or Miamitown is not more than two hundred, if my information is right; from Beaver Creek to Cuyahoga is ninety, and from Post Vincennes to the Terre Haute, where the Piankeshaws reside, and to the settlements of the Kickapoos is about the same distance. Could a stroke be made at all those places, nearly about the same time (and it might be calculated as to happen at all of them on the same day), the Indians would most likely so divide themselves as to make success at each highly probable, for you may be assured that their general confederacy, if it exists at all, has not that efficiency which would enable the heads of it to direct its force to a point in the security of which many of the members would not feel themselves much interested, when each had to fear for themselves separately. It is difficult enough among nations who have a regular policy and strong governments, where the ideas of union and submission are familiar. With savages it is impossible. Neither would these operations demand a very great number of men or very considerable expense. Between three and four thousand militia added to the troops in the service of the United States, might be sufficient, and surely these might be furnished by the frontier parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania, and in such a manner as to be convenient to their respective destinations. The French settlements, too, could easily, if I am well informed, give three or four hundred men.
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Correspondence, Addresses, Etc. |
125 |
THE PRESIDENT TO GOVERNOR ST. CLAIR.
|
NEW YORK, October 6, 1789. |
Sir:- Congress having, by their act of the 29th of September last, empowered me to call forth the militia of the States respectively, for the protection of the frontiers from the incursions of the hostile Indians, I have thought proper to make this communication to you, together with the instructions herein contained.
It is highly necessary that I should, as soon as possible, possess full information whether the Wabash and Illinois Indians are most inclined for war or peace. If for the former, it is proper that I should be informed of the means which will most probably induce them to peace. If a peace can be established with the said Indians on reasonable terms, the interests of the United States dictate that it should be effected as soon as possible.
You will, therefore, inform the said Indians of the disposition of the General Government on this subject, and of their reasonable desire that there should be a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to a treaty. If, however, notwithstanding your intimations to them, they should continue their hostilities, or meditate any incursions against the frontiers of Virginia and Pennsylvania, or against any of the troops or posts of the United States, and it should appear to you the time of execution would be so near as to forbid your transmitting the information to me, and receiving my further orders thereon, then you are hereby authorized and empowered in my name to call on the lieutenants of the nearest counties of Virginia and Pennsylvania for such detachments of militia as you may judge proper, not exceeding, however, one thousand from Virginia and five hundred from Pennsylvania.
I have directed letters to be written to the Executives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, informing them of the before-recited act of Congress, and that I have given you these conditional directions, so that there may not be any obstructions to such measures as shall be necessary to be taken by you for calling forth the militia, agreeably to the instructions herein contained.
The said militia to act in conjunction with the Federal troops in such operations, offensive or defensive, as you and the commanding
diency of making some temporary provision for calling forth the militia of the United States, for the purposes stated in the Constitution, which would embrace the cases apprehended by the Governor of the Western Territory.
|
GEO. WASHINGTON. |
126 |
The St. Clair Papers. |
officer of the troops conjointly shall judge necessary for the public service
and the protection of the inhabitants and the posts.
The said militia, while in actual service, to be on the Continental establishment of pay and rations. They are to arm and equip themselves, but to be furnished with public ammunition, if necessary; and no charge for the pay of said militia will be valid, unless supported by regular musters, made by a field or other officer of the Federal troops, to be appointed by the commanding officer of the troops.
I would have it observed forcibly that a war with the Wabash Indians ought to be avoided by all means consistently with the security of the frontier inhabitants, the security of the troops, and the national dignity. In the exercise of the present indiscriminate hostilities, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to say that a war without further measures would be just on the part of the United States.
But if, after manifesting clearly to the Indians the dispositions of the General Government for the preservation of peace, and the extension of a just protection to the said Indians, they should continue their incursions, the United States will be constrained to punish them with severity.
You will also proceed, as soon as you can with safety, to execute the orders of the late Congress respecting the inhabitants at St. Vincennes and at the Kaskaskia and the other villages on the Mississippi. It is a circumstance of some importance that the said inhabitants should, as soon as possible, possess the lands to which they are entitled by some known and fixed principles.
I have directed a number of copies of the treaty made by you at Fort Kearney with the Wyandots, etc., on the 9th of January last, to be printed and forwarded to you, together with the ratification and my proclamation enjoining the observance thereof.
As it may be of high importance to obtain a precise and accurate knowledge of the several waters which empty into the Ohio on the north-west, and of those which discharge themselves into the Lakes Erie and Michigan, the length of the portages between, and nature of the ground, an early and pointed attention thereto is earnestly recommended.1
1MS. from Files of the War Department.
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