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American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
158 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1792. |
Indian language fluently, and all appeared to be busily engaged with the
parties, holding converse with them. The tenor of which was, as I since
understood it, that they must be cautious what they should undertake to do, in
such matters as I had laid before them; and before they might determine, they
must repair to Niagara, and receive the instructions of Colonel Gordon. Colonel
Butler speaking to them, in my hearing, to the same effect, also mentioning,
that, as Colonel Brandt of Grand river, and Mr. M'Gee, agent for Indian affairs
from Detroit, were now preparing to go among the Indians at war with the
Americans, to know what their intentions were, whether for war or for peace;
advising them by all means to wait the information that would be received form
them, and, should it not come as early as might be expected, they should not go
without it, as thereby they would draw war upon their own nations; for they
were very angry with them already, and would be more so on finding an American
among them; and that, notwithstanding his going among them was to establish
peace, they would kill them all, without waiting to hear what errand he had
come upon. This, and the like conversation, from Colonel Butler, beside what
were doing by his officers of the Indian department, then present, lasted till
late dinner time, and previous to their going away to their castle at Buffalo. The
Young King and Red Jacket remarked to Colonel Butler, that the speech intended
for the Miami and Wabash Indians contained threatening sentences, which would
be more likely to irritate them, than soften them into a compliance. Upon this
information being given, I undertook to show them to Colonel Butler, and others
that were present; that, on the same being read publicly, they acknowledged,
that they had not understood it so well before, and appeared satisfied that a
mistake rested with them. A considerable conversation took place with Colonel
Butler and myself, in presence of the Young King and other chiefs, entirely on
the subject of a peace, and of my intended progress through the Miami country,
which were severally interpreted to them, the tenor of the Colonel's advice
being, to leave the whole of the treaty, and adjustment of the same, to the
chiefs of Buffalo, Colonel Brandt, and M'Gee, whom he should engage for, to
accomodate the disputes between the Indians at war and the United States, and
on no account to attempt the undertaking myself, as he was well aware what must
be the consequence.
Colonel Butler having given his opinion so fully, gave me the opportunity to explain myself, by saying, that, if I possessed weakness enough to submit to a negotiation on the terms he had introduced, that a peace could not be confirmed with the thirteen States, but with his Britannic Majesty's subjects, in their behalf; that, on the completion of this business, due honor would rest with the negotiators, and, by such a passive procedure in me, I should justly entail on myself lasting disrepute. That, for those reasons, the chiefs of the Six Nations must be decisive in their answers to me, within a few days, being compelled, by my duty, to seek assistance by other expedients, which are in my power- perceiving in some of their chiefs, an indifference of conduct in matters which I held to be of the utmost importance. These expressions having been interpreted to them, they severally retired to their villages, and I received the invitation of continuing the night with those gentlemen, and complying with the same, I received the utmost civility and agreeable conversation till one o'clock in the morning.
May 5.- This morning, Col. Butler and his suite took boat from hence, which was rowed by six British soldiers across the lake, for fort Erie; and previous to their departure, as before mentioned, I saw that each, and every public paper, received by Cornplanter at Philadelphia, together with the message that I brought to the Six Nations, were safely put under the care of Col. Butler, and by him to be presented to the commanding officer of Niagara, as concluded upon by the council of the Six Nations, so that the counsel of Col. Gordon might be obtained by them. In the afternoon of this day, I wrote a letter to obtain permission from the commanding officer of Niagara, to freight one of the schooners upon the lake, to conduct me, and such Indians as were willing to go with me, to Sandusky, in order that no time might be lost when I should gain their concurrence, and forwarded the same by an Indian, being unwilling to trouble either of the officers with its carriage, to Col. Gordon: paid him 15s. [See the letter to Col. Gordon.]
May 6.- Red Jacket and Captain O'Beel came to see me, then the former acquainted me with the reason why no council would be held this day, to wit: That it was their pigeon time, in which the Great Spirit had blessed them with an abundance; and that such was his goodness to the Indians, that he never failed sending them, season after season; and although it might seem a small matter to me, the Indians will never lose sight of those blessings. This is, therefore, the reason why our men, women, and children, are gone from their towns; but on to-morrow, our head-men will return, and your business shall again be taken up. 'Tis a matter worthy of observation, that at some convenient distance from every of the Indian settlements, the pigeons hatch their young in this season of the year, and the trees which they commonly light on, are low, and of the bushy kind, and they are found in such great abundance, that, exceeding a hundred nests, a pair of pigeons in each are common to be found in a single tree; so that I have seen in one house, belonging to one family, several large baskets full of dead squabs; these they commonly take when they are just prepared to leave their nests, and as far as is possible for them to be made; when, after they are plucked and cleansed a little, they are preserved by smoke, and laid by for use.
May 7.- Captain O'Beel called the chiefs together on business concerning themselves; to take into consideration where land should be selected for the accommodation of certain tribes and families, who had put themselves under the protection of the Six Nations, being compelled to leave their former situations, dreading the rage of the Shawanese and Miami Indians. To Captain Snake, and the Delawares under his immediate care, the place appointed for them to plant in, was near the village of Cattaragus; to the families of Connondoghta, a chief of the Messasagoes, and to the Bear Oil Chief and his family, who fled from their settlement, Conyatt, all of the same nation, had their planting grounds assigned to them near the village of Buffalo. On the arrival of the Bear's Oil chief and Connondochta at this place, they acquainted me, that, from their friends, they had intelligence, that large bodies of Indians were assembled at the Miamis, preparing for a descent on some part of our settlements, or garrisons, on or near the Ohio; and that many white people had lately fallen by the hands of the Indians; in which attack, two warriors were lost: and by the same information they received accounts that war traces were seen leading to fort Pitt. They professed to be very happy in seeing of me, as they had heard it in their own country, the business I had come upon. At this meeting advice was received that the Squawky Indians, those of Carrahadeer, and Hishhue, were in fear of our white people, and about to leave their settlement and repair to Buffalo. This account several of the chiefs came to make me acquainted with. Upon which, I told them that such a report had not the least shadow of truth, for it was a well known subject to the inhabitants of the Genesee, that, by my mission, I was sent to the Six Nations as a pledge for the friendship of the Thirteen Fires to them; that whosoever was the author of this bad report, was a great enemy to the Indians, as well as to the whites inhabiting the frontiers, and that, therefore, without loss of time, they should send messengers to advise the Indians of those settlements not to stir from their property, but to go on with their planting as usual, and that neither our army, nor our militia, dare to disturb the quiet. This my advice was communicated to the council, and Cornplanter was active in forwarding the despatches to them. During this day's business in their council, it was moved that some of their chiefs, attended by the Farmer's Brother, should go to Niagara to obtain the counsel and assistance of Colonel Gordon; but nothing was determined upon. Mr. Joseph Smith arrived this day from the Genesee, with a message from Col. Pickering, intimating to the Six Nations that he had received presents for them from the United States, desiring their attendance at the Painted post, on the Tioga river, on the 16th day of June next. The introductory part of his address pointed out to them the interview that he had had with their chiefs at Tioga Point, two years since; that there the mutual friendships between the United States and the Six Nations were entered into; that he was happy to inform them that the chain between them was held fast by the States, and kept free from rust. In his next position, he recommended to them to keep peaceable in their towns, and by no means to join the Indians who were carrying on a war against the United States. I seconded the purport of his speech to them, and advised, in a particular manner, that the whole of their chiefs and warriors, with their women, would present themselves at Cohockton, on the day, or as near it as possible, and receive the benefits which would be bestowed upon them by the Thirteen Fires; and this the chiefs promised should be attended to.
Council this day, as usual, without my meeting amongst them. Nothing more material.
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
|
1792.] |
159 |
May8.- A great dance was performed here this day, and worship, by the
Six Nations present; but in the fore part of the day they held council, and I
was present. For the particulars, see the speech of Fish Carrier, a chief of
the Cayugas, and the right hand man of Brandt and Butler.
May 9.- The council being convened, I replied to the speech of Fish Carrier, delivered yesterday, in which I gave them to understand, that I thought it useless for me to stay any longer with them at Buffalo, seeing that those who were in the interest of the British had deterred others of them from serving in the cause of the United States; and that, whatsoever they might have conceived of their conduct throughout this business, that I would lay it in its true colors before General Washington, the President of the United States, that he might be the judge how far the Six Nations deserved his future attention and care. And here I must inform the chief and head men of the Six Nations, that I have, by your desire, from time to time, overstaid the period limited me to be at fort Washington, being the thirteenth day since my arrival. I therefore call upon you for your final answer to my message, and I cannot doubt but it will be such that will remove all those troubles from my mind that it has labored under for many days past; and this you must receive as the last talk I have to make to you, unless something worthy of my attention shall be publicly declared by your head-men, that can alter the opinion I now possess. And shall only add, in this place, that it is my fervent desire that the Great Spirit may always preside over the councils of the Six Nations, and direct all their doings for their lasting happiness.
Previous to my leaving the council, Red Jacket and the Young King desired that I would wait their future deliberations, and from a few words which were afterwards spoken to me by Red Jacket in council, gave me the first reason to expect their assistance.
May 10.- Worship was performed this day, as usual.
May 11.- The great dance that succeeded was attended with a very drunken entertainment, from the Young King to the meanest subject, Corn Planter and some of the elders of the women excepted; but not the least insolence was offered to me, or any of my people.
May 12.- There was a general alarm took place in all the villages near this quarter, the cause of it I had judged proceeded from the enemies of the United States; but report gave it that there was a large number of Indians approaching the castle of Buffalo, and that one of them had come to a woman the last evening, and showed her two fresh scalps, one of which was a white man's, and the other an Indian's; the last scalp so large, that the ears, with its bobs, remained to it; and that the main object was to make demand of the white persons among them, and of me, in particular, to be surrendered; and should it be denied, they would commence an open war against them. Capt. O'Beel on this feigned alarm: sent out, early in the morning of the 13th, a number of his Indians, to discover if there were the appearance of an enemy's track; but returned in the afternoon, and reported that there had been no Indians where it had been said they were seen in numbers. Some time in the day, the Young King went to the encampment of the Bear's Oil chief, and, in conversation with him, and many others of the Indians, told them to prepare going for Niagara in the morning, with him and others, to consult with Col. Gordon what was necessary to be done, as I had required an immediate answer from the Six Nations, on my messages to them, and to determine whether they should take the advice of the United States, or the advice of the British. This information I received from Captain Print, an Indian chief, and one of those who accompanied Gen. Sullivan, speaking the English language sufficiently well to be understood. He told me farther, that the British were the main instigation of my not succeeding hitherto. This led me to call a meeting of the chiefs at my cabin, this evening, and particularly the Young King to be of the number. Captain Print was present; as also O'Beel. Before them I recounted many principal objects, as the end of my mission to them; and in the clearest and most becoming manner, I showed them where they had failed to perform, in many instances, all that I required at their hands; and if such had been attended to by them, the United States would be the more liberal in their rewards; but the contrary having taken place, the more straitened their gifts would be in future; and that the reasons they were now called to the Painted Post, to receive clothing, &c. at the hand of Col. Pickering, were under the firmest belief of the President of the Thirteen Fires, that we are, at this time, far advanced in the country of the unfriendly Indians, proceeding on our way to the treaty at fort Washington, which is to be held by Gen. St. Clair, Governor of the Western territories. What passed at this interview between me and them, was soon carried for the information of the elders of the women, and was the cause of the awakening the whole of them from their lethargy. Mess expense for four persons, and feed for our horses, commencing 27th April, to 13th May, both days included, £12 16s. 7d.
Information received this day of Mr. Joseph Smith, interpreter, as he had the same from a Mr. John Knowles, of Detroit, and formerly of the city of Philadelphia, silversmith, viz. that, after the battle which was fought last fall, between Colonel Harmar and the Wabash Indians, &c. great quantities of provisions, ammunition, and other necessaries, were sent to the seat of war, to supply the Indians, and conducted by a Simon Gerty, and some other persons, from the garrison of Detroit, said to be of more notoriety than said Gerty. This being a fact, founded on truth, Quere, Is it not as likely that they are constantly supplied by the same process with every article they stand in need of to carry on war with the United States? And can this be a principle, comporting with the reputation of a brave Briton? I think not.
14th.- Private council this day with the Indians, as usual, in which they strongly debated on the principles under consideration between me and Colonel Butler; the particulars of which are more fully explained in the speech of the Young King, assisted by Fish Carrier, which he delivered in my hut after candle light. [See subsequent page.] The afternoon of the 9th instant, about 5 o'clock, my interpreter came to inform me, that Mr. William Ewing had called the chiefs to his hut, (as was his custom, unknown to me, almost ever afternoon) and that a council fire was lighted in the front of the same; that Fish Carrier, the Farmer's Brother, and several other chiefs, were present, consulting on the business I have before alluded to. It gave me some concern, that the imprudence of this young man had compelled me to come forward, to silence him; as I saw plainly, and received information also, that the Indians were not able to decide what purpose was intended, by sending two extraordinary messengers to them at one time; being led to believe, that the authority of each was nearly similar. I proceeded to the council fire, and in a short manner introduced my business to the chiefs, of what was the cause that brought me forward to interfere in the business of their council.
Upon this, I turned to Mr. Ewing, and charged him with having insidiously thrown obstructions in my way, and was one of the principal causes of my not having succeeded in the purpose of my message to the Six Nations. In consequence of which, I commanded him, in the presence of the chiefs, at his peril to proceed any farther, in either their public, or their private councils, until my mission was fully decided upon by the chiefs of the Six Nations; and should he attempt it after this caution, that I should be unpleasingly compelled to commit him to the first prison that could be come at within the United States, and prosecute him, on the obvious reasons before recited. The purport of this conversation with Mr. Ewing, I desired my interpreter to communicate to the chiefs, and upon which I left them to regale themselves with liquor, placed before them for the occasion.
On the Young King's closing his conversation with me for the night, and roundly denying that they would accompany me in person to the Miamies, &c. I took this as the last occasion I should have, to tell those who accompanied him the sentiments of my mind, and assuring them, at the same time, that whatever I should say to the Secretary of War on my return, should be identically to the same effect that I had upon all occasions accosted them; and that, as I scorned deception, I must generously tell them, that I was displeased with their delays, and of the little respect they had paid to the message that I was charged with to their nations. That if the same was well received by the Secretary of War, it would tend to their future advantage; but that I could not persuade myself would be the case; and closed our conversation for the night.
15th.- Early this morning the elders of the Indian women resorted to my hut, (present a number of chiefs.) Having heard the general conversation that took place between me and the Young King the evening before, addressed me in the following manner:
"BROTHER: The Lord has spared us until a new day to talk together: for, since you came here from General Washington, you, and our uncles, and sachems, have been counselling together. Moreover, your sisters, the women, have taken the same into great consideration, because that you and our sachems have said so much upon it. Now,
American State Papers,
Indian Affairs,
March 3, 1789 to March 3, 1815.
vol. 1.
160 |
INDIAN AFFAIRS. |
[1792. |
that is the reason why we have come to say something to you, and to tell you,
that the Great Spirit hath preserved you, and you ought to hear and listen to
what we women shall speak, as well as to the sachems: for we are the owners
of this land- and it is ours; for it is we that plant it, for our and their
use. Hear us, therefore, for we speak of things that concern us and our
children, and you must not think hard of us, while our men shall say more to
you: for we have told them." The above speech being ended, I acceded to a
request they made, that I would attend their sachems in council this day, and
hear what should be said by the women's speaker, the young prince of the Turtle
tribe, (Red Jacket.) Soon after their departure the alarm gun was fired, which was
their signal to call their head-men into council. They were soon assembled from
their adjacent villages, and sent some of their sachems to usher me and my
colleague into their assembly. Being arrived, the first matter unusual that
presented itself, were the elders of the women seated near their chiefs. When,
after a short silence, the speech of the women was continued by Red Jacket,
agreeably to the terms entered into between them, and the whole of the leading
sachems of the six nations, as follows.
"BROTHER FROM PENNSYLVANIA:
You that are sent from General Washington, and by the Thirteen Fires; you have been sitting side by side with us every day, and the Lord has appointed us another pleasant day to meet again.
Now, listen, Brother: You know what we have been doing so long, and what trouble we have been at; and you know that it has been the request of our head warrior (O'Beel) that we are left to answer for our women, who are to conclude what ought to be done by both sachems and warriors. So hear what is their conclusion. Brother, the business you have come on is very troublesome, and we have been a long time considering on it, ever since you came here; and now the elders of our women, considering the greatness of your business, have said that our sachems and warriors must help you over your difficulties, for the good of them and their children. Moreover, you tell us, since the treaty at Tioga with us, the Americans are strong for peace.
Now, all that has been done for you has been done by our women, and the rest will be a hard task for us for the people at the setting sun are bad people, and you have come on us in too much haste for such great matters of importance. And now, brother, you must look when it is light in the morning until the setting sun, and you must reach your neck over the land, and take all the light you can, to show the danger. And this is the words of our women to you, and the sachems and warriors who shall go with you. And now we shall name them, as they have first presented themselves in this full council, viz: Our first great sachem Kuyascetta, Red Jacket, the young prince of the Turtle tribe, Captain John of the Onandagoes, the Grand Carrier, Awangogathe. [The foregoing are four chiefs of six, who were appointed to conduct me into the country of the unfriendly Indians. The names of the other two grand chiefs were at the same time given, but, by some accident, not inserted.] And now we will name our chief warriors, viz: Sawishua, Cuyanddoas, Unundastheuous, Thenachqua, Conneague, Tenanquachqua, Othanjohngottang, Hottendeyoucke, and Attwanikea.
Now, brother from Pennsylvania and from General Washington, I have told you what has been directed. Let us, therefore, throw all care on the mercy of our Great Keeper, in hopes that he will assist us. You now know that Col. Butler, of the British, told us that he must take our writings down to Col. Gordon, as he is a very wise man, and perhaps he may have something to say to us that is for our good. And we also want his assistance, as he is the man that keeps all the vessels that is on the lake.
Therefore, my brother, make your mind easy, for your request is granted, and when we hear from our brothers the British, then we shall know what time we can start. And you must not be uneasy that our brother O'Beel does not go with you, for he is very tired, and he must rest awhile, and take charge of our young warriors while they are playing, (hunting) to keep them in peace, for fear of danger. And now, while we are speaking, more of our young warriors have given their names to go with you."
Having received this welcome information, and so firmly authenticated by so complete a council, I undertook to write a second letter to Col. Gordon, commandant of Niagara, making request of him to grant me a passage in one of the merchant or other vessels on lake Erie, for a certain number of Indians, and others, intended to accompany me to the Miamies, and from thence to fort Washington, on the Ohio; and, the better to prevent any miscarriage or delay, I sent it by Mr. Horatio Jones, my interpreter, on the morning of the 16th, enjoining him by all means to present it to the colonel himself, and to return with an answer to me as speedily as possible. [See the letter.]
Early on the morning of the 17th he crossed the river St. Lawrence to Niagara, and, being well acquainted there, he went through any part of the garrison he thought proper, until about ten o'clock, when he went to the commandant to present my letter. Mr. Jones informed me, that, as soon as it was known that he was charged with a public message from me, the town major had orders to put an orderly non-commissioned officer to attend him, and to prevent his going through the garrison, or of holding any particular conversation with the inhabitants. And, as soon as Col. Gordon sent to him the answer of my letter, he was ordered to return to Buffalo by the same route he had came; and the orderly conducted him to the ferry where he had crossed in the morning, and returned, on the 19th, to me at Buffalo.
The answer which Col. Gordon sent in his letter was, that, as he had not seen those public documents that I had wrote him of, therefore he could not enter into a discussion with me on matters of a public nature, viewing me only in the line of a private agent; nor was he authorized to permit me a passage for the Indians I proposed carrying to Sandusky, in any of the vessels on the lake. [See his letter.] This unfriendly denial puts a stop to the further attempting to go to the Miamies, as the Indian chiefs who proposed to accompany me were unable to walk the distance required, and it was held by them unsafe to go in a large Albany boat I had contracted for, fearing disappointments: as, to gain harbor for such a boat in case of rough water, it could not be met with at times, under going the distance of twelve or fifteen miles, and all winds from the northeast and northwest and northerly, made the lake very turbulent, and the waters as rough as the ocean.
While Mr. Jones continued at Niagara, six engineers and twenty-five or more artificers arrived there from Quebec, being sent by Lord Dorchester for the purpose of carrying on some works of fortifications. He likewise saw that fresh work had been done to the face of the garrison, &c.
I have likewise been informed that the British have laid the foundation of a new fortress on the north side of lake Erie, at some distance higher up the rapids, and, I presume, (beyond the range of thirteen inch shells) from the present garrison; it being very evident they cannot, in justice, maintain it much longer.
The reason of their establishing of new garrisons on the lakes is very obvious, they being intended for the support of the fur trade, which produces abundance of wealth yearly to Great Britain. But this revenue will, I hope, very soon be decreased, on the surrender of the fort of Detroit, the key of the fur trade by the lakes, and such posts as may be established by the United States in the Western territory, near the Mississippi, and also in the Wabash country, and by the Government of Pennsylvania, at the old French garrison of Presqu' Isle; which will invite most of the trade from the Grand river, that empties itself into lake Erie, on the north side, and at a small distance from that beautiful station of as fertile lands as America produces, of a pure air, and a healthful climate.
During the absence of my interpreter, twelve of the chiefs, headed by the Young King, came to the store-house on the lake, (at which place I was writing my despatches for the Secretary of War) and informed me that they understood that I had intentions of going away secretly from them in the night, and that I had proffered an extraordinary price for a horse for that purpose, and had likewise offered a large sum of money to an Indian to carry my letters to Pittsburg. I then inquired who was their informant that I had communicated these things to. They answered that John Berry, an Indian, who interpreted for Mr. Ewing, had told them so, and they had come to know my reason for so doing. I replied, that such a thought had not passed my mind; and that, if I had had such intentions, why should I have sent my interpreter to Niagara, to obtain a vessel to conduct me and them to the place I so earnestly and so constantly had solicited them to accompany me? And that, were I disposed to leave them in that manner, I should not have sold my horse yesterday to their trader, Mr. Winney; and the sole reason of my having sold him, was, that we could not take a horse by water to Sandusky: for, when there, we should have the
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