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ment of the army I would be understood that when I Speek of makeing a good road
I mean a Waggon road. there is now a Pack horse path the whole distance which
has ben much used by Indian War parties- by this rout all Kind of provisions
except, Beef from Kentuckey can be Transported cheaper to the Miami Village
then through any other Chanel and from there conveyed down the Wabash or toward
Lake Michigan and Into the upper part of the Illinoi Country to Supply any
garrisons which govermt may think proper to establish in that quarter for the
protection of the Frindly Tribes and Security of Traders that may be Sent among
them to this may be aded the Supply of the post at Detroit whenever we
Shall be in possestion of it
If the proposition Should meet with approbation measures for carrying it into Execution cannot be too Soon adopted, for althoe the Season will be too far advanced before the event of the present overtures now makeing to the Enimy is known to admit of any offencive opperations of consequence in this quarter, yet I concive it will not be the case with respect to the plan I have proposed.
I can See no objection aganst makeing an Establishment at the Big-Beaver (where we have long had a post) even while our negotiations are depending. Under this Idea then I would propose that the Troops as they arrive at pittsburgh Should be Sent down to that place that the works their be repaird and extended in a proper maner and Maggazeans of provisions Forrage &c &c &c Collected, for the expidition. this cannot probably be compleated untill october before that time I trust it will be know[n] whether we Shall have a Treety with these fellows or not: if they agree on a treaty it is probable they
289 |
will be as willing to hold it Somewhere on the Bever Creek, or at the mouth of
Cuyahoga as at any other place, and in that case they can have no objection to
a road being made for Transporting the goods to Cayahoga. at all events
whenever we make peace with them whatever we relinquish in other respects, we
must insist on Establishing our Selvs at Cayahoga, for the purpos of Supplying
them with goods, to be delivered their or farther westward So that the work
proposed at the Big-Beaver will not be lost provided we came to a treaty, and
if we are to have no treaty we Shall be ready to execute the plan by force and
in that case if [we] are ready to move by the 15 of September or even the first
of october I think we may Saifly venture on the Expidition. for allowing 16
days to erect the four Stations 4 days to make the causway and that we cut our
road and March 5 mile a day we shall reach Cayahoga in 40 days but I have not
doubt but we shall be able to reach Cayahoga in half that time about the
time intended for the army leveing the post at Big bever the Enimy may be
menased from this quarter, and as they will not be alarmed at Seeing you posted
at Big Beaver the army would probably reach Cuyahoga before they could
possiably be in a Situation to oppose them and at the Same [Time] a Body of
Volunteer Militia might be Sent out form Buffaloe on Croffords rout toward
Sanduskey.
the Measure I beleve will be very popular with Ohio Country and all the Western part of Pennsylvania which will greatly facilitate the Business. Forrage for any number of Horses may be brought to this place with little expence and if the body of Federal Troops which may be raised by the time and Spaired for the purpos Should be thought insuffi-
290 |
cient I have no doubt but an ample Supply of good rifle men would voluntarily
engage in the expidition, a Sufficient number of whome live within three days
march of the Spot-
on the whole I have no Doubt but we may without any unreasonable hazord establish our Selvs at Cayahoga by the Seting in of winter and that by the first of May if not before, a Sufficient number of boats may be built for Transporting the army into the Tawa River. But Should the fall prove unfavorable and we could advance only part of the way yet I think the object ought to be pursud, as we should by that means be able to commence the operations of next year much earlier besides that I think this is the best mode of carrying on the war. the Sooner we Show our Selves on the bank of the Lake Erie the better. Such an appearance will be a conviction to the Indians that many things which British immasaris have tole them is false and being convinced that Some things are not true they may be led to Disbeleve the rest-
299 |
Sir
So much time haveing elapsed Sence Some of the Messengers Sent to the Indians on the Oma, or Tawa River ought to have returned, had they ben recived in a frindly maner; or that Capt Hendrick Should have arrived at Fort Jefferson had he Succeeded in his mission, togather with the information of the murder of the people of three flags Sent from this place, renders it morally certain that the great council met on the Tawa river, have rejected the overture made to them by the United States in the Several Speeches and Messages Sent them and that the prospect of my Speeking with those Indians through the chanel first proposed is at an end--
And From the information recived from the Wabash I concive their is very little reson to expect any more of the Chiefs from that Quartr to arrive here, or if they Should, they will be of the inferior grades and a Treaty with them will be of no consequence. while on the other hand it appears highly probable that the principle chiefs from nearly all the western tribs, with a great number or warriours and others may be collected at Vincennes and by a proper management may be detached from those tribs which have oreginated the war and keept in a State of peace. which if it can be effected must be of very esential Service to the United States. besides it appears to me that this is the only remaining chanel by which their is any prospect that I Shall be able to Speek with the more Hostile tribs. these considera-
300 |
tions have induced me to form the resolution of going to Vincennes as Soon as
circumstance will permit. I have therefore to request that an Escort may be
provided and other arrangements made to enable me to leve this with Indian
goods, the prisoners & other Indian[s] now here in three or four weeks at
farthest as it is of great importance to meet the Indians in council before the
hunting Season commences--
313 |
LETTER FROM GENL KNOX
|
WAR-DEPARTMENT,
|
Sir,
I have had the honor to receive your communications of the 5th, 8th, and 9th of July.1
I have no doubt, but that poor Trueman has been sacrificed by savage barbarity! But, it is still questionable, whether the motive therto has been the blood-thirstiness of an individual, the desire of the Shawanese and other inveterate tribes to frustrate a peace, or, a dictate of the general council- If either of the two former, peace may yet be attainable.
Captain Hendricks, accompanied by three friendly Indians, probably set out from Buffaloe for the Omee river, about the 18th of June- The Senekas would be after; and Captain Brant would probably be at Au Glaze, about the 20th of the present month- It would be an uncommon assemblage of unfortunate circumstances if all our overtures fail. You will cultivate and make peace with the Wabash tribes to the utmost of your power, and you will judge how far your going to Post Vincennes, or any other place will facilitate the object- Extend your treaties with one tribe after another as far as possible, always subjecting them to the ratification of the President and Senate of the United States.
The United States require no lands of the Wabash Indians not heretofore ceded- Impress this idea upon all the tribes- Apply the goods at Fort Washington to the purpose of the said treaties.
If it should so happen, that in pursuance of your instructions, you should have an immediate opportunity of repairing to the hostile indians, you will ap-
1Pages 273, 280, 290.
314 |
point such time for assembling, to the Wabash tribes, and all their connexions,
as not to militate with the first object.
I will endeavor to have more indian goods transported to Fort Washington, and I hope that an opportunity by a peace, will be presented you, of bestowing them to the benefit of the United States.
I have communicated a copy of your letter of the 8th instant, to the President of the United States.
The advancement of the public interests being the sole object of my pursuit, and not the establishment of any particular opinion, I am sincerely obliged to you for the propositions relative to a different route by the Cayahoga- The plan of operations was considered, and approved by the President of the United States, upon as full a view of all circumstances, political as well as military, which could be obtained at the time of decission.
We are in a delicate situation, politically, with respect to the british government- There are existing circumstances of such a nature as to render it highly expedient to avoid all cases of a possible collision with that power- Were we posted on the margin of the lake, and had thereon a naval arrangement of the most diminutive size, the peace and dignity of the country might be committed to the discretion of a subaltern's party- The President has therefore judged it prudent to keep at a distance from the lakes for the present- Hereafter, arrangements, similar to the one you proposed, may be adopted- At present, the following objections have occurred to my mind, to the Cayahoga route, which, with your propositions, I have transmitted to major general Wayne, for his consideration, and remarks thereon. to wit-
First- Reasons of national policy will restrain
315 |
(during the present negociations relative to the posts) all arrangements on the
lakes, which might occasion collisions with the British inferior agents. This is
therefore a delicate point, & is not to be undertaken.
Secondly. That in case of offensive operations, a division of the probable efficient force would be such as to render the success problematical.
Thirdly- No immediate object could be found for the operation of the said force, moving by the way of Cayahoga, provided the information by Captain Brant, could be depended upon; to wit, that the Wyandots and Delawares have left Sandusky.
Fourthly- That even if the foregoing reasons did not exist so strongly, the advanced season would prevent the measure this year, unless the motives were so powerful, as to be a reason for the troops encountering all the hardships and dangers of the late season, as in the last campaign.
Fifthly. A post, or posts, established at, and below, the Miami village, towards Lake Erie, would, it is presumed, have the direct effect to make all the hostile indians, hitherto resident to the eastward of the said Omie River, as at Sandusky, and other places, remove to the Westward of the said river, provided they have not already removed, which is highly probable.
If the President of the United States, to whom I have also communicated my objections, should judge differently, I shall communicate the result to the commander in chief.
I have also communicated to major general Wayne, your letter of the 9th, relative to a post on the Muskingum, in order that he may take such measures thereson as he may judge proper.
316 |
It will still be left to your discretion, when to deliver the prisoners-
Brigadier General Wilkinson seems to think that most of them ought to be
retained, to see what part their tribes will take.
The enclosed letter1 is from General Israel Chapin, who is the Agent to the five Nations, and which I communicate to you, as important information.
|
I have the honor to
be |
325 |
Sir
the Escort with the Indian prisoners &c arrived here yesterday without any accident the low state of the water obliges us to hall the goods provisions &c by the rapids in waggons which will be some expence and cause two or three days detention--
I enclose an extract from Major Hamtramcks letter to me from Fort Knox dated august 9th.1
I wrote you very perticulerly the 16th instent2 from Fort Washington, and have northing new to add except that I hear a person by the name of Harden who lives some where neer the ohio on this side of Cumberland River is miditateing to strike at the Indians in some quarter or other. I am told he is the same person who murdered some frindly Indians neer post Vincent about three years ago. Should this wretch be successfull in raising his party (which it is said is to consist of 100 and that his advertisments inviteing volunteers are posted up in divers parts of the country) and fall on the Wabash Indians at this time it must undoubtedly put an end to all prospect of peace in that quarter, and all the expence which goverment are at on the ocation be worse then thrown away.
it is thought by som that few will joyne in
his proposed expidition and that he will not be able to make any stroke of
consequence. but Sir shall the United States Suffer an Individule thus to
insult her authorety with impunity. I hope not and must entreet that proper
measu[re]s be adopted to punish this and every such disturber of the public
peace for untill
page 326
some examples are made of such persons, the
frontiers will be continually involved in war and bloodshed and the united
Stats in expence--
_____________
1Page 320. 2Page 321.
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