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The distance from the Illinois to the Pêanguichias 1 is about 120 leagues and 15 leagues from the Péanguichias to the Oüyas; 60 leagues from the Oüyas to the Miamis; 120 leagues from the Miamis to Detroit; and 300 leagues from Detroit to Montreal; making 615 leagues in all.
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Observations on the Scioux by Monsieur De Boucherville; being a continuation of the Relation of his adventures in 1728 and 29.
The Scioux are very numerous. They have ten villages very far apart. Their language is very difficult to learn, all the more so that there are few opportunities of conversing with these wandering people, who are ever engaged in hunting.
The men are of quite fine appearance but are indolent; consequently they fast often. The women are ugly, but laborious. Necessity has taught them the knowledge of a quantity of roots which contribute to their subsistence. There are two kinds of Scioux, namely: the Prairie Scioux, and the River Scioux who make use of very small bark canoes suitable for the frequent portages they have to make.
They are greatly addicted to theft; otherwise they are rather mild and docile, fearing and respecting their chiefs. But little reliance is to be placed in them because they are suspicious and jealous of their women, whom they murder without scruple on mere suspicion. They are never allowed to enter the fort; they would be too importunate. Fortunately the dearth of provisions compels them to separate from the French after seven or eight days. They are very fond of singing and dancing. They are superstitious beyond anything that can be said. They have a number of jugglers and charlatans, who know how to win their confidence and abuse their stupid credulity.
Although they have had firearms but a short
time, they can use them perfectly well. They are very generous and when we
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1Called by the English Piankashaw, a kindred tribe to the Ouiatonon.
- ED.
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French Regime in Wisconsin |
I remain with very profound Respect, Monseigneur, Your very humble and very obedient Servant,
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Beauharnois |
Quebec, October 28th, 1730.
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1730: VICTORY OVER THE FOXES
[A letter of Nov. 2, 1730, from Beauharnois and Hocquart to the French Minister, giving news of De Villiers's victory, is to be found in Wis. Hist. Colls., v, pp. 107, 108.
The two following circumstantial accounts are translated from transcripts of MSS. in the archives of Ministère des Colonies, Paris, Collection Moreau-Saint Méry, vol. 9, f. 11, 1727- 1731. There are in that volume five documents describing this defeat; but on examination these prove to be but two different accounts. The first, which is evidently from an Illinois source, is found in folios 140 and 322. The former is wrongly dated 1728, having been inserted by an ignorant archivist, who noted that date near the beginning of the document. That found in folio 322, bears date, Sept. 9, 1730; but as that was the day after the Foxes' sortie, as appears by the document, it seems probable that the latter portion was written some days later. The second document is a letter from De Villiers to Beauharnois, dated Sept. 23d, 1730; it is from folio 314. That in folio 324 is identical, and that of folio 312 an extract.]
The Renards in Conjunction with the Maskoutins and quikapous, had waged open war upon us and our Savage allies for many years; they Surprised our detachments, carried off our Voyageurs, frustrated all our plans and Harassed us Even in our settlements, which we could Cultivate only with weapons at hand. Attempts had been made on several occasions to destroy them; But lack of Concert, the Spirit of self-interest, and the bad Management of those who at various times were Entrusted with That undertaking, always caused it to miscarry. Finally an event occurred that Brought about their disunion and the destruction of the renards.
In the month of October of The year 1728, A band of Quikapous and Maskoutins captured on the Missisipy seventeen Frenchmen who were going down from the Sioux to the Illinois
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They deliberated at first as to Whether they should Burn them or hand them over
to the Renards who demanded them. But father Guignas, a Jesuit Missionary, who
was among the prisoners, won their Confidence, and finally Succeeded in
detaching them from the Renards, and in inducing them to sue for peace with us.
He himself, after Five months Captivity, Came with them to the fort Chartres
where peace was concluded According to their Wishes.
The Renards, weakened and disconcerted by This division, thought of taking Refuge, by way of the Ouyatannons, with the Iroquois, the friends of the English. The quinkapous and Maskoutins found out their designs and notified all The French posts of Louisiana and Canada. Their Good faith was doubted for some time and Monsieur De St Ange, the Commandant of fort Chartres,1 could not induce the French settlers to take the Field.
Meanwhile, the Illinois of the Village of Cakokias Came, in the month of July 1730, to tell us that The Renards had taken some of their people prisoners and had Burned the son of their great Chief near le Rocher on the River of the Illinois. In consequence of This news, added to the warnings received from elsewhere, an expedition set out; the Savages were assembled; Monsieur de St Ange placed himself at the head of the French and on the 10th of August the Latter Joined the three or four Hundred Savages who had preceded them by a few Days, bringing up our army to a strength of 500 men.
The quikapous, Maskoutins and Illinois of le
Rocher had Made Themselves masters of the passes on the North east side and
this probably compelled the Renards to build a fort at le Rocher, A league
below them, to Protect Themselves against their Attacks. We had news of the
enemy on the 12th, through One of our scouts who told us where their fort was
situated; that he had Counted a Hundred and Eleven Cabins, and that we were at
a Distance of only two or three Days' journey from them. We therefore continued
our march through a Wooded
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1For biographical sketch, see Wis. Hist. Colls., xvi, p. 443.
- ED.
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country, and on the 17th at Daybreak we came in Sight of The enemy. We met a
band of 40 men who were out Hunting and whom we Compelled to Regain their fort.
This was A small Grove of trees surrounded by a palisade Situated on a gentle slope Rising on the West and North west Side on the bank of a small River, in such manner that on the East and South east Sides they were exposed to our fire. Their Cabins Were very small and Excavated in the earth Like the Burrows of the Foxes from which they take their name.
At the sound of the first gun-Shots the Quikapous, Maskoutins, and Illinois who had frequently come in contact with their bands, and who had been waiting for Aid for A month, Joined us to the number of 200. Our men were posted, By order of Monsieur de St Ange, so as to Blockade the renards, who made two unsuccessful sorties that Day. Trenches were dug the Following night and Every man worked to fortify Himself in the post assigned to him.
On the 19th, the enemy demanded a parley; they offered to Restore the captives they had formerly taken from the Illinois, and in fact they Gave up some. But it was found that they were Seeking only to Deceive us, and we Recommenced our fire Against them on the Morrow.
During the following Days we were Joined by 50 or 60 Frenchmen and 500 Poüatamis and Sakis savages brought by Monsieur De Villiers, the Commandant at the River St Joseph, Oüyatannons and Peanguichias.1 A fresh Parley took place. The Renards begged for their Lives with presents in their hands. Monsier De Villiers seemed inclined to consent but His Party was not The most numerous, and he could not Conclude anything without the Consent of the French and of the Illinois Savages who Would not agree to any compromise.
Meanwhile it was Found that the Sakis were
betraying us. Being the kindred and allies of the Renards, they dealt in an
underhand manner with them, supplied them with munitions
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1This is either an hiatus in or a corruption of the manuscript. See
De Villiers's account, for the conduct of these two tribes. - ED.
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and took steps to favor their escape. Our Savages, who discovered this on the
1st of September, rose in a body and were about to fall On the Sakis, when
Monsieur de St. Ange at the head of 100 French Advanced to close all avenues
leading to the fort on the Side of the Sakis, and Restored order.
We feigned not to notice This Treachery Until the arrival of Monsieur de Noielle,1 the Commandant of the Miamis, who came to our Camp the same Day with 10 Frenchmen and 200 Savages. He was the bearer of an order from Monsieur The Governor of Canada forbidding the making of any treaty with the Renards. A General Council was held at which the Sakis were put to shame and it was unanimously decided that The enemy should be destroyed.
But we, as well as the Renards, had long been
Suffering from hunger; our Savages, being Reduced to Eating their dressed
hides, became Discouraged; 200 Illinois deserted on the 7th of September. This
bad example had No Consequences; the Renards were pressed more and more
closely; the troops under Monsieur de St. Ange Built, at a distance of two
pistol-shots, A small fort destined to Cut off their Communication with the
River and everything seemed to presage A complete Victory in our favor.
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1Nicolas Joseph des Noyelles, Sieur de Fleurimont, was one of the
best known officers in the Canadian service. Born in France (1694), he was
ensign in the colonial troops at the early age of sixteen, a lieutenant in
1721, and captain in 1732. During the last war with the English, Des Noyelles
was lieutenant-colonel in command at Trois Rivières. His earliest known service
in the West was among the Miami; his unsuccessful expedition against the Foxes
in 1734 is detailed in the present volume. This did not prevent his appointment
to command at Detroit in 1736, where he served about two years. In 1743, Des
Noyelles was appointed to succeed La Vérendrye in pursuing Northwest
explorations, and for four years, with but little success, he pushed toward the
Rocky Mountains. In 1747, he was made commandant at Mackinac, where, for two
years, his son had been second in command. Des Noyelles died before 1767, when
his eldest son was living in France, and the younger at Quebec. See Wis.
Hist. Colls., v, p. 121, for brief biographical note. - ED.
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But, on the 8th of September, A Violent storm with dreadful thunder and Continual rain Interrupted our work. The Day was Followed by a night as Rainy as it was dark and very cold. The renards seized The opportunity and issued in Silence from their fort. This was at once perceived through the Crying of the children. But what could be done and how was it possible to Recognize anybody in Such Obscurity? There was as much Fear of killing our own people as of Letting the enemy escape. Nevertheless all were Under arms and the Savages advanced On both flanks of the fugitives to be ready to attack them as soon as Day broke. Daylight came at last and All set out in Pursuit. Our Savages, who were fresher and more Vigorous, Soon Overtook them.
The women, children, and Old men walked at the head, and the Warriors posted Themselves in the rear to Protect them. Their ranks were at once Broken and defeated. The number of those killed and captured was about 300 Warriors, besides the women and children. It is Agreed on all sides that not more than 50 or 60 men Escaped Without guns and Without any of the Implements for procuring their Subsistence. The Illinois of le rocher, the Maskoutins, and quikapous Are now in pursuit of this small Remnant of fugitives, and the first news we shall get will tell us of the total destruction of That Wretched Nation.
We do not yet Know How many Warriors the Nations of Canada have killed nor how many prisoners they have taken.
Letter of De Villiers
MONSIEUR - I Had the honor of sending You a report on my first journey to le rocher, with the nations to prevent the renards from passing over to The Iroquois.
The first step I hasten to take on my arrival
here, is to despatch to you a canoe, in which I send my son,1 in
order that he
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1This was, doubtless, Louis Coulon de Villiers, who afterwards
attacked Washington at Fort Necessity. For a biographical sketch, see Wis.
Hist. Colls., v, pp. 118, 119. - ED.
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may have the honor of informing you of the blow inflicted by me, at the head of
the French and savages, upon the renards, who were going to join The Iroquois
and who were stopped by The poutouatamis, mascoutins, quikapoux, And The
jllinois of le rocher.
On the 6th of August two mascoutins came to us here, who had been Sent expressly by their chiefs, to inform me that the renards had struck The poutouatamis, quikapoux, mascoutins, and illinois, And the Latter, in revenge, had pursued them and found them marching in a body with Their women and children in the direction of the jroquois; and had come to blows with them. Our people then numbered only About Two hundred men, as one Hundred had been allowed to depart on the previous day. The attack began at Ten o'clock in the morning. They defeated The renards and put them to fight, But the latter rallied and gained renewed vigor; they fought until nightfall. In this affair Our people had Six men killed, and three wounded. One of our Bravest war-chiefs, named Okeia, was among the dead, and Pindigaché, another chief, was Wounded. The renards had seven men killed And thirty wounded. During The night, The poutouatamis posted themselves on a hill in the prairie and dug holes in the earth by way of a fort. On their side, The renards with their families took possession of a small grove of trees and fortified themselves. On The following day, they parleyed with one another to gain time and to obtain assistance. During these parleys, the Pouatouamis sent Papissa, with a young man to the oüyâtanons to ask aid of the tribes and the French at that post. The mascoutins sent to ask me to join the poutouatamis and to likewise come to their assistance.
The jllinois in the sane manner, sent messages to the caokias. As soon as I heard the news I notified the Sieur Denoyelles, and sent two Savages to Detroit, but they did not reach there in time.
I started from my post on the 10th of August, with the French Who were then in a condition to March, and with all the savages here, including Poutouatamis, Myamis, and Saquis
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and proceeded to the place where the renards were. On the way I took with me
The quikapoux and maskoutins, making about 300 men in all. Monsieur de St. Ange
was already there with 100 Frenchmen and 400 savages, including Kaôquias,
missouris, and Peôrias, and The 200 of our savages who had already fought with
them. The Ouyatanons and péanguichias also arrived on the same day as I did, so
that in a short time we numbered About 1400 men. I was about to forget one
particular circumstance, Monsieur, While Papissa was among the ouyatanons, the
renards also sent two men there with a Collar and calumets to ask their aid
against the Poutouatamis, maskoutins, and quikapoux, against whom they had just
fought, and who were watching them; at the same time they asked them to leave
the road open to enable them to go in peace with their families to the
jroquois. The ouyatanons replied that they would assist them; that they would
remain where they were and fortify themselves and that they would soon see
them.
The renards' fort was in a small Grove of trees, on the bank of a little river running through a vast prairie, more than four leagues in circumference, without a tree, except Two groves about 60 arpents from one another. Monsieur de St Ange had camped with His savages on the left bank of the river and had built redoubts to prevent their obtaining Water, but they had excavated underground passages leading to the River. I camped, with my savages and the Frenchmen who had joined me, on the right of their fort, where I erected two others, with a Cavalier in each to beat them back into their own And prevent them from descending into the ditches they had outside. I had a trench opened to approach them more closely, without risk to anybody and had an attempt made to set fire to their fort. This trench made them uneasy, and caused them to move about more than usual. As soon as their saw that the earth was being excavated, a shower of gun-shots fell in good fashion.
The ouyatanons who apparently were unwilling to completely Break Their promise to them, asked me to allow them to call a man who was their ally; saying that thereby they might get some illinois women whom they held in captivity. I allowed
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them to do so, on condition that I should see no other meat Come out of that
village than my own. This they promised, but, on the contrary, that man came
out, with four Slaves and a Collar, which he presented to me on behalf of the
renard. I would not listen to him. I said that it was Illinois flesh that I
asked for, and that I would have no other. He returned and in several trips
brought me what I wanted. The Saquis took advantage of this delay, and
approached the fort in spite of the French, who were on guard there. They got
out a number of children and gave food to the renards, so that I was obliged to
open fire on the fort, to compel them to retire.
Our tribes were very anxious to spare the
renards' lives, and proposed an act of treachery to me. Their design was that I
should promise Them their lives, that I should make them come out And that they
would fall on them. It was in nowise their intention to do so; their only
object was to secure captives. I opposed this, seeing that it could only result
in sparing the lives of those wretches, who would undoubtedly continue on their
way to The jroquois. Every day they found fresh subjects on which to speak to
me. They came back twice with their children and with collars, to move me. But
although they had been pale, I made them turn as if painted red, by telling
them that all their words were in vain And that they were not to come back
again. They addressed themselves to Monsieur de St Ange, who listened to them
no more than I did. Nevertheless, We fired some shots at them as they
re-entered their fort. They suffered much from hunger because, for four days
previous to Their flight, they lived only on apichimonts.1
Monsieur de Noyelles arrived with the nations of His post, which gave us a
reinforcement of a hundred men; these would have been very Useful to us, had
the Savages been willing to mount guard night and day, but as soon as the least
bad weather set in, they would not come out of their cabins and we were not
enough Frenchmen to man the entire contravallation.
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1Note on original manuscript: "these are Their coverings made
of Skins."
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The Renards held out for twenty-three days. On the 8th of September, we had the finest weather in the world until an hour from sunset, when a Terrible storm of wind and rain arose which lasted until the night, which was very dark and Foggy, so that, in spite of all I could say to our Savages, I was unable to make them guard all The outlets. The Renards took advantage of this to come out of their fort and flee. We perceived this at first from the crying of the children which we heard, and we learned it from a Sauteux woman who came into the trench to surrender. I at once prepared to pursue them at day-break. We followed them with Our Savages and routed them, and more than 200 warriors were killed. No other chief Escaped except Licaouais, of whom, however, we have no information. The others were made prisoners and placed in The hands of the Kaôquias, who will assuredly not spare their lives. Those who escaped from us threw away all they had, even to their powder-horns in order that they might escape; but few remain. The prisoners told us that they had fought against The Scioux in the spring and very likely this is true. I Found their village very small, although I do not refer to that in which they were shut up, But to two Of their Camps which I saw in the prairies where they had lived during The summer. Our Quicapoux and mascoutins did wonders on this expedition, and all did equally well, vying with one another. Had it not been for The desertion of 300 Kaôkias who had only just abandoned Monsieur de St. Ange, and for the absence of 100 men from my camp who had gone Hunting to supply us with food, not a single Renard would have escaped. I can assure you, Monsieur, that we made The renards fast, but that we fasted almost as much as They. My son, who has just come out of The action, will give you whatever details I may have omitted. I take the liberty, Monsieur, of begging your protection for Him. I have had no more urgent desire, than to Send Him to you that he may have The honor of bringing you this News.
All our nations are preparing to go in the spring to pay you their homage, and, at the same time, to tell you of their dead, Especially Louis Lamech; they are Oüyénamégousy, Pindi-
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gaché, oüataouaségo and Ouéfigué, who kept the Renards in sight all summer
Without abandoning them, with the quikapoux and mascoutins.
The sieur de Villiers, the younger, adds1 that the nations returned home well pleased with the compliments they had received from Monsieur His father, each one in particular and all in general, so that it was impossible to say who had done best on that occasion, all having displayed uncommon ardor and courage.
That in order to thank Monsieur The commandant and the officers, all the chiefs of the nations, at the head of their troops, had sworn and protested that if ever any Nation were rash enough to attack the French, they would shed the last drop of their blood to avenge them; that they came to give them a tangible proof of their friendship and attachment for Them, after destroying their enemies; That this memory would never be Effaced from their hearts And that they would Carefully impress it upon Their descendants.
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1730: FOXES SEEK ALLIES AMONG THE IROQUOIS AND LOUP
[Letter from Beauharnois to the French Minister, dated Nov. 9, 1730. MS. in archives of Ministère des Colonies, Paris; press-mark, "Canada, Corresp. gén., vol. 52, c. 11, fol. 226."]
MONSEIGNEUR - I received yesterday a Letter dated the fourth of October from the Sieur de Joncaire, whom I sent to pass the winter among the souontouans,2 to watch their Actions and to tell them my Opinion respecting the rumors in circulation
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1What follows is an addendum to the letter of De Villiers, set down
from the oral account of his son, the messenger. - ED.
2For biographical sketch of Joncaire, see Wis. Hist. Colls., xvi, p. 228. In 1736 he was thus characterized: "Aged 60. A braggart, but rendered good service in treating with the Iroquois by whom he is adopted." The Souantouans are the Seneca Indians, most westerly of the five nations of the Iroquois. - ED.
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