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French Regime in Wisconsin |
would be very easy when the King's Ship arrives early as it did this year.1
That, as regards the post of detroit and in order also to prevent the English from Trading with the savages, it would be important to carry out the views that prevailed when the fort was first Established, beginning by putting a strong garrison there to enable the Commandant to maintain order and make himself respected by the French and by the savages.
That the proper way to prevent intercourse between the savages and the English would be to compel the Miamis and Ouyatanons to go to detroit for what they need by not allowing the Voyageurs to take the same to them. But, they think, it is to be feared that the English may go to the savages, who would receive them, in the belief that the French had abandoned them; and it is beyond a doubt that if we abandon a single one of our posts, the English will at once establish themselves there. Thus, they think it more expedient to strengthen those we have than to weaken them by compelling one Nation to go to another for what it needs, all the more so that it seems to them dangerous to gather the various savage nations together in one spot lest they might disagree.2
The Ouyatanons were brought into the Government of Louisiana by the Sieur de Vincennes who has completely removed himself from the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada. In order to force that Nation to return to the Miamis to obtain what it needs, Monsieur de Beauharnois had at first proposed to allow no Voyageur to go in that Direction. This would have been carried out had he not been compelled to grant such permission to certain Frenchmen to induce them to convey Missionaries to the Tamarois who took a quantity of Goods which they will trade at the old post in the usual way.3
The Sieur de Boishébert, who went up to
Detroit last Summer to take command, carries on no Trade whatever there and
__________
1Marginal notes on MS.: "What is asked for is being sent
regularly." "Monsieur Hocquart can well supply these two posts."
2Marginal note on MS.: "Approved."
3Marginal note on MS.: "Approved."
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1732] |
French Regime in Wisconsin |
1732: FRENCH INDIANS INCITED TO ATTACK FOXES AND CHICKASAW
[Extract of a letter from Beauharnois and Hocquart to the French Minister, dated, Oct. 1, 1732. MS. in archives of Ministère des Colonies, Paris; press-mark, "Collection, Moreau-St. Méry, vol. 10, f. 12, fol. 5."]
Monseigneur-
* * * * * * * *
The Sieur de Beauharnois has the honor to inform you, Monseigneur, by a private letter, of the condition to which the Renards are reduced, and of the attack made upon that nation by the hurons and the iroquois of the Lake of two Mountains, since That of the sieur de Villiers. He ventures to hope that his Majesty will be satisfied with his action on this occasion, and with the line of conduct that he followed in making the savages act without leading the other Nations to think that It was through his orders, or, at least, that he had any knowledge of the action of the hurons and Iroquois. This policy seemed to him to be all the more necessary that after granting the remnant of the Renards their lives on the Condition that they should send him this Summer four of the most notable persons among them, he was very well pleased to show that he kept his word while waiting for them to keep Theirs. They failed to do so and this induced The Sieur De Beauharnois to send back to them The hostage in his hands, whom he ordered to tell the remainder of his nation that as they had not kept their word, he left them to the mercy of the savages who are in the Field, and resolved to exterminate their race.
* * * * * * * *
The Sieur De Beauharnois wrote this year to the Commandants of fort de Chartres in the Islinois country, of the Ouiatanons, of the Miamis, to urge their savages to attack the Chicachas whom they were to consider as the common enemy of all the nations. He also, through the sieur De Boishebert, gave the same notice to The hurons of Detroit who raised a band to attack the remnant of the Renards - as he did not wish a single one to be left alive - that they might also turn their arms
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Wisconsin Historical Collections |
vol. xvii |
He intends to send the Sieur de Noyan this year to command at Missilimakinac.1
For the past two years he has been recommended to Avail himself of that officer's services.
__________
1733: FOXES ATTACKED IN THEIR FORT AT MARAMEG; SMALLPOX SPREADS
[Extract of a letter from Beauharnois to the French Minister, dated May 1,1733, enclosing letters from commandants in the Upper Country. MS. in archives of Ministère des Colonies, Paris; press-mark, "Canada, corresp. gén., vol. 59, c. 11, fol. 4."]
MONSEIGNEUR - I had the honor to write to you last autumn that, owing to tho Renards having found Means to withdraw some Slaves from the Nations, they were able to make up the Village which was Attacked by our Iroquois of the Lake of two Mountains and the Hurons of Detroit, as You may have seen, Monseigneur, by the relation that I had the honor of Sending You, which was annexed to my Letter, and in Which I added that Notwithstanding the Blow that our Warriors had struck At Them, it was asserted that there still remained fifty or sixty Men of that tribe who were Wandering about and whom the Nations wished to destroy utterly; And that Among others the tribes at Detroit had raised a band to kill them wherever they might find them assembled.
I received Letters last Winter from the Commandants in the upper Country and from the Sieur de Boishebert who wrote to me that the Hurons, Outaouacs and Poutouatamis of Detroit started at the end of last autumn to carry out their design. I append hereto, Monseigneur, the relation of what happened on that Occasion, which has been sent me by the Sieur de Boishébert and by the Commandants of the River St Joseph and of the Miamis.
I had the honor of informing you, Monsieur,
of the ravages caused by small pox among the Villages of the Five iroquois
__________
1Endorsement of Minister: "Good. He is a person to be
employed."
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French Regime in Wisconsin |
Nations. From the News I have received I learn that It is decreasing there But
that It has spread among all the nations, and that the Miamis and Poutouatamis
Among others have lost many Persons. Brandy which they went to get from the
English, has also contributed to their ruin, And I must, Monseigneur,
Communicate to You what the Commandant of the Miamis has written me Respecting
the extraordinary Effects of that liquor.
I have the honor to be with very profound respect, Monseigneur, Your very humble and very obedient servant.
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Beauharnois |
QUEBEC, May 1st, 1733.
__________
[Enclosure in the above: extract of a letter from Boishébert, commandant at Detroit, to Beauharnois, dated Nov. 7, 1732. Source, same as preceding document, but vol. 57, c. 11, fol. 345.]
After our warriors had marched 22 days, they came upon the Renards on the shore of Lake Marameek1 in a stockade fort with an earthen rampart inside to the height of a man, with a watch-tower or block-house above it. This fort is situated between the lake and an Impassable swamp so that it can be approached only by means of a tongue of land. This is the description given by all the huron, Outaoüac and Poutoüatami Chiefs.
The Savages who had divided into two bands,
did not reach the fort together. All the hurons and eight or ten Outaoüacs
arrived there three days before the others. After carefully Reconnoitering the
fort and its position, they made an attempt to Induce the Renards to come out
and they succeeded; for when they sent five or six men close to the palisade at
day-break, a woman came out whom they killed. As soon as the
__________
1The location of' this lake is a vexed question. It probably has
some relation to the "Maramech" of Franquelin's map of 1684, and the
river called there "Pestekouy," now known as Fox River of northern
Illinois. The nearest lake is Pistakee, in Lake County, Ill. This may be the
ground identified by J. F. Steward, in the township of Little Rock, Kendall
County, Ill. See ante, p. 129. - ED.
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French Regime in Wisconsin |
1733: LETTERS FROM UPPER COUNTRY INTERCEPTED; RAVAGES OF SMALLPOX
[Letter of Beauharnois to the French Minister, dated May 3, 1733. Source, same as preceding document, but vol. 59, c. 11, fol. 6.]
Monseigneur- I am unable to give you any news of what is going on in the Mississipi Country owing to an Accident that happened to those to whom Monsieur de Boishebert had entrusted the letters from that country. Two of our French who had resolved to return last winter on the ice, had an affair with the savages in which one of the latter was killed. He deserved his fate. As several of their comrades took part in it, our Frenchmen retraced their steps to Detroit. They were Robbed of all they had, and the letters that were in their packs were seized. I Hope, Monseigneur, that Monsieur de Boishébert has taken steps to have them found, and I shall act in accordance with the news I receive. The difficulty will I think, Monseigneur, be to create a diversion in that country so long as our savages are determined to utterly destroy the few Renards who are left.
I relied to a great extent on the Miamis, the Ouiatanons and the Peanguichias but the mortality among them may disturb my plans. They are nevertheless Requested to assist them. They must feel very well that their disaster is entirely due to the Brandy of the English.
I remain with very profound Respect, Monseigneur, Your very humble and very obedient servant,
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Beauharnois |
QUEBEC, May 3d, 1733.
I Had The honor, Monseigneur, of Writing you last year that smallpox had caused great ravages among the Iroquois. It Spread everywhere. Our savages who are settled at sault St Louis And the Lake of Two Mountains suffered from it. It afterwards extended to Montreal where it was very severe. There is no longer any question of it, But it is very prevalent here though Less Virulent.
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1733] |
French Regime in Wisconsin |
ate them. His Majesty is convinced that he will give His entire attention to
this.
* * * * * * * *
|
Country of the Islinois united to the Government of Louisiana. |
With regard to the Report His Majesty has had made to Him concerning what the Sieurs de Beauharnois and Hocquart wrote last year, and what was also written him by the Sieurs Perrier, the late Governor, and Salmon, the Commissary general of Louisiana, respecting the country of the jllinois Savages, He has decided to leave that country a dependency of the Government of Louisiana, and has ordered the Sieur de Bienville, whom he has appointed to that Government, to make suitable provision for the Command of that important post, and the Sieur Salmon to send the necessary Munitions there. He, nevertheless, recommends the Sieur Marquis de Beauharnois to give that post all the attention in his power.
|
Measures of Monsieur the General against the Chicachas approved. |
His Majesty has approved of his having caused the Nations which are in a position to harass them, to declare against the Chicachas; of his having again written to the Commandants of the posts of the Miamis, the Ouitanons, and the jllinois to induce their Savages to strike a blow At that nation, and of his having also sounded the Hurons with the same object. There is no better way of subjugating them than to make a diversion from Canada, while the Sieur de Bienville will take measures to harass them from Louisiana.
|
The Natchez and Chicachas near their destruction. |
The Sieurs de Beauharnois and Hocquart have had reason to believe that the defeat of the Natche's has not been so complete as had been proclaimed. Their movements since then have only too clearly proved the contrary, but, inasmuch as that nation has since experienced various defeats in which it has lost many of Its warriors, there is reason to believe that it Would not be in a Condition to give any trouble, were it not supported by the
|
1733] |
French Regime in Wisconsin |
1733: NEWS FROM THE WEST; FRENCH INDIANS ATTACK THE HOSTILES
[Letter of Beauharnois to the French Minister, dated May 30, 1733. MS. in archives of Ministére des Colonies, Paris; press-mark, "Canada, Corresp. gén., vol. 57, c. 11, fol. 8."]
MONSEIGNEUR - I have just received Letters from Detroit, from the Miamis, and from the Ouyatanons where small-Pox and a Malignant Fever have continued to Cause great ravages.
I repeated in those Posts, Monseigneur, the orders that I had given last year to Form Bands to join the Jlinois and to attack the Natchez And Chicachas. By a Letter of the 14th of March from the Post among the Ouyatanons, I am informed that the Chicachas attacked during the night a Detachment of one Hundred and Fifty Men who were coming from New Orleans; that fifteen French were wounded, the Sieur Chevalier de Tonty1 being among the number, and that the Chicachas withdrew with the loss of Some of Their men.
I am also informed that seven Frenchmen who had been among the Jlinois, have been killed or captured while ascending the Ouabache, fifteen Leagues below the beautiful river (Oyo).2 This news is confirmed by the fact that a pirogue has been found with Sacks of Corn On the Bank of the River, and a Chest that had been broken open, which belonged to the Master of the Canoe, in which were two letters for Private Individuals among the Ouyatanons. As no news had been received when they wrote to me, it is conjectured that these had been taken by the Chicachas.
I am waiting every Day for the result of the Truce between the Hurons and the Renards, for the latter have promised that they would come this spring to the River St Joseph or to Detroit.
Monsieur de Boishebert writes me that several
Bands of outaouais and Poutouatamis from Detroit attacked the Chica-
__________
1 See ante, note l, p. 3, on Desliettes de Tonty. - ED.
2For an early description of the Ohio River, and its name, "the
beautiful river," see Wis. Hist. Colls., xvi, pp. 364, 365. - ED.
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1733] |
French Regime in Wisconsin |
the necessary precautions, by means of the Nations that are faithful to us, to
bring the remnant of the Renards to Montreal, or to destroy them if they refuse
to submit to it. The decision taken by the Sieur de Beauharnois in this Regard
is not based upon any anxiety that the few remaining Renards may cause; but as
they are all assembled at la Baye and so slight a matter occupies the attention
of all the nations which are desirous of Exterminating the race, the Sieur de
Beauharnois has thought that it could easily be effected through the Sieur de
Villiers; all the more so that the Nations up there can be more usefully
employed in attacking the Chicachas, without Allowing them to prolong a war
against the Renards, of which there will probably no longer be any question,
and which might have lasted a long time had the task of putting an end to it
Been left to the savages. The Sieur de Beauharnois ventures to hope that His
Majesty will be pleased to approve of his conduct and that He will be no less
satisfied with what he will do Regarding the Chicachas.
He has the honor to call your attention,
Monseigneur, to what is pointed out to him by the King's memorial Respecting
the Chawanons. He Was greatly flattered on learning that His Majesty Was
satisfied with the accord that reigned between this Nation, the hurons, the Miamis,
and the Ouiatanons. He has the honor to communicate to you, Monseigneur, the
reasons that compelled him, to send the sieur Desnoyelles to the Miamis- a
party of whom had Established themselves at the Rivière blanche and two others:
one on the upper part of the Kiépigon River and the other between the River St
Joseph and the Miamis - to bring them back to their Village,1 and to
Induce the Chawanons to kindle their fire there in accordance with the
__________
1This village of the Miami was situated upon the Maumee River, and
known by the name of Kekionga. "Rivière blanche" was a title bestowed
by the French upon several clear rivers. This was either the Sandusky, or the
Little Miami, both of which are called by this name on early maps; more probably,
it was the former. The Kiepigon was probably the present White River, of
Indiana; on the earliest edition of Franquelin's map, this is named
"Orapigianing;" later it was known as River St. Anne. - ED.
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[vol. xvii |
request made by the Miamis to the Sieur de Beauharnois. There is Reason to
believe that the union of these two Nations will Thwart the intentions that the
English might have of Establishing posts for the purpose of attracting them;
and there is every reason to believe also that the Chawanons will accept the
Miamis' proposal, for they informed the Sieur de Beauharnois of their desire to
form but one Village with their brothers. The Sieur Desnoyelles has orders to
get the Wiatanons to join him in inducing the Miamis to return to their Village
which they have abandoned solely in consequence of the ravages of small-pox; at
least that is the pretext they have alleged.
* * * * * * * *
The Sieurs de Beauharnois and hocquart have observed, Monseigneur, what is written to them regarding the dependence of the Jllinois country which his Majesty has been pleased to include in the Government of Louisiana. They are not aware of the reasons that have induced His Majesty to do this. The request made by these savages to the Sieur de Beauharnois to be dependents of this Government, owing to the difficulty they would have in supplying their needs from the Mississipi, seemed to be worthy of some consideration with regard to Them. In any case, the Sieur de Beauharnois will continue to devote alI the attention in his power to that post and to send the necessary orders to it.
The Sieur de Beauharnois has the honor of communicating to you, Monseigneur, those notices that he has given to all the posts to Induce the Nations to attack the Chicachas, and to the Governor of Louisiana to have them harassed on his side. The means that he has taken to create a diversion among all the Nations which are in a position to molest them seem the surest and the most suitable for their subjugation; all the more so that the War with the Renards in which the savages Were engaged is ended, and larger bands will be available for attacking the Chicachas; and there is reason to believe that we shall be able to destroy them in a short time.
* * * * * * * *
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