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relates to what I had the honor to write you in my letter of the 16th of this
month. It is very important to prevent the consequences of this affair; I will,
therefore, devote all my attention to it and will write to Monsieur Marin
accordingly.
A party of Chaouanons went to fort Pianguichias34 to strike a blow there, while the necessary relief was being taken to that post. At the same time forty Pianguichias were there; they set out on the heels of the Chaouanons and said they would follow them to their village to find out positively whence they came. They think they are from Sonioto or from the rivière à la Roche. If they be from the latter village the Pianguichias will perchance act in accordance with my intentions.
Monsieur de St. Clin writes me that he is doing all in his power to bring about a reconciliation between the Chaouanons and the Illinois and the nations of Ouabache, but that some Frenchmen who have deserted from his post to go and hunt at la Belle rivière have greatly disarranged his plans; that in fact some Chaouanons from Sonioto, who had come down to hunt, had a man killed and a woman with two children taken by the Ouyatanons, while the Frenchmen were with them. The Chaouanons stopped the Frenchmen and wanted to attack them, saying that the blow had been struck by the Illinois, the children of the French. Fortunately they changed their mind; they sent two of the Frenchmen, called Lamirande and Ste. Marie to the Illinois to find out who had committed the murder. They kept with them the wife of the said Lamirande and the other Frenchmen. To endeavor to withdraw these Frenchmen, Monsieur de St. Clin was compelled to send two envoys
__________
known to the Americans as Peamuska (Peimosky, etc), was chief of the principal
village of the Foxes, situated at the mouth of Catfish Creek, Dubuque County,
Iowa. Apparently he was made chief after the death of Kettle, about 1820. In
1824 he visited Washington, being a few years later killed by a band of Sioux
and Menominee, who ambushed him and his band on their way to Prairie du Chien.
- ED.
34The fort at Vincennes, which was frequented by this band of Miami. - ED.
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with a calumet, two rolls of tobacco, and a letter in which he told the
Chaouanons that the Illinois had not stirred from their mats and that he knew
not what nation struck the blow; that he intended to have the roads kept open
so that they might come in all safety to the French, and he would make peace
with the Illinois.
The Chaouanons received this letter at la Belle rivière. This is the answer given to Monsieur de St. Clin.
"We are all Iroquois here, masters of this river, the Iroquois of Montreal and Sault St. Louis. We look upon the Chaouanons as our children. We beg thee to try and get back the prisoners, to send them to us and we shall be satisfied. The Chaouanon chiefs have gone to show thy letter to their village, and to consult together whether they will go and see thee at the end of the winter or in the spring. There is one Joncaire (a savage) who hopes to go and see thee."
The Chaouanons did not go to see Monsieur de St. Clin last spring. He fears that the French they had in their power have been killed, for a rumor has been current for some time that a Frenchman and woman have been killed, and that the Chaouanons have taken to the Chikachas four women bound. This was told him by an Illinois who had it from a Miamis.
Monsieur de Celoron had already informed me of this and that the Ouyatanons had sent back one of the said prisoners to the Chaouanons.
We must not be grieved at the Ouyatanons having struck a blow at the Chaouanons, and I am writing to Monsieur de St. Clin that there would not have been much harm in stopping the quarrel this affair might have occasioned between the Chaouanons and the Illinois, because it would be in our interest to destroy those Chaouanons by getting the nations to wage war against them.
With regard to the French who have remained in the power of the Chaouanons, perhaps the arrival of the Chaouanons whom the Ouyatanons have sent back, will have procured them
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their liberty. In any case they are not to be pitied because they are deserters
who have disobeyed the King's ordinances.
We should spare the Chaouanons but little because they are always trying to disturb the nations that are our allies. A savage of the post of Pianguichias, who was in winter quarters, was attacked by three Chaouanons; he received a gun-shot wound and a blow from a tomahawk, but escaped notwithstanding.
Another savage of the same nation was also attacked by the Chaouanons within sight of the post. He took to flight and lost only his gun and his blanket.
The English are taking as much trouble to seduce the nations on the side of the Illinois as everywhere else.
They gave a message to the people of the Vermilion village.35 Their chief, named le Maringouin, would not receive it. He replied to his people that he knew no other father than the French; that he wished to have no other. They threw the message at him saying: "Take it and do what thou wishest with it."
Monsieur de St. Clin was informed at the same time that la Mouche noire, a chief of the Ouyatanons, said to his people: "I am going to the English; I will bring some of them here to the village and, on my return, I will go to the Illinois to ascertain their last dispositions regarding the French and the English, namely which of the two they desire as father; and, if they speak to me of the English, the matter will soon be concluded."
Monsieur de St. Clin heard indirectly that the English are continuing to get la Mouche noire and la Peau blanche to work at corrupting those nations under the pretext of the fur-trade. The Peorias reported to him that la Peau Blanche went last winter to them to induce them to go there. Some of his peo-
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35A town of the Piankashaw (Peanguicha), on the Vermillion River, a
stream in a county of the same name, in eastern Illinois, that enters the
Wabash some distance above Vincennes. - ED.
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ple are also to go to la Mouche noire. Such are their usual subjects of
conversation when they come back in the spring from their winter quarters.
The English are continuing their intrigues to induce the nations to attack the French, through the machinations of la Mouche noire and la Demoiselle, chief of the rebellious Miamis. La Mouche noire has two brothers who are chiefs of the Kascakias domiciled at fort Chartres. He enticed away the elder who went to rivière à la Roche to take there three English captives. He expects, on his return, to bring some English into Monsieur de St. Clin's neighborhood but the exact place is not known.
The English have won the confidence of the nations of Ouabache.
Finally Monsieur de St. Clin writes me that they are seeking only to penetrate to the lands of his post; and he adds that this may happen sooner than one thinks. I will not fail to repeat tho orders I have already given him to spare no effort to make the English withdraw.
Last autumn Monsieur de St. Clin effected an alliance with the Panismahas,36 a very powerful nation on the Missouri whose Chiefs are absolute. That nation is governed by three brothers; the most powerful is called Stabaco. The eldest of the three went to see him, and he received him very well. He assured him that either he or his brother would go and see him this year. On leaving he said to him: "My father, if thou hast any rebellious Children who lose their wits, let me know. Thou canst rely on me and on my nation." This alliance is a very advantageous one, and, by maintaining that nation in our interest, we shall be masters of the front and back of the Missoury country.
__________
36Panimaha (Pawnee Loup, Skidi) Indians were a large band of Caddoan
stock that later amalgamated with the Pawnee and lived on Loup River, Nebraska.
At the time of this document it is quite probable that the Skidi also included
the Arikara. See George B. Grinnell, Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk Tales
(N. Y., 1893). - ED.
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arrived at Niagara, who informed Mr de Lavalterie that he had not
seen that soldier at the fort, nor met him on the way. 'Tis to be feared that
he has been killed by Indians, and the despatches carried to the English. Mr
de la Valterie has not failed to recommend to this Indian to make every search
on his way back to his village, and to assure him, that should he find that
soldier, and convey the despatches entrusted to him to the storekeeper of
Toronto, he would be well rewarded.
Mr de Celoron's letter is accompanied by one that Mr Desligneris52 wrote to the late Mr de la Jonquière on the 4th of January. 'Tis from this last letter that I learned more particularly the unfortunate state of our affairs.
From the accounts which Mr de Celoron transmitted to the late Mr de la Jonquière subsequent to those, a detail of which that General had the honor to give you, and previous to Mr
__________
52François Marchand des Ligneris (Lignery) was born in 1704, made
second ensign in 1733, first ensign in 1738, lieutenant in 1744, and captain in
1751. He is first noted at Three Rivers, where his father, who died in 1732,
was town-major. In 1735 he accompanied De Noyelles on the latter's expedition
against the Fox Indians, and in 1739 participated in the Chickasaw expedition.
King George's War found him in Acadia (1745-47), and in 1748 he assisted in
arranging an exchange of prisoners between the two colonies. He appears to have
served at Ouiatanon as commandant in 1750-53. In 1755 he accompanied
Contrecœur's expedition to Fort Duquesne, and participated in the attack on
Braddock. In the closing months of 1756 he succeeded Dumas as commandant of
Fort Duquesne, and for his services received the cross of St. Louis and a
pension. During his command of Fort Duquesne, Des Ligneris sent out many
raiding parties against the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia. In 1758 he
led in person the troops that defeated Maj. James Grant and captured many of
the latter's Highlanders. Finding Fort Duquesne untenable upon the approach of
Gen. John Forbes, Des Ligneris burned the works and retreated with his forces
to Fort Machault. There, during the winter, he was engaged in preparations for
a descent upon the English at Fort Pitt; but the advance of Prideaux and
Johnson against Niagara called him thither to bring succor. In attempting to
force his way into the fort, Des Ligneris was defeated and captured by the
English. He is said to have been ill-treated while prisoner, probably in
retalia-
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Celoron's being able to receive his last orders, sent in his letter of the
first of October, it appears that it will be out of his power to make any
movement.
He observes, first, that after the arrival of the Militia men under the command of Lieutenant de Longueuil,53 and twenty days' consultation among the nations, the latter had concluded, our force being insufficient to attack La Demoiselle and his allies, to keep the hatchet to use it when complete success would be certain, and to wait until the spring; that the delay these Indians demand, put it out of his power to execute anything with the few Frenchmen he has; that it is easy to perceive by the manœuvre of the Indians, that they cannot be induced to follow the French unless the latter are in strong force; that he has notified the Commandants of the River St. Joseph and of the Ouyatanons of the resolution these Indians had adopted, and that, should their Indians be of the same mind, nothing can probably be effected, and they must confine themselves to putting their post in a secure state.
__________
tion for the barbarities committed by his Indians upon the prisoners taken at
Grant's defeat. Certain it is that he died of his wounds before February, 1760.
His widow and daughters retired to France and were pensioned. In the sketch
given in Wis. Hist. Colls., v, pp 113-115, father and son are confused
as one officer. The former was Constant Marchand, Sieur des Ligneris (who died
in 1732), and the officer commanding in the Fox wars of Wisconsin. An elder brother
appears to have entered the army before François, and was ensign in 1729.
Possibly, also, it was he who accompanied De Noyelles; see Id., xvii, p.
226. A son of François was ensign in 1760 and retired to France. - ED.
53This was Charles Jacques le Moyne, later third Baron de Longueuil, son of the officer sketched in ante, p. 104, note 49. The younger Longueuil was born at Longueuil in 1724. Early entering the colonial army, he attained the grade of lieutenant in 1748, and in 1754 that of captain. Upon his father's death (early in 1755) he succeeded to the title and estate, but was missing after a sortie upon the English on Lake George in Dieskau's expedition of 1755. For several years, his widow refused to believe him dead. A posthumous daughter was born, who later became the Baroness Grant. - ED.
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In a letter of the 18th of September, Mr de Celoron notifies Mr
do la Jonquière that no dependence is to be placed on the Indians for any
expedition, although Mikinac54 had assured him that nothing but the
fear of the smallpox had stopped him, and that all the villages will march in
the spring, if forces be sent. Finally Mr de Celoron states in his
last letter, that he cannot say anything positively respecting the nations of
his post, as he had not seen them since their departure for their winter
grounds.
Mr de Ligneris, Commadant at the Ouyatanons, believes that great reliance is not to be placed on the Maskoutins, and that their remaining neutral is all that is to be expected from them and the Kispapous.55 He even adds that we are not to reckon on the nations which appear in our interests; no Ouyatanon Chief has appeared at his post for a long time, although they had promised to inform him of all that they knew.
Mr de Villiers, Commandant at the Miamis,56 has been disappointed in his expectation of bringing the Miamis back from the White River, part of whom had been to see him, the smallpox having put the whole of them to the route. Coldfoot and his son have died of it, as well as a large portion of our most trusty Indians. Le Gris, Chief of the Tepicons,57 and his mother, are likewise dead; they are a loss because they were well disposed towards the French.
The Nations of the River St. Joseph, who were to join those of Detroit, have said that they would be ready to perform their promise as soon as Onontio would have sent the necessary number of Frenchmen. The Commandant of this post writes on the 15th of January that all the Nations appear to take sides against us, that he would not be responsible for the good dis-
__________
54For this chief see Wis. Hist. Colls., xvii, p. 389. He died
at Detroit during the winter of 1754-55. - ED.
55 A misreading for Kickapoo, the tribe allied with the Mascoutin,
who at this period were settled near the Ouiatanon post. - ED.
56Louis Coulon de Villiers, for whom see ante, p. 46, note
82. - ED.
57For data relative to this clan of the Miami, see Wis. Hist.
Colls., xvii, p. 485. - ED.
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Two days afterwards the Pianguichias killed two slaves in sight of Fort
Vincenne.
The murder of these nine Frenchmen and these two slaves is but too certain.
Mr de Joncaire was informed by the late Mr de la Jonquière, by a letter of the 6th of September, that he had been assured by a party of the warriors, that the Flatheads had scalped three Frenchmen at a place called La Chutte, in the lower part of the Beautiful river,59 and took a fourth Frenchman prisoner, whom they delivered, with the scalps, to the English; this news may be false, though there is reason to believe that it is true.
I expect nothing less than to learn by accounts I shall receive this spring, that other Frenchmen have been killed. The advices I have received from all quarters leave me no doubt on this head.
Mr Desligneris thinks that many of the Ouiatanons, who form with the Pianguichias and the Miamis but one Nation, may join them.
A Squaw, the widow of one of the Frenchmen who had been killed at the Vermillion, has reported to Mr Desligneris that the Pianguichias, Illinois and Osages were to assemble at the Prairies of * * * the place where the Messrs. de Villiers and de Noyelle attacked the Foxes about twenty years ago,60 and when they had built a fort to secure their families, were to make a general attack on all the French.
'Twas also reported to Mr Desligneris that a Pouteouatami chief, of the River St. Joseph, being at the Ouyatanons in the fall with letters for him, whilst he was at the Miamis, told a Pianguichas chief, privately, that his Nation would never accept the tomahawk to strike the Miamis. This assurance may greatly have emboldened the Miamis.
Mr de Joncaire writes, on the 30th of August, that he had
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59The falls of the Ohio, where is now the city of Louisville, Ky. -
ED.
60For this affair see Wis. Hist. Colls., xvii, pp. 109-120,
129, 130. - ED
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Moreover, Monseigneur, I must inform you that I have already noticed that the
regularity of the service is infinitely better observed at Three Rivers than at
Montreal.
I shall congratulate myself, Monseigneur, if all the reasons I truly set forth to you, could procure for Monsieur de Rigaud the post I urgently ask of you for him. That governor reports to you on the two fires at Three Rivers.
I remain with profound respect, Monseigneur,
Your very humble and very obedient servant.
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Duquesne. |
QUEBEC, August 21, 1752.
__________
1752: LANGLADE CAPTURES PICKAWILLANY
[Letter from Du Quesne to the French minister, dated Oct. 25, 1752. Source, same as preceding document, but folio 23.]
MONSEIGNEUR - I have the honor to send you
the Journal67 of the Sieur de Langlade who has won much glory
through the blow he struck the Band of la Demoiselle, and who brought me five
Englishmen who were in the Miamis' fort. I am sending
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67This journal of Langlade is not found with the letter, and appears
to have been abstracted from the archives at a comparatively recent date; it is
to be hoped that it will sometime be recovered. The document here given seems
to be the only French account of this siege of Pickawillany. It is without
doubt the authority for Parkman's account in Montcalm and Wolfe (Boston,
1887), i, p. 81. The English sources are more numerous. Among these, the chief
is Journal of Captain William Trent, already alluded to (ante, p.
114, note 63). Trent was a trader and interpreter employed by Virginia and the
Ohio Company to assist at the treaty of Logstown in June, 1752. Thence he was
deputed to carry the goods intended for the Miami, who had not appeared at the
conference. Leaving Logstown June 21, the very day of the attack on
Pickawillany, he soon heard rumors of this conflict; and when he reached the
Scioto, found Thomas Burney and Andrew McBryer, the two traders who had escaped
capture. They re-
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them to Monsieur de L'abbady, Commissioner at la Rochelle so that he may put
them in prison pending your orders. I trust that this blow, added to the
complete pillage suffered by the English on this occasion, will discourage them
from trading on our lands.
It is so rare, Monseigneur, that a war with savages can bring about a very stable peace that I should not be surprised if, at the instigation of the English, the Miamis were to ask their Allies for help. Nevertheless, I have had no news of it, and I hope that my action in the Belle Rivière country will awe all the Nations.
As the Sieur de Langlade is not in the service and has married a Savage woman, I will content myself with asking you,
__________
lated to Trent that on the morning of June 21, while most of the Miami were
absent upon their summer hunt, a party of 240 French and Indians appeared,
captured the women at work in the cornfields, and nearly surprised the traders,
of whom eight were in the outbuildings around the fort. Three traders were
besieged in a house, and acted in so cowardly a manner, surrendering without
showing fight, that they revealed the weak condition of the fort. In the
afternoon a truce was called, and the French leader proposed to retire if the
traders were given up to them. It was finally agreed to yield them up on
promise that they should not be harmed - but see on this point Jared Sparks, Franklin's
Works, iii, p. 230. The besiegers did not keep faith, for although they
surrendered the captive women, they killed one wounded trader, and, taking out
his heart, ate it. They also killed chief La Demoiselle, and feasted on his
remains. The Miami also broke their word by concealing the two traders before
mentioned. After a few days Trent and a considerable company went to see what
had become of the fort, and found it deserted. They brought back a few furs
that had escaped the plunder of the savages, the loss having aggregated £3,000
sterling. A few of the Miami, including the widow and son of La Demoiselle,
escaped to the Scioto town, but a large majority returned to the French. The
Pennsylvania authorities sent the Miami the following year a present valued at
£200 to "cover the dead." For additional details see Penn. Colon.
Recs, v. pp. 599, 600; Henry Howe, History of Ohio (Columbus,
1889-91), Shelby County; and George Bancroft, History of the United States
(Boston, 1857), iv, pp 94, 95. In Draper MSS. 1J1-7 there are transcripts from
two contemporaneous newspapers, with additional details. - ED.
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