86 |
FRONTIER DEFENSE ON UPPER OHIO |
worst of savages.53 We are the more shocked at this affair which would be disgraceful to the most barbarous nation, as it is a repetition of the same cruel & faithless behavior which the Cherokees experienced from us on a late similar occasion. I have the honor to be &c
|
JOHN PAGE |
________________
MESSAGES TO THE DELAWARES
[Gen. Edward Hand to the Delawares. IU96-L. S.]
|
FORT PITT Septr 17th 1777 |
BROTHERS THE DELAWARES- I lately told you it would be dangerous for any Indians to come near to this Place, owing to the foolish Conduct of the Mingo's & Wiandots, & therefore for fear of any Mistake I desired you not to send any Messengers this Way or to allow your young Men to scatter too much. I sent this word by our Brother Meymaconon & young Kilbuck. I now confirm them.
Brothers, As I have Reason to rely on
the good faith & friendship of our Brothers the Delawares, I
__________
53This treaty did not take place, for there were in attendance only a few Delawares, who left hostages for their good conduct. On the attitude of the frontiersmen towards the friendly Indians, see Gibson's letter of Aug. 1, ante. Morgan wrote March 15, 1777: "Parties have even been assembled to massacre our known friends at their hunting camps as well as messengers on business to me; and I have esteemed it necessary to let those messengers sleep in my own chamber for security"- Craig, History of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, 1851), p. 141. Heckewelder relates that a party of Seneca coming to this treaty were fired upon by the white inhabitants. This is the incident to which Page refers; see John Heckewelder, Narrative of the Mission of the United Brethren Among the Delaware and Mohegan Indians (Phila. 1820), p. 159.- ED.
|
LETTERS TO THE DELAWARES |
87 |
send the Bearer Mr James Elliot54to inform you of the News of our grand armies, the cattle who you were told were pen'd up, have broke down the fences & trampled their Keepers to Death.
Brothers, The News Papers will give you a full Account of the great Battles our armies have gained. The Indians who were so foolish as to join our Enemies have found their Mistake & those who have not run away are quite sick of their Conduct. The Oneidas & Tuscororas have joined our army & are now in Pursuit of the Enemy.
Brothers, I expect very soon to send you and agreeable Account of another Battle as Genl. Howe who had run away from the Jerseys on board of his vessells has now landed with his army in Maryland whither Genl. Washington has gone with our army to drive the red Coats on board their Ships again. He will do little damage except stealing our sheep & Poultry
Brothers, I send Mr Elliott
not only to tell you this good News but to assure you that I am determined to
preserve your friendship by a sincere & upright Conduct toward you
agreeable to the repeated Orders of Congress. And notwithstanding foolish
People occasioned a Cloud to overspread our Council fire & have filled the
Road between you & me with Briars & Thorns I will soon clear the path
& make it as broad & plain as ever, for this has been and is now the wish
of all our wise Men, as a Testimony of my sincerity I sign & send you this.
__________
54James Elliott was an Indian trader whose home was in the settlement known as Path Valley, in Franklin County, Pa.-- ED.
|
AT DETROIT |
281 |
some weeks' confinement, the others, having made so bad a use of the indulgence shown them, remain in irons. The Indians were highly pleased at their request being granted. The prisoners are to be sent down by the first vessel.
March the 7th. Lieutenant Governor Abbot with
his family arrived from Ft. Vincennes, from his report of the state of the
post, I am humbly of opinion it must be impossible for the Ouabasha Indians to
be kept in order without a vast expense in presents or the presence of some
troops. Indeed in all these Posts where the French had settled a trade and
intercourse with the Savages, an Officer's presence with troops is much wanted,
for the minds of the Indians in remote posts are poisoned by the falsehoods and
misrepresentations of the French. As to the Indians of the Ouabash, they have been
out of the way of knowing the power of the English and from a presumption of
their own importance will be arrogant and troublesome. Monsieur de Celoron39
writes me word from
__________
39One of the sons of Pierre Joseph Céloron, former commandant of Detroit; see a list of the latter's sons in Mich. Pion. & Hist. Colls., xxxiv, p. 333. Céloron junior had been sent by Hamilton to command at the village known as Ouiatanon, situated on the Wabash two or three miles below the site of the present Lafayette. There had been a French fort at this place, which was destroyed in Pontiac's Conspiracy (1763). It had now grown up to be a small village. Its importance lay in the fact that it commanded the water route from Detroit to Vincennes. After the capture of the latter place in 1778, by troops sent by George Rogers Clark, a small detachment was sent to occupy Ouiatanon, whereupon its commandant, Sieur de Céloron, hastily retreated. Hamilton later claimed that Céloron was in sympathy with the American troops, and had a "brother in the Rebel service." See Ill. Hist. Colls., i, pp. 336, 351-353, 359.- ED.
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FRONTIER DEFENSE ON UPPER OHIO |
Ouiattanong, that some parties to the number of 56 men, partly Quigeboes, Mascoitainges & Ouiattanongs,40 are gone to war toward the Ohio, their success is not yet known. I have sent him some ammunition and arms & to gratify those among them who behave well. All parties going to war are exhorted to act with humanity as the means of securing a sincere peace when His Majesty shall be pleased to order the Hatchet to be buried.
March 11th. One hundred and twenty five warriors, Mingoes, Shawanese & Delawares with a number of wives & children came to this place, they have accepted War Belts and I believe are too well convinced of the inability of the Virginians to do them either much good or much harm, not to be sincere. The Mingoes delivered me a young boy, whose father they had killed.
29th. John Turney arrived from Quebec. He brought a Belt sent by Colonel Butler41 addressed to the Lake Indians and all the Western Nations from the Six Nations, by which they declare their resolution to support Government and revenge themselves, desiring all the nations of the Confederacy to act as one man- thanking them at the same time for the zeal and spirit with which they acted last year.
April the 1st. Forty Shawanese arrived
having four prisoners, whom they delivered to me soon after.
___________
40Kickapoo, Mascoutin, and Ouiatanon (Wea) Indians; see Rev. Upper Ohio, p. 3, note 8. These tribes all dwelt near Ouiatanon settlement.- ED.
41Lieut. John Turney was in 1782
commandant at Sandusky.
For. Col. John Butler, see Ibid, p. 152, note 67.- ED.
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