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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS |
of talking, but Capt Campbell will understand him better. Mr Crawford
acquainted me this morning that the Canadians that are here are Eternally
telling lies to the Indians, and tells me likewise the Interpreter & one La
Point1 told the Indians a few days ago that we should all be
Prisioners in a short time (shewing when the Corn was about a Foot high) that
there was a Great Army to come from the Mississippi, and that they were to have
a great number of Indians with them, therefore advised them not to help us,
That they would soon take D'Troit and these small Posts and then they would
take Quebeck Montreal, &c, & go into our Country. This I am informed
they tell them from one end of the Year to the other with a great deal more
that I cant remmember. I am convinced that while they are permitted to trade
here, the Indians here will never be in our Intrest, for although our Merchants
sells them a Stroud for 3 Beaver, they will rather give six to a Frenchman. It
is needless enquiring into the affair as the French has so much influence over
them that they will deny what they said; for the other day I had the Express
before me for saying we should be all Fighting by & by; but could make
nothing off it, as the Indians were affraid to own it before them, altho the
Indian that heard them talk of it stood to it.
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Yours &c &c |
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Signed EDWARD JENKINS |
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JENKINS TO GLADWIN, June I, 17632 |
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[B.M., Add. MSS., 21.658, f. 88 - C.] |
Extract of a Letter from Lieut: Edward
Jenkins, To Major Gladwin
Commandant of Detroit Dated Ouiatinon 1st June 1763
SIR
I have heard of your Situation which gives me
great pain, indeed we are not in much better, for this morning the Indians sent
for me
_________
1If the identification is correct, this is the earliest reference to one of the first settlers of Chicago, the free Negro, Baptiste La Point du Sable. In his recent book Chicago and the Old Northwest (138 et seq.), Dr. Milo M. Quaife has collected all that is known of him. By 1780 he had settled at Peoria, and was trading in the vicinity, being at Chicago as early as 1779, his more permanent settlement being on the River Chemin, probably on the site of Michigan City, Indiana. By 1790 he was established near the mouth of the Chicago River.
2Printed in Michigan Historical Collections, 27:635.
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JENKINS TO GLADWIN, JULY 29, 1763 |
13 |
to Speak to me, & Immediately bound me when I got to their Cabbin, and I
soon found some of my Soldiers in the same Condition they told me Detroit,
Miamis & all these posts were cut of, and that it was a folly to make any
resistance therefore me to make the few Soldiers I had in the Fort Surrender,
otherwise they would put us all to Death in Case one Man was kill'd. They were
to have fallen upon us & kill'd us all last Night, but Messrs
Maisonville & Lorrain, gave them wampum not to kill us, & when they
told the Interpreter we were all to be kill'd, and he knowing the condition of
the Fort beg'd of them to make us prisoners, They have put us into the French
houses & both Indians and French use us very well. All these Nations say
they are very Sorry, but that they were Obliged to do it by the other Nations,
the Belt did not Arrive here till last Night about eight o'Clock; Mr
Lorrain can inform you of all, Just now recieved the News of St
Joseph's being taken, Eleven Men kill'd and three taken prisoners with the
Officer: I have nothing more to Say but that I sincerely Wish you a Speedy
Succour, & that we may be able to revenge ourselves on those that deserve
it, I remain with my Sincerest wishes for your Safety
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Your most Humble Servt |
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EDWARD JENKINS |
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N. B. We Expect to Set off in a Day or two for the Illinois. |
[Collection endorsed:] Declarations, Letters, Courts of Inquiries, &ca
concerning the Loss of the Small Posts in the Indian Country 1763
JENKINS TO GLADWIN, July 29, 17631
[B.M., Add. MSS., 3I.655, f. 2II-C.]
Extracted out of a Letter from Lieut Edwd Jenkins Commanding at Ouiatinon To Major Henry Gladwin Commandant at D'Troit, Dated Fort Ouiatinon July 29th 1763.
SIR
Two days ago the Bearer arrived from the
Illenois, who assures me that the People in that part of the World are of a
quiet life; I mean the French, but he says the Indians wanted the Commanding
Officer to come and Attack these Posts, which he refused, The
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1Printed in Michigan Historical Collections, 27:633.
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JOHNSON TO GAGE, JUNE 9, 1764 |
263 |
be exorbitant and their Insolence beyond sufferance, which would be always
productive of the worst Consequences to the prosperity and Welfare of his
Majesty's Subjects and Interest in North America.
I beg leave to assure Your Lordships that nothing but sincere Zeal for his Majesty's Service and a View to Endeavour at removing Prejudices & Misrepresentations of the Natives and their little Consequence to the prosperity of his Majesty's Colonies in America, could have induced me to take up so much of Your Lordships time at present by offering those Subjects to your Lordships Consideration.
I am My Lords with great Esteem Your Lordships most humble servant
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GEO: CROGHAN |
[Endorsed:] Plan[tation]s General Letter from Mr George
Croghan to the Board without Date-containing his Sentiments of the proper
methods to be used for giving a lasting Peace to His Majestys Colonies in North
America. Read June 8. 1764. R 54.
JOHNSON TO GAGE, June 9, 17641
[Johnson MSS., 9:III - Draft]
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JOHNSON HALL, June 9th 1764. |
I am sorry for the obstruction given to Major Loftus, tho' I think it was lucky the Tonicas &c attacked him before he could advance further up the River where he must unavoidably have been overpowered. The necessity of gratifying them with favours or paying some Tribute for the Possession of Ilinois, as well as our more northern possessions is very clear. . . .
P.S. In order to facilitate the Establishment
of the Ilinois it will be necessary to send a proper person to the Indians of
the Mississippi to treat with them, assure them of our pacific disposition,
that they shall have a fair trade, & to back the whole with a present. The
Western Indians would never have suffered us to take possession of Detroit but
from the precaution I took in sending Mr. Croghan to prepare them for it.
____________
1The original from which this extract was taken was completely destroyed by the fire at Albany. This extract, like some others in the volume, was made by Mr. Carter before the disaster took place.
394 |
ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS |
The importance of speedily possessing the Illinois and thereby secureing a
considerable branch of Trade, as well as cutting off the Channel by which our
Enemys have been & will always be supplied, is a matter I have verry much
at heart, and what I think may be effected this Winter by Land by Mr
Croghan in case matters can be so far settled with the Shawanese, Twightwees
& Pondiac as to engage the latter with some Cheifs of the before mentioned
Nations to accompany him with a garrison, the Expence attending this will be
large, but the end to be obtained is too considerable to be neglected, I have
accordingly recommended it to the consideration of Genr1 Gage &
shall, on the arrival of the Shawanese Delawares &c. here, do all in my
power to pave the way for effecting it, I shall also make such a Peace with
them as will be most to the Credit and Advantage of the Crown, & the
security of the Trade & Frontiers, & tye them down to such conditions,
as Indians will most probably observe.
The Expences I have been at by acting as a Military Officer without any allowance on that Head, the Losses I have sustained by the neglect of my own Concerns, as well with regard to business, as to the several Tracts which I have paid large Sums for, but never possessed, & the inconceivable trouble & Expence I am involved in by my Department have induced me at last to think of addressing a Memorial to His Majesty, and I flatter myself if your Lordships are satisfied with the zeal I have strewn in my office, that you will be pleased to honour me with your Interest on this occasion, which shall always be considered with the utmost gratitude, by
My Lords Your Lordships most Devoted & Most Obedient Humble Servant
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WM JOHNSON |
THE RIGHT HONRBLE THE LORDS OF
TRADE
[Endorsed:] Plants Genl. Letter from Sr
William Johnson Superintendant of Indian Affairs, to the Board dated Decr
26. 1764, relative to the expeditions of Colo Bradstreet &
Bouquet, and the present state of Indian Affairs Recd March 20th
1765 Read K2
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BOUQUET TO GAGE, JANUARY 5, 1766 |
397 |
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BOUQUET TO GAGE, January 5, 1765 |
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[B.M., Add. MSS., 2I. 637, f. 85b-C.] |
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PHILADA Jany 5th 1765 |
SIR
I have the Honor to accknowledge Your Excellency Letters1 of the 20th 24th & 30th of Decr which I find at my Arrivall here, I answered the 22d Instant from Conegocheque that of the 7th.
The Party I had sent to Wakatamihie was return'd to Fort Pitt before I left it with fourteen Captives delivered by the Shawanese after the Departure of the Army.
Another Party left with Sick Children amongst the Delaware is returned since having been very kindly treated by them, and there remains only in the Indian Country six Virginia Volunteers who went at their own Request to the Lower Shawanese Town to bring some of their Relations from thence.
The Communication from Fort Pitt being shut by the Snow I can have no Accompts from thence.
No Body can be Answerable for the Conduct of Savages, but unless the French are uncommonly Active amongst the Shawanese I dont doubt from several Strong Circumstances but they will hold their Terms.
You have been pleased to State so Clearly the
Case of take [sic
Mr Croghan is the fittest Person in America to Transact that Business, in the favourable Terms which Sir William Johnson appears in his Letter to me inclined to give to the Delaware, can not fail of attaching them to our Interest, they can bring over the Shawanese and with their Assistance all the Rest.
Mr Croghan will be furnished at Fort Pitt with Batteaux Provisions &ca I will only observe that he will more easily succeed if the Deputies of the Delawares are returned with favourable Conditions of Peace and their Hostages and Prisoners are released before he go's to that Nation.
I am glad that Mr Frazer has
offered his Services. I could not have proposed to You an Officer so well
qualified for that Expedition.
____________
1Printed ante, 377, 387, 395.
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