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orders to Major Bosseron for the safeguarding of the village, I embarked,
accompanied by Messieurs Vaudry and Pana, interpreters, Antoine Gamelin, Paul
Gamelin, La Chinne, and a number of other Frenchmen. I found all the village
and war chiefs seated on the bank of the river near the Little Rock, awaiting
us. They had made a place to receive us. I began to speak particularly to three
mangeurs d'hommes, as those were people whom they fear, but I could gain
nothing.
Deciding to risk everything, I had the merchandise that I had brought unloaded, planted the flag, and had the peace pipe lighted. I presented it to all the war and village chiefs present there and we all smoked it. I said to them through Mr. Vaudry, "My children, do not be ashamed of the small quantity of goods which I am placing before you. You know that I and all the Frenchmen in my village are poor. Although this is but little, it is with a heart of a true father, and of a father who loves his children, that I give it you. I am sorry to see my children at the gates of my village with tomahawks in their hands ready to strike, because you know your father the Frenchman never likes to see the blood of his allies flow on his land. He loves the women and children very much. Today all of you who are listening to me have pity for the women and children whom you are frightening and who cry night and day. Hide these weapons which scare them and which rob you of the bravest and finest young men of your village. Go back to your wives and children who are pining for you and who are calling upon you for food. Take pity on yourselves. It is a father speaking to his children, and one who is desirous of telling the truth. Do not make me ashamed."
All the war and village chiefs, after having listened to me attentively, got up, each one in his turn, and all answered just as if they had agreed upon it beforehand, that they were quite surprised that I should say such a thing to them; that they had not at all expected it; that they had always believed that, far from being prevented from striking the Americans, they had always counted upon the help of their brothers, the French, as they had been witnesses every time that the Americans had treacherously struck them. "My French brothers, you see us all armed to revenge ourselves for their lack of good faith, their betrayals and the barbaric cruelty which they have shown towards one of our men, then half dead in your village. Not satisfied with having a dead man shot by a woman, and scalping him, they have dragged him like a pig at the tail of a horse. They are the ones who began it. We want to show them that we can do as much as they; but, my Father, since you wish to tell the truth, we too want to tell the truth. If you do not want us to
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SPAIN IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY |
shed blood on your land, chase all these Americans out of your village. We want
to see them go away and we want to see for ourselves if it is quite true that
you love the women and children. We recognize no other father than yourself,
the Frenchman. You alone never deceive us."
After this speech, a chief of the river Languille got up and presented to the Pianquichia strands of black porcelain. He said to them, "You are still ignorant of the fact that for the last few moons all of us, together with other Redskins, have been receiving collars as inducements to destroy all the men wearing hats who are occupying this island and who seem to be leagued against us to drive us away from the lands which the Master of Life has given to us. Let us prevent them from doing so, and if we have to die, let it be bravely, and all those who may refuse to join the others will be treated as enemies of all the Redskins and all will join to destroy them, even their name. This collar comes from the Chavouesnon and Loups." At the end of this speech he gave these strands of porcelain to the Chief of the Pianquichia. As for me, seeing that I was not getting any favorable response to the plan that I had made, and quite surprised at their determined attitude, I re-embarked with my company, very sad at not having succeeded in this ticklish proposition, and I went back to the village where I caused great alarm and tears among our women. I doubled the guard and announced to everybody that, since I was unable to influence the savages by kindness, it was absolutely necessary to make them realize what men are like when they are aroused and desirous of defending their allies.
During the night five savages were arrested in the village by one of our guards. As they were unarmed we sent them back. The whole night passed very quietly. The next day, 16th of the current month, around 8 or 9 o'clock in the morning, we began to notice the flags and saw all the savages coming into the open fields as if to begin an attack on the American fort, on which they even fired a few shots. They spread out on all sides, but seeing all our Frenchmen under arms and ready for battle, guarding all the streets very carefully, they did not dare to start anything. We recognized a white flag at the monté de pierre. We sent Sieur Pana there to ask them what they wanted. After he had heard them, he brought back some fifteen chiefs, whom he took to my house for another conference. After shaking hands with me, all spoke, each one in his turn, still repeating that they were quite anxious to revenge themselves for the insults that the Americans were continually heaping upon them. They reproached us Frenchmen with being mistreated and ourselves insulted every day by the Americans, and said that we ought to help the Indians instead of stopping them; but since I
|
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wanted them to tell the truth, they begged me to send away all these Americans
who were causing us all these troubles.
Displeased by their stubborn resolution, I got up, reproaching them for their lack of gratitude towards us Frenchmen and threatening to strike their young men bodily if any should appear near the village. I said that we Frenchmen had our weapons in good condition, that all we were waiting for was for them to begin, and that it was high time. Seeing my resolution and the firm attitude of all the Frenchmen, they began to soften and said to me, "My Father, we are discouraged. We are quite sure that you mean what you say. All you Frenchmen may be at peace, and even the Americans. We are going to have our young men withdraw and go away, and as a proof of our sincerity, you may send for the flags which are in our camp because they represent blood."
At the same moment we got word that the young men were killing our cattle on all sides. I immediately sent a number of armed Frenchmen to stop this disorder and to chase them away. This was done at once. As soon as the savages saw the Frenchmen coming towards them, apparently with the purpose of opposing their vandalism, they withdrew in bad order, abandoning the meat of the animals they had killed, which came up to rather a large number, including many pigs which were a complete loss. Having learned this, several chiefs who were still at my house as peacemakers, decided to leave immediately to call back the young men who were spread out on all sides. I sent some Frenchmen with them, who received from them two red flags, which were brought to my house. Having heard that there were some savages breaking into some deserted American houses for the purpose of ransacking them, I sent some of my Frenchmen there to drive them out. After that, as far as we know, they did not appear any more.
As we were beginning to believe that all would soon be quiet, we almost lost hope again. All the trouble that we had given ourselves might have been in vain because at that time there arrived some hunters from the fields who told us that the Americans in great numbers, coming we do not know whence, fell upon a band of Pianquichias from this village and a band of Miamis. Without inquiring as to whether they were friends or enemies, the Americans attacked them, killing six of them and wounding seven, all of them sons or descendants of chiefs. Pacanne's father-in-law and the three nephews of Montoure were among them. The Indians left all their goods and a number of packages on the field of battle. This was confirmed to us later. Fortunately for us all, the savages did not find out about this affair, which would have enraged them. Prompted by fury, they would no longer have listened to reason; but I greatly
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SPAIN IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY |
fear that when they do learn of this, they will make a new attempt either here
or on some other of our villages. Please note that it is the second or third
time that the Americans have attacked savages who are their allies and who
trade with them daily in this village.
The 17th of the present month in the morning I armed a canoe and sent several Frenchmen in it to take to the savages some fifty jugs of strong liquor. They reached them the same day; and as I had promised them this liquor to finish up the job of washing their hearts and inducing them to return to their village, several of the old men, expecting this "milk," had already slowly started in their pirogues and all the young men were already far away, each in his own manner. They accepted with much gratitude this liquor, which was given them ten leagues above here. They seemed to be satisfied, as were several of them to whom I gave five or six bottles as well as two oxen and two cows and a quantity of bread, not mentioning the amount of "milk" that I had to give them during all these conferences.
For the sake of precaution we kept a strict watch for several days to avoid any surprise and to put the people's minds at rest. Despite all the trouble that I and all the French have taken, and despite our precautions to keep the savages down and to maintain them in good relations with us and with the Americans, I fear very much that this next fall we shall not be quite so successful. I foresee that unfortunately the savages will return in greater numbers. They mentioned something about it upon withdrawing. They were angry because I refused them the entrance to the village. They stated that they would come back this fall and that they would be able to make themselves doors in order to come in without asking anybody. This last affair of the Pianquichias and the Miamis who were set upon in the prairies by a party of Americans, is going to indispose them very much and justify and encourage them all to come together to form a very strong force. Those Indians were from this village, allied to the Americans and believing themselves secure under our protection. They were killed as they were coming back loaded with the products of their fall, winter, and spring hunts, which they were bringing to this village to trade.
I neither know nor understand the motives prompting the Americans to set upon and betray those who are peaceful and allied with them. It only gives a pretext to all the nations to get together and form large parties to attack whole villages. This last coup that some vandals committed against a half dead man, who was more or less a charge of the French and who believed himself secure among us, was the pretext that the Indians used to attack the Americans. I am expecting La Demoiselle every day, as he is one of the
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POST WAR DECADE, 1782-1791 |
181 |
most respected chiefs of that band, which has always behaved itself. He has
already sent me strands of black porcelain to indicate his sorrow and chagrin
at seeing themselves killed and massacred by their allies. Not satisfied with
killing them, the Americans cut and hacked them to pieces, a thing most
unnatural, barbaric, and repulsive, and which even savages disdain to commit
upon white people. They have contempt for those of us who commit such cruel
deeds.
The only way of averting the blow which is threatening us is to win over La Demoiselle first, and after him the other chiefs who have suffered in this affair. But the deed is quite black and quite barbaric. I confess to you that I fear very much that I shall be unable to succeed. It is not courage that I lack, nor is it the fault of our old interpreter Vaudry, who has used all his knowledge to succeed, nor of our men generally. I shall make another attempt with their aid. I foresee that, if we cannot succeed, and if the chiefs come in as great numbers as they intend to, we shall not be strong enough to defend ourselves, and we shall soon be defeated by their numbers. I have already written to you about the numerous vagabonds who have come here. I beg you again to note that quite a few vagabonds have come here without permission and without my cognizance. Most of them are the ones who cause all the trouble in this country and they will lead us without fail to total ruin unless you call them back and have them leave this place.
Everything that I state to you is the truth, unalloyed and unadulterated. I call as witnesses all the Frenchmen and the Americans here. I hope that my conduct and that of all the Frenchmen will erase the bad impression and the reputation of inhumanity which we possess. Some of your Americans have wished to blacken our character in letters filled with lies. I have always flattered myself that you, who have known my character and that of all the Frenchmen in this country for a long time, will have rendered me better justice. Please examine seriously our sad situation; consider the misfortunes to which we are exposed. Despite my lack of fortune, I have spent a lot of money to stop the Indians, and I am afraid of losing everything because I do not know to whom to go to be repaid.
I am most respectfully, Sir, your most humble and most obedient servant,
|
J. M. P. L. G. |
AT POST VINCENNES, 22nd of July, 1786.
190 |
SPAIN IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY |
They released one to take a message to the Talapoosa nation to tell their
chiefs that they had to submit to the demands that had been made of them
formerly, which are: First, give them the lands which they had asked of them;
second, surrender all the goods which they had taken during the war that they
had with England, since Indians had absolutely no reason to mix in a war of the
white people; third, they demanded satisfaction for all the murders that the
Indians committed on their citizens last summer. In case these three demands
were refused, they stated that they were ready to declare war on them and
invade the nation to secure justice by the force of arms.
This news has alarmed the whole nation. More than a hundred persons, most of whom are traders, are ready to leave in order to come into this government and into that of Pensacola. These demands are a result of the refusal of the Talapoosas to other demands made upon them last May, the main one of which was to surrender to the Americans Jacob Magnaque, Alexander McGillivray, commissioner of the nation, Joseph Cornel, and Richard Belly. These four are white. Furthermore, they ask for Mad Dog, king and chief of the whole nation, and three others of the principal chiefs whose names I do not know. The Talapoosas, in view of the danger which is threatening them, have gathered all their cattle and horses, which they are driving up into the jurisdiction of Pensacola; and Monsieur Alexander McGillivray is already on his way to go to his house, which is about eight leagues from here. He is to arrive there in about eight days.
I impart all this news to you because I believe it merits attention. I am with deepest respect, Sir, your most humble and most obedient servant,
|
Signed: J. LINDER. |
AT TINSA, 13th of
November 1786.
TO MR. FAVROT.
I certify that this copy conforms word for
word to its original
which we have in our hands, written in French.
|
PEDRO FAVROT. (Rubric) |
REPORT OF BAUVAIS CONCERNING CLARK
November 15,1786129
Report of what has been related to me on the 15th of November 1786, by Mr. Sainte Geme Bauvais, a trustworthy man, inhabitant of the village of Kaskaskia, in the American district.
In letters that he had received from various
people from Post
_________
129BL, (French).
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POST WAR DECADE, 1782-1791 |
191 |
Vincennes dated the 4th and 5th of October last, he is apprised of the arrival
of Monsieur George Clark, commanding a party of American militia of about twelve
hundred men, coming supposedly for the purpose of waging war upon the Miami
savages, their enemies, at their village located halfway between Post Vincennes
and the village of Detroit occupied by the English. After marching for three
days, he had stopped because his detachment had abandoned him except for two
hundred men, with whom he returned to Post Vincennes, where he is having a fort
constructed now.
The inhabitants are obliged to work at it and bring the wood, at their own expense, and Clark is provoking them greatly. Moreover, the said George Clark had confiscated the property of various individuals of the Spanish district, who had come to Post Vincennes to see about their family affairs and for other reasons, and forced these said persons named Jean Pierre, Pierre Cazadonne, and Ganiçon, to march with him against the Miami savages; and amongst others Monsieur Alvarez was obliged, in order to avoid persecution, to run away at night and to set himself adrift with part of his belongings on the river in the direction of New Orleans, where we hope he has arrived safely. Monsieur George Clark, according to what is stated, for the purpose of excusing this act of vandalism, says that he is committing reprisals because at Natchez the Spaniards confiscate the American boats which come down from Fort Duquéne. It is to be feared, according to what is said, that he and his band will perpetrate some injury on the boats which will come up from the city next spring.
REPORT BY PRATTE ON ACTIVITIES OF CLARK
November 24, 1786130
News brought back to me by Mr. Pratte, inhabitant of Ste. Geneviève, this 24th of November 1786.
A person of the village of Kaskaskia (whom discretion does not permit me to name on account of possible unforeseen circumstances) has told him that General Clark sent from Post Vincennes where he was to Mr. Edgard, a merchant of the village of Kaskaskia, a message in which he gave him several orders and two captain's commissions, one for himself and the other for the person who does not wish to be named, and who refused it under various pretexts.
The general's order states that the aforesaid
two captains shall each form a company of 60 men whom they will recruit in the
country. They shall offer to each soldier fifteen piasters a month, and three
hundred acres of land for them to choose wherever they
_________
130BL, (French).
280 |
SPAIN IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY |
not flatter myself to equal it by removeing to any part; our lands Satisfying
my utmost wishes and being infinitely before anything I have seen elsewhere.-
I thank you for the diminution
of the duties in my favor.-
I have the honor to be,
your most obedient, and most
Humble Servant.-
JAMES ROBERTSON
VALLIERE TO FILHIOL
September 10, 1789196
Answered October 7th.
|
ARKANSAS, 10th of September 1789. |
SIR: I have been unable to fulfill your orders to return to Louis Toutain the horses which he has released here, as well as the ones which belong to you, despite my good will and my desire to be of service to you. I shall give orders to have them turned over to those whom you shall commission, as I have had the honor of informing you through Monsieur Menard, who is loth to tell you about the slight chance there is of your being repaid by Antoine Janis. In connection with this you may be sure that I shall do everything possible to have this debt settled.
I have learned from Monsieur Bayone that the Miami who were brought down to the city by one Pinet, stated that I had permitted them the entrance to this river. It is just the contrary; seeing that I had refused it to them as I had done to the Abenaky, they passed by the upper lands and came out on your side where it seems that this Pinet wants to attract them for his own interests. If once they settle there, and if you allow them to stay there, you will see, Sir, that your colony will teem with a quantity of Shawnee, Abenaky, etc., who will not be long in clearing your land of all kinds of game and in allying themselves with the Osage. Those are the reasons which have prompted me up to now to refuse to both of them the entrance to the Arkansas River.
The half-breed who has one blue eye and the
other one black, and his uncle called Pacane, are capable of giving evil
counsel to the Caddo, and have almost caused them to have a war with the
Arkansas. Their chief, Voytonika, is to go to see you and to find out at the
same time the state of mind of the Caddo. He wants to come to an agreement with
them about not receiving any foreign red men unless their father allows them to
do so. If the Caddo do not agree
___________
196BL, (French).
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POST WAR DECADE, 1782-1791 |
281 |
to this kind of treaty, I think that I shall have much trouble preventing a war
between them, although up to now they have been inclined to do as I said.
Here, Sir, is an appearance of trouble, caused by village runners, to whom Chief Voytonika has said in my presence, "You resemble clouds that run without leaving a trail and that fall, but I do not want you to come on our land; there is plenty of it elsewhere."
I have the honor of being, most sincerely, Sir,
|
Your most humble and obedient servant, |
|
VALLIERE (Rubric) |
|
To Monsieur FILHIOL. |
DE BLANC TO MIRÓ
September 30, 1789197
No. 18.
On behalf of Your Lordship I have caused the man named Bicheda to be recognized as chief of the Great Caddo. I delivered to him Your Lordship's commission with the large medal of merit, the banner, and uniforms. These objects were issued to me from the general storehouse of this province together with the presents for the Indians of this jurisdiction, which were also distributed to the respective nations. I inform Your Lordship of this for your information. Among the said presents were thirty jugs of brandy which were consumed on the journey as a result of the bad character of the corporal. For this reason it was necessary for me to buy the thirty jugs of brandy in this post at one peso a jug, and if Your Lordship thinks proper you will be pleased to order that I be reimbursed for the thirty pesos or that I be given the same amount of brandy.
I must tell Your Lordship that the Comanche,
Tawehash, Wichita, Yscanis, and Tawakoni formed an army of 700 warriors and
went to fall upon the Osage, with all the success that might be expected. This
advantage has encouraged them to such an extent that in the spring of the
coming year they intend to collect many more in order to enter the Osage
village itself. If this happens I shall inform Your Lordship and also make known
to you the results.
God keep Your Lordship many
years.
NATCHITOCHES, September 30,
1789.
|
LOUIS DE BLANC (Rubric) |
Señor DON ESTEVAN MIRÓ.
____________
197BL.
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