Piankashaw Locations (ca. 1776- ca. 1783) (pp. 90-99)
/pg. 90/
The British did not willingly relinquish their claims to the west after the Declaration of Independence by the United States, nor did the Declaration bring any immediate change in British control of the area. The manipulation and control of the natives formed an important part of this struggle which continued, in time west, until after the War of 1812 and which had profound effects on Indian movements and locations in that area. These events are reported here as they impinged particularly on Piankashaw Indians, though they were only one of the groups affected.
In May of 1777 the British Lt. Governor of Canada, Edward Abbott, arrived at Vincennes to review the affairs of the district and recommended that a Mr. Edgar be appointed as commissary of Indian affairs there. (Abbott, Dft. Ex. A-52, pp. 440-442) After almost a year's stay, but before the Indiana returned from their winter hunt so that he wouldn't have to give them any presents, Abbott went to Detroit, and although he said nothing specific about the Piankashaws, gave his opinion that the Indians of the Wabash could not be kept in good order without large expenses either in precepts or troops. (Hamilton, Dft. Ex. A-66, p. 281; Abbott, Dft. Ex. A-76, p. 488)
In a description of the Wabash River and its environs, published in 1778 but based on earlier travel information, Thomas Hutchins, originally in tile British military service and later Geographer of the United States, discussed the French settlements of Vincennes and Ouiatenon. Vincennes had "60 Settlers and their families," who lived
/pg. 91/
by farming and trading with the Indians. Concerning Vincennes Hutchins says nothing directly about Indians living there, but mentions the fact that
They [i.e., the settlers] have a fine breed of horses (brought originally by the Indians from the Spanish settlements on the western side of the river Mississippi.) (Hutchins, Dft. Ex. A-48, p. 497)
and that "The Settlers deal with the natives for Furrs and Deerskins, to the amount of about 5000 1. annually." (Idem) Concerning Indians at Ouiatenon, a small stockaded fort in which about a dozen French families resided, he reported that
The neighbouring Indians are Kickapoos, Musquitons, Piankeshaws, and a principal part of the Ouiatanons. The whole of these tribes consists, it is supposed, of about 1000 warriors...The annual amount of skins and furs obtained at Ouiatanon is about 8000 1. (Idem; see also ibid., Dft. Ex. A-34, p. 101)
In an estimate probably made in March of 1778, Col. George Morgan of the British Indian Department at Pittsburgh listed Piankashaws, together with Kickapoos, Mascoutens, Vermilions, Weas, and other Indians on the Wabash, as comprising 800 men or about 3200 persons. (Morgan, Dft. Ex. A-275)
The Lt. Governor of Canada, Henry Hamilton, held a council in June of 1778 with Weas, Kickapoos, and Mascoutens in which he learned of the American Rebel activities in the west. These three "nations" assured Hamilton of their loyalty to the British, (Hamilton, Dft. Ex. A-76, pp. 452-458) and denied that they had been won by the Spanish (in Louisiana) although they had gone to them for rum. They also told Hamilton that
/pg. 92/
the son of old Tobacco, who is a plan [Piankashaw] in company with another were on the Spanish side. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-76, p. 457)
An unidentified list (dated 1778) of 54 "Nations and Tribes" gives the number of fighting men of the Kickapoos, Piankashaws, Mascoutens, and Weas as 1000 (indicating a total population of ca. 4000 persons) living "On the Wabash and its branches," whose hunting grounds were "Between the mouth of the Wabash and the Miami Rivers." (?, Dft. Ex. A-286, pp. 454-455) This listing contains similar information on the Wabash area as that compiled by Thomas Hutchins, quoted above. (Hutchins, Dft. Ex. A-34, p. 136)
Col. George Rogers Clark paid scant attention in his written accounts to the Indians around Vincennes upon the occasion of the first occupation of that town by Virginia during the American Revolution in the fall of 1778 save to give instructions that the necessary presents were to be given to the Indians. (Clark, Dft. Ex. A-42, p. 55) [footnote 30] Clark did, however, give much thought and effort to the securing of Vincennes and to the subverting of the French and Indians of the area Prom the English cause, and advised Captain Leonard Helm, whom he left in charge there, how to proceed. One of his aims was to win over to the American side
an Indian chief called the Tobaccos son a piankeshaw at this [place who] resided in a Village adjoining St Vincent this man was called by the Indians the
/pg. 93/
Grand Door to the Waubash as the grat Pondiac had been to that of St Joseph that nothing of Importance was to be undertaken by the League on the Waubash without his assent. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-42, p. 241; see also id., Dft. Ex. A-42, pp. 122-124, 237-242)
Clark also
sent letters and speeches by Capt Helms to the Chief of the Kickebues & Peankeshaws residing at Post St. Vincents desireing them to lay down their Tomahawk, (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-42, p. 124)
or to choose to be defeated fighting for the English. Helm succeeded in making friends with the Indians, including Tobacco and his son. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-42, pp. 241-242) Clark reported, in a memoir written after the events, that
he [Tobacco's son] appeared in all his conduct as if he had this american Interest much at Heart. in a short time almost the whole of the Various Tribes of the different Nations on the waubash as high as the weautinon came to St Vincenes and followed the example of their grand chief (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-42, p. 242)
Helm gave information (related to the Virginia legislature by the Governor, Patrick Henry) that
the Wabash and Upper Indians, consisting of the Piankeshaws, Tawaws [Ottawas], Peorias, Delawares, Pekakishaws [Piankashaws], Masketans [Mascoutens], and some of the Shawanese [Shawnee] chiefs, had also given up all their tokens of attachment to our enemies, and pledged their fidelity to the United States. (Henry, Dft. Ex. A-42, p. 73)
Helm also issued a letter during this period, written at Vincennes and dated August 7, 1778, which testified to the sincere friendship that "Tobacco, the Read Chief of the Wabash and Meaumea Indians"
/pg. 94 /
felt for the Americans, and stated that he should be trusted as a friend by all Americans. (Helm, Dft. Ex. A-241)
In August of 1778 Hamilton learned of the Virginian success in conquering the Illinois Country and of the expected loss to the British of Vincennes. He urged other British officials that, although it would be expensive to support the Indian nations of the Wabash, those Indians were
the only barrier to be opposed at present to the inroads of the Rebels & the attempts of the French and Spaniards. (Hamilton, Dft. Ex. A-76, p. 459)
Several days later Hamilton reminded them again of the necessity of large expenses to support the Indians of the Wabash, to keep them in "good temper," and mentioned that he had sent Celoron with belts and speeches to them for this purpose and with an order to render the cannons at Post Vincennes useless in case that post did fall to the Americans. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-76, pp. 460-461)
By the middle of September Hamilton learned that Vincennes had been taken by the Virginians, (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-76, p. 475) but supposed that the "Savages of the Ouabash"
cannot relish the invasion of the Virginians, as the purchase from the Piankashaws [of 1775] gave a general disgust & I hear they now reproach the Piankashaws with having enticed the Virginians into the country. (Idem)
He had also been assured by Charles Bsubin, "employed for His Majesty,' at the Miamis, that
the Delawares, Illinois, Outawas & Chaonanoes [Shawnees] were determined to strike the Rebels, but the Piankashaws interfered. The latter want to know the determination of the Quiquaboes and Ouiattanons. (Idem)
/pg. 95/
From this report it appears that at least some of the Piankashaws were wavering in their support between the British and the Virginians, and if the Kickapoos and Weas could be kept on or won to the British side the British could hope to secure at least part of the Piankashaws also. Hamilton soon made plans to go down the Wabash River valley in force to secure the country for the English (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-76, pp. 475-487; Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 102-106) and to repudiate the Piankashaw land sale of 1775. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-76, p. 480) On September 27, 1778, before Hamilton left Detroit, a Miami messenger brought to Detroit speeches of "the Chicasaws, Peans [Piankeshaws], and Virginians" which had been sent to the Miamis. (Beaubin, Dft. Ex. 77, pp. 297-298) The Chickasaws urged all the Wabash Indians not to support the Americans and promised to help them against the Virginians. (Idem) The "son of Tabac," "the great Chief of the Peans," passed on these words of the Chickasaws to the other Wabash Indians to consider, adding that
we [the Piankashaws] Join ourselves to them [the Chickasaws] and that we would have already struck the Virginians, but we waited your reply. It is our feeling that they should be sent home & not to let them pass. ( Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-77, p. 298)
Tobacco's Son added that the "Loups," Illinois, and Ottawas agreed with them. The Virginians' message to the Indians was that the Wabash Indians should join their side in time. (Idem; see also Hamilton, Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 105) Hamilton read all of these speeches to the Indians he had assembled at Detroit and recorded in his journal that
/pg. 96/
"They expressed themselves as I could wish--" (Ibid., D M . Ex. A-9, p. 105) in favor of the British.
On October 14th, at his encampment at Rocher de Bout on his way to Vincennes, Hamilton received intelligence from an Indian that "The old Tobacco, a Peankashaa chief," had told the Americans that it was not the custom to present both a peace and a war message at the same time and had thus rejected them. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 111; see also Hamilton, Dft. Ex. A-77, p. 303) On the 27th of this same month some doubt was cast on this when some Potawatomis from St. Joseph came to Hamilton's camp, then at the Miamis' village, and discussed events on the lower Wabash. As a result of their talk Hamilton began to express more reservations about the ease of winning over the Piankashaws.
It appears the Old Tobacco and his son (called the young Tobacco) are strong with the Virginians--The Grande Coete (a Peankashaa chief) had declared he should act in conformity with his elder Brothers, meaning the Quiquaboes and Ouiattonons -- (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 116)
Perhaps the "Grande Coete" was a Vermilion River chief since he is consistently mentioned by Hamilton in association with the Weas and Kickapoos, and with British interests. This incident is an additional indication of the factionalism evident at most stages of Piankashaw history.
Hamilton, continuing his journey, halted his command not far above Eel River to repair the boats and held a council with the Eel River Indians and the Potawatomis of "Thipicono." (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 124) These people said they were inclined to remain neutral and
/pg. 97/
did not react overtly to Hamilton's statement that he was going to cancel the Piankashaw land sale. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 124-125)
Hamilton was annoyed at their lack of positive response, demonstrated his firing power, and held several further meetings with the Indians. Finally some of the Miamis present (Eel River Indians) named ten men who were to go with Hamilton on his mission. (Idem)
A short distance below the mouth of Eel River some "Ouiattanon" Indians came to visit Hamilton. He called their language "Peankashaa" or Ouiattonon. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 129-130) One of these "Ouiattonons" promised to send his son and some other young men with Hamilton's party. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 130)
It was only after Hamilton reached a chief of the Weas (White Head) in a winter camp a short distance upstream from Ouiatanon that some anger was expressed by the Indians he met against the Piankashaws, but since the Piankashaw "sale" almost certainly encompassed some lands used by Weas if not the village at Ouiatenon itself, this is not surprising. Some of the Wea and Kickapoo Indians in the Ouiatenon area promised to help Hamilton. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 132-139)
No Indians were at the Indian village "called Vermillion" near, the mouth of the Vermilion River when Hamilton passed by; all of the inhabitants were away on their winter hunt. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 139) It seems likely, judging from a listing of village locations and tribes drawn up about 1778 or l779 by Richard McCarty, a trader in the Illinois, that this Vermilion village 'referred to by Hamilton was a Piankashaw one. In describing Indians on the Wabash McCarty wrote
/pg. 98/
On the Ouabash [Wabash] at Au Post [Vincennes] the Piano [Piankeshaws], a Village another 40 [see footnote 31] Leagues up at Vermilion. (McCarty, Dft. Ex. A-198)
While passing by the location, Terre Haute was not mentioned by Hamilton either as the site of a former settlement or even as a notable landmark. However, after a Journey of about one-and-a-half days downstream from "the Cherakee steeps (les Ecors des Tetes plattes)", (Hamilton, Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 140) [see footnote 32] they came to the "wintering ground of the Peankashaas." (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 140-141) The chief, "la Mouche noire (the black fly)," received Hamilton ceremoniously but Hamilton said that he could not stay at this place, but that he would talk to the Indians that evening at his encampment which would be a short distance below their village. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 143)
The Black Fly and 19 other Indians came to Hamilton's camp, which was located on the Wabash a little above a place called "la Soupe," that evening. Hamilton repeated the arguments he had used with the Weas. The Black Fly said he hoped the British would be victorious and asked for pity for his women and children. Another man called "la petite morve" said he would follow Hamilton to war. The next day (December 12), a "young chief of the Peankashaas" said
he should not be surprized if I had a bad impression of their Nation as some of them listened to the Virginians (hinting at the
/pg. 99/
old Tobacco-and his Son) that those of his Village had not acted a like part, that he meant to follow me, by land having a dependence on me but that the promises of the Virginians were but as wind &ca. (Idem)
On December 16 Hamilton's party got to another "wintering ground of the Peankashaas" called "la carrierre (the Quarry)." (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 146-147) Hamilton does not record that there were any Piankashaws there. However, a Piankashaw, Melioutonga (or Meligoua, or la petite Vielle) came to Hamilton there with his brother and son and said he had been to the Americans at Vincennes but could get nothing for his family, and since Hamilton had brought some goods for the Indians "he [Melioutonga] had brought me his heart (meaning his son) to go to war with me." (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 147)
On December 16 Major Jehu Hay was sent further down river by Hamilton to see what the situation at Vincennes actually was. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, pp. 146-147) He was to tell the "Principal Inhabitants" of Vincennes (chiefly the old French settlers and traders)
that unless they quitted the rebels and laid down their arms, there was no mercy for them, some chiefs accompanied him to conciliate the Pean Kashaa Indians residing at St. Vincennes, and to show the French what they might expect if they attempted to resist. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-76 p.,494)
These tactics succeeded admirably. On the 17th when Hamilton finally arrived at Vincennes-he saw his boats with a small guard on the shore, and discerned
Major Hay with the men drawn up at a small distance at the old Village of the Peankashaas. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 148)
Footnote 30: See Clark, Dft. Ex. A-42, pp. 50-59 and 130-131 for details of the first Virginia occupancy of Vincennes. [return to text]
31. "Peankeshaws" are mentioned again further on in the text in a listing of Indian groups (See Dft. Ex. A-l98).[return to text]
32. Barnhart identifies this location as "not far from the site of Terre Haute" (Barnhart, Dft. Ex. A-9, p. 231).[return to text]
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