Piankashaw Locations (ca. 1783-ca. 1795), pp. 145-156
/pg. 145/
On May 1, before St. Clair had made this decision and while he was still at Cahokia looking into the land claims of the White /pg. 146/ inhabitants, he commented that
In the country below the Kaskaskia There are a great many Piankeshaws, not over friendly, though they make great professions. (St. Clair, Dft. Ex. A-103, p. 139)
These Piankashaws had wanted to visit St. Clair when he was at Kaskaskia, but St. Clair demurred saying he had already sent a message to their chiefs and was waiting for an answer. Despite this many of them did visit him there, and after he left Kaskaskia to go to Cahokia more Piankashaws went there to see him and to complain of an attack on some of them by the Chickasaws when they were on the Saline River which flows into the Ohio River a few miles below the Juncture of the Wabash and Ohio rivers (probably within Royce Area 48). (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-103, pp. 139-140) This Chickasaw attack may have been the reason why a large war party including some Piankashaws in July, 1790 attacked an American and Chickasaw party on their way to Vincennes a few miles upstream from the mouth of the Wabash, along the eastern edge of Royce Area 63. (Foucher, Dft. Ex. A-70, pp. 370-371)
The group of Piankashaws who lived below Kaskaskia may have been included in the Indians mentioned as harassing Kaskaskia in the fall of 1789. A camp of hostile Indians was located as two days march from Kaskaskia in August 1790. However, not only Piankashaws, but Delawares, Shawnees, and Kickapoos also were living in that general area and were committing depredations. (Edgar, Dft. Ex. A-41, pp. 513-514. Jones, Dft. Ex. A-41, pp. 514-517; Tardivean, Dft. Ex. A-56, pp. 240-241).
From Hamtramck's, Gamelin's and St. Clair's accounts, it is apparent
/pg. 147/
that while at this time a number of the Piankashaws were located below Kaskaskia, on the Mississippi River, some still were located in a village at Vermilion River, and that Piankashaws also continued to frequent the lands near the lower Wabash.
That some Piankashaws were still in the area around Vincennes is also confirmed by a second estimate made by Hamtramck (July 20, 1790) of the numbers of warriors in the Indian villages of the Wabash. (Hamtramck, Dft. Ex. A-221) This differs from his earlier estimate (May 1788) in several respects. The most important change concerns the addition to the list of a village of 35 warriors (ca. 140 persons) at "Chipikokki or Vincennes" which probably included some Piankashaws. His inclusion of this village in the second enumeration may reflect a feeling that these Indians had become possibly inimical to the United States in the two-year interval. This gave a total of 1325 warriors as opposed to the earlier estimate of 1290 warriors on the Wabash River. A village with 30 warriors (ca. 120 persons) is again mentioned at "High Lands [Terre Haute]," the same figure he gave two years before. The numbers of warriors at the Wea and other Wabash villages are also the same-as those given in the May 1788 list. "Vermilion - 200 warriors, Wea - 300 warriors, Kickapoo - 100 warriors, Eel River - 150 warriors, Miami - 350 warriors, Grand Elks Hart - 100 warriors, end Little Elks Hart - 60 warriors). (Idem) Antoine Gamelin, on his trip up the Wabash to deliver St. Clair's message in April of 1790, mentions as the first village above Vincennes one called Kikapouguoi with a Wea Chief who accepted
/pg. 148/
the message of peace. (Gamelin, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 93) Gamelin did not locate this village but did say that the second village was located at the Vermilion River. (Idem)
As part of the plan of St. Clair's campaign against the Indians of the Wabash Hamtramck, with a reinforcement of 300 militiamen from Virginia and Kentucky, was to attack either the Vermilion, "L'Anguille [Eel River]," or Wea settlements while Harmar attacked the Miamis. (Harmar, Dft. Ex. A-56, pp. 236-237; St. Clair, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 923). When Hamtramck received these orders he again estimated the number of enemy Indians he could expect to meet on the Wabash. In his statement on this subject to Harmar, made about two and a half weeks after the estimate he sent to the Secretary of the Northwest Territory, he does not mention either the Vincennes Indian village or one at Terre Haute, presumably because he considered them to be friendly. The "Indians of the Vermillion" had 200 warriors (ca. 8O0 persons), the Weas 330 (ca. 1320 persons), the Kickapoos "opposite the Ouia" 100 (ca. 400 persons), and the Indians of "Ell River"150 (ca. 6O0 persons). (Hamtramck, D M . Ex. A-56, p. 246) The Wea warriors in this estimate exceed those of the July 20 and May 1788 estimates by 30.
The Kentucky militia that was to support Hamtramck on his attack against the Vermilion, Wea, and Eel River villages did not arrive at Vincennes until September 29, 1790, four days after Hamtramck was supposed to have started his march. He set out on September 30 and reached the village at the Vermilion River on October 10, but found only empty houses, the Indians having left the village a few days before. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-56, p. 259).
/pg. 149/
After he got there Hamtramck discovered that adequate provisions were lacking. It would have taken nine days for the militia to make a trip to the Wea village and return to the Vermilion and ten days for them to go to the Kickapoo village on the north side of the Wabash and return. The militia when faced with this situation refused to proceed and Hamtramck was forced to return to Vincennes without going beyond the Vermilion village, and without seeing a single hostile Indian. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-56, pp. 259-262)
Upon Hamtramck's return to Vincennes Crooked Leg and his band of Weas again asked permission of him to be allowed to winter near Vincennes; Hamtramck also expected many Indians to come to the town during the winter during their hunts for trade. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-56, p. 264) He also was informed that the Wabash Indians had not gone to the aid of the Miamis against Harmar, but had been gathered to oppose Hamtramck's progress at the Wea town and at "a river called la Rejouissance, a few miles above the Vermillion." (Idem) This river is apparently the present-day Pine Creek. If Hamtramck had been able to continue his march he would have been attacked at this point.
By the end of January, 1791 Hamtramck had learned of rumours of an impending attack on Vincennes from the Vermilion village; (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-56, p. 276) again in. May an attack on the Wabash was rumoured imminent (Ibid., D M . Ex. A-56 p. 282). In May, too, a group of Piankashaws under the chief Sikochkan, chief of a town of
/pg. 150/
about ten houses located at this time on a small creek on the west side of the Wabash River about two and a half days journey from Vincennes, possibly within Royce Area 63, captured some Kentucky citizens on Long Creek, a branch of Green River, Kentucky. (Gilham, Dft. Ex. A-210) A British report covering events of March, April, and May 1791 stated that
the Indians from the Wabash have left the wintering six week earlier than usual, fearing that the Americans would profit by the high water to come to attack their villages, they have all determined to defend them, there are constantly parties on the road to Post Vincennes. the Ouias the Rikapoux [Kickapoos] & the Piankishaws have all agreed. (Anonymous, Dft. Ex. A-83, p. 221)
Since Harmar's and Hamtramck's attacks had not really subdued the Miami and Wabash Indians, (See e.g., Hamtramck, Dft. Ex. A-103, pp. 197-198) it was decided to send two more expeditions against them. These were carried out in May-June and August of 1791 by Brigadier General Charles Scott and Lt. Colonel James Wilkinson. (Harmar, Dft. Ex. A-56, pp. 272-273; St. Clair, Dft. Ex. A-103, pp. 207-209, 212-214, 222-223, 225-229, 233; Knox, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 129-130; Scott, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 131-133; Wilkinson, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 132-135; Asheton, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 133; Anonymous, Dft. Ex. A-83, pp. 251-252) Villages at Ouiatenon, Tippecanoe and Eel River were burned, crops of corn destroyed, and a number of prisoners taken on these two forays. (Knox, D M . Ex. A-7, pp. 129-130; Scott, D M . Ex. A-7, pp. 131-133; Wilkinson, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 132-135; Asheton, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 133) No specific mention is made in the reports of Piankashaws being captured or as living in the attacked villages, but Scott, before returning from his
/pg. 151/
attack, addressed a warning
to the various tribes of the Piankeshaws, and all the nations of Red People lying on the waters of the Wabash River. (Scott, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 132)[see footnote 41] Apparently because of anticipatory rumours of these two expeditions a Wea Indian Chief with 20 men came to Hamtramck on June 4 (before Scott reached their towns) to ask for peace for their tribe and to stop the expedition that was out against them. They assured Hamtramck they would come to Vincennes in the fall to make a lasting peace. (Hamstrack, Dft. Ex. A-56, p. 283) Hamtramck told them he did not believe them and that he did not see how it would be possible for peace to be established with only one of the Wabash tribes. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-56, pp. 283-284) To this the Wea chief answered that he would try to persuade the other tribes to join him and that he hoped for success in this endeavor. (Ibid., Dft, Ex. A-56, p. 284) Perhaps as a result of this Indian's efforts or the raids of Scott and Wilkinson, St. Clair reported in September of 1791 In the meantime, after the other Indians on the Wabash failed to respond to further proffers of peace, St. Clair was instructed to mount an attack on the Miami villages.[see footnote 43] St. Clair was decisively
/pg. 152/
defeated in this attack, and the War Department again considered plans of peacefully pacifying the western Indians. (See St. Clair, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 136-138; Knox, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 197-202, 225-238. Putnam, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 238-241; Chapin, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 241-243; Brandt, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 243-245)
In December of 1791 another set of population figures was compiled on numbers of warriors on the Wabash from information obtained at Vincennes, possibly largely from Hamtramck again, though this estimate (Turner, D M . Ex. A-,36) was made by George Turner, one of the Territorial Judges of the Northwest Territory. This list is similar to the one by Hamtramck dated July 1790, except that Turner gives the figure of 100 warriors for the Vermilion village rather than 200.
Another population listing of Indians, compiled by Gilbert Imlay, one-time American Army Captain, land speculator, and adventurer, at some time after St. Clair's defeat in battle mentions Piankashaws in two entries.
Piankishas, Vermillons, and Mascontins, between the Wabash and Illinois, 600. (Imlay, Dft. Ex. A-48, p. 290)
and
Upper Piankishas, near fort Oniatonon, upon the Wabash, 300. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-48, p. 291)
Imlay, however, testifies further that his listings had been
corrected from the accounts of Croghan, Boquet, Carver, Hutchins, and Dodge, and by the comparative testimony of the best informed men I have been able to meet with; and whose knowledge upon this subject, though they have not written, I should prefer to either of the above
/pg. 153/
authorities, who were obliged to take the greatest part of what they have related from hearsay, or proceed upon conjecture. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-48, p. 294)
I With these words Imlay proves himself to have relied upon out of date information and on hearsay evidence; for these reasons his population figures (whether they refer to total Indian popula- tion or to warriors) cannot be relied on. His general information on locations may perhaps be more dependable since that was a matter of general public knowledge in Kentucky at the time Imlay was there.
Hamtramck arrived back at Fort Knox at Vincennes on December 21, 1791, after participating in St. Clair's disastrous campaign. He repeated that he had assigned hunting territories to the peaceably inclined "Wabash Indians" he found waiting for him, extending along the Wabash River from Terre Haute to its mouth, and promised them the protection of the United States. (Hamtramck, D M . Ex. A-222)
In March 1792 Hamtramck succeeded in preliminary peace negotiations with some of the Weas and Eel River Indians to the extent that they formally requested that a peace treaty be held with them at Vincennes. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-16, pp; 374-375) The absence of the Piankashaws in these negotiations is explained by Hamtramck as follows:
The Peankishaws the only nation remaining on the Wabash, who have not yet been with me have been prevented by the death of their King, on his way to Fort Knox and the Nation having no Prince Royal to succeed to the Crown have been employed for a long time in the election of a Monarch whenever that
/pg. 154/
is done, which will be in about a week, I expect to see them when I will probably have an opportunity of securing their friendship. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-16, p. 380)
Hamtramck was sure that the Piankashaws would subscribe to the agreement made by the Weas and Eel River Indians, but did not guarantee the sincerity of any of the Indian signers. (Idem)
In obedience to orders from Wilkinson Hamtramck also sent speeches to other western Indians to persuade them to make peace with the United States. (Idem and ibid., Dft. Ex. A-223; see also Knox, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 235) In the same letter in which he reported the results of this he noted that
The Pyankeshaws signed on the 20th of April the engagements passed between me and the other Indians which I have had the honor of sending you some time ago, and everything in this quarter has at present a very pacific prospect. (Hamtramck, Dft. Ex. A-223)
He also reported that
a great number of the Weya and Pyankeshaws have retired towards the Illinois, (Idem)
although he did not know why. He thought it must be due to a "sudden fright" they had had, but felt he could persuade them to return since they seemed to desire peace. (Idem)
In an attempt to take advantage of any peaceful inclination among the western Indians Brigadier General Rufus Putmam was instructed (Knox, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 234-236), among his other duties to attend the meeting of hostile Indians to be held at the Miami of the Lakes, as it was thought this would influence Indians further to the west. He was further informed
/pg. 155/
that
As the United States have never made any treaties with the Wabash Indians, although the said Indians have been repeatedly invited thereto, their claims to the lands east and south of the said Wabash have not been defined.
This circumstance will be a subject of your inquiry with the assembled Indian tribes; and you may assure the parties concerned, that an equitable boundary shall be arranged with them. (Ibid. Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 234)
The Secretary of War, hoping that the agreement made by Major Hamtramck with the Wabash Indians might lead to a general Indian peace, further instructed Putnam to deliver various goods "to the Wabash Indians, who have agreed with Major Hamtramck," if Putnam and Wilkinson, to whom Knox had also written on the subject, judged it to be a useful thing to do. (Ibid,, Dft. Ex. A-7, p. 235)[see footnote 44] Also, when Putnam got to Fort Washington (on the Ohio River opposite the mouth of Licking River, just downstream from Cincinnati), he was to see that the Indian women and children taken prisoner on Scott's and Wilkinson's raids who belonged to the tribes with whom Hamtramck had made peace were
to be well clad, and released from their captivity; the women to have some of the silver ornaments presented to them. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-7, p.236)
Footnote 41: See also a slightly different version of this action as transmitted by British officials. (Scott, Dft. Ex. A-83, pp. 244-246)[return to text]
Footnote 42: See also St. Clair, Dft. Ex. 103, p. 231.[return to text]
Footnote 43: See Denny, Dft. Ex. A-103, pp. 200-201; St. Clair, Dft. Ex. A-103, pp. 203-205, 216; Various, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 739-197, for materials on these events. Specific instructions to St. Clair for the conduct of these negotiations and war are in Knox, Dft. Ex. A-7, pp. 771-774.[return to text]
Footnote 44: p. 235 Putnam sent a speech to the various western Indian groups expressing the United States hope for peace and informing them that he was coming to them to make peace. (Putnam Dft. Ex. A-12, pp. 269-271)[return to text]
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