THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Extract from the Journal
of Major John Smith
(1756-1757)
Smith, John in: Calder, Isabel M., ed., Colonial
Captivities, Marches and Journeys,
New York:
The Macmillan Company, 1935,
pp. 1 (Title), 137-139.
COLONIAL
CAPTIVITIES, MARCHES
AND JOURNEYS
|
EDITED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA |
BY
ISABEL M. CALDER
Assistant Professor of History in Wells College
NEW YORK
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1935
EXTRACT FROM THE JOURNAL OF MAJOR JOHN SMITH, 1756-17571
French Forts where Major John Smith Commander of a Company of Rangers on the frontiers of Virginia, was Prisoner for eleven months, taken with his Party of ten men in a Blockhouse, towards the head of James River on the 25th of June 1756, by Monsieur Belester2 Com'der of Miamee Fort (about 500 miles from the head of James River) at the head of 205 Indians, and 25 French Canadians, of which Party, Major Smith killed 40 w'ch obliged Captain Belester, to return without penetrating to Warlock, within 60 miles from Williamsburgh where he intended; according to the Information of his Shawanoe Indians his Spies, who passed through the Settlements of Virginia some months before, as Cherokees and our Friends.
|
Fort Miamee |
16 Soldiers Regulars |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort St. Joseph |
22 Militia for 3 years service |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort Egery |
10 D'o |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort at the mouth of St. Joseph's river |
15 D'o |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort Detroite |
700 mostly Traders and Planters |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort Huron |
16 Militia |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort Presque Isle |
100 Soldiers and others |
about 6 Swivels |
|
|
Fort at the Trading house |
20 Soldiers |
no Guns |
|
|
Fort Magara3 |
200 Soldiers |
40 Guns |
|
|
Fort Frontenac |
220 Soldiers |
Number not known |
|
NB. More particular accounts of these Forts Major Smith gives in his Journal.
|
|
|
The Indian Nations where Major Smith passed through and resided during his Captivity, all which Nations are ever aided by the French. |
|
First Miamees or Putts. |
|
The Shawanoes, not quite 300 Gunmen, great Emimys of late to the English. |
|
|
|
about 200 may be gained over from the French having been our friends formerly. |
|
Putoataways. |
|
in the whole of their Towns about 2000 inclined to come over to the English, for better Trade, could they get off from the French, they took Major Smith, into their Counsel as a sachem, went to their King, danced under the English Colours, taken from Gen'l Braddock, and fired through the French Colours, held Council with Major Smith, agreed with him in a project formed by him for taking Fort Dequesne by their assistance with 1500 of their People. The intimacy between them and the Major being suspected, he was removed, he speaks the Language. |
|
Hottaways |
|
about 300 follow their Neighbours to the French. |
|
Twigtwees. |
|
about 1400 formerly our friends, they suffered greatly on our account, but are still desirous to be with us ag't the French, if safe for them so to do. |
|
Uttaways. |
|
about 350, are under the influence of the Putuattaways, the rest of them, pretty numerous under the French. |
|
Hurons. |
|
about 150 go with the Putuattoways. |
|
|
|
The whole thus States are in number 4700, Gunmen, by gaining the Putuattoways to our Interest, with whom Major Smith lived for some months, we get the whole of these Indians under our influence, and thereby the whole hunting Country, the best in America, from the Ohio, to the river, Illonoise,4 there not being one Great Gun, in any of the French forts in all that Country, to oppose us, in any incursion to be made amongst them, which Major Smith thinks very practicable, more especially in Winter, and early in the Spring, when all the Gunmen, are in their hunt, and Honey-harvest,5 for that Enterprise he thinks 1000 Woods men are |
(page 139) sufficient, with some Cherokees or Catabas Indians, either may be had, taking with them on their backs, no more than 15 Days provision at their setting out, with their ammunition, trusting to more by hunting, and Provisions to be had from Indian Towns in their way, having no Great River to pass but the Ohio, (which he proposes to cross at the mouth of the Great Conway) till they come to Detroite Fort, the Ohio to be crossed in Bark Canoes, one whereof may be made in three hours by three men, which will carry 10 men and their Luggage, having crossed the Ohio, to fall in with the Shawnesse path, that leads to the Miamee Fort making from the Ohio to this Fort eight Days, at the rate of 20 miles per Day, the Sioto river6 being only knee deep at most; from Miamee, to Fort Joseph, four Days, from thence to the Puttuattoway Town, four Days, burning Fort Egery and an other Small Fort in their way, form Putuattoway to Detroite a very little way, and here are many trading Batteaus for the Trade of Lake Erie, by means whereof they may transport themselves to the Landing place, on the southside of the Lake, from whence goes a near cut to return to the Ohio, through the Shawanoes, or if well assisted, by the Putuattoways, to proceed along the Lake to the river Beauff,7 where Fort Prisque Isle is, attempt this Fort, or if too strong for being taken by Surprize, or assault, they leave it, and proceed down the river to the Ohio, as Col'l Washington did on his Interview with the Commander of this Fort, on the Commencement of the Ohio war.8
Such are the outlines of Major Smiths project to be executed by himself, or
any other person acquainted with this way of Warring.
____________________________
1 Public Record Office, London, Chatham Papers, Gifts and Deposits, 8; 95, no. 16; photostat in the Library of Congress. The document is endorsed: "Extract from Major Smiths Journal 1756/7 America no. 16 in Mr. Abercrombie's letter of Nov. 16, 1757 to Mr. Wood."
2 Marie Franois Picot, Sieur de Bellestre, led a raid into the Carolinas in 1756.
3 An error for Fort Niagara.
4 Illinois River.
5 Marginal note: "The juice of the sweet Maple Tree extracted in the Spring, boiled produces good Sugar."
6 Scioto River.
7 River Le Boeuf.
8 Bearing a message from Lieutenant-Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia to Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, commander at Fort Le Boeuf, George Washington was at Fort Le Boeuf, December 11, 1753. "Journal of Mr. Christopher Gist," Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 3rd series, V., 104; George Washington, Writings, I. (Washington, 1931), 26.
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