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.
Extracts of Letters,
Declarations, Etc.
(June 1763 - June 1764)
(Due to length divided here into four parts)
In: Historical Collections, Michigan
Pioneer
and Historical Society, Vol. 27,
1897, pp. 631-670.
met with them at Monsieur Cuelleries House where they saw the Indians and French assembled in the largest room. Monsieur Cuilliere seated in the middle with a laced hat and coat on, in Which manner this Deponant had never seen him before, he kept his seat & his hat on when Capt. Campble entered & continued covered during the Congress: The Indians had just finished eating some bread which said Cullierie had given them and on his giving them bread a second time, he again took part of one of the Pieces and eat himself, the Indians Demanded the reason, to which he answered that it was to assure them, he gave them nothing that was poisoned: This Capt. Campble and another person (who he does not remember) interpreted to this Deponant. After some time Pondiac the Chief of the Indians addressed himself to the beforementioned Cuillierie telling him that he looked upon him as his Father come to life & as the Commandant of Detroit untill the arrival of his Brother Monsieur Billeta; at which speech the said Cuilliere seemed much pleased; Then Pondiac turning addressed himself to Cap. Campble & this Deponant & told them that if they made a Peace it must be on the same terms, that his Father Monsieur Billeta had made, viz., to lay down their Arms and be escorted by a number of Savages, that he would appoint for that purpose to the first Inhabitants; but he would not allow them to take either arms or baggage along; On which the aforesaid Cuilliere turned to this Deponant, took him by the hand and said my Friend this is my work (meaning the offered Terms). I thought they would have been much harder. Some Days after this Deponant and Capt. Campble were talking to said Cuillierie, & heard him say to Capt. Campble that he was only sorry for him and Mr. Sterling, the Day the Indians met in Council to assassinate the Garrison. Some time after when the Vessel went first from Detroit for Niagara Pondiac detached five canoes with Indians to attack her in one of which a Potawatamie was killed, on which the others run off. The Day after Monsieur Cuillerie was in the Room with Cap. Campball this Deponant, Pondiac and his Chiefs. And on Pondiac's acquainting said Cuillerie what he had done & what had happened, Cuillerie answered in a deriding manner; what was the use of five canoes, why not thirty-five canoes. This Capt. Campble interpreted to this Deponant. This Deponant further saith that the Son of Cuillerie was employed carrying messages to and from Pondiac, giving information against the few French who assisted the Fort with provisions, and prejudicing them against listening to the account of Peace. This Deponant says further that Young Cuillerie was one of the Party who when Pondiac in Council proposed to the French to take up arms against the Fort, that accepted the Belt and answered he eat the same bread & drank out of the same cup, & would fire out of the same gun. This Deponant says before and after the orders which Major Gladwin gave forbidding all (page 642) kind of communication with the Savages, Francis Meloshe continued a constant and open trade with the Savages selling them daily bread and dry goods; but was kind to him during his captivity. Further this Deponant saith not.
Mr. Chapman Abraham being sworn informs the Court, that in coming up Detroit River, haying put on shore at the place of Monsieur St. Lewis, he acquainted this Deponant that the Fort was besieged by the Indians & Capt. Robertson, Sir Robert Daviss and a great many more English were killed, & that they intended to kill all the English that would come up Detroit River. This Deponant immediately told his men to go back with him; but the before mentioned soldiers told his men if they returned that would be all killed, as the Indians were round the whole Lake and at Niagara, upon which they absolutely refused to return with him. In consequence of which this Deponant put all his goods in said St. Lewis's house, who told him he could do his best to save them from the Indians; Then I his Deponant asked him where he should go to hide himself to save his life. He and Madam Esperame (who was present) answered him he should go to her home & hide himself in her cellar; where he continued about ten minutes and then was told by said Madam Esperame to go out of the house; which he obeyed and in going out she perceived his watch chain & told him to give it to her that she was certain the Indians would kill him; upon which this Deponant told her he would make her a present of it, if she would let him stay in the cellar to save him from the Indians. She answered he should stay no longer in the House; upon which he endeavored to gain the woods; she followed him, demanding the watch a second time, which I again refused. By this time the Indians discovered him, took him prisoner and carried him to St. Lewis's house, where he found some of his goods were put in his canoe. This Deponant says further that one Pero Barth told him that Major Gladwin was the occasion of this Indian War; That if Capt. Campble had commanded this would not have happened; That the aforesaid Major would not give the Indians presents nor suffer their guns to be mended as Capt. Campble did; This Deponant replied that perhaps it was the General's orders not to do so, upon which he immediately said that the General did not order the Major to call them Dogs, Hogs & bid them go out of his house. This Deponant one Day saw Batist Devuiere and a great many other Frenchmen going to a Council with the Indians, he asked some of them what was the matter they would not tell him anything. This Deponant has daily seen some of the Frenchmen trading with the Indians giving them bread, tobacco and fish for English Merchants Goods that were taken from the Prisoners. That Piero & Hyacinth Reaume have traded with the Indians for his effects some of which he has seen worn by said Hyacinth's Daughters since his arrival in the Fort. (page 643) That Piero LaBute told him he bought of his effects. That Madam La Jenness being indebted to Monsieur Labadie & knowing him to owe this Deponant upward of twelve hundred louis, asked him if he had occasion for a quarter of veal & she would send it to him & discount it, which was proposed to said Labadie, who absolutely refused it. This Deponant says further that Batist Devuiriere had bought of his effects.
Monsieur La Bute Indian Interpreter for the Patawatamies & Outawas being sworn, informs the Court that the Day Cap. Campble and Lieut. McDougall met the Indians at Cuilleries house, that he was habited as Lieut. McDougall has informed the Court & that he kept his hat on during the Council, and that the purport of Pondiac's first speech was to inform the French and Indians that he turned out the Commandant (meaning Major Gladwin) and desired them to look upon and regard Monsieur Cuillierie as their Father and Commander, after which the said Cuillierie regaled Pondiac and the other Savages with three or four Flaggons of wine and pieces of bread. This Deponant further affirms what Lieut. McDougall has informed the Court of in regard to not poisoning the bread; The Day following the said Cuillierie inquired how Capt. Campble and Lt. McDougall did, they answered very well; But his Deponant answered very ill, for that the Indians had stripped them of everything & during the whole night, is that all, says Cuillierie, they are well off. I thought the Savages would have done much more. This Deponant further says that an Outawa savage told him, that the aforesaid Cuillierie, spoke to Pondiac, the Indian Chief, in this manner, have you sent three or four canoes to attack the Vessel, it. would have been better to have sent forty. He also says that the son of the above Cuillierie was continually employed in giving and carrying intelligence to and from Pondiac, & that he (this Deponant) in Council, when Pondiac was alleging things against the said it was not true, on which Pontiac without hesitation answered then he is pointing to Cuillierie's son, who answered, yes I did tell it. This Deponant adds that the Day Pondiac had assembled the old and young men of the settlement together, he demanded of them to assist in digging trenches against the Fort, Cuillieries son with the other young men desired the old men to answer first and they would afterwards. The answer was delivered by Monsieur Mayerin Spokesman for the young men, to this effect, we will not only take Spades but it is also our desire to take up Arms.
COPY OF AN EMBASSY SENT TO THE
ILLINOIS BY THE INDIANS AT DETROIT, BY THE
COURIER GODFREY & CHENE.
Speech of the Outawas, accompanied with a large Belt.
Listen ye French our Bretheren who are Prisoners as well as we. It is vexing that the English whom we were willing to adopt as Bretheren, should deceive so many nations. All that the Delawares and Shawany's told us is now come to pass. They told us to be diffident to the English, they only seek to deceive you & so it happeneth. With out the assistance of the French Merchants who give us on trust some trifles we had received to buy what we stood in need of in the Fall we were undone since our Father, Mr. Billetre went away; we have no news, none but the English receive letters. Is it possible that our Father writeth not? No Frenchman receiveth letters. This is to let our Father at the Illinois know our situation and request of him to inform us what is going on, that we may know if we are abandoned. The English tell us incessantly What ye Indians dare ye speak, see what we have done; We have your Father and the Spaniards; We are masters of these lands and of all which belonged to your Father, for we have beat him & we possess all these countrys even to the Illinois except a small spot which is but trifling. The Delawares told us this Spring, that the "English sought to become Masters of all, and would put us to Death ', they told us also "Our Bretheren let us Die together, seeing the Design of the English is to cutt us off, we are Dead one way or another. When we saw this, we decided all the Nations who are thy Children, to range themselves here at Detroit ,which they have done. We pray our Father at the Illinois to hasten to come to our succour, that he may have pity on us, notwithstanding that the English tell us constantly "From whom will ye get what ye stand in need of? When our Father, Mr. Belletre was going off from hence he told us "My Children the English to Day overthrow Your Father; as long as they have the upper hand ye will not have what ye stand in need of; but this will not last." We pray our Father at the Illinois to take pity on us and say "These poor Children who are willing to raise me up. Why do we that which we are doing to day? It is because we are unwilling that the English should possess these lands, this is what causeth thy Children to rise and strike everywhere.
We pray thee, our Father, send us an answer speedily, by these Couriers, tell us thy thought & thy will; We will put in thy hands him who chased thee from hence; there will be no hurt done unto him, we will say unto thee behold here he is. We beg of thee, also, our Father to treat kindly our Couriers. We are the cause of the fatigue which they are going to undergo.
Speech of the Chippewas, accompanied with a small Belt.
We approve of the Outawas Speech & have not forgotten our Father. We call to mind what our Ancestors told us. That if our Father was overthrown our lands would be taken from us. We know the intention of these people that crawl over our lands; this is what engages us to do what we do. We still keep hold of our Fathers hands, and do what lyeth in our power to draw it unto us, if we possess it we shall never let it go.
COPY OF A LETTER SENT BY THE
INHABITANTS OF DETROIT, DIRECTED TO THE
GENTLEMEN COMMANDANTS AT THE ILLINOIS.
Gentlemen: We are obliged to submit to what the Indians exact from us; The English are blocked up, and all the passages are shut up; We cannot express to you the our perplexity. It would be necessary, in order to judge of the calamaties which threaten us and which appear to us inevitable, that you saw with your own eyes what is going on here. God alone can prevent our becoming the victims of the English and Savages. These Couriers bear to you the talks of the Nations here; We look upon it as a happiness to have it in our power to acquaint you of our deplorable situation. We certainly never have contributed thereto by our conduct; The English on their part never gave us occasion. Instruct us what we can do; We look upon you as Protectors and Mediators who would be willing to employ themselves efficaciously to pacify two contending partys who threaten us with an unexemplary Desolation.
A COURT OF INQUIRY HELD BY ORDER OF
MAJOR HENRY GLADWIN, COMMANDANT OF
DETROIT, 8 SEPTEMBER, 1763.
Capt. James Grant, 50th Regt, President.
Lieut. James Bain, Queens Independence, Ensign Robert Anderson, 55th Regt Members.
Andreas Trueax an Inhabitant of Schenectady being examined; declares that sometime after he had been taken Prisoner by the Indians and carried to their Camp, he met with a Frenchman at the house of one Rofcinate, to whom he told in course of conversation, & in the Indian tongue that he was glad to hear of the Indians that they said it was peace, & that he Trueax had told them it was so, upon which the Frenchman answered in a very angry tone that it was not so, that there was war at the Illinois, at Quebec and everywhere, pointing with his arm stretched to all parts, and that there was also a French fleet at Quebec; The Frenchman's name be does not know, but he is a short thick squatt fellow, a sil- (page 646) versmith (he himself said) by trade. That afterwards he Trueax had heard that about the beginning of the troubles at Detroit, this Frenchman.had deserted the Fort where he formerly lived and is certain he never returned thither whilst he was a prisoner. Mr. Trueax further says that he had told the above Mr. Fisher, his fellow prisoner, who he believes knows the Frenchman's name.
Mr. Fisher who was a Prisoner with the Indians acknowledges to have the above Declaration told him by Mr. Trueax, & says the Frenchman's name is Bart and was a silver and gun smith in the Fort. The above Mr. Fisher declares that a day or two after he had been brought to the Indian Camp, he saw the above mentioned Bart the Frenchman in the Indian Cabbin he was brought to & on his telling the English that it was certainly Peace between the English and the French, this same Bart made answer, directing his discourse in answering contemptuous tone to the Indians saying it was a Lye, that it would not be Peace, why should it be sooner in Albany than at the Mississippi, that he Mr. Fisher told it was certainly Peace, and related to him as far of the Articles of Peace as he could then recollect; but Bart still insisted that it could not be, and that everything he Mr. Fisher had said to convince the Indians was false. The Indians then asked of Bart whether he had left the Fort or not, to which he answered laughing, left the Fort, I have left it long ago. Mr. Fisher further declares that sometime after, the sloop was seen under sail up the River, that he saw the same Bart upon the top of a house, who upon his observing the sloop steering towards the Indian Camp he heared him call to the Indians, down with your Hutts, down with your Hutts send off your squaws and children to the woods. Mr. Fisher also declares that the morning Capt. Dalyell had gone with his party, the squaws in his hutt told him, that Bart was through their Camp with his gun & that he heared him calling out, go to the woods, knowing his voice perfectly well. Mr. Fisher says further the same day he went with his Indian Father up to Gross Point, who invited him in to do his Commands and get some victuals, that they went to the house of a Frenchman whose name he does not know, but that he is a little squatt man with black curled hair & squints a little, with whom the Indian had some talk, he could not well hear as they spoke low, but on their coming away he heared the Frenchman above described say to the Indian, taking him at the same time by the hand, Brother do your best against the Fort, which he earnestly repeated, to which the Indian replyed in their manner, yes. Mr. Fisher further says that when the Indians were making a Raft to sett the Vessels on fire, he told them that it was to no purpose that the English would hawl them off before they reached the vessel, that then a well dressed pleasant looking Frenchman & tall came up to him and said in presence of the Indians in their own language, that if there was ten well (page 647) tied together, with ropes, they would do, get across the vessel and certainly set her on fire, and at the same time directing the Indians, showing them how the Outawas made their rafts; which were then finished a little lower down; and waiting for the Chippewas, sending down theirs. This Frenchman Mr. Fisher says lives on the other side of the Creek in which the Outawas made their rafts, and is said by Isaac Trueax and Gerrit Teller to be one Miloss. Mr. Fisher further says that soon after the attack of Capt. Dalyell he was with his Indian Father at the House of one Cardinal, the son of the old Cardinal, & heared him tell his Father and many other Indians with a tone full of ectasy & joy that the English had in that affair many killed and wounded, that they were lying here and there Dead in the Fields and that a Woman who had been in the Fort, of whom the Major had asked news regarding that affair, told him; she said there was but few Indians, that the Cardinal said to the Indians, that was true, for had you been all there few of them would escape, telling them at the same time that the Major had said that he would whip them all like beasts out of the ground with a horse whip. At which expression the Indians laughed very much, as if disdaining all threats.
Mr. Fisher further says that he was one day with his Indian father in a Frenchman's house, where there had been several Indians and one Gabriel a Frenchman, who lives where the Outawas encamped the time Capt. Dalyell made his attack, that he heard the said Gabriel & the Indians talk about having sent to the Fort for pipes, & the Indians telling him Gabriel that the Commanding officer had sent them word he knew not of their pipes, nor had he any, upon which this Gabriel got up and gave the Indian hoop or holloe, saying he was a man, & that he never threw away or lost a pipe, the Indians then answering the hoop, he Gabriel went out.
Andreas Trueax and Mr. Fisher both say that the same Gabriel had told them, that when the French and Indians had spoke at any time to the Major, he called them Hogs and other names, telling them to gett along and go about their business & would not hear them. Mr. Fisher further declares that one Tom, a servant of Mr. Knaggs's, who was prisoner at the same time told him, Mr. Andreas and Mr. Isaac Trueax, that one evening Mr. John Seeger, a partner of Mr. Knaggs's had got Wabacumaga the Indian Chief of the Messisagar Nation with him at Toronto and that Mr. Seeger who is now Prisoner told him at that time, Wabacumaga, told him Seeger that St. Luke LeCorn had sent him a large belt to make war upon the English, which belt he kicked from him saying he would have nothing to do with it, that he would not fight against the English, for they were Masters of all, & that the above Chief had told Seeger who spoke the language well not to be afraid, that he or his partner should not be hurt, whilst he was about here. They do not (page 648) know the time the belt was sent, but Knaggs and Seeger were at Toronto from the Spring 1762. Mr. Fisher further says that one Notawas, an Outawa Indian had told him and both the above Trueax's, that there had been many Belts and Hatchets sent them these two years past, but that they the Outawas would not accept of any untill a large fine Belt came this last winter or Last Spring, the Outawas said from the Six Nations. But Mr. Fisher and both of the Trueax's are of opinion that the large fine belt was the same offered to the Messesagas Chief by St. Luke LeCorn.
|
MANNING FISHER. |
Messrs. Andreas & Isaac Trueaxs acknowledges to have been present when Tom, Mr. Knagg's servant, had told Mr. Fisher what Mr. Seeger told him in regard to the Belt sent by St. Luke LeCorn as also at the Conversations between Mr. Fisher & the Outawa Indian and confirm the same, and that this Outawa Indian had told them the above in the Six Nation language having confidence in them, saying he had not fought himself, and when the War was over he would not live amongst his Nation, but would go down to Albany.
Isaac Trueax a Schenectady Inhabitant, declares that some time after he was brought to the Indian Camp, he was standing upon the Road with some other Prisoners, one George and one Bolton, Soldiers in the Royal Americans, that at that time Bart, the silversmith and Gunsmith, mentioned in Mr. Andreas Trueax's and Mr. Fishers Declarations, came to them and being in middle of Indian Camp, spoke to them very loud in the Indian Tongue and told them as a piece of news that there were some canoes arrived just then from Montreal, which brought letters that it was no Peace, and that there was fighting everywhere upon Sea and Land just as before, which news, the Indians must have heared, as there were numbers about there, who showed all the marks of joy, on the occasion; He further says that some time after, he met one, Lassell; who told him that he was come from Montreal at that time, and had seen the traders murdered at Grand Riviere. Isaac Trueax further declares that one Mitchell, an inhabitant at Gross Point, told him there is a young man in the settlement, who had been amongst all the other young people of the settlement, with belts inciting them to take arms and assist the Indians in taking the Fort, desiring that they would form themselves into a Company of which he was to be Captain. Isaac Trueax, Andreas Trueax, Mr. Fisher, Turnball, & Teller all cotemporary Prisoners knew the above mentioned Young Man Personally from many instances of his ill treatment and barbarity to the Prisoners, and that Mr. Mitchell knows his name, they having forgotten it. Isaac Trueax further declares, that Mr. Mitchell also told him there was another Young Man on the South side of the River exciting the People on the side in the same manner and to (page 649) the same purpose, whose name Mitchell also knows. Isaac Trueax further declares that from the time the goods taken from him and the other Traders came to the Indian Camp it was a publick market between the French and Indians 'till all was sold, and that Meloss who lives on the further side, of the Creek from the Fort, came to him in particular and told him that he bought Dollars of the Indians and gave the value of a Beaver for each dollar, that he also showed them his own Watch which he had got, and asked him if it was good. He further says that he and his partner had brought up with them a thousand Dollars which he saw disposed of to the French, who were there in crowds whilst the sale lasted, both men and women so many, that he could not possibly make any further distinction.
|
ISAAC TRUEAX. |
Andreas Trueax says that he had taken from him one hundred and fifty dollars which were also bought up by the French.
Gerrit Teller a Schenectady Inhabitant declares that soon after he was brought to the Indian Camp a Prisoner, he spoke to one Niganuay a Chippewa Chief, the Father-in-Law of DeConagne the Interpreter at Niagara, and asked him if he thought we should soon have Peace, to which he answered not for a long while, and asked him Teller if he knew (when he left Niagara) that the Indians were fighting against the English, he answered he did not. The Indian Chief then said, No that none of the English or their Traders know of it; but that all of the French and a few of the Indian Chiefs knew of it. Gerrit Teller Further says that one Sunday in the afternoon the armed boats were sent up the River, he saw Bart, the silver and gunsmith mentioned in the Declarations of Mr. Andreas Trueax and Mr. Fisher, run very fast up into the Indian Camp, and calling to the Indians that the English were coming up again, upon which the Indians took all to their Arms.
|
GARRIT TELLER. |
Andreas Trueax being again examined says that Mitchel's wife at Gross Point told him that she was told by a Frenchman the names of four of the first people in this Colony who were principals at the head of all the mischief done here.
|
ANDREAS TRUEAX. |
The above persons, Andreas Trueax, Manning Fisher, Isaac Trueax, and Garrit Teller, Declare they are willing at any time to make affidavit of what they have said, through the course of this examination. James Grant, President.
James Conner soldier in the 60th Regiment, who was Prisoner with the Indians, says that Charles Dusette had threatened to kill him, &
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