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.
Croghan to Johnson
(Sept. 10, 1766)
Croghan, George in: Johnson Mss.,
13:80
and in Alvord & Carter, British Series,
Vol. II, Illinois Historical
Collections, Vol. 11,
pp. 373-374.
After a long & fatiguing Passage from Sioto, from which place I wrote your Honour last, we arrived here the 20th of August where I found the Several Nations of Indians residing in this Country was Collected together at the Kaskaskias a large Indian Village near [blank in MS.] a French Town, after delivering my dispatches to Colonel Reed & consulting with him about the Conference to be held with the Indians I set out for the Kaskaskias & had a meeting with the several Nations where the Deputys of the Six Nations, Shawanese, Dellaweres, & Hurons, delivered the Speeches sent by them from their Nations, to those Nations, in a very Spirited Manner.
And in the afternoon the Several Nations Returnd those Deputys answers to their Speeches; after which I fixed a day for them to assemble at Fort Chartres in Order to hold the Conference.
The Conference begun at Fort Chartres the 25th of Augt where was Assembled the Chiefs & principle Warriors of Eight Nations, divided into Twenty two tribes or bands, which made it very dificult to do business with them; however after two days meeting with them we finnished the business to the Satisfaction of the Several Nations, who all seemed Convinced that the French had imposed upon them in every thing they had told them, a General Peace & Reconciliation was then declared in Public between his Majesty's Subjects the Northern Nations, & all those Western Nations, except three Tribes which the French had influence enough to keep back from attending Conference. But those the Chiefs which attended the Conference brought them to me at Fort Chartres the 5th of this Month, when I settled every thing with them, & Received them into the Covenant Chain of Friendship; The spirited Conduct & Steadi- (page 374) ness of the Deputys of the Nations that attended me from Fort Pitt was of great service to bring about this General union, as those Nations in this Country stand in great Awe of the Northern Nations.
At present Indian Affairs were a different Face in this Country, & the Indians seem quite reconciled to the English, & the French in their turn begin to fear the Consequences, since the Conference. The Indians has brought in all the horses they had formerly stolen from the Garrison, & I flatter myself, with a little good Usage, they will soon become a very quiet & Peaceable People, as they are Naturally well disposed, had not the French influenced them to mischief.
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