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.
Letter to Gage
(Guy Park, July 5, 1768)
Johnson, Guy in: The Papers
of Sir William Johnson,
vol. 12, pp. 543-545.
At A Congress with the Mohocks June 28th at Guy Park- Present- Colonel Johnson
Lieut. Col. Butler- Interpreter-
After shaking hands &c Abraham said he came to accquaint me of the return of their Messenger from the Six Nations, and to communicate the intelligence, and discoveries they had made by the way, but firs desired that Col. Johnson would let them know what Spencer, had wrote upon that Subject. The necessary parts of which being explained to them, Abraham desired the Messengers to tell the News.-
GUY JOHNSON TO THOMAS GAGE
A. L. S.1
|
Guy Park July 5th, 1768.- |
SIR,
Your Excellencys Letter of the 20th ulto.2 addressed to Sir William came to my hands too late for acknowledging the receipt of it pr last post.- I have inclosed it to him that no time may be lost in procuring the papers necessary for the Trial, which are not all in my Custody.-
Since I had the honor of writing last to your Excellency which was on the 16th ulto.3 the Indians who accompanied the Messenger to the Six Nations concerning the Boundary are returned, and have delivered me sundry particulars of Intelligence they gained by the way. I have likewise a Letter thereon from the White Man who is to wait the arrival of the Shawanese &ca at Chenussio the Heads of all which are That Belts from the French and Spaniards have passed from the Misisipi thro' the hands of the southern Indians to the Shawanese who have forwarded them by the Susquehanna to the Six Nations, the purport of which is to excite them to take Arms, for that the French and Spaniards as- (page 544) sure them they are resolved to have another Trial with the English, and will commence hostilities at farthest next Spring. It is farther said that Monsr. Chabert 4 has likewise spoke to the same effect to the Western Indians in private, and indeed the several Accounts are so correspondent the one with the other, as not to admit of a doubt that such belts have been Sent tho' probably not from the Authority Mentioned. Yet as I know the effects of such belts on the Minds of Indians (many of whom are already ill disposed) Whether by Authority of a Foreign Court, or Invention of a French Trader to be the same. I am taking all the pains I can to trace this Belt from its rise to where it has Stopped in order to get it out of the hands of the Indians, and deliver them one of a different nature, agreable to their own Customs and usages.- It is farther said that the Shawanese are Much out of humour, and that all the Nations are making up their private disputes with all possible Expedition.-
A few days past I received a Letter from Mr. Hay5 who among other things, says, that Young Cuillerie 6 who your Excellency may recollect escaped from Confinement on a Charge of Murder has been very busy in spreading the most dangerous reports amongst the Indians on the Wabache, and that Baptiste Campeau, La Motte, Bartholomie, & Capucin,7 are doing the same at the Miamis;- he adds that Michicawiss a Chief of the Chipeweighs with Four of his people were come to Detroit to proceed to Sir Wm. on business from their whole Nation. that a Visit from one of his influence might prove of great service at this time but that the Traders for the Sake of his packs endeavoured to deterr him from proceeding by reporting that the Smallpox raged down the Country which had prevented A man whom Mr. (page 545) Hay hired from accompanying him; however the Indian at length set out, and I have just now received the disagreable News that on his arrival at Niagara the Boats (by some Instigation) refused to Carry him down, saying that the Smallpox had overspread all the Country below, on which he went back greatly disappointed, so Villainous a procedure demands an enquiry, & has induced me to be at some pains to detect the Authors who I hear are gone to Schenectady, so soon as they are discovered I shall hope for your Excellencys Assistance in directing them to be brought to some punishment for their behavior, and I shall Write forthwith to Detroit that the Affair may be properly Explained to the Indians.-
Sir William is returned from the Neighbourhood of N London to the Springs8 where he spent some time last year; his stay there will be but a few Weeks; In the meantime I shall be glad to be honored with your Excellency's Sentiments, and directions on any Matter occurring, and also whether some of the provisions now coming up had not best be Sent directly from Schenectady to the German flatts agreable to my former Letter, as the Indians cannot be Supplied there so Cheap, or So Well on their Way to the General Congress.
I have the honor to be, with profound your respect,
|
Sir, Your Excellencys, most Obedient |
|
|
G JOHNSON |
|
His Excellcy GENL. GAGE
|
INDORSED: |
|
|
|
|
|
Guy Johnson Esqr. |
________________________________
1 In William L. Clements Library.
2 Johnson Papers, 6:259-60.
3 Ante pp. 525-28.
4 Daniel Joncaire, Sieur de Chabert and Clausonne.
5 Jehu Hay.
6 For the affair of Young Cuellerie, accused of murdering Mrs. Fisher's child, see Johnson Papers, 5:644, 653, 670, 672, 688.
7 French Canadian traders. The last three were mentioned by Guy Carleton, March 27, 1767, as among the Indians without passports. Johnson Papers, 5:523.
8 Lebanon Springs, N. Y.
Return
to TOC, p. 20
Continue
to next part of Miami Collection
[return to Miami
Collection Menu]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology List of Publications]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology Home]
Last updated: 19
February 2001
URL: http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/home.html
Comments: webmaster@www.gbl.indiana.edu
Copyright 1996, Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology and The Trustees of Indiana University