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.
Intelligence of an
Indian Conspiracy
(Fort Pitt, March 7, 1771)
Edmonstone, Charles in: The
Papers of Sir William
Johnson, vol. 8,
pp. 8-9.
INTELLIGENCE OF AN INDIAN CONSPIRACY
L.
|
[Fort Pitt, March 7, 1771] |
After hearing Mohikin Johns Information, Mr. Croghan sent of to the Shawnese Village at Logs Town for a Chief of that Nation, a particular Friend of His who had always given him the best Intelligence and had never deceived him, and after telling him by the Interpreter that he had heard such and such Things (as Mohikin John had inform'd him) and upbraiding him for keeping such Measures a Secret from him who had been always his particular Friend, the Indian seemed much Confused, paus'd a While and then Spoke as follows.-
My Friend it is very true what you say, and ass you have hear'd it, I will tell you all I know, and would have told it you before, but I was afraid you would tell it to the White People; It is true we have all agreed last Fall to strike the English, it has been a long time in Agitation now Nine Years since We first thought f it, about that Time the Six Nations saw the Moravians coming to Susquhannah and Building Churches and learning some of the People to sing Psalms, which they said was only to steal their Lands , and soon after the White People came over the (page 9) Mountains here to Redstone Creek & Cheat River to settle on our hunting Country that was the Occasion of our Striking you Seven Years ago, but the Six Nations who began first, deceived us and made Peace for themselves, the French likewise deceived us & the Six Nations both, for they promised to supply us with every thing & gave us Nothing, so that We made Peace then, and since the Council at Fort Stanwix, the six Nations sent us & the Delawares a Hatchet under Ground which [] in our Town at Scioto; They told us to be strong and Cour[] with the several Nations towards the Sunsetting, and be all of one Mind, and with the Southern Nations, and if in four Years time we was all agreed, that then they would Join us and drive the English out of the Country Over the Great Mountain, for they never had sold the Lands, and that the English had forced them out of their Hands and Stolen them; last Winter they sent us another Belt telling us that as soon as we were all agreed they would send Deputy's to fix the time to Strike, for the Southern Indians are to Strike you as well as the Six Nations, And us to the Sun Setting; This my Brother is all I know, and when the Council which the Six Nation Deputy's has now called at Scioto is Over, I will come and tell you when you are to be Struck, I love the English and wish there was to be no War, and by telling you this I have put my Life in your hands, for if the Indians Know that I have told you they would Kill me.
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