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 the Commissioners
for Indian Affairs
(Cooshocton, Sept. 5, 1776)
Anderson, John in: Papers from the
Yeates Collection relating to the
1776 Treaty of Pittsburgh,
Historical Society of
Pennsylvania.
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Cooshoking Sept 5th 1776 |
gentlemen
last tuesday three mingoes arivd. hare & say thay came to hare what nues from the big knife on which I made the folloing speach to them.-
Brothers mingoes
I am glad to find you have come to this Place to hare from your brothers the big knife.-
I asuer you the harts of the big knife is good and dont want to strike thare breatheren the indeons exsept your foolish young men ablige them to it.-
our grate men have invited you with all other nations to come & lisson to them at the grate counsell fier at fort pitt whare thay wait for all nations to come and joyn them in blowing the counsell fier that its light may be seen over the whole world.-
I desier you willnot lisson to every bird that wistles bad nuese in your eeas but joyn the wiondots and come to the treatey whare you will have nothing but what is good.- a string wampom
this day thay Returnd. the folloin anser.-
Brothers the big knife
a fue days agoe our foolish young men had like to brought us into truble but our wise men got them in thare arms and ass thay thought had them fast but onluckealy three parteys brocke out of thare arms & have gon over the big River to strike thare breatheren the big knife the shawneas advisd us to come to this place that we mout hare from our brothers the big knife yesterday we hard the good words of the big knife we now tacke all nations by the hand and will goe with them to the grate counsel fier at fort Pitt.-
Brothers
we desier you to be strong in the good worck you are about we hope you wont luck at the stroke given you this day by our foolish young men hoo brocke out of our arms ass we are determing to tacke so fast hold of them when Ever thay Return that thay shant gitout of our arms again we hare the wistling of some bad birds at the connawway whare thay have thare nest thay threten to come to aney nation that strikes them tharefore we tell you once more to be strong in the good worck you are about for we dont know what may be the consequnce if thay shuld come to our side of the River & we will tacke care of our young men ass sune ass thay Return.-
and we desier you to forward this our message to your wise men at fort Pitt & we will tacke your speack to our wise men at the shawneas towns ware thay wate in order to tacke so fast hold of thare young men onthare Return that they shallnot git out of thare arms again.-
I am of apinnion that the foregoing speach isnot to be depended on but that these thre villens have onley come to spie the actions of the dilawars the dillawars say that the mingoes onley speake from thare mouth & not from thare harts.- whiteies & Mr. Willson is Expected in eight days more I have hard that awiondot Capt. Resevd them very kindley at senduskey & tuck them in his connue and promast to take them to his hedmen on the other side of the lake & to bring them back agane safe to senduskey.- I never saw people be have better then the dillawars in ginrall.- I shall send aman to the shawneas town tomoro ass a Spie & to Return in eight days one of the Poor girls that wass tacken at canetuckkey by the Awayotanose is put to death after thay arivd. at thare town Mr oharro & myself hass been afraid to stepout of the town sence these mingoes has bene in the town- one partey of the warers has 10 men one partey 6 & one partey 4 none of these parteys crass the River hier then the mouth of hockhocking. I am gentlemen your
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To |
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very Hubl sarvt |
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The Honrable Commisoners |
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For the midle department |
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Jno Anderson |
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