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 Hand
(Cluchachunk, Sept. 23, 1777)
Zeisberger, David in: Draper
Mss.,
6zz8 and in Thwaites & Kellogg,
Frontier Defense on the
Upper Ohio,
pp. 101-103.
May it please your Excellency
DEAR SIR- I wrote to you yesterday & in the Evening your Messengers arrived at Cuchachunk to our great Joy & Comfort when I immediately in the Night was fetched where I read yours and Mr. Morgan's Speech to the Counsil when all rejoiced exceedingly as well over the good News you communicated to them as also especially when they heard that they had nothing to fear, of the White People, & we can now thank God be quiet & without fear. I send the Letter I wrote Yesterday as it is, & inclosed here is a Message again to Col. Morgan. The Indians who shall conduct the Messengers to the river shall have the Packet in their Care in Case any Accident should hap- (page 102) pen by the Way, 'till they shall part from them & then deliver it to Mr. Elliott. Yesterday we had the following Intelligence which was sent by Wiondoughwalend to the Council here, to which so much more Credit we can give as he is no friend to the Virginians, Vizt, that the Twightees [Miami][ had rec'd the Tomhawk Belt from the Govr. at Detroit which they took home with them & called the Head Men & Capt. of their Nation & the Wawiaghtana [Ouiatanon] & Kickapoos &ca together to consult about it when they all agreed not to take the Tomhawk but to follow the Example of their Grandfather the Delawares of whom they had heard by a Messenger that he would not receive the Tomhawk whereupon the Twightees sent it back again to the Govr. and said it would be the ruin of their Nation if they took it. Another piece of News we had from the same Quarter,- That some Tawas & Chipways had been to war & were returned, Who related, that they had attacked a fort at Kentucke where they fought awhile till on both Sides a Number was killed, when the white People hailed the Indians and desired them to come nigh and to speak with them which they refused to do & called the white People out; upon which one or two went out of the fort, & spoke with them, and told them that they were sorry to see the dead bodies of both sides lying there, but neither they the Tawas & Chipways nor the white People were the Cause of it, but their father the Govr. over the Lake was the cause of it, they should blame him for it. That after this the white people invited them to the fort treated them handsomely & let them (page 103) go home in Peace. This News Capt. White Eyes desired me to inform you of. By information of a white Man from Detroit who came here two days ago but doth not choose to have his Name mentioned I can give you the following Account. That there are six Companies of Militia amounting to about 300p Men in the whole. The English are all for America. About 70 Men in Garrison only. An Entrenchment is round the fort on the Land Side & about 50 Pieces of Cannon in the fort & 7 Pieces of Cannon on the Wharff. If an Army should come against the fort every Man is to March out to meet it & they are to be reinforced from Niagara. Great Store of Provision is at Detroit & the Inhabitants full of Cattle. At the Sandusky there is 100 Head of Cattle & the People to whom they belong will have Nothing against it if they fall in the Hands of the Army. Six vessels on the Lake the largest two of 16 Guns. If any Army should march there late then there will be a large Cargo of Goods at Sandusky. I beg the favour to forward the inclosed Packet to Lancaster by which you will oblige all the Brethren down the Country very much who will impatiently wait to hear from us. I am, Sir Yr. most Hble. Servt.
|
D. Ziesberger. |
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