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.
Account of a Meeting
(April 26, 1778)
In: "Account of a Meeting
Between the
Commissioners and Others With the
Delaware Indians," Col. George
Morgan's Letter Book, Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh,
Pittsburgh, Pa.,
Book 3 of 3.
Sunday April 26th, 1778-
The Commissioners & Agent with General Hand & Colonel Russel had a Meeting with Cap. White Eyes & the other Delaware Indians.- They repeated their former assurances of the Friendship of the United States for the Delaware Nation, express'd the warm desire Congress had to cultivate Peace with all the Indian Nations, proposed a Treaty to be held at Pittsburgh about the [illeg] of [illeg] next, in order to strengthen our present good understanding & to invite the Shawnese and such other Tribes thereto as should incline to live in Peace with the United States.-
The following Questions were then put by the Commissioners to White Eyes-
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We desire you to inform us what Nations are our Friends & who are our Enemies? |
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2d. |
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We desire to know the number of our Enemies whether Wiandots, Ottawas, Mingoes, Shawnese, Twittwix or Chipwas? |
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3d. |
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What number of People will you be able to collect at Coochocking whom we may depend on to be our Friends? |
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4th. |
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Where are the Munsies, how numerous are they, & how are they disposed? |
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5th. |
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What is the present situation of Detroit? |
To all which the Delawares by White Eyes made in Substance the following Reply.-
Brothers of the United States,
We thank you for what you have said to us, it pleases us very much. We now inform you what the Delaware Council think & shall answer your several questions as well as we can.- Your Brothers the Delawares are determined to adhere to the Friendship of the United States & to listen to nothing (page 2) else. For this purpose & to convince you we are in earnest we have collected & are assembling all our People at Coochocking to prevent our young Men from following evil Council & bad examples.- We are already 300 Strong (Men carrying Arms) & are collecting all our People from every Quarter. A number of Shawnese with some of their principal Men have also join'd us (17 Families) & we expect more.
We agree to meet to meet you at Pittsburgh with our Chief Men at the time you mention & then we shall be able to inform you more exactly of the disposition of all the Indian Nations.- We will also invite the Shawnese & the Wiandots as you desire.-
At present your Enemies are the Banditti of Mingoes, & the Wiandots of Sandusky & Detroit & a few of the Ottawas & Chipwas & some Shawnese & a few Delawares have been deluded by them- the whole number of all these Nations now engaged or that have been engaged against you do not exceed 400 Warriors.- The Ottawas & the Chippawas as a Nation sit still & do not interfere in the War.-
Those of their People who have taken up the Hatchet & join'd the Wiandots & Mingoes have done it out of their own folly- they have been deluded into it.- The Western Confederacy have openly refused the solicitations of the Governor of Detroit to take up the Hatchet.
The Munsies except about thirty have gone to live in the Senneca Country.- They are so distant from us & times have been so troublesome that we have had no intercourse with those People latterly- those who remain wish to live in Peace if they knew how to do it.
Detroit was in the same situation last Winter that it has been in for some Years.- The Pickets are old & rotten. The Ditch they began to dig two Years ago has never been compleated & what was dug fills up fast by the falling in of each Bank.-
The Garrison consists of 50 soldiers- they have some Cannon & Howitzers- they have about seven Vessels on the lake two of which are always kept at Detroit, we think to carry the Garrison off in case you should march against it.
Brothers,
We are badly off for Cloathing, we are ill treated on account of our attachment to you but we submit to every inconvenience in hope that these Troubles will soon have an end.
Brothers,
We desire you will appoint certain limits for us & the Shawnese residing with us to hunt in during the ensuing Season & that you will fix certain signs or marks by which our young men may rely on being secured from your attacking them.- If you will do this Brothers you will render us a great service & convince us of your Friendship & it will enable us to speak boldly on our return home.
In answer to & in compliance with the foregoing request the Commissioners & White Eyes mutually agreed to fix on that Tract of Country lying between Little Beaver Creek & the River Hockhocking for the Purposes abovementioned but not to approach nearer than within fifteen or twenty miles of the Ohio River.- Recommending at the same time to their Young Men to avoid the Warriors Paths and in case of their seeing any of our Parties in pursuit of the Enemy it is recommended to these Delawares & Shawnese to advance to them unarmed as Friends.- This is to continue until the ensuing Treaty when our Brothers the Delawares shall have further directions. The Commissioners desired the Delawares to take up & bring Prisoners to this place all Deserters or others from this Post or any part of the United States not carrying written Messages from the Commanding Officer or Agent- for every one of which so taken & brought back the (page 4) Agent will pay one hundred Dollars or the value thereof in Goods.- They further desire the Delawares to interest themselves in obtaining the liberty of Michael the Mingo Messenger lately taken by the Wiandots & to return him here.- These Requisition White Eyes promises shall be complied with.-
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