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.
Instruction of the King to Denonville
(March 10, 1685)
Louis of France in: Pease, French Series, vol. I, 1934, pp.
68-78.
[A. N., C., B 11:X 6v-18-C.,extract; printed in part in N. Y. C. D.,
9:271]
pp. 69, 70, 71, 72, 73.
(page 69) . . . the said Sieur de Denonville knows the use
which the said Sieur de la Barre has made of this assistance, and that instead
of profiting from it and from the zeal with which the inhabitants of the said
country and their Indian neighbors were seeking to destroy the Iroquois, he has
concluded and ignominious peace with them at a time when everything seemed
favorable for ridding the country of a nation which has always disturbed its
repose.
His abandonment of the Illinois in this manner has deeply displeased his majesty, and he expects that the said Sieur de Denonville, by his diligence in carefully examining the whole state of affairs on his arrival, will find the means of retrieving the situation, of bringing the Iroquois back to their duty, and of reestablishing the influence of the nation in the minds of the Indian allies that the bad conduct of the Sieur de la Barre cannot fail to have altered.
His majesty has explained to him his ideas concerning the conduct which he ought to adopt on arriving in the said country, and he knows that the principal object which he ought to have in view is the reestablishment of the tranquillity of the colony by means of a firm and lasting peace; but in order that this peace may (page 70) be lasting, he must humble the pride of the Iroquois, give assistance to the Illinois and the other Indian allies whom the Sieur de la Barre has abandoned, and begin by a firm and vigorous conduct to teach the said Iroquois that they will have everything to fear for themselves if they do not submit to the conditions which he may wish to impose upon them.
He ought therefore to declare to them at the very outset that he wishes to protect with all of his forces the allies of the French, to make this known to the Ilinois, Ottawa, Miami, and others, and, if he thinks it opportune, to support this declaration by means of the troops and by an expedition against the Seneca. His majesty defers to him to follow in this regard the plans which he believes to be the most suitable, being fully persuaded that he will pursue the most expedient ones and that his military experience will place him in a position to terminate it quickly if he is compelled to undertake it.
He must not only apply himself to preventing the outrages of the Iroquois on the French; he ought also to take particular care to maintain peace among the Indians themselves and to prevent the Iroquois by all means from making war on the Illinois and the other neighboring peoples; he is very certain that if these (page 72) nations from whom the peltries are obtained, which constitute the principal commerce of Canada, see themselves shielded from the violence of the Iroquois by the protection which they will receive from the French, they will so much more persuaded to bring their goods and will by this means increase the trade.
But in order to attain ends so advantageous, he must give a great deal of attention to inuring the inhabitants to war by dividing them into companies in each settlement, drilling them in the handling of arms, reviewing them frequently, seeing that they all have the arms necessary for their use in case of need, and, finally, drilling them constantly in order to render them capable of defending themselves well in the event that they should be attacked. In this he will be able to use profitably the officers of the troops who were sent there some years ago under the command of the Sieur de Tracy and those whom he will send over with him.
His majesty wishes that shortly after his arrival he undertake the preparation of an exact roll of all the inhabitants by (page 73) settlements, in which he will designate those who are able to bear arms, old men, and children. He will mention the number of women and girls of all ages, and he will take pains to make his majesty completely and truly acquainted with the state of the colony. Above all, his majesty again enjoins him to place it in a position to defend itself by the inhabitants themselves, it being neither the duty nor the intention of his majesty to send regular troops to the region. However, in order to give him the means of carrying out his intentions with more assured success, he is pleased to send out 300 men besides the 500 who are stationed there.
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