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.
Fox Indians Attack Detroit
(October 15, 1712)
Vaudreuil, Marquis de in: Michigan Historical
Collections, XXXIII, pp. 569-571.
(page 570) for this year. As I shall have the honor of giving you an account of everything, My Lord, by the King's ship, I content myself here with assuring you that no one could take more pains or show more diligence than the Sieur de Beaucourt does, and that the inhabitants could not possibly show more good-will.
At the same time, My Lord, that I had the honor of writing you that letter I received one from Michillimakinac in which the missionaries of that place informed me that the Fox Indians who came last year to settle at Detroit had tried to offer an insult to the Sieur Dubuisson who was in command there in the absence of the Sieur de la Forest; that this made it necessary for him to intrench himself in half of his fort, which was too large for the number of Frenchmen he had with him; that he had not only defended himself against them, but had called the other tribes allied to us to his aid, and the Fox Indians had almost all been destroyed and had lost nearly a thousand souls, including two hundred prisoners. This news, having been confirmed by the letters of the Sieur de la Forest, and by the Sieur Dubuisson who arrived a short time after with a convoy of fifteen to twenty boats, French and Indians, made me resolve to go up to Montreal to be within easier reach for giving my orders; more especially as the Foxes, Maskoutins and other savages concerned in the affair at Detroit are allied to several tribes of the upper country, and it was to be feared that they might take their side, as Ouilamek, a chief of the Poutouatamis, came all the way to Quebec to tell me and as Fathers Marest and Chardon, the Missionaries at Michilimakina also wrote me. These reasons, My Lord, made it necessary for me to go up to Montreal, and my presence there was much more necessary than I had at first thought; for, scarcely had I arrived before I learnt from the Sieur de la Fresniere, and afterwards from the Sieur de Joncaire, whom I had sent to Fort Frontenac as commandant in the absence of the former who had gone down to Montreal, suffering from fever, as well as some of his garrison- I say I learnt, My Lord, that the Sieur Pitreseul had made two journeys one after another to Onontagué to renew his alliance with them and with all the tribes of the Iroquois, and at the same time to induce them all to join together in making a great attack on the tribes of the upper country before they were able to make an attack upon them such as they had made on the Fox Indians at Detroit. I also learnt that Teganisorens had been premeditating this matter since this winter as he had been gained over by the English, who were convinced that I should not allow the tribes of the upper country, who are our allies, to be destroyed without coming to their assistance, and thought that would be the only way to make the Iroquois declare against us; as they have not hitherto succeeded in doing so, do what they would.
The Iroquois, of all tribes except the Sonontouans having assembled (page 571) at Onontagué to the number of a thousand or twelve hundred men, and having made their boats on the very spot where they made them in the time of the Marquis de Denonville, when they came to lay waste the neighborhood of La Chine and other places above Montreal, I stood upon my guard and spared nothing to obtain news from all quarters. At the same time I had the tribes allied to us warned, as far as possible, so that they might be upon their guard, enjoining on them however not to begin war first lest they should draw down on them a war which could not but be most fatal to both sides, letting them know at the same time that I have grounds for believing that the Iroquois would reflect seriously before entering upon any attack, more especially as the Sonnontouans would not join with them in this war, and forty-five chiefs and important men of this tribe had even come all the way to Montreal to assure me of this. I waited for your orders, My Lord, until the 25th of September. As the season being so far advanced did not allow of my waiting any longer, I thought, looking to the interests of the service, and for other reasons of which 1 shall have the honor to send you an explanation by the King's ship,- I thought, I say, that I ought to make no further delay, My Lord, in sending the Sieur de Lignery to Michillimakinac until I could send the Sieur de Louvigny there next spring. I ordered him to set out with three boats, besides two that I sent to the Ilinois and one to the Miamis. I also despatched the convoy for Detroit by the Grand river as I did not think it would be safe by the Lake route, the Sonontouans having told me that a company of Fox Indians might wait for them at the portage of Niagara or on Lake Erie. I am only sending you a summary of everything My Lord, leaving it until I have the honor of writing to you more fully by the Heros which is to return to France from this place. I have the honor to thank you in advance, My Lord, for all the favors you are good enough to show me. I beg you to continue to honor me with your patronage, and to believe that I am, with all possible gratitude and respect,
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My Lord |
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Vaudreuil. |
Quebec, this 15th of October, 1712.
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DEATH OF LA FOREST.
Endorsed-Colonies. MM. de Ramezay and Begon. 12th of Nov. 1714. Duplicate.
My Lord,
The Sieurs de Ramezay and Begon have the honor to report to you
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