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 Maurepas
(New Orleans, February 10, 1736)
Bienville in: (AC, C13, v. 21, Gen.
Corr. of
Louisiana, pp. 122-153V.) and in Mississippi
Provincial Archives, vol. 1, pp.
276-294.
Chevalier de Contrecoeur, who went up last summer to the Illinois to convey the powder that (f. 150v.) was sent there to replace that which the Checkasaws had carried away, returned a month ago and told us that the expedition of the nations of the Missouri against the Foxes had been without success because a Sauk who had settled among the Iowas, which is one of the nations of the confederation, had gone and warned the enemies of the march of the party that had risen against them, so that (page 293) when our Indians arrived at the camp of the Foxes it had been five days since they had decamped with such haste that the majority had left their arms and their utensils. This flight discouraged our Indians who despaired of being able to overtake them, and they (f. 151) went back to their village.
I am assured that the Sauks have been repenting for a long time of having made themselves unhappy in order to take up the cause of the Foxes, and that after their last flight they had quarreled with each other and had separated; that the Foxes had taken the road to Dog Lake toward the Sioux, where they wished to settle. As for the Sauks, I am not informed as to what route they have taken.
Mr. D'Artaguette writes me that the Illinois have not executed at all the plan that they had made to go this autumn en masse against the Chickasaws. He does not write me the reason for this. The Weas, who had (f. 151 v.) promised the same thing to Sieur de Vincennes, have likewise broken their word to him and said as an excuse that the disease that has been prevalent in their village incapacitated their young men for marching. Whatever the truth may be, the Chickasaws have not yet had so much rest as they have had this year since they had had only the Choctaws to deal with. This relaxation confirms me even more in my determination to march myself against them at the head of all the Frenchmen whom I can get together in a position to make the campaign without greatly disturbing their business. For this purpose I shall draw as many soldiers as I can from the posts without emptying them entirely, (f. 152) and from New Orleans and from Mobile the voyageurs and several civilians who are the least embarrassed with business or families. In this way I shall not disturb at all the colonists on their settlements and I shall be satisfied to have them furnish all together one hundred negroes whom I shall need to carry on land the provisions and munitions from the landing-place to the camp.
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