USA > New York > The documentary history of the state of New York, Vol. I pt 1 > Part 5
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islands, which otherwise have nothing agreeable beyond their multitude. For these are only huge rocks rising out the wa- ter, covered merely by moss, or a few spruce or other stunted wood whose roots spring from the clefts of the rocks which can supply no other aliment or moisture to these barren trees than what the rains furnish them.
After leaving this melancholy abode, the Lake is discovered appearing like unto a sea without islands or bounds, where barks and ships can sail in all safety ; so that the communication would be easy between all the French colonies that could be established on the borders of this Great Lake which is more than a hundred leagues long by thirty to forty wide.
It is from this point that all the Iroquois Nations can be reach- ed, by various directions, except the Mohawks, the route to whom is by the River Richelieu, of which we can safely say two words since they regard it, that our troops have already con- structed the three forts of which we have spoken.
It is called the Richelieu River because of the fort of the same name which was erected there at its mouth at the commencement of the wars ; and which has been rebuilt anew to secure the en- trance of that river. It likewise bears the name of the River of the Iroquois, because it is the route which leads thither, and it is by it these Barbarians used most ordinarily come to attack us. The bed of this river is one hundred to one hundred and fifty pa- ces wide almost throughout, though at its mouth it is somewhat narrower : its borders are decorated with beautiful pines through which we can walk with ease ; as in fact fifty of our men have done a foot by land nearly.twenty leagues of the way from the mouth of the river to the Sault, which is so called, though it is not properly a waterfall but only an impetuous rapid full of rocks, that arrest its course and render the navigation almost impos- sible for three quarters of a league. In time however its passage may be facilitated. The remainder of the river has from the be- ginning a very fine bottom ; as many as eight islands are to be met with before arriving at the basin, which is at the foot of the Sault. This basin is like a little lake, a league and a half in cir-
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cumference and six to eight feet deep, where fish abounds almost at all seasons.
To the right of this basin in going up, is seen Fort Saint Louis, built quite recently here, which is very convenient for the design entertained against the Iroquois, since its position renders it al- most impregnable and causes it to command the whole river.
After passing the rapids of the Sault which extend three leagues, the third fort is visible that terminates all these rapids : for the river afterwards is very beautiful and quite navigable to the Lake called Champlain, at the extremities of which we enter on the lands of the Mohawk Iroquois.
OF THE WAR AND THE TREATIES OF PEACE OF THE FRENCH WITH THE IROQUOIS.
[Relation, &c., ès années, 1665, 1666.]
The great varieties of Nations which are in these countries, the changeable and perfidious disposition of the Iroquois and the barbarism of all these tribes not permitting us to hope for any stable peace with them except inasmuch as it can be maintained by the terror of the king's arms, it is not to be wondered at that peace succeeds war so easily, and that wars terminate so quickly in peace.
The ambassadors of five different Nations were seen in one year at Quebec, who came there to solicit peace ; yet these did not pre- vent us punishing by a good war those who answered badly by their conduct the promises of their deputies.
The first of these Ambassadors who came from the Upper Iro- quois, were presented to M. de Tracy in the month of December of the year 1665, and the most influential among them was a fa- mnous Captain, called Garacontié, who always signalized his zeal for the French, and employed the credit which he has among all these tribes, in extricating our prisoners from their hands, as he
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has liberated very recently Sieur Le Moine, an inhabitant of Montreal, who had been captured three months ago by these Barbarians.
M. de Tracy having notified him by the usual presents that he would give him a friendly audience, he pronounced a harangue full of good sense and an eloquence evincing no trace of the bar- barous. It contained nothing but courtesies and offers of friend- ship and service on the part of all his tribe ; wishes for a new Jesuit Mission, and expressions of condolence on the death of the late Father Le Moine, the intelligence of which he had just , received. * *
However as no advantage can be expected from these Nations except in so far as we appear able to injure them, preparations were made for a military expedition against those with whom no peace could be concluded. Monsieur de Courcelles, who com- manded, used every possible diligence so that he was ready to start on the 9th January of the year 1666, accompanied by M. du Gas, whom he took for his Lieutenant ; by M. de Salamper, Gentleman Volunteer ; by Father Pierre Raffeix, Jesuit ; by 300 men of the Regiment of Carignan Salières and 200 Volunteers, habitans of the French Colonies. This march could not but be tedious, every one having snow shoes on his feet, to the use of which none were accustomed, and all, not excepting the officers nor even M. de Courcelles himself, being loaded, each with from 25 to 30 pounds of biscuit, clothing and other necessary supplies.
A more difficult or longer march than that of this little army, can scarcely be met with in any history, and it required a French courage and the perseverance of M. de Courcelles, to undertake it. In addition to the embarrassment caused by the snow shoes, which is a species of great inconvenience and that of the burthen which each one was obliged to carry, it was necessary to walk three hundred leagues on the snow ; cross lakes and rivers con- tinually on the ice in danger of making as many falls as steps ; sleep only on the snow in the midst of the forest and endure a cold surpassing by many degrees in severity that of the most rigor- ous European winters.
5
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Our troops, however, having gone the first day to Sillery to recommend the success of their enterprize to St. Michael the Archangel the patron of that place ; many had, as early as the third day, the nose, the ears, the knees and the fingers or other parts entirely frozen and the remainder of the body covered with cicatrixes, and some others wholly overcome and benumbed by the cold would have perished in the snow, had they not been carried, though with considerable difficulty, to the place where they were to pass the night.
Sieurs De la Fouille, Maximin and Lobiac, Captains in the the Carignan regiment, having joined this little army on the 24th January, each with 20 soldiers of their companies and some ha- bitans of the place were treated by the cold, on the day follow- ing, worse than any had previously been, and many soldiers were obliged to be brought back, of whom some had the legs cut by the ice and others the hands or the arms or other parts of the body altogether frozen. These losses were repaired by Sieurs de Chambly, Petit and Rogemont, Captains of the same regi- ment, and by the Sieurs Mignardi, Lieutenant of the Colonel's company which was withdrawn from Forts St. Louis and St. Therese, where the troops rendezvoused on the 30th of the same month. So that the army being still 500 men strong finally ar- rived on the 14th of February, with the same difficulties and the same dangers, as before, in the enemy's country, at 20 leagues distance from their villages. The journey yet to be travelled, was very long in consequence of the prodigious depth of the snow and the delay of the Algonquin guides, in whose absence unknown routes were to be tried and continual mistakes expe- rienced.
Finally information was received from prisoners who were ta- ken in some detached cabins, and from the Commandant of a hamlet inhabited by the Dutch of New Netherland, that the greater part of the Mohawks and Oncidas having gone to a dis- tance to make war against other tribes called the Wampum Ma- kers, (les faiseurs de porcelaine) had left in their villages only the children and the helpless old men ; and it was considered useless to push farther forward an expedition which had all the
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effect intended by the terror it spread among all the tribes, who were haughty and perfidious only because they considered them- selves inaccessible to our troops. Before returning however we killed several savages who from time to time made their appear- ance along the skirts of the forest for the purpose of skirmishing with our people. Sieur Aiguemorte and some of our soldiers were also killed pursuing them.
The effects of the terror produced by his Majesty's arms on the hearts of these savages were apparent at Quebec in the month of May following, by the arrival of ambassadors from the Sene- cas, (Sonnontouaeronnons) who demanded the King's protection for their nation and the continuation of peace, which they pre- tended they never violated by any hostile act. M. de Tracy had already refused 34 presents that they had tendered him, but per- ceiving that it affected them sensibly and that they considered it the greatest insult that could be offered, he finally accepted their wampum belts, repeating to them that it was neither their presents nor their goods that the King desired, but their true happiness and salvation ; that they would derive all sorts of ad- vantages from their confidence in his goodness which should be extended to the other Nations also, that they might experience its most favorable effects, if they took the same care in imploring it by sending their ambassadors forthwith.
These were soon succeeded by those of other tribes ; among the rest by those from the Oneida and even by those from the Mohawk, so that the deputies from the Five Iroquois Nations were almost at the same time at Quebec as if to confirm by one common accord a durable peace with France.
In order the better to accomplish this it was deemed pro- per to send some Frenchmen with the Oneida Ambassadors, who were also responsible for the conduct of the Mohawks, and even gave hostages for them. The Dutch of New Ne- therland had likewise written in their behalf and . went se- curity for the faithful observance by all those Barbarians of the articles of peace entered into with them. These French dele- gates had orders to inform themselves of every thing carefully on the spot, and to learn if it were safe to confide again on the
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Savages, so that His Majesty's arms should not be retarded by an illusive hope of peace.
But scarcely were the Ambassadors two or or three days jour- ney from Quebec, when news came of the surprisal by the Mo- hawks of some Frenchmen belonging to Fort St. Anne who had gone to the chase, and of the murder of Sieur de Traversy, Cap- tain in the Carignan Regiment and Sieur de Chusy, and that some volunteers had been taken prisoners. The French delegates were at once recalled, and the Oneida savages who remained as hosta- ges whose heads could have been at once split by axes accord- ing to the laws of war in this country, were imprisoned. But without having recourse to these barbarous laws, means were adopted to derive greater advantage from this treachery ; and M. de Sorel, Captain in the Carignan Regiment, immediately collected a party of three hundred men, whom he led by forced marches into the enemy's country, resolved to put all, every where, to the sword. But when only 20 leagues distant from their villages he encountered new Ambassadors bringing back the Frenchmen taken near Fort St. Anne, and who were coming to offer every satisfaction for the murder of those who were slain and new guarantees for peace, so that this Captain having returned with his troops, there was no more talk but of peace, which they pre- tended to conclude by a general council of all the Tribes who had at the time delegates at Quebec.
These treaties had not, however, all the success which was ex- pected from them, and M. de Tracy concluded that, to ensure their success, it was necessary to render the Mohawks by force of arms more tractable, for they always opposed new obstacles to the publick tranquillity. He wished, despite his advanced age, to lead in person against these Barbarians, an army composed of 600 soldiers drafted from all the companies, of six hundred habitans of the country and one hundred Huron and Algonquin savages. Through the exertions of M. Talon, all the prepara- tions for this war were completed by the 14th Septr, the day fixed on for departure, being that of the exaltation and triumph of the Cross, for whose glory this expedition was determined on. The general rendezvous was fixed for the 28th of Sept., at Fort
AGAINST THE MOHAWKS.
St. Anne recently constructed by Sieur La Mothe, Captain in the Carignan Regiment, on an Island in Lake Champlain. Some of the troops not being able to come up in sufficient time, M. de Tracy would not proceed before the 3d of October, with the main body of the army. But M. de Courcelles impelled by his characteristic impatience for the fight, started some days ahead with 400 men, and Sieurs De Chambly and Berthier, com- mandants of the Forts St. Louis and Assumption were left to follow M. de Tracy, four days afterwards, with the rear guard. As it was necessary to march one hundred and twenty leagues into the interior to find the enemy's villages, and as several large lakes and many considerable rivers were to be crossed before arriving there, it was necessary to be provided with conveniences for land and water. Vessels requisite for this expedition had been prepared. Three hundred were ready; consisting partly of very light batteaux, and partly of bark canoes, each of which carried at most five or six hundred persons. On crossing a river or lake, each was obliged to take charge of his own canoe and to carry the batteaux by main strength. This caused less labor than two small pieces of artillery which were conveyed even to the farthest Iroquois villages, to force more easily all the fortifi- cations.
Notwithstanding the care taken to accomplish this march with little noise, we could not prevent some Iroquois, despatched from 30 to 40 leagues to discover our troops, seeing from the mountain tops this little naval expedition, and running to warn the first village of it; so that the alarm spreading afterwards from village to village, our troops found them abandoned, and these barbarians were only seen on the mountains at a distance uttering great cries and firing some random shots at our soldiers.
Our army halting only for refreshment at all these villages, which were found void of men but full of grain and provisions, expected to meet with a vigorous resistance at the last which we prepared to attack in regular form, because the barba- rians evinced by the great firing they made there, and the fortifications they had erected, every disposition for a despe- rate defence. But our people were again disappointed in their
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hope ; for scarcely had the enemy seen the vanguard approach, when they immediately fled to the woods where night prevented our troops pursuing them. A triple palisade, surrounding their stronghold, twenty feet in height and flanked by four bastions, their prodigious quantities of provisions and the abundant supply of water they had provided in bark tanks to extinguish fire when necessary, afforded sufficient evidence that their first resolution had been quite different from that which the terror of our arms had caused them so suddenly to adopt. A few persons whom their advanced age had prevented withdrawing from the vil- lage two days previously with all the women and children, and the remains of two or three savages of another tribe whom they had half roasted at a slow fire with their accustomed fury, were all that were found. After having planted the Cross and celebrated Mass and sung the Te Deum on the spot, all that re- mained was to fire the palisades and cabins and to destroy all the stores of Indian corn, beans and other produce of the country found there. The other villages were again visited where as well as throughout the whole country, the same devastation was committed ; so that those who are acquainted with the mode of living of these barbarians doubt not but famine will cause as many to perish as would have been destroyed by the arms of our soldiery had they dared to await them, and that those who survive will be reduced by terror to peaceful conditions and to a demeanor more difficult to be obtained from them by mere san- guinary victories.
The return route of our troops was more disagreeable than that taken in going, because the rivers being swollen some seven or eight feet by the rains, were found much more difficult to cross, and a storm which arose on Lake Champlain wreck- ed two canoes with eight persons, amongst whom was to be particularly regretted Sieur du Lugues, Lieutenant of a compa- ny, who made frequent displays of his valour in France as well as in Canada.
The courage of our troops was ever wonderfully excited in the hardships of this expedition and in the face of danger, by the ex- amples of M. de Tracy, M. de Courcelles and M. de Sallière,
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Quarter Master (Mestre de Camp) of the regiment and of Cheva- lier de Chaumont who desired always on approaching the vil- lages to be of the forlorn hope; and their generosity was animated by the zeal and pious sentiments with which Messrs. du Bois and Cosson, secular Priests, and Fathers Albanel and Ra- faix, Jesuits, endeavored to inspire them.
Our excellent Prelate who had his hands ever raised to Heaven and had called every one to prayers, during the absence of our troops, caused thanks to be given to God and the Te Deum sung on their return. Every body here has conceived renewed hopes in consequence of the King's goodness towards the country and of the manner in which the West India Company, to whom his Majesty has confided it, is affected towards it. So that we doubt not but we shall very soon see most populous towns in the place of these extensive forests, and JESUS CHRIST worshipped in all these vast countries.
END.
A RELATION OF TIIE GOVERNOR OF CANNADA
HIS MARCH WITH 600 VOLUNTEIRS INTO Ye TERRITORYES OF HIS ROYALL HIGHNESSE THE DUKE OF YORKE IN AMERICA.
[Lond. Doc. II.]
Upon the 29th of Xber last, Monsier Coarsell the Governour of Canada,in Nova ffrancia begun his march with near 600 men, to seeke out their inveterate ennemyes called the Mahauke Indians in their owne country and forts, there to take reuenge upon them for the seuerall murthers and spoyles which the Barbarians had for many yeares exercised in Cannada upon the French, and the Indians of those parts even to the ruine of most, but to the insuf- ferable discouragement of all those Inhabbitants, who being taken alive were usually tortured and eaten, or burnt by the Mauhaukes ; If not taken, yet livd in perpetuall alarums to see their dwelling houses burnt, their Cattell and Corne destroyed. All which pow- erfull arguments furnish't ye french with heate enough to march
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over the ffrozen lake of Canada, lying in the 60th degree of nor- therne latitude, and taking their tyme that the snow upon the ground was hard frozen (though in most places 4 foote deep) made use of Indian snow shoes wch hath the very form of a Rackett tyed to each foote, whereby ye body and feet are kept from sink- ing into the snow, and because it was not possible for horses to pass, or subsist in the snow, or for the soldiers to carry their ne- cessary provisions on their backes, and had lesse expectation to meete wth any reliefe in the vaste wilderness, the Governor caused slight sledges to be made in good number, laying provisions upon them, drew them over the snow with mastive doggs, all these dif- ficultyes put together impeded his march, and by the mistake of his guides hapned to fall short of the castles of the Mauhaukes, and to take up his quarters or rather incamp upon the 9th of Fe- bruary within 2 myles of a small village called Schonectade, ly- ing wth in the woods beyond fort Albany in ye territoryes of his Royall highness, and 3 dayss march from the first castle of the Mahaukes.
The French suposed they were then come to their designed place, and the rather because yt evening they did rancounter wth a party of the Mohaukes who made appearance of retreating from the French, whereupon a party of 60 of their best Fuzileers after them, but that small party drew the French into an ambuscade of neare 200 Mohaukes planted behind trees, (who taking their ad- vantage as it fell into their hands,) at one volley slew eleauen French men whereof one was a Lieutent. wounded divers others, the french party made an honorable retreit to their body, wch was marching after them close at hand, wch gave the Mohaukes tyme and opportunity to march off wth the loss of only 3 slaine upon the plaice and 6 wounded, the report whereof was soone brought to Schonecktade by those Indians, with the heads of 4 of the ffrench to the Commissary of the Village who immediately des- patched the newes to Fort Albany, from whence the next day 3 of the principle inhabitants were sent to Monsier Coursell the Governor of Cannada to inquire of his intention to bring such a body of armed men into the dominions of his Matie of Great Brit- taine, wthout accquainting the Governor of these parts wth his de-
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signes. The Governor replyd that he come to seeke out and destroy his ennemyes the Mohaukes without intention of visiting their plantations, or else to molest any of his Maties subjects, and that [he] had not heard of the reducing those parts to his Maties obedience, but desired that hee and his soldiers might bee supplied with provisions for their money, and that his wounded men might be sucoured, and taken care for in Albany ; To all which the Emissaryes freely consented and made a small but acceptable pre- sent of wine and provisions to him, further offering the best ac- commodations ye poore village afforded, wch was civilly refus'd, in regard there was not accomodacon for his soldyers, with whom he had marcht and campt under the blew canopye of the heavens full six weekes, but hee prudently foresaw a greater inconvenience if hee had brought his weary and halfe starv'd people within the smell of a chimney corner, whom hee now cold keepe from strag- ling or running away, not knowing whither to runn for feare of ye Indians ; The next day Monsieur Corsell sent his men to the village where they were carefully drest and sent to Albany, being seaven in number, the Dutch bores carryed to the camp such pro- visions as they had, and were too well payd for it; Especially peaz and bread, of wch a good quantity was bought ; ye Mohaukes were all gone to their Castles, with resolution to fight it out against the french, who being refresht and supplyed wth the aforesaid provisions made a shew of marching towards the Mo- haukes Castles, but with faces about and great sylence and dilli- gence return'd towards Cannada.
Upon the 12th of February, whether a Panick feare, some mu- tiny, or ye probability of the thawing of the lake, caus'd this sudden (wch the Indians call a dishonorable retreit) I cannot learne, but surely so bould and hardy an attempt (circumstances considered) hath not hapned in any age. All wch vanisht like false fyer, and hath given new courage to their old enemyes ye Mauhaukes who by their spyes hearing of ye retreat of ye French pursued them back to the Lake, but the French making more speed to them from Canada, the Mohaukes did noe considerable prejudice to them, onely took 3 one of wch at his own request they slew, not being able to march, the other they kept prisoners,
.
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1
they found 5 others dead in the way with hunger and cold, but according to their manner brought the crownes of their heads away. those who observed the words and countenance of Mon- sieur Coursell, saw him disturbed in minde that the king was Master of these parts of the Country, where hee expected to have found the Dutch interest upermost, saying that the king of Eng- land did graspe at all America, but hee did not beleive to see the Dutch the masters ere long; he enquired what garrison or what fort was at Albany, 'twas told him a Captain and 60 English sol- dyers with 9 peece of ordinance in a small fort of foure Bastions, and that the Capt thereof Capt Baker had sent for 20 men from annother garrison of the Kings at the Sopes, who probably might be arrived at Albany the same hower, thus finding his men tyr'd, the Mohaukes resolute, and something doubtfull, without tryall of the good will of the English Garrison, because ye reports were strong that the French King and States of Holland were united against His Matie of England, Monsieur Coursell found it reason- able to returne home nothing effected, the 2 prisoners taken by the Mohaukes in the retreate tell them yt this summer another attempt will be made upon their country with a greater force and supplyes of men, the truth or success of which I shall not now discourse upon, having given ye trew relation of what past from ye 29th December to the 12th of February.
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