USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 2 > Part 16
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Formerly in Virginia and North Carolina. In 1607 they had fif- teen hundred warriors, and in 1700 about twelve hundred. In 1711 or 1712, they committed hostilities on the people of North Carolina, which led to a war that occasioned their ruin. The few that remained on the conclusion of the war, mostly emigrated in the latter year to New-York, where they were adopted and re- ceived by the Agoneaseah, under a belief founded on an analogy between their languages, that they were descended from the same stock. They constituted the sixth tribe.
The. Tuscaroras before their emigration had been in close alli- ance with the Agoneaseah. In the war between the latter and the Lenni Lenape they, in conjunction with the Nanticockes, made so great a diversion in favor of the Agoneaseah that the Lenni Lenape had to submit.
The Tuscaroras settled at Oneida, &c. At present they live in Niagara county near Lewistown, and on Grand or Ouse river in Upper Canada.
The Hurons, or tribe under that appellation, were conquered by the Agoneaseah in 1666. The Erigas, or Andastes, were conquer- ed and dispersed about the same time. The war had been kept up for many years with great animosity. The Adirondacks, or Algonkins, who were engaged in the same war, were in close alli- ance with the Hurons, Erigas, &c. The Dinondadies were either concerned in this war, or in one soon after, against the Agoneaseah; for in 1688, Adario, their chief, with one hundred men, set upon the Agoneasean ambassadors at one of the falls on the St. Lawrence, while on their way to Montreal to treat with the French, and mur- dered several of them. A peace however was made not long there- after between them. The Agoneaseah, it is said, could never exert their whole strength against the French in Canada while this war lasted.
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The Erians, or Erigas, sprung from the Senecas. They pos- sessed the country originally between Genesee and Niagara rivers. A war from some cause or other arose between them and the Senc- cas, and the other Agoneasean tribes, in which the former were sub- dued and compelled to sue for peace. Subsequently, it appears that they abandoned the country and migrated to Ohio. The cause of the war is involved in oblivion. It however must have lasted for some time, as the Erians formed an alliance with the Nay-wau-nau- kau-rau-nuh, a tribe living on lake Erie, and prevailed on them to lend their aid; the Mohawks marched some troops in this contest westwardly to Genesee river.
Before the Senecas and the Erians possessed the country along Genesee river, the Squawkihows inhabited it. These the Senecas destroyed mostly in a war which ensued between them and the lat- ter. The Squawkihows, it is likely, were the people called by the English Satanas, and by the French Sauouans. A tribe of the lat- ter name resided on the banks of the Illinois when the French first visited that river.
The Agoneaseah, before they took up their abode in the state of New-York, had their residence on the Outawas river, near where the city of Montreal now stands. But of this in the next chapter. The Outauwah resided in Ohio, at Sandusky, and the adjoining parts. The Tuscaroras, according to David Cusick's sketchies of the Six Nations, consisted, at a period anterior to their removal from North Carolina into this state, of three tribes, which were united into a confederacy. They had wars with the Nanticokes and Totaly, (Teuteloes,) on the sea shore. The Agoneaseah coa- sisted of five tribes. The Mohawk Canton was considered the elder brother; the Seneca Canton was considered the second bro- ther. The former was appointed to keep a watch towards the rising sun, and the latter towards the setting sun. The one occu- pied the eastern end of the house, and the other the western, while the Oneidas, Onondagas, and Cayugas, occupied the middle of the house. The east and west ends were called doors. The Mo- hawks, after the French had burned Schenectady, in a speech to the people of Albany, say, formerly the French broke into the west end of our house, alluding to an invasion of the country of the Sen-
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ecas, and now they have broke in at the east end. In both in- stances they intend to convey the meaning, that the French burst open the doors at the end of the house, and entered their country.
The Oneidas, in ancient times, invaded the towns of the Sab- wau-noo (Shawnees,) on the Susquehanna river, and compelled that people to retire farther down the stream.
- The Huron tribes, like those of the Moheakanneews, have been wasting for upwards of two hundred 'years. This waste has been caused by wars and civilization. The Agoneaseah carried on war with very few interruptions with the French, from 1609 or .1610, to 1697. At the same time they were engaged with the Adiron- dacks, Hurons, Erigas, Dinondadies, &c. Every campaign was attended with some losses in men. As the French gained strength in Canada, they got the better of them. The governors proffered them peace, but the haughty Agoneaseah rejected it with disdain ; and it was not before the French had invaded and devastated their country several times, that they would listen to overtures. In one winter's expedition against the Mohawks, the French carried away three hundred captives.
In the war between Great Britain and France, when the latter lost Canada, the Agoneaseah suffered considerably ; and in the war of our revolution severely. All these wars have had a tendency to diminish their numbers. The Agoneaseah at this day do not num- ' ber over six or seven thousand souls, although for the last forty years they have been on the increase. In this estimate we have included those living in the Canadas, and elsewhere. This num- ber is not one-third of what it was two centuries ago. We have, in another part of this work, estimated it at from twenty to twenty-five thousand. Like the Moheakanneews, the Agoneaseah, and other Huron tribes, are retiring westwardly, and have been for more than one hundred years. The Mohawks first abandoned their posses- sions on the Hudson, and the lower parts of the Mohawk, and con- centrated themselves at Icanderago, and other places higher up the latter river. Subsequently, in 1776, they left Icanderago, and No- wodaga, and went to Upper and Lower Canada. The Oneidas still remain, but their canton is restricted to a township lying along Oneida creek. Portions of the Onondagas, and Cayugas, have
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gone to Canada, and located themselves on the Ouse with the Mo- hawks. Those remaining with us will shortly follow them. The Seneca's have made several reservations on which they live ; but as some have retired to Canada, &c. and as all have a greater or less dislike to manual labor, the whole, in all human probability, will leave the state before many years.
The Indigines of the United States, and the Canadas, are uni- versally retrograding to the west. In less than a century there will be none east of the Mississippi. Nothing can save them from utter destruction but civilization, and the adoption of husbandry and the arts.
For authorities the reader is referred to Smith's history of New- York ; Hubbard's history of the Indian wars in New England ; C. Mather's Magnalia; Hazzard's Col. state papers; Charlevoix's history of New France ; La Hontain's do; Roger's and Barton's do ; Observations of Dr. Edwards; Notes on Virginia, by Mr. Jef- ferson ; Captain John Smith's voyages, &c. in Virginia, in 1606, 1607, &c. ; Appendix to Mr. Jefferson's notes, by Mr. Thompson ; History of Vermont, by Williams ; Dr. Dwight's views of the abo- rigines ; Morse's Geography and Gazetteer; Mckenzie's travels ; a dissertation by D. Clinton, late governor ; Trumbull's; history of Conn .; Hon. S. Wood's sketches of Long Island ; De Salle's travels ; Dr. H. Spafford's Gaz. N. Y .; David Cusick's sketches of the, Six Nations, published in 1827 ; Reese's and Edinburgh En- cyclopedia.
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CHAPTER VI.
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THE AGONEASEAH.
Origin of the Agoneaseah or Five Nations.
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The history of the Agoneaseah, before the arrival of the Euro- peans among them, is involved in impenetrable obscurity. Accord- ing to tradition, their original place of residence was along the St. Lawrence and Grand rivers, in the vicinity of the city of Montreal, in the province of Lower Canada. Here they lived the humble de- pendants of the Adirondacks, or Algonkins, and had to accompany them in their hunting expeditions, flay the animals which they killed, preserve their flesh, and dress their skins. But at length they as- sociated for the purpose of defending themselves against some of the adjoining tribes. They were led to this by the marked supe- riority which the Adirondacks held by their association ; they learned from them the art of conducting themselves with propriety in their warlike excursions; this they soon turned to the great ob- ject of establishing their own independence. The jealousy of the Adirondacks arose; both nations were employed in hunting, and the Agoneaseah, whether by their activity, or by good fortune, had killed a much greater number of elks and deer than their associ- ates, who exasperated at their success, fell upon a party of their young men at night, and put every one of them to death. This conduct naturally provoked the anger of the Agoneaseah ; but they dissembled their resentment, and waited for a favorable opportunity to retaliate. They tried their strength upon the inferior tribes, and improved both in skill and in courage. In due time, their plans being matured, they attacked the Adirondacks with invincible cou- rage, and destroyed many of them. A fierce contest arose between the two nations, in which the latter prevailed, and expelled the former.
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Driven from their country the Agoneaseah marched southwardly, and falling in with the Satanas, or Sauounons, then living on the
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banks of the Mohawk and Schoharie rivers, along Oneida and Onondaga creeks, on the shores of' Cayuga and Seneca lakes, and on the banks of Genesee river and Tonnewanta creek, a bloody contest ensued which lasted for some time. In this contest thie Agoneaseah at length came off victorious, and after nearly exter- minating the Satanas, forced the remains to leave the country. The Agoneaseah, at the time of their expulsion from Canada, and during the war with the Satanas, seem to have consisted of only two tribes ; the Mohawks and Senecas. The Mohawk and Genesee countries 'appear to have been first conquered, and the intermediate space subsequently. The Satanas, it is likely, made stands at Oncida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and other places, against the Mohawks and Senacas for a long time.
The expulsion of the Agoneaseah from the province of Lower Canada, according to the same tradition, happened several genera- tions anterior to the arrival of the French and Dutch. The union then had existed some ages before the Dutch founded Albany and Schenectady, but not from time immemorial, as alleged by Colden and Smith in their histories.
The Agoneaseah, as soon as they had established themselves in their new possessions, resumed offensive operations against the Adirondacks and carried the war into their country. This war was kept up for many years with the utmost animosity, but at last the Agoneaseah gained signal advantages over the Adirondacks and their allies. They made frequent incursions into their country, and cut off many of their hunting and war parties, and at last com- pelled them to conclude an ignominious peace.
The Agoneaseah, when the Dutch first became acquainted with them, consisted of five tribes, or cantons, namely, the Mohawks, Senecas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Oneidas. Each tribe was sub- divided into clans having distinct designations, such as Otter, Bear, Beaver, Turtle, &c. The Huron, as well as the Moheakanneer tribes, sometimes assumed the name of animals ; they had their Buffalo tribe ; their Elk, Moose, and Deer tribes ; their Wolf, Fox, and Eagle tribes. Individuals were named after animate or inani- mate objects, as the great warrior, swift runner, big knife, &c.
The Mohawks and Senecas were the oldest and ranked first.
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Next to these were the Onondagas ; then the Oneidas and Cayu- gas. The Onondagas dwelt in the middle of the Agoneasean state, and must in all probability have been a colony, perhaps a war co- lony from the Mohawk and Seneca cantons. The Cayugas, it is likely, were a colony from the Seneca and Onondaga cantons, and the Oneidas from that of the Mohawk.
Before we proceed farther we shall endeavor to give the several names by which the Agoneaseah were known. The Dutch called them Maquais; the French Iroquoise ; the English the Five Na- tions, also the Six Nations; the southern Indians Massawomekes, Mingwee, &c. They were also called Mingoes, &c. In their own language they gave themselves the name Agoneaseah ; that is, the Long House. This name varied some in the different dialects, but always retained the same meaning ; thus, A-ga-nus-chi-o-ni, Haugh-gogh-nuch-shi-o-nee, Let-e-nugh-sho-nee, and Gwhun- . nugh-sho-nee, signified the same thing, a Long House. They also gave themselves the appellation of Ongue Honwee, that is nien sur- passing all others. The tribes or cantons had also several names, to wit, commen, and such as were used in public transactions. The Mohawks, in ordinary conversation, called themselves Con-ning-ga- haugh-gaugh ; the Senecas, Chit-o-won-e-aughi-gaw ; the Ononda- gas, One-daugh-ga-haugh-ga, (that is, People of the Valley) ; the Cayugas, Que-yu-gwe-haugh-ga, & the Oneidas, Onei-yu-ta-augh-a. In treaties, and other transactions of a public kind, the Mohawks were called Te-haw-re-ho-geh, also Te-hur-le-ho-gugh ; the Sen- ecas, Te-how-nea-ayo-hunt, also Toe-nen-hogh-hunt; the Ononda- gas, Seul-now-kx-ta-, also Let-tegh-segh-ni-gegh-tee ; the Cayugas, Sho-nea-na-we-to-wah, also Soon-noo-daugh-we-no-wen-da; and the Oneidas, Ne-haw-re-tah-go, also Tau-hur-lin-dagh-go-waugh. The French called the Mohawks, Agniers; the Senecas, Tson- nonthiouans ; the Onondagas, Onnontaguese ; the Cayugas, Goyo- gans; and the Oneidas, Onneyouths.
The country of the Agoneaseah extended between the forty- third and forty-fourth degrees of north latitude, about three hundred and ten miles from east to west, inclining some to the south-west. Its breadth was from eighty to one hundred and twenty miles. It stretched from the Hudson to the river Niagara and lake Erie on VOL. IL.
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the west. On the north, there was the country of the Adirondacks and lake Ontario; on the east, the country of the Moheakanneews ; and on the south, the states of the Lenni Lenape and Shawnese. Upon the south-west, it touched the possessions of the Erigas or Andastes. Beyond lakes Ontario and Erie, were the territories of the Hurons. The country was watered by the Mohawk, Oswego, Seneca, Genesee, and many other streams. The lands in some places were mountainous and hilly, and in others level. The soil was in general fertile, and adapted to the growth of corn, &c.
. The Hudson divided the country of the Moheakanneews from that of the Mohawks. When the Dutch first came to Albany, and for some years after, controversies existed between the former and the latter, in relation to the alluvial lands on the east side of the river, and some of the islands in the stream. Dunn's Island, a little below the city on which the Dutch erected their first post, was · cleared and occupied by the Mohawks. The Dutch, shortly after they removed from Dunn's Island to Fort Orange, invited the hos- tile chiefs of both tribes to an entertainment in the fort, and pre- vailed on them to settle the matters in controversy, and bury the tomahawk.
The Agoneaseah possessed on the north Cough-sagh-rage, or the beaver hunting country. This tract which they seem to have taken from the Adirondacks, was bounded on the south by the Mohawk and Oneida cantons, on the east by lake Champlain, on the north by the province of Lower Canada, on the north-west by the river St. Lawrence, and on the west by lake Ontario. Every year bands used to go thither for the purpose of hunting.
The English established a colony at Jamestown. in the state of Virginia in 1606, and the French, one at Quebeck in Lower Canada in 1609. At these periods the Agoneaseah were engaged in war with the Lenni Lenape, Shawnese and Susqueharnocks on the south, and with the Adirondacks and Hurons on the north and west. In the year 1607, Captain John Smith, the founder of the state of Virginia, while exploring the upper parts of Chesapeake bay, fell in with seven of their canoes loaded with warriors. He calls them Massawomekes. This was the name by which the Ago- neaseah were known to the Powhatans. A rencounter ensued be-
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tween them and Smith's party, in which they were vanquished. The Susquehannocks and others were greutly alarmed at the pro- wess of these invaders. How long the war had raged before then, and how long it continued after that time is not known. The Ago- neaseah had at that time fought their way. down, not only the Sus- quehanna and Delaware, but also down the Hudson, as far as its mouth.
In the course of the war, they formed alliances with the Nanti- cockes and Monacans, from whom they derived important aids. The war was long, and for some time doubtful; but at length the Ago- neaseah prevailed, and the Lenni Lenape, and Shawnese, had to conclude an inglorious peace, and place themselves under their protection. They were deprived of some of their hunting grounds, and prohibited from making war or peace.
Upon the conquest and submission of the Lenni Lenape, Shaw- nese, and others in the south, the Agoneaseah sent out several war colonies, who settled in the countries of the vanquished. The Augh-quag-has, who seated themselves at Oquago, on the Susque- hanna in the county of Broome : the Mingoes, who located them- selves on the Obio below Pittsburg, in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio; and the Cohunnawgoes, who planted themselves at and contiguous to Sandusky, were colonies of this description. These watched the movements of the conquered, and served to secure their allegiance.
When the Dutch began the settlement of the New Netherlands, all the Indians residing along the Hudson from its mouth up to Catskill, and those residing on Long Island and in Connecticut adjoining the Sound, were in subjection to the Agoneaseah, and paid them a yearly tribute.
The contest in the north was also long and bloody. The Hurons and Adirondacks suffered severely from the frequent inroads of the Agoneaseah, and were at length unable to make effectual opposi- tion to their arms. The French when they came to Canada, con- cluded alliances with the Adirondacks and Hurons, and espoused their cause, and entered with them into the war. Champlain, the French commander went in person with them in their expeditions. The Adirondacks saw with astonishment the destructive effects of
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. the French arms, in an attack make upon the Agoneaseab at lake . George and other places. The Adirondacks and Hurons, gave a very friendly attention to the French, and intended by their assist- ance to gain their accustomed superiority over their ancient, in- veterate, and haughty foes. They favored the settlements of the French, gave them lands and courted their friendship, and invited them to settle in various parts of their respective countries; and by their assistance, they obtained many and repeated advantages over the Agoneaseah, nor was it until the latter became accustomed to the use and effect of the European arms, that they could make any effectual opposition to an enemy whom they had before defeated and despised. But instead of being disheartened by the new method of war, it served rather to inflame the haughty Agoneaseah with the fiercest resentment against the French. They viewed these strangers as the most destructive of all their enemies; and it became the most important of all objects to carry on a destructive, unceas- ing, and exterminating war with them. Wherever the French went they assisted and encouraged the Adirondacks; but they met with a steady, brave, and bitter enemy in the Agoneaseah. The Adiron- dacks and Hurons were enemies which the Agoneaseah wished to subdue : but the French were every where the chosen victims, and the objects of their most inveterate hatred. ' To have taught a despised enemy how to conquer, to have introduced among them weapons every way superior to their own, were crimes which the fiercest, the most savage and haughty of all the American nations could not forget and forgive.
The Agoneaseah procured arms of the. Dutch, whom they had admitted into their country, and gradually regained their superiority over the Adirondacks and Hurons. Feeling the animation of their regained superiority, they became more fierce, and more insolent than ever. They repeated and redoubled their inroads into Canada against the Hurons, Adirondacks and French, burning towns and villages, devastating the country, murdering the inhabi- tants, or leading them into captivity to grace their savage triumphs.
These inroads became so frequent, and were attended with such slaughters and devastations, that M. Courcelles the governor of Canada in the year 1665, sent out a numerous party against the
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Mohawks, one of the Agonenscan tribes, but it proved abortive. About this time the Agoneaseah conquered and nearly extirpated the Hurons and Erigas, Erians or Andastes. The latter lived on the south side of lake Erie in the state of Ohio. They were so nearly destroyed that they have not been known as an existing people since.
To retrieve the reputation of the French arms : to repress these inroads, and strike the Agoneaseah with terror, M. Courcelles marched through the wilderness, and invaded the country of the Mohawks with twenty companies of foot, and all the militia of Canada, together with the Adirondacks who acted as allies. The Mohawks unable to oppose this formidable invasion, fled to the . woods, and sought refuge in the swamps and fastnesses. The French took Icanderago and other places, and burnt them. Ican- derago was a large town, at the mouth of Schoharie creek. The Mohawks, alarmed at the strength of the invaders, and unable to, cope with them, were obliged to listen to terms of peace, which were concluded in the year 1667.
The Agoneaseah between the years 1663 and 1672, were en- gaged in hostilities with the Massachusetts, Pawtucketts, Penna- cooks, Kennebecks, Pokomtakukes, Quabaugs, Nipmucks, and Nashaways. These tribes in the course of the war, had to break up several of their settlements, and fell back upon the borders of the English plantations. The scarcity of provisions was such, that some of the Indians belonging to those tribes, in order to sub- sist themselves, had to enter into the employment of the planters and labor.
The following is an abstract of some of the operations of this war, taken from Mr. Daniel Gookin's sketches of the Indians of New England.
In the summer of 1669, divers of the eastern Iudians united their forces together to the number of six or seven hundred men, and marched into the country of the Mohawks. They were com- manded by Chekatabutt a sachem of the Massachusetts. The march to the Mohawk forts was about two hundred miles. The Indians, Mr. Gookins remarks, are slow in their march when hey are in a body, for they have to provide food as they travel, by
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hunting, fishing, and gathering roots, &c. This Indian army at last came to the Mohawk's nearest fort, which their enemies had by this time well strengthened, fortified, and furnished with men and victuals. This fort Chekatabutt besieged for some days. Several skirmishes ensued between the besiegers and the besieged. In one of these, a stout party of the Mohawks sallied out upon the be- siegers. Both parties fought with great bravery, and several men were slain. The Mohawks at length fell back into the fort. Soon after this affair, Chekatabutt was obliged to raise the siege, in con- sequence of a want of ammunition and provisions. In his retreat he had to leave his sick and wounded. The Mohawks pursued them, and making a compass got before them, and placed them- selves in ambush at a pass having deep swamps on each side. Here they attacked the army of Chekatabutt by stealth, while on their return home, and killed a great number. In this action, the com- . mander of the Eastern Indians and most of his officers fell. The victory, however, was dearly purchased by the Mohawks, as Che- katabutt and his men fought very bravely when they found then- . selves entrapped and hemmed in. This was the last and most bloody battle between the Mohawks and Eastern Indians.
The Agoneaseah in 1678, invaded the country of the Illinoise with six hundred men, commanded by Tagancourte a Seneca, (T. Sonnontouan,) and Agoustot a Desonontage. The Illinoise opposed them with five hundred men. Twenty-five Frenchmen under M. de Salle acted as auxilliaries, and media ted a peace. The Illinoise were at first in the utinost consternation, and would have abandoned their country, had it not been for the persuasions of the French. So great a dread did the warlike Agoneaseah in- spire among distant nations. See M. de Salle's travels.
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