USA > Ohio > Pioneer history : being an account of the first examinations of the Ohio valley, and the early settlement of the Northwest territory ; chiefly from original manuscripts > Part 7
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" May 23d. We arrived at the mouth of Scioto, where we encamped.
" May 26th. Several of the Shawanees came there, and brought with them seven French traders, which they deliv- ered to me, those being all that resided in their villages ;
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and told me there was yet six more living with the Dela- wares; that on their return to their towns they would go to the Delawares and get them to send those French traders home ; and told me they were determined to do every thing in their power to convince me of their sincerity and good disposition to preserve a peace.
" May 28th. We set off down the river, and on the 6th of June, we arrived at the mouth of the Ouabache, where we found a breast work put up by the Indians, and saw several trails which we suspected had been made by some Indians who might have been sent there to way-lay us; on which we proceeded six miles lower down the river and encamped.
" June 7th. I dispatched two Indians off to the Illinois, with a letter to Mr. Fraser, and another to Mr. St. Ange, by which I acquainted Mr. Fraser of my success in settling matters with the different nations at Fort Pitt. I furnished those two deputies with wampum to acquaint the nations there of what had passed at Fort Pitt, which I judged neces- sary in order to facilitate the good of the service, should Mr. La Guetrie be arrived there.
"June 8th. At day-break we were attacked by a party of eighty warriors of the Kickapoos and Musquatomies, who killed three of the Shawanee deputies, and wounded another. Two of my men were killed. They then plun- dered us of every thing we had, our Indians as well as us, and then made us prisoners. After this, they told us they were sorry for what had happened; that they had been em- ployed by the French, their fathers, who had told them it was Cherokees who were with me, and that there was no peace made with the Shawanees, Delawares, and Six Nations. They then set the Indian prisoners at liberty, taking me and my party with them.
" June 15th. We arrived at Post Vincent, where there is a French village of about eighty houses, and an Indian vil- lage of the Pyankeshas. Here I met several Indians whom
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I had been acquainted with, who spoke to the party I was with, and desired them to take great care of me, until the chiefs of the several nations would return from the Illinois, where they had gone in order to meet me, and reprimanded this party for their bad conduct. Here I was informed by the French, of the arrival of M. La Guetrie and M. Sin- nott, at the Illinois, with an account of the ill treatment Mr. Fraser had met with, and likewise of the ill reception Mr. Sinnott met with on his arrival there.
"June 16th. The Indians allowed me to write to Mr. St. Ange, but would not suffer me to send a letter to Mr. Sin- nott; nor could I get any Frenchman in that town to furnish me with pen, ink or paper, without the consent of the Indians.
" June 17th. We set off, and on the 23d arrived at the Weotonan, where this party had set out from. On my ar- rival at this place, I met numbers of Indians with whom I was formerly well acquainted, and who were extremely civil to me and my party.
" June 30th. The several chiefs belonging to those vil- lages at Weotonan arrived from the Illinois, and there were with them the chiefs of several other nations, who came to see me, and expressed their great concern at what had happened.
"July 1st. A Frenchman arrived from the Illinois with a pipe and speech, from thence to the Kickapoos and Mus- quatamies, to have me burnt. This speech was said to be sent from a Shawanese Indian, who resides at the Illinois, and has been during the war, and is much attached to the French interest. As soon as the speech was delivered to the Indians, by the French, the Indians informed me of it in council, and expressed their great concern for what had already happened, and told me they then set me and my people at liberty, and assured me they despised the message sent them, and would return the pipe and belt to their fathers, the French, and inquire into the reason of such a message
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being sent them, by one of his messengers ; and desired me to stay with them until the deputies of the Six Nations, Shawanees and Delawares, arrived with Pondiac at Weoto- nan, in order to settle matters; to which I consented.
" On the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th June, I had several conferences with the Waweotonans, Pyankeshas, Kicka- poos, and Musquatamies, in which conferences I was lucky enough to reconcile these nations to his Majesty's interest, and obtain their consent and approbation to take posses- sion of any posts in their country which the French for- merly possessed, and an offer of their services, should any nation oppose our taking possession of it; all which they confirmed by four large pipes.
" July 11th. Mr. Maisonville arrived with an interpreter, and a message to the Indians, to bring me and my party to the Illinois. Until then I had no answer from Mr. St. Ange to the letter I wrote him, of the 16th of June. As I wanted to go to the Illinois, I desired the chiefs to prepare them- selves, and set off with me as soon as possible.
" July 12th. I wrote to General Gage and Sir William Johnson, to Colonel Campbell at Detroit, Major Murray at Fort Pitt, and Major Firmer on his way up the Mississippi, and acquainted them with every thing that had happened since my departure from Fort Pitt.
"July 13th. The chiefs of the Tawightwis came to me from the Miamis, and renewed their ancient friendship with his Majesty and all his subjects in America, and con- firmed it with a pipe.
" 18th. I set off for the Illinois with the chiefs of all those nations, when we met with the deputies of the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawanees, which accompanied Mr. Fraser and myself down the Ohio, with Pondiac, with speeches and deputies from the four nations living in the Illinois country, to me and the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawanees ; on which we returned to Weotonan, and there held another conference, in which I settled all matters with
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the Illinois Indians. Pondiac and they agreed to every thing the other nations had done, and confirmed it by pipes and belts ; but told me the French had informed them, that the English were intending to take their country from them and give it to the Cherokees to settle on ; and that if ever they suffered the English to take possession of their coun- try, they would make slaves of them; that this was the rea- son of their opposing the English hitherto from taking pos- session of Fort Chartres,* and induced them to tell M. La Guetrie, and Mr. Sinnott, that they would not let the Eng- lish come into their country ; but being informed, since Mr. Sinnott went away, by the deputies of the six nations, Del- awares and Shawanees, that every difference subsisting between them and the English was now settled, they were willing to comply, as the other nations, their brethren, had
* FORT CHARTRES.
This fort was originally built by the French in the year 1720, to defend themselves against the Spaniards, who were then attempting to make settle- ments near the mouth of the Mississippi. The location was half a mile from the river, in the northwest corner of the present Randolph county, Illinois. It was rebuilt in 1756, and was said to be the most complete and perfect work of the kind in North America. The material was stone, laid up in regular ma- sonry, with walls two feet thick and fifteen feet high. The form was an irreg- ular quadrangle, four hundred and ninety feet in circumference. There were loop holes at intervals for musketry, with two port holes for cannon, in each face, and two in the flanks of each bastion. The entrance was through a hand- some rustic gate. All the cornices and casements were of free-stone, worked smooth. Large buildings were erected within the walls for the accommoda- tion of the officers and men,- with store-houses, &c., all of solid masonry. In 1765, when the English took possession of the country, it was in a perfect condition. The French commander, Mons. de St. Ange, marched his troops to St. Louis and took the command of that post, from which time it became the capital of Upper Louisiana. Fort Chartres was the seat of government for Illinois, while under the French, and afterwards the head quarters of the Eng- lish commanding officer for this region. In the village of Fort Chartres, there were forty French families, when ceded to King George, who all left the homes of their childhood and emigrated to St. Louis. For many years the fort has been in ruins, and the forest is fast regaining possession of the site. Kaskaskia was founded as early as 1690, by the French, on the right bank of the Kaskaskia river, four miles from the mouth."-Hall's Sketches.
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done; and desired that their father, the king of England, might not look upon his taking possession of the forts which the French formerly possessed, to give his subjects a title to their country, as they never had sold any part of it to the French, and that I might rest satisfied that whenever the English came to take possession, they would receive them with open arms.
" 25th. I set off for Detroit, having settled every thing with those several nations to the westward, and was ac- companied by several chiefs of those nations, which were going to Detroit to meet Colonel Bradstreet, agreeable to his invitation to them last winter, by Mr. Maisonville. As I passed by the Tawightwi villages and the Ottaway's vil- lages, on the Miami river, they delivered me all the Eng- lish prisoners they had, and I found, as I passed by those villages, that several of the Indians had set off for Detroit to meet Colonel Bradstreet.
" August 17th. I arrived at Detroit, where I found seve- ral small tribes of Ottawas, Pottewatemies, and Chippewas, waiting, in consequence of Colonel Bradstreet's invitation to see him. Here I met Mr. Dequanee and Waobecomica, with a deputation of Indians from Niagara, with messages from Sir William Johnson to Pondiac, and those western nations.
"23d. Colonel Campbell and I had a meeting with the Tawightwis, Waweotonans, Pyankeshas, Kickapoos and Musquatamies ; when they produced the several belts sent them by Colonel Bradstreet, in consequence of which invi- tation they came here. Then they spoke to the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawanees, on several pipes and belts, beg- ging in the most abject manner, that they would forgive them for the ill conduct of their young men ; to take pity on their women and children, and grant them peace.
They then spoke to the Colonel and me on several pipes and belts, expressing their great satisfaction at a firm and lasting peace being settled between their brethren, the
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English, and the several Indian nations in this country ; that they saw the heavy cloud that hung over their heads for some time past was now dispersed, and that the sun shined clear and bright; and that as their father, the king of England, has conquered the French in this country, and taken under his protection all the Indian nations, they hoped for the future they would be a happy people; and that for the time to come, they should always call the Eng- lish their fathers, and begged we would take pity on their women and children, and make up the difference subsisting between them and the Shawanees, Delawares and Six Na- tions ; and said, as we are come here in consequence of Colonel Bradstreet's invitation, and that as he had not met them, they hoped their fathers would pity their necessity and give them a little clothing, and a little rum to drink on the road, as we have come a great way to see you, our fathers. Then the Wyandots spoke to the Shawanees and all the western nations, on several belts and strings, by which they exhorted the several nations to behave them- selves well to their fathers, the English, who had now taken them under their protection ; that if they did they would be a happy people ; that if they did not listen to the councils of their fathers, they must take the consequences, having assured them that all nations to the sun rising had taken fast hold of their fathers, the English, by the hand, and would follow their advice, and do every thing they desired them, and never would let slip the chain of friendship now so happily renewed.
"24th. We had another meeting with the several nations, when the Waweotonans, Tawightwis, Pyan- keshas, Kickapoos, and Musquatamies, made several speeches to Colonel Campbell and me, in presence of all the other nations, when they acknowledged themselves to be the children of the king of Great Britain ; and further ac- knowledged that they had, at Weotonan, before they came here, given up the sovereignty of their country to me for
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his majesty, and promised to support his subjects in taking possession of all the posts given up by the French, their former fathers, to the English, now their present fathers ; all which they confirmed with a belt.
"25th. We had another meeting with the same Indians, when Colonel Campbell and I made them several speeches in answer to theirs of the 23d and 24th. Then delivered them a road belt, in the name of Sir William Johnson, bar- onet, to open a road from the rising to the setting of the sun ; which we charged them to keep open through their country, and cautioned them to stop their ears against the stories or idle reports of evil minded people, and continue to promote the good works of peace ; all which they prom- ised to do in a most sincere manner.
" 26th. Colonel Campbell and I made those nations some presents, when, after taking leave of us, they set off for their own country, well satisfied.
" 27th. We had a meeting with Pondiac and all the Ot- tawa tribes, Chippewas and Pottewatemies, with the Hurons of this place, and the chiefs of those settled at Sandusky and the Miami river, when we made them the following speeches -"
The speeches are brief, and relate chiefly to their keeping the peace in sincerity and good faith. On the following day, or the 28th August, they had another meeting with the Indians, when Pondiac made the following speech, which is worth preserving, as coming from so celebrated a man :
" Father -We have all smoked out of this pipe of peace. It is your children's pipe, and as the war is all over, and the Great Spirit and Giver of Light, who has made the earth, and every thing therein, has brought us all together this day for our mutual good, to promote the good works of peace, I declare to all nations that I have settled my peace with you before I came here, and now deliver my pipe to be sent to Sir William Johnson, that he may know I have made peace, and taken the king of England for my father, in
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presence of all the nations now assembled, and whenever any of those nations go to visit him, they may smoke out of it with him in peace. Fathers, we are obliged to you for lighting up our old council fire for us, and desiring us to return to it; but we are now settled on the Miami river, not far from hence; whenever you want us, you will find us there ready to wait on you. The reason why I choose to stay where we are now settled is, that we love liquor, and to be so near this as we formerly lived, our people would be always drunk, which might occasion some quarrels be- tween the soldiers and our people. This, father, is all the reason I have for our not returning to our old settlements ; and where we live is so nigh this place, that when we want to drink, we can easily come for it. [Gave a large pipe, with a belt of wampum tied to it.]
"Father - Be strong and take pity on us, your children, as our former father did. It is just the hunting season of your children. Our fathers, the French, formerly used to credit his children, for powder and lead to hunt with. I re- quest, in behalf of all the nations present, that you will speak to the traders now here, to do the same. My father, once more, I request that you tell your traders, to give your children credit for a little powder and lead, as the support of our families depends upon it. We have told you where we live, not far from here, that whenever you want us, and let us know, we will come directly to you. [A belt.]
" Father-You have stopped up the rum barrel, when we came here, until the business of this meeting was over. As it is now finished, we request you may open the barrel, that your children may drink and be merry."
There were present at this treaty about thirty chiefs and five hundred warriors. A list of the tribes is given, and the names of the chiefs. This was the last public transaction,. in which Pondiac was engaged with the English. The year following, in a council with the Indians on the Illinois, this
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noted chief was stabbed to the heart, by an Indian who had long followed him for that purpose.
"29th. A deputation of several nations set out from Detroit, for the Illinois country, with several messages from me to the Wyandotts, Six Nations, Delawares, Shawanees, and other nations, in answer to theirs, delivered me at Weotonan.
"30th. The chiefs of the several nations who are settled on Ouabache returned to the Detroit, from the river Roche, where they had been encamped, and informed Colonel Campbell and me they were now going for their own country ; and that nothing gave them greater pleasure than to see, that all the western nations and tribes had agreed to a general peace, and that they should be glad how soon their fathers, the English, would take possession of the posts in their country, which had formerly been in possession of their late fathers, the French, to open a trade for them ; and if this could not be done this fall, they desired that some traders might be sent to their villages, to supply them for the winter, or else they would be obliged to go to the Illinois, to apply to their old fathers, the French, for such necessaries as they might want.
"They then spoke on a belt, and said: Fathers, every thing is now settled, and we have agreed to your taking possession in our country. We have been informed that the English, wherever they settle, make the country their own; and you tell us that when you conquered the French, they gave you this country. That no difference may hap- pen hereafter, we tell you the French never purchased a foot of our country, nor have they a right to give it to you. We gave them liberty to settle, and they were always very civil to us, when they had it in their power ; but as they now are become your people, if you expect to keep those posts as your own property, we will expect to have equiva- lent made us, for such parts of our country as you may want to possess. [A belt.]
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" September 2d. The chiefs of the Wyandots, or Hurons, came to me and said they had spoke last summer, to Sir William Johnson, at Niagara, about the lands on which the French had settled near Detroit, belonging to them, and desired I would mention it again to him ; that they never had sold it to the French, and expected their new fathers, the English, would do them justice, as the French was become one people with us. [A belt.]
"4th. Pondiac, with several chiefs of the Hurons, Chip- pewas and Pottewatemies, likewise complained that the French had settled part of their country, which they never had sold to them, and hoped their fathers, the English, would take it into consideration, and see that a proper satis- faction was made to them ; that their country was very large, and they were willing to give up any part of it that was necessary for their fathers, the English, to carry on trade- provided they were paid for it, and a sufficient part of the country left for them to hunt on. [A belt.]
"6th. The Saginaw Indians came here and made a speech on a belt of wampum, expressing their satisfaction on hearing that a general peace was made with all the western nations and with Pondiac. They desired a little powder and lead, to enable them to hunt on their way home, and a little rum, to drink their new father's health." [A belt.]
N. B. The transactions of the 9th and 11th are written with such poor ink, and so faded, that they cannot be deciphered.
"12th. The grand sauton, and a party of Ottawas and Chippewas, from Chicago, sent me word they would come in the morning and see me.
" 13th. The grand sauton came, with his band, and spoke as follows :
"Father-You sent me a belt from the Miami, and as soon as I received it I set off to meet you here. On my way, I heard what has passed between you and the several
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tribes that met you here. You have had pity on them; and I beg, in behalf of myself and the people of Chicago, that you will have pity on us also. It is true, we have been foolish, and listened to evil reports and the whistling of bad birds. We, red people, are a very jealous people; and, father, among you, white people, there are bad people also, that tell us lies and deceive us, which has been the occasion of what is past. I need not say much on this head. I am now convinced I have been wrong led for some years past. But there are people that have behaved worse than I and my people, and you have pardoned them. I hope you to do the same to us, that our women and children may enjoy the blessings of peace, as the rest of our brethren, the red people; and you shall be convinced, by our future conduct, that we will behave as well as any tribe of your children in this country. [A belt.]
"He then said, the St. Joseph Indians would have come along with me, but the English prisoner, which their fathers want from them, was some distance off a-hunting. As soon as they could get him, they would deliver him up, and beg forgiveness of their fathers, as they did at present.
" 14th. I had a private meeting with the grand sauton, when he told me he was well disposed for peace last fall, but was then sent for to the Illinois, where he met with Pondiac; and that then their fathers, the French, told them, if they would be strong, and keep the English out of the possession of that country but this summer, that the king of France would send over an army next spring, to assist his children, the Indians; and that the king of Spain would likewise send troops, to help them to keep the English out of the country; that the English were a bad people, and had a design to cut off all the Indian nations in this country, and to bring the southern Indians to live and settle there. This account made all the Indians very uneasy in their minds; and, after holding a council among themselves, they all determined to oppose the English, and not suffer them
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to take possession of the Illinois; that, for his part, he be- haved as ill as the rest to the British officers that went there this spring; but since, he has been better informed of the goodness of the English, and convinced the French told them lies for the love of their beavers. He was now deter- mined, with all his people, to become faithful and dutiful children to their new fathers, the English, and pay no regard to any stories the French should tell him in future.
"15th. Colonel Campbell and I had a meeting with the grand sauton, at which we informed him of every thing that has passed with the several nations and tribes ; and told him we accepted him and his people in friendship, and would forgive them as we had the rest of the tribes, and forget what was past, provided their future conduct should convince us of their sincerity. After which we gave them some presents, for which he returned thanks, and departed very well satisfied.
" 19th. I received a letter from Colonel Reed, by express, acquainting me of Captain Sterling setting out from Fort Pitt, with a hundred men of the forty second regiment, to take possession of Fort Chartres, in the Illinois country.
" 20th. I sent off Aaron Andrew, express to Captain Sterling at the Illinois, and with messages to the several nations in that country and those on the Ouabache, to ac- quaint them of Captain Sterling's departure from Fort Pitt for the Illinois country.
"25th. The chiefs of the St. Joseph Indians arrived, and addressed themselves to Colonel Campbell and me, as follows : .
"Fathers-We are come here to see you, although we are not acquainted with you. We had a father formerly, with whom we were very well acquainted, and never dif- fered with him. You have conquered him some time ago; and when you came here first, though your hands were all bloody, you took hold of us by the hands, and used us well, and we thought we should be happy with our brethern.
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But soon an unlucky difference happened, which threw us all into confusion. Where this arose we do not know, but we assure you we were the last that entered into the quar- rel. The Indians of this place solicited us often to join them, but we would not listen to them. At last they got the better of our foolish young warriors, but we never agreed to it; we knew it would answer no end, and told them, often, they were fools, and if they succeeded in kil- ling the few English in this country, they would not kill them all, because we knew you to be a great people.
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