USA > Ohio > The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777 > Part 12
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62 The "Angelica" was wrecked on the lakes in the autumn of 1783 .- ED.
63 Fort Erie, at the lower end of Lake Erie, on the west bank of Niagara River, was built in 1764 by Capt. John Mon- tressor, who prepared the way for Col. John Bradstreet's ex- pedition to Detroit. During the Revolution it was maintained chiefly as a supply depot. It was rebuilt at intervals (1778, 1790, 1807), and during the War of 1812-15 was an important factor in the British-American contest. After a spirited de-
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151
AT NIAGARA
significant [fort] garrisoned by 20 Men) during the months of may and June, one of them once took all the others, with Detroit and Michilimacinack falls Presguile" is only Ninety miles from Fort Erie.
INDIANS VISIT NIAGARA
[Summary of printed documents in Amer. Archives, 4th series, v, pp. 815-820.]
In a letter of Richard Butler" dated at Fort Pitt, April 8, 1776, he states that Kiasola66 with two mes-
fense during August and September, 1814, the Americans blew up the fort upon their departure in November. The ruins re- mained until 1860 or later. The Canadian government has since rebuilt and regarrisoned this fort .- ED.
64 Fort Presqu'isle was built (1753) on the site of the present Erie, Pa., by a French expedition under the leadership of Captain Marin. In 1758 it was greatly strengthened, but upon the capture of Forts Pitt (1758) and Niagara (1759) was abandoned by the French and secured by the British. The English garrison at this point fell victims to Pontiac's conspir- acy in 1763; and here, the following year, Bradstreet held a conference with the tribesmen. The fort was not rebuilt dur- ing the Revolution; but in 1793 Wayne reared a block-house on this site, and here he died (1796) two years after his great victory. A garrison was maintained here until the breaking- out of the War of 1812-15, when Erie became an important naval station, being the harbor whence Perry's fleet issued for the battle of Lake Erie. The naval station was not finally abandoned until 1825 .- ED.
65 Gen. Richard Butler was born in Ireland in 1743. When quite young his father brought him to Pennsylvania, where he grew up in the Cumberland Valley. About 1770, with his brother William, he embarked in the Indian trade at Fort Pitt. A partisan of Pennsylvania during the boundary disputes, But- ler did not serve under Dunmore, and was opposed to all of
66 Kiasola is another form of the Seneca name Guyashusta, for whom sec ante, p. 38, note 65 .- ED.
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sengers from Colonel Butler,"7 commandant at Ni- agara, came to Fort Pitt recently, with a letter to Captain McKee. As Kiasola was determined to go to Niagara, Agent Butler sent him off with several mes- sages intended to secure the Indians, especially the Delawares, in their neutrality.
The Indians are alarmed at the exorbitant price of goods, which Agent Butler explains as occasioned by the war.
April 9. he continues his letter, with news of the arrival of John Gibson, with several Shawnee, who come bringing in white prisoners, according to the agreement at the treaty of 1775.GS
Connolly's measures. After the Fort Pitt treaty of 1775, he was appointed by Congress as Indian agent at Fort Pitt, an office held by him until May, 1776, when he was superseded by George Morgan. In July of the same year. Butler was made major of the continental line; becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1777, he became one of the most efficient Revolutionary offi- cers, serving, however, largely in the Eastern army. At the close of the war he retired with the brevet of brigadier-gen- eral. In 1784 he was chosen superintendent of Indian affairs, commissioner for several Indian treaties, and while second in command of St. Clair's army, fell in the battle of November, 1791 .- ED.
67 Col. John Butler was a native of Connecticut, who early removed to the Mohawk Valley, and became a trusted assist- ant of Sir William Johnson, acting as interpreter in Indian councils, and as leader of war-parties in the French and In- dian War. On the outbreak of the Revolution he adhered to the Royalist side, and was left in New York by Sir John John- son when he retired to Canada, in charge of the affairs of the Six Nations. In 1777 he enlisted a company of rangers that devasted the New York frontier, took part in the battle of Oriskany, and led the raid against Wyoming (1778). It is said that his conduct on that occasion lost him the honor of knighthood. After the Revolution he retired to Canada, re- ceived a pension from the government, and died at Niagara in 1794 .- ED.
68 See ante, p. 126 .- ED.
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IN KENTUCKY
The Indians complain of a survey made recently by Col. William Crawford for John Harvie and Charles Simms,69 of an island below Pittsburgh, that is claimed by John Montour.
ALARM IN KENTUCKY
[John Floyd to Col. William Preston. 33S291 - transcript made by Draper.]
POWELL'S VALLEY, TO Ist May, 1776.
DEAR COLONEL-We have been much discouraged on the way by alarms &c, but on our arrival here find the greatest part of the news to be false. I met so many people removing in, as I went down Holston that I thought it best to leave my negro wench & her child on the way. I need say nothing about the mis- chief that has been done, as Mr Lee, brother to Willis Lee, who is killed, can give you a history of the whole
60 John Harvie was a son of Thomas Jefferson's guardian, who lived at "Belmont" in Albemarle County, Virginia. The younger Harvie represented West Augusta district in the Vir- ginia conventions of 1775 and 1776, and in May of the latter year was chosen one of the Indian commissioners for the Middle Department. Later he was a member of the Conti- mental Congress, and had charge of the prisoners captured at Burgoyne's surrender, whom he quartered near his home in Albemarle. Through Jefferson's good offices Harvie was ap- pointed register of the land office at Richmond, whither he removed at the close of the Revolution, and where he was mayor in 1786. He died at his home, "Belvidere," near Rich- mond, in 1807. His wife was a daughter of Gabriel Jones. the well-known Augusta County lawyer.
For Col. Charles Simms see Dunmore's War, p. 317, note 34 .- ED.
70 For Powell's Valley see Ibid., p. 4, note 6 .- ED.
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that may be relied on.71 We are all well, & are 6 in number. Mr Todd?2 overtook us last night.
Capt. Martin's compliments to you.
JNO. FLOYD. 73
71 Willis Lee of Fauquier County, Virginia, visited Kentucky in 1774 with his cousin, Hancock Taylor, and other surveyors (sce Ibid., p. 23), and was wounded when Taylor was killed. Lec recovered, and returned to Kentucky the following year, laying out the site of Leestown, a mile below Frankfort on the Kentucky River. The brother to whom Floyd refers was Han- cock Lee, under whom George Rogers Clark was engaged as surveyor for the Ohio Company (1775). Willis Lee visited Kentucky in 1773, and again in 1774 when he joined McDon- ald's Wapatomica expedition. Having built cabins at Lecs- town, that had been attacked by Indians (see post), he was now returning to Virginia .- En.
72 Gen. Levi Todd, born in Pennsylvania in 1756, was edu- cated in Virginia, and went to Kentucky with Floyd in 1776. In 1777, he was first clerk of Kentucky County, and the next year was a lieutenant in Clark's Kaskaskia expedition. After the taking of that town he went on a secret mission to the Spaniards across the river, and then escorted Clark's prison- ers to Virginia. In 1779 he commanded a company on Bow- man's expedition, and in the autumn of that year laid out a station ten miles above Lexington, but soon removed to the latter place as more protected, and was one of the first lot- holders of that town. In 1782, as major of militia, he col- lected a force to relieve Bryant's Station, and took part in the battle of Blue Licks, wherein his brother fell. All his life in public employ, he became a brigadier and finally a major-gen- cral of militia. From the time of the organization of Fayette County, he was clerk of the court, and a member of both Dan- ville conventions to agitate the new-state movement. He died at his home in Lexington in 1807, leaving a large family. One granddaughter became the wife of Abraham Lincoln .- ED.
73 For Capt. Joseph Martin, at whose house Floyd no doubt wrote this letter, see Dunmore's War, p. 235, note 64. For Floyd. Ibid., p. 9, note 13 .- ED.
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155
TROUBLE PREDICTED
PROTECTION FOR THE FRONTIER
[ Patrick Lockhart to the chairman of the Botetourt commit- tee. IU16-A. L. S.]
WILLIAMSBURG 14th May 1776
SIR-Capt John Gibson who arrived here yesterday Informs us that there is a great Probability that they Wayndott Taway & other Indians will be Trouble- some on our Frontiers this Summer. They have been to the De Troit & Recd. Presents from the Command- ant there; an application was made to the Convention & a Supply of 5001b Gunpowder is ordered for your County which will be forwarded with all Possible Des- patch also Barr Lead is to be Procured from Chissells Mines" & I hope that if they should Attempt any thing on our Frontiers that Perhaps the Inhabitants will endeavor to Repel them; I shall apply in the Morning to the Committee of Safety who is to send the Gunpowder to the Care of your County Com- mittee & Expects they will write you in regard to it I also beg leave to inform you that a Resolve is past in the Convention that the Money Collected to Purchase Gunpowder &c. is to be return'd to the Re- spective Persons that paid it & any Ammun [it ]ion Fur. nished is to be a Public Charge therefore I think it might be returned the People at any time that there was an Opportunity on their Producing the Rects given by the Collectors.
I am Sir your mº Hble Servt
PAT LOCKHART 75
74 For location of these mines, see Ibid., p. 52, note 90 .- ED.
75 Patrick Lockhart was a prominent merchant of Botetourt, who represented his county in the Virginia legislature of 1776.
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N. B. M' Gibson reports that the Shanese & Dela- wares does not seem to have any Hostile Intention against [us].
P. L.
The Chairman of the Committee of Botetourt.
[Col. William Preston to Col. William Fleming. IU18 - A. L. S.]
May the 30th. 1776
SIR-I am Just Favoured with Yours of the 27th covering a Copy of a Letter from Capt Lockhart to the Chairman of Botetourt Committee.
Should the Tawaws, Wyandots & those Tribes be- yond the Ohio break out, this County and the Inhabi- tants on Greenbrier will be in a distrest Situation ; But if the Shawnesse & Delawares &, Mingoes do not Join them, I can hardly think they would undertake a. War at so great a Distance. However, be that as it will, it is our Duty to endeavour all we can to be prepared for the , worst. The Supply of Ammunition given by the Convention will be a great encouragement to the People on the Frontiers who were intirely des. titute of that Article. 76
* *
Tho' the Supply Granted by the Convention will be a great Relief.to the Frontiers, yet I cannot conceive
His name appears as late as 1789 in the annals of that state, serving as trustee for erecting towns, as member of the James River Improvement Company, and as major of militia for his county .- ED.
76 The omitted portions deal with the outbreak of the Cher- okee, and the preparation for war in the Southwest .- ED.
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TROUBLE PREDICTED
that it will be sufficent in case of a War, which we ought at all Events to be prepared for. Therefore I am of Opinion it would be imprudent not to lay up a larger Stock of Powder, and of Course that the Collection ought not to be refunded, at least for some time. Should there be no Occasion to use the Powder in our Defence, it will at a future Day sell for the same, or nearly so, that it costs; then the Money may be returned & no Man Injured except by laying a little longer out of a very triffle. Should there be Occasion to use it for the General Defence of the Country, then the Public will Refund the Money to the Committees who can readily repay it to the People. These Steps I hope will be taken by our Committee, and I would fain hope will be adopted by Yours.
I expect a Man toNight or toMorrow from the lower Settlement of Holston for Powder If he brings any Interesting News I shall Communicate it to you, and shall always be glad to Co-operate with you in every Measure that may be for the Safety and Pro- tection of the Frontiers.
I have some Intention of going to Botetourt next Week, if I go down, I shall do myself the Pleasure to spend an Evening with you, when we can talk those Matters fully over, & fix on some general Plan for the Defence of the Frontiers untill Instructions can be rec" from the Committee [of safety], to whom I have forwarded all the Int [Ms. torn] I recd from the Westward. In [the mean] time beleive me to be Dr Sir
Your sincere Wellwisher & hble servt
Wm PRESTON
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GARRISON FOR POINT PLEASANT; INDIAN AFFAIRS
[Summary of printed documents.]77
George Morgan writes to Lewis Morris, May 16 1776, from Pittsburgh, where he has just arrived to supersede Richard , Butler in the conduct of Indian affairs. Capt. Matthew Arbuckle78 with a company of Virginia troops left Fort Pitt, May 15, for the Great Kanawha. The Seneca Indians are to be suspected, and Morgan fears that an expedition from Niagara is being planned against Pittsburgh, because the carry- ing place (portage)" has been lately reconnoitred. In June he expects several Seneca chiefs,so with Shawnee and Delawares, and hopes for deputies from the Wabash confederacy.81
May 31, 1776, Morgan wrote to the commandant at Detroit to the effect that he had heard of letters
77 The following summary is compiled from Amer. Archives, 4th series, vi, pp. 474, 475; and Joseph H. Bausman, History of Beaver County (N. Y., 1904), p. 70, which contains extracts from Morgan's letter-book preserved in the Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh .- ED.
78 For a brief sketch of Capt. Matthew Arbuckle, see Dun- more's War, p. 103, note 49 .- ED.
79 The carrying place, or portage, here referred to, would on first thought be that between Erie ( Presqu'isle), Pa., and French Creck, where old Fort Le Bœuf had stood. This por- tage, however, was thirteen miles in length, so that probably Morgan had in mind the Chautauqua portage, which although rougher is shorter; about nine miles by the old road cut by Céloron in 1749 .- ED.
80 See description of negotiations by Seneca chief, post .- ED.
81 The Wabash (Anabache, Ouabache) confederacy con- sisted of the various branches of the Miami tribe situated on that river, together with the remnants of Mascoutin and Kick- apoo tribes that had settled near old Fort Ouiatanon, on the upper Wabash .- ED.
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BLACKSNAKE'S NARRATIVE
having been sent to him that had not reached Fort Pitt. He informs his correspondent that no colonial army is now on the march to Detroit; but the fron- tier settlers are prepared to defend themselves should the Indians attack them ..
CONFERENCE AT FORT PITT
[ Blacksnake's account of a visit to Pittsburgh. 16F109-114.]82
When I was about fourteen years of my age 3 I have than, taken more Notice of our chiefs councils
82 The following account is taken from the life of Gover- nor Blacksnake, dictated by him in 1845-46 to Benjamin Williams, a partially-educated half-breed, at Dr. Draper's re- quest. As it is impossible to verify the dates, the account is inserted at this point as probably referring to the conference which Morgan says he expects with three Seneca chiefs; this meeting must have taken place some time in the summer of 1776. The document is interesting as giving an Indian's recol- lections of the sort of conferences held at Fort Pitt during this season. The spelling and phraseology have a decided aboriginal cast .- ED.
83 Blacksnake was a Seneca chieftain, born in pre-Revolu- tionary times, but still living in 1850, when Dr. Draper visited him at his home in Cold Spring, Cattaraugus County, N. Y. The latter secured a highly-interesting and valuable interview with the aged chieftain, who said that he was born two years before Johnson defeated the French at Fort George (1755), and that he recollected his capture of Niagara (1759), as well as the Devil's Hole massacre (1763). He was appointed war- chief at the Oswego treaty (1777), and took the war-path against Fort Schuyler, being in the battle of Oriskany, the raids on Wyoming, Cherry Valley, Canajoharie, Schoharie, etc. In 1784, Blacksnake attended the treaty of Fort Stanwix, and afterwards visited Congress at New York and met Wash- ington. During the Indian war of 1790-95, Blacksnake kept neutral, and abided by the treaty of Fort Harmar (1789), which he had signed under another name-Blacksnake not being his customary appelation until 1812. During the War of 1812-15, he assisted the Americans against the British .- ED.
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affairs, at that times my Recollection than [then] was . good. Especially the importand Subject and Views of the many Differance Nations and tribes of Indians Residance of one Body, 1
In the month of April, 1763 [1775] the messenger from Albany arrived at avone, to Notify to our chiefs to attendans to a convention to be held at Pittsbough, for the purpose for communicating, with the Six Na- tions of Indians, Concerning of the Difficulties Ex- sisted Between their own, Brother great Britain and America. Supose in order to understanding Between Americans and the Indians &c.
Cornplanter and Redjackett&# was the head men
84 Cornplanter and Red Jacket were two of the best known Seneca chiefs, the former a warrior and a promoter of civili- zation, the latter an orator and an advocate of old Indian cus- toms. They were, therefore, frequently in opposition, al- though in the early period of their lives they acted in con- cert.
Cornplanter (or John O'Bail) was a half-breed, son of an Irish trader and a Seneca mother. He was born in the Seneca country and belonged to the Wolf clan. In the Devil's Hole massacre (1763), Cornplanter was near by as a guard. He finally joined the British cause, was made war-chief at Os- wego in 1777, and took part in the battle of Oriskany and the raids on Cherry Valley and Wyoming. In 1779 he com- manded raiding parties, one of which attacked Fort Freelands, while the other was defeated at Brady's Bend. In the follow- ing year, he captured his own father in a Canajoharie raid, but at his request quickly released him. Having signed the Fort Stanwix treaty of 1784, he became somewhat unpopular with his tribe and visited New York to treat for an under- standing regarding the land sales. He was accorded a grant on the Allegheny River, seventeen miles above Warren, where he established a farm, built a saw-mill, and devoted himself to the elevation of his people, particularly preaching abstinence from intoxicating liquors. He died on his farm in 1836.
Red Jacket (or Sagoyewatha-he who keeps them awake) was born near Geneva, N. Y., about 1750. His first participa- tion in public affairs occurred in the Revolution, where he op-
?
Governor Blacksnake
Seneca chief After a photograph in the possession of the Wisconsin Historical Society
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BLACKSNAKE'S NARRATIVE
among the Seneca chiefs and other Nations of Indians connected with the Iroquois, they again Called the Second time to be held a council for to appoint Dele- gation to attend the convention at Pittsbough and to Re-consideration on the important Subject all the Six Nations and other Nations which is not included as to be belonging to the six Nations all met, at avone a long house 85 Redjacket & Cornplanter Both had considerable influence amongst all others tribes and they concluded themselve it would be Necessary for them to attend the Pittsbough Convention according to invitation So all consented of the Differant Na- tions to Each one make their own appointments to Delegations to the convention to be held at Pittsbough Chiefs and Warriors, and I was particularly invited
posed taking the hatchet against the colonists. He was, how- ever, overruled by the majority, and took part in the affairs at Oriskany, Wyoming, Chemung, and Canajoharic. He was said to have sent messengers to Sullivan requesting peace during the latter's raid (1779). He declined to attend the treaty of 1784, but afterwards visited Washington and was presented with a medal, which now belongs to the Buffalo Historical Society. In both the Indian war of 1790-95, and in that of 1812-15, he sided with the Americans. In his latter years, Red Jacket dwelt near Buffalo, and being addicted to intem- perance was deposed from his chieftainship in 1827. He died three years later, and in 1884 his bones were re-interred at Buffalo, where a monument has since been reared to his mem- ory .- ED.
85 The village which Blacksnake here designates as Avone, was usually known as Canawaugus. It was the most northerly of the Seneca villages, and was located on the west bank of Genesee River in Livingston County, Avon township, nearly opposite the sulphur springs of Avon. The population was at one time estimated at almost a thousand, probably an exag- geration. Relics of the council house could be seen at this place as late as the middle of the nineteenth century, although the town was raided by Sullivan's men in 1779 .- ED. 11
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to go long with them, this is the Early part of the Spring the year, 1763 [1775]. So we went to work to make preparations to Start and provides that who is to stay at home, with in a few Days was already and Several chiefs and warriors Started from Avone, and take westerly Course to strik[e] and Came into about Eight miles above the mouth of the Buffalo Creek into lake Erie and we travellerd on lake Shore and went on up as fars Eric village in Pennsylvania 86 was then But a few house this village one or two Stores and a tavern and provision stores and thence from this place South and we Came into a stream above now called midville87 and thence on Down french creek empdies to Allegany River, So on Down this stream Several Days traval before we Came out to the mouth of this creek. there was But three or four log cabins of white people first settlers at the mouth of this creek 88 there we made a stop and Camp
86 Then known as Presqu'isle ; see ante, p. 151, note 64 .- ED. S7 Meadville, Pa., not then established; Blacksnake here speaks from later knowledge. The site of Meadville was an carly fording-place on French Creek, and there are traditions of a French store-house at this place, but not a permanent fort. In 1788 it was explored by the brothers Mead, and a block-house built, the nucleus of the present town .- ED.
88 Thie site of Franklin, at the junction of French Creek with Allegheny River, was first occupied by an Indian village wherein was built a trading-house by John Frazer, a Pennsyl- vania trader. When the French took possession of the coun- try in 1753, they drove out Frazer, and raised the French flag over his place, as reported by Washington in his journal of that year. The following spring Fort Machault was built, and held a garrison until 1759, when the capture of Fort Duquesne and the attack on Niagara forced the French to destroy their fort and retire. The next year (1760) the English built Fort Venango, forty rods higher up, which was maintained until its complete destruction by the Seneca in Pontiac's conspiracy (1763). Fort Venango was not rebuilt during the Revolution.
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Cornplanter
Shawnee chief. Otherwise known as Gyantwahchia, Jchn Abeel, John O'Bail, and John the Cornplarter. After a photograph in the possession of the Wisconsin His- torical Society
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BLACKSNAKE'S NARRATIVE
out Near this Neighborhood for Several Days, for Building Bark Canoes to go Down the River with them as fars Pittsbough while we Stayed at this white Neighborhood, the oldest man use to visit us and Bring Bread timber for us to Eat and we use to give him every time fresh vension we get Some time five or Six Deer Every Day, while we Stayed at this place, untill we got our Bark Canoes was Built suffi- cient to Carry our Number Down Stream So we Saile on Down stream on the Allegany River, this was got to be about the fall the year 1763 [1775]. So we made stop 7 miles from Franklin over winter at now called big Sandy Creek80 in the spring 1764 [1776] on the first Day on Journy from Big sandy, we arrived at Pittsbough. Several white men Came to See us, on the Same afternoon the News went to the Commissioners Ears that we are Come, and he visit it us that Evening and he made induced himself to us, for acquaintance Cornplanter and Redjackett Several others chiefs of the Several Differant Nations of Indians proper Delegates, and we conversed with the Commissioner and he told us the object holding a meeting and he wishes to have it opened meeting on the Next morning immediately after Brackvest and made appointment a certain ground to meet, and he
The cabins of which Blacksnake speaks must have been soon evacuated, as the Indians grew hostile, and no white people lived on this site until 1787, when Capt. Jonathan Heart built Fort Franklin, a half mile up French Creek. This fort was dismantled in 1796, but a garrison was maintained until 1803 on the site of the town, which was laid out in 1795 .- ED.
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