USA > Ohio > The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777 > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
76
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OIIIO
from your Quarter We have the same respect for Captain McKee you have he has still the Care of this Council fire as will be hereafter Explained to you you will find we are more United and one People than ever A String
The Cornstalk then Informed the Commissioners that he thought the Delawares and Wiandots might be Expected to morrow Nimwha a Chief of the Shaw- anese then Addressed the rest of that Nation who were Present he told them they had now the Satis- faction of shaking hands with some of the Wise People of Virginia for which they ought to be very thank- ful
At a Meeting of all the Commissioners for Indian Affairs as well as those from Congress as those from Virginia September 30th Resolved that all the Commissioners for Indian Affairs do meet all the In- dians of the Different Tribes in the Council House so soon as all the Nations Expected Arrive that a proper Speech be prepared to be delivered to them by Lewis Morris Esqr which Speech is to Contain the Usual Ceremonies Observed at Treatys with Indians and then to refer them to the Commissioners of Vir- ginia to settle the Particular Business of their Depart- ment and that as soon as the same should be finished the Commissioners from the Continental Congress will Speak to them in the Name of the thirteen United Col- onies who they represent
The Mingoes marched to the Council House with their Flag they Saluted a little before they Entered
Lewis Morris
After a photograph in the possession of his grandson. William A. P. Morris, of Madison. Wis.
77
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
by firing their Guns which was returned by the Gar- rison when they were seated in the Council House The White Mingo spoke as follows Brothers There was a Small Council fire kindled here not long since by some of Virginia who are now here you sent a Speech up and down the River Informing all the Na- tions you Intended to kindle a large Council fire here at this time when all who would come shou'd be Wel- come some time after we received this Message from our Brothers the Big knife our Brother Onas+ sent us a speech desiring us to Make haste we have Brother Onas and likewise our Brothers of the big- knife fast by the Hand fifty of us are come as we promised and now produce the Speech which you then sent to us
Colº Morris then Spoke as follows Brothers we are very Glad to see you when the Chiefs of the other Nations who we Expect Arrive we shall be glad to see you all at this great Council fire and will then Open to you the design of this Treaty in the Mean time you shall be Amply Provided with Provisions to make your stay Agreeable and we will have such of your Guns and Tomhawks which are out of order repaired A String of Wampum
Colº Wilson5 then desired the White Mingo to de-
4 Big Knife was originally the Indian appelation for the people of Virginia, a term later used for the Americans as a whole. For its origin see Thwaites, Daniel Boone (New York, 1902), p. III, note.
Onas was the Indian term for the governor of Pennsylvania, and was first applied in 1682 to William Penn .- ED.
5 James Wilson (1742-98), a prominent Pennsylvania states- man, was born and educated in Scotland. Coming to America he settled in Pennsylvania (1766), where he supported the
IS
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
liver the Invitation speech sent by him to the Mingoes which he did and is also as follows Brothers Listen. to what we are now to say to you A String Broth- ers a very large Council fire has been lately kindled at Philadelphia in the Country of your Brother Onas round this Council fire have sat Great Men sent to speak and Act for all the following Colonies Viz' New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Con- necticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania the Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Dela- ware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia these Great Men have Con- sulted and deliberated Concerning a Controversy that has Arisen between the White People who live on this Island and some of the English who live on the other side the Great Water and they were induced by the Antient Harmony and Freindship subsisting between the white People and you to Inform you of the Cause of this Quarrel and in what Manner they wish to be- have they will advise you nothing but what will Contribute to your Peace and Advantage as well as their own they have Appointed a Treaty to be held with you and have directed that you shall receive some presents in their name in Order to Convince you of their kindness for you and to Preserve Peace and freindship between the white People and you we who
patriot cause, and was delegate to the second Continental Congress. By this body he was chosen commissioner to hold the Indian treaty at Fort Pitt. In 1776 he signed the Declara- tion of Independence, and held many important offices, includ- ing membership in the Federal constitutional convention (1787), and in the Pennsylvania convention (1789-90). Ap- pointed by Washington (1789) to the supreme court of the United States, he held that office until his death .- ED.
79
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
are three of the Counsellors round the Great Council fire at Philadelphia are Authorised to hold the Treaty with you in the name of all the Great Council you may beleive our Words in the same Manner as if they all spoke to you
We have Chosen Pitsburg to be the Place and the 10th day of next Month to be the time of holding the Treaty and give you this Notice expecting and Invit- ing the Cheif Counsellors and Warriours of your Na- tion at the Treaty that we may behold you face to face Let no false and Wicked Reports that may have been spread abroad Among you by those who are both Enemies to us and to you Prevent you from com- ing We and you Sprung from the same Ground and live together on the same Island we Ought to live to- gether and have Confidence in Each Other we will not Deceive you that what we have now said to you may be Confirmed and that you may give heed to it we deliver to you by the hands of your and our freind and Brother the White Mingo this String A String as the two other Commissioners are not yet Arrived I on their behalf as well as in my own name Subscribe the foregoing Message
(Signed) JAMES WILSON
at Pitsburgh the 25th day of August 1775
At a Meeting of the Commissioners for Indian Af- fairs as well those Appointed by Congress as those from Virginia 2ª October One Thousand Seven Hun- dred and seventy five
Captain White Eyes and the Delawares not being
So
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
yet Arrived the Commissioners Consulted the Cheifs of the Mingoes Wiandots Shawanese Tawaas, King Custaloga and Captain Pipe of the Delawares6 whether they should proceed to Business or to wait the Arrival of White Eyes and the other Delawares who all gave their Opinion that a Message shou'd be sent to Hasten them whereupon the Commissioner dis- patched Thomas Nicholson7 Interpreter with a Dela- ware Indian to meet them with the following speech
Brothers the Delawares We have Anxiously waited your Arrival and hope we shall have the Pleasure to see you very soon as our Brethren the Six Nations Wiandots Ottawas and Shawanese with part of you [r] Nation are now here in Conference with them we have agreed to send one of our Young Men and one of yours to meet you and to request that you will come on as fast as Possible that we may begin our Business A String
G Custaloga was a prominent chieftain of the Wolf clan of the Delawares. He removed early to the Ohio, participated in Pontiac's conspiracy, and in 1764 treated with Bouquet. In 1773, Sir Wililam Johnson informed the colonial secretary that Custaloga with one hundred of his followers had retired to the Wabash River.
Captain Pipe was a war-chief who had been hostile during the French wars, and was an enemy to the peace party, as well as to the missionaries settled among his tribe. He dis- sembled during the first part of the Revolution, but by 1778 removed his village to the Sandusky, within the sphere of British influence, and was zealous in compassing the death of Capt. William Crawford (1782). He was present at the treaties of Fort McIntosh (1785) and Fort Harmar (1789), but apparently died before that of Greenville (1795) .- ED.
7 For a brief notice of this person see Dunmore's War, p. 13, note 26 .- ED.
-
SI
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
At a meeting of the Commissioners on the Part of Virginia the 7th day of October 1775 Present Thomas Walker James Wood Andrew Lewis John Walker Adam Stephen Comrs
The Wiandots having never been condoled with Agreeable to their Custom since the last War for the loss of their freinds who fell in Battle the Commis- sioners sent for them into A Private room early this Morning and delivered to them the following speech of Condolence
Brothers the Wiandots and Cheifs of the Cochana- wagas on Sciotos you may remember when Lord Dunmore and your Bretheren of Virginia Assembled the Nations of Indians at this place last year he Ac- quainted them he was obliged to March a body of Men into the Shawanese Country as he had a dispute with them and desired all other Nations would keep out of the way but some of your young Men were so foolish not to Listen to your Wisemen but wou'd join the other foolish People and Accidentally got killed we now take the Tomahawk out of your hands and As- sure you it was not our Intention to strike your Na- tion and bury it deep in the Ground that no Uneasi- ness or remembrance of it may Enter into your Minds that your hearts may be at rest while you sit at our Grand Council fire with these few goods we Cover
8 Caughnawaga was a mission Indian village-chiefly of converted Mohawks-on the south side of the St. Lawrence, just above Montreal. The Indians of this and similar mis- sion villages were frequently utilized by the French in war- parties. After the overthrow of the French power, many of these Indians removed west and settled among their kindred tribesmen .- ED.
6
82
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
the Graves of these Unhappy young Men which fell in Battle and desire that it may never more be remem- bered A String to Each Nation
The following Goods were given as a present of Condolence (Viz') two Bundles Each Containing as follows one for the Wiandots and the others for the Cochanawagas 4 Black Strouds 4 Ruffled Shirts 4 pair of Leggins 4 Matchcoats 1 Blanket one half to be tied up and directed to Cochanawaga the other to be delivered to the Wiandot Cheif
At a Meeting of all the Commissioners for Indian Affairs October 7th 1775 Present Lewis Morris James Wilson Thomas Walker James Wood Andrew Lewis John Walker Adam Stephen Com's
Captain White Eyes and the Delawares being Ar- rived and the Cheifs of the Wiandots Six Nations Delawares Shawanese and Tawaas being Assembled in the Council House Colo Morris delivered the fol- lowing speech to them To the Six Nations Wiandots Delawares Shawvanese and Ottawas Cheif Warriors and Brothers It gives us Joy to see you now meet together at the Invitation of all your English Bretheren who live on this Continent and who have Appointed a Great Council to be held in the great City of your Brother Onas that being the most Convenient place in the United Colonies It is from that Council we are sent to renew and more perfectly Establish the Antient Freindship that has Subsisted between you and us we therefore Bretheren bid you Welcome to this Council fire and with these strings we wipe the
83
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
Dust and Sweat Occasioned by the Fatigues of your Journey we likewise wipe off from your Memories and Clear your Ears from any Wicked reports which may have Tended to Interrupt you and our peace and the peace of our Wives and Childeren that you may Plainly hear and Understand what we say to you A String to Each Nation
Bretheren with these strings we dry up your Tears for the Loss of your Freinds who have died since your last assembly at this Place we remove all Greif from your hearts on this Account that your minds may be at ease whilst we deliver our Embassy to you from our great United Council of Wise men now As- sembled at Philadelphia which we hope you will hear with as much pleasure as we shall deliver it and we Collect the Bones of your Deceased freinds and Bury them deep in the Earth and Transplant the Tree of Peace over them that our Freindship may not be In- terrupted nor our Minds disturbed at the Sight of them A Large String to Each Nation with these strings we Clear our Council House and desire no discontent may be allowed to Enter therein but that we may Consult together with Honest Hearts for your and our Mutual Peace and Happiness A String to Each Nation
Bretheren as our people of Virginia first proposed Meeting you here and Called you together on Busi- ness which relates more Particularly to them though we are all Interested in it as we are one people and one flesh and Blood we shall say no more to you at this time untill you finish that Particular Business with them which we hope the good Spirit will put it
8.4
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
into their and your hearts to do in the Most Freindly Manner as Bretheren who wish to live in Love and Peace ought to do It is however Necessary to In- form you that what we may now say is from all the Wisemen of all our United Colonies who are as one Man and that Virginia is one of them and as the right Arm so that you must not beleive those who tell you that the Virginians are a Distinct People The Country of your Brother Onas is also one of the thirteen United Colonies and it is in his great Town where the Wisemen from Virginia and all the other Provinces now sat in our Grand Council therefore Bretheren we desire you to pay Attention to what we have said the day after tomorrow we will be ready to hear your Answer and then our Bretheren from Vir- ginia will Open to you their Particular Business when you and they have finished we who represent not only the Colony of Virginia and Pennsylvania but all the other Colonies as already Mentioned and are sont from their Grand Council now siting will speak to you again and we hope that not only you and we but your and our Childeren and their Childerens Children will hear of and remember this our Meet- ing with Pleasure and that they will Distinguish it by the Name of the Blessed Council of Peace A Belt to Each Nation
Captain White Eyes addressed himself to the In- dians in the following Words Brothers you have now heard what your Brothers the White People have said to you It Ought to give you great Pleasure and I beg you will be Strong and meet them at the time they direct he then delivered the following Speech
85
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
to the Commissioners My Dear Brothers On Mon- day Morning we will meet you again with our Ans- wer we will then let you know who are the People Pitched upon to Negotiate with you we beg you will be strong and be Punctual to your Appointment we wish some Method cou'd be taken to prevent rum be- ing given to our People that has been the sole Cause of this Meeting not being fuller Unless this is Al- tered it will Greatly impede our Business
At a Meeting of all the Commissioners for Indian Affairs 9th October 1775 The Cheifs of the Differ- ent Tribes of Indians having Assembled agreeable to the Appointment of Saturday Captain White Eyes spoke to the Indians as follows Unclics the Six Na- tions and Wiandots our Grand Children the Ottarvas and Shawanese The time we purposed to speak to our Brothers the White people is Elapsed it is Ow- ing to a Misunderstanding which happened this Morn- ing among ourselves our Uncles the Six Nations propose Speaking in the Morning I shall now speak on Behalf of the Wiandots the Shawanese the Tawaas and my own Nation he then Addressed the Commis- sioners in the following words Brothers we are much obliged to you that as soon as we Appeared you wiped the Sweat from us so that we were Quite re- freshed you wiped the Tears from our Eyes and re- moved all bad Impressions from our hearts so that we are Quite at Ease you have also told us that you have gathered all the Bones of our Deceased relations and Buried them deep in the Ground and planted a
86
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
tree upon them that our Children or foolish young People may never see them to their Disquiet In the name of our Uncles the Wiandots our Grand Children the Shawanese and Tawaas and our own Nation I Acquaint you we are much rejoiced and return you our Sincere thanks A String
Brothers Listen to me I now Inform you that we are Extremely rejoiced at what we heard the day before Yesterday from you and that all the White People Account themselves as one Body and that Vir- ginia is not alone for the future when we look on you we shall Esteem you all one People our reason Brothers why we say we were very much rejoiced to hear you are United is when our Brothers the White People first came upon this Island I thought they and us shou'd be the only people who shou'd live on it we made room for you to set down by Us Accordingly
Brothers I have now Acquainted you what we thought when you first Arrived on this Land I now think our Treatment to you then is the Cause of the King over the Big Water Striking you at this time I therefore desire you not to think much of it but think good untill we hear from him I now also Acquaint you that my Uncles the Wiandots have bound them- selves the Shawanese Tawaas and Delawares together and have made us as one People and have also given me that Tract of Country Beginning at the Mouth of Big Beaver Creek and running up the same to where it interlocks with the Branches of Guyahoga Creek and down the said Creek to the Mouth thereof where it empties into the Lake along the Side of the Lake to the Mouth of Sanduskey Creek and up the same
87.
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
to the head untill it interlocks with Muskingum down the same to the Mouth where it Empties into the Ohio and up the said River to the Place of Beginning9 I also now Acquaint my Uncles the Six Nations that my Uncles the Wiandots have given me that Tract of Country as we have now Acquainted you what Lands belongs to us I desire you will not Per- mit any of your foolish People to sit down upon it that I cannot suffer it least other Nations shou'd be Uneasy.10 A Belt of Wampum
Brother I am Extreemly rejoiced to hear what you said to me the day before Yesterday and also to hear you call upon God to witness and Assist us in future meetings to talk of the Freindship which is between us and the reason of my being rejoiced is that we are poor and Ignorant and know but little of Gods Wisdom but you have him in your heart and are more capable of Judging than we can be and as you have made Mention of that heavenly freindship which proceeds from God I am very much pleased and take hold of it and the reason of my be- ing so ready and willing to take hold of it is that our wise forefathers began the Blessed Work I also
9 White Eyes is speaking for his entire tribe, but in Indian parlance the singular pronoun is generally used. He has here defined the limits of Delaware territory .- ED.
10 This no doubt is the speech to which Heckewelder refers in Narrative of the Mission of the United Brethren among the Delaware and Mohegan Indians ( Phila., 1820), pp. 140, 141, when he says that White Eyes defied the Six Nations and made the most bold and daring address ever made in an Indian council by an individual chief. The Iroquois had con- sidered the Delawares as their subject people. White Eyes, thinking that the latter would join the British, took the op- portunity to assert the Delawares' independence .- ED.
SS
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
inform you that I am Extreamly rejoiced and think it was God Almighty that has put it into your hearts to offer us this and that you did not despise us tho poor and Ignorant A Belt
I now Brother Assure you I am very Much re- joiced you offer me your hand to take hold of I Gladly Accept it and shall not let it fall to the Ground and I hope God Almighty will Endow me with Wisdom to treasure it up in my heart as my Brothers the English do we now desire you Broth- ers to be strong and finish the Business we are come about that we may be able to Inform the other Na- tions what we have been about and when we have finished this good Work there will never be any Oc- casion of Difference between our Childeren and your Childeren but that they will have reason to 'remem- ber it and call it the Blessed Council of Peace A Belt
Brothers I am very much rejoiced that you Ac- quainted me it was a long time since we had met and as some of our great Men might have died desired we would inform you who Acted in their Place we now inform you that there are three tribes of us11 Kalalamint Walapachakin and Ohokon or Capn Pipe are the Cheifs Appointed for the Delaware Nation A Belt
Brothers Listen to your young Sisters the Dela- wares Women we are very Much rejoiced to hear
11 Referring to the three clans of the tribe, whose totems were respectively the turtle, wolf, and bear. The first of these was accorded the headship of the tribe; the last named were usually called Munsee (Munceys) .- ED.
89
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
you and our Children renewing the freindship be- tween you and them this is what your Sisters have said to you and our paying Attention to them is the reason why we did not go to War with any Nation whatsoever as God Almighty did not Create us to War with one Another we now also desire you will Acquaint your Mothers our Elder Sisters the White Women what we have said and when any of our Chil- dren shall be born in future we will point to heaven and tell them these our sentiments. A Belt from the Women
Colº Morris then Answered Brothers we are obliged to you for your Speech we are well pleased with it tomorrow we Expect to hear the Six Na- tions
The Tawaas Cheif Shaganaba12 Addressed the Commissioners in the following Words Fathers I thank you that you have Wiped the Tears from my Eyes the Sweat from my body and thoroughly cleansed me I was at first Unwilling I Acknowledge to come to this Treaty from evil reports I had heard and which I have now found to be falsehoods my father and many other Cheifs have lately Tasted of Death Accept my hearty thanks for your kind Con- dolence on that Occasion I Present you my right hand in token that I rejoice to see you United nore shall my Children be Untold of it Accept this String of Wampum as a Pledge of my Sincerity and Freindship my Fathers knew you but Unhappily are no more I have now found the road to your Hospi-
12 Shaganaba was the son of the renowned Ottawa chief Pontiac .- ED.
90
REVOLUTION ON UPPER OHIO
table Mansions nor shall it be Untrodden by my People in the future13 A String
At a Meeting of the Commissoners for Indain Af- fairs as well those from Congress as those from Vir- ginia October 10th 1775 Present Lewis Morris Thomas Walker James Wilson James Wood Andrew Lewis John Walker Adam Stephen Comrs
The Indians of the Different Tribes being Arrived at the Council House at 12 ºClock Chau Chau Chau sadea Or the Flying Crow a Cheif of the Six Na- tions Addressed the Commissioners in the following words Brothers Listen you have wiped the Sweat from our Bodies and Cleared our Hearts and throats that we heard your good speeches with pleasure and have us now fast by the hand we now Clear your hearts that you may hear us with Attention and Pro- ceed with your good Specches to which we will be very Attentive A String
Brothers Onas, listen to me likewise my brothers the big knife Listen to me we received a Speech from each of you Inviting us to this Council fire as soon as they reached us we rose up to come you there told us you wou'd be glad from your hearts to see us at this time we are glad in our hearts to meet you the Great Men from Onas and Virginia and Esteem you as Much as if all the Great Men
13 Another and more eloquent version of this speech is given in Amer. Archives, 4th series, iii, p. 1542. It is also to be found in Draper MSS .. 3D, chap. xiii, where it is given as a specimen of Indian eloquence .- ED.
James Wilson
After an engraving in the possession of the Wisconsin Historical Society
-
91
TREATY WITH WESTERN INDIANS
from the Sea side who sent you were Present A String
Brothers Onas and Brothers the big knife Listen to me I have first spoke what is Customary on such Occasions you have desired us to Speak our Sen- timents I have nothing to say at Present I came to Listen to what You have to say to us and hope you will say Nothing but what is good and from your Hearts that all my Brothers present may hear you and rejoice when I have heard you I will Consider and give you an Answer A String
The Half King of the Wiandots14 then Spoke Brothers of the Big knife Listen to me when I received the Message sent me by my Brothers the big knife our Cheifs were Just returned from a Council held at the House of Sir William Johnston they were very much Fatigued and sent word to my People on this side the Lake to Accept the Invita- tion and to go to the Council and Listen which is the reason you now see us here What I have heard I like very well and I shall Attend to what more you have to say and our Cheifs will I hope when we re- turn be very well Pleased with it Likewise I hope God Almighty will Allow us to return to Our Own Nation in Safety A Black String
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.