USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IX > Part 22
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MINUTES OF THE
were at a loss which way to go, but when you hear our Chiefs, you will then be convinced that our delay was not through any bad de- signs against you."
A String.
Colonel Bouquett's answer :
" Brothers :
"I am glad to hear what you say ; and as peace is preferable . to War, I shall be well pleas'd if we agree upon Terms.
A String.
"' Brothers :
"You sent me a Message yesterday, acquainting me that you would come and speak with me to day. You tell me you cannot speak to me, because the Shawanese are not come, & that when the Shawanese do arrive, you will consult together; But I now tell you, 'tis not necessary to wait for the Shawanese, as I will hear to- day or to-morrow what the Delawares have to say by themselves, & I will not stay for the Shawanese, but will hear separately what each nation have to say ; and I desire the Delaware Chiefs to speak for the Delawares only, and not for the Senecas or Shawanese."
A String.
CAMP NEAR TUSCAROWAS, October 17th, 1764.
At a Conference held with the Chiefs of the Senecas, living on the Ohio, The Delawares, and Shawanese.
PRESENT :
Colonel Henry Bouquet, Command'g his Majesty's Forces in y& Southern District.
Lieuten. Col. Reed, Royal Highlanders.
Lieut. Col. Francis, Pennsylvanians.
Lieut. Col. Clayton, Do.
Major Prevost, Royal Americans.
Major Murray, Royal Highland™s ..
Major DeHaas, Pennsylvanians.
Major Field, Volunteers.
Brigade Major Small.
Capt". Stuart, Royal Highlanders.
Capt™. Grant, Do.
Capt". Ourry, D. Q. Mr· Gen1.
Capt". Williams, Chief Engineer.
Capt". Lewis, Virginia ;Volunt"., with sev“ other Gentlemen of J ·· Army.
215
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Mr. Alex". McKee, Assist" Agent for Indian Affairs, & David Owens, Interpreter.
Indians :
Senecas,
Keyashuta Chief, with 15 Warriors,
Delawares,
Custalogo,
Beaver & 20 Warr3., Shawanese, Keissinuchtcha. a Chief & 6 Warriors.
Keyashuta and Turtleheart, Speakers :
" Brother:
" In the name and by order of the Chiefs of the several Nations here present, with this String of Wampum we clean your Ears, that you may hear with attention, what they are now going to say to you.
A String.
" Brother :
" We have done our utmost to be ready to speak to day as you desired, & we now inform you that it was owing to the Nations who live to the Westward of us, and to our foolish young men, that the War has happen'd between us, so that it is neither your fault nor ours ; And as you desired us yesterday to be strong in doing good, We now throw away every thing bad, so that none of it remains in our hearts, & we join our thoughts with yours, that we may al- ways be of one mind for the future.
'Two large Belts.
" Brother :
"Now we have thrown every thing bad away, nothing remains bad in our hearts, but good. We take fast hold of the Chain of Friendship, and we, the Chiefs of the Delawares, Shawanese, & Senecas, living upon the Ohio, who are now related to the Six Na- tions, request you will do the same, as we cannot hold it fast without your help, & we must both look up to God, who now sees every thing that passes between us, for his Assistance. Do not think what we say comes from our Lips only; it proceeds from the bot- tom of all our hearts. Therefore we again request you will join both hands with ours, to this Belt of Friendship.
A Belt.
" Brother :
" We have repeatedly told you that we have thrown every thing bad from our hearts, that you should hear nothing but good from us. Col. Bradstreet has desired us to deliver up your Flesh and Blood ; we now assure you it shall be done, as you have long de- sired to see them. Our Reasons for not complying with this request sooner was, that Col. Bradstreet held us by one hand and you by the other, so that we did not know which way to carry them. But we now desire you will inform us at what place you chuse to receive them, whether at Fort Pitt, or the Lake. We have been very dil-
216
MINUTES OF THE
igent in collecting ourselves together, with a few Prisoners, you see, to meet you."
N. B. here they delivered up 18 white prisoners.
A Belt.
" This is all we are ordered to say by our Chiefs. You will now listen to themselves here present."
Custaloga, Chief of the Delawares of the Wolf Tribe, Speaker. " Brother :
" By this string, I confirm every thing that has been said by our Two young Men.
"A String.
" Brother :
" I assure you that the intention of my Tribe is good, and that we are determined to do what you desire of us, & deliver you up all your Flesh and Blood.
A Belt.
"I now deliver you the number of Prisoners amongst my Pco- ple.'
Delivered 42 small Sticks.
Beaver, Chief of the Turkey Tribe, Speaker.
" Brother :
" You shall likewise soon see all your Flesh & Blood who are still prisoners amongst my Tribe."
N. B. Delivered 41 Small Sticks.
Keyashuta, Speaker.
" Brother :
"You have heard all we have to Say at present, and we think we have done every thing required of us by Colonel Bradstreet, who sent me to their Nations, with these Articles of Peace."
Here he produced the Original Articles of Peace, signed by Colonel Bradstreet.
The Conference intended to have been held with the Indians on the 18th, was deferred till the 20th, on account of the badness of the Weather.
-
CAMP NEAR TUSCAROWAS, October 20th, 1764.
At a Conference held with the Senecas & Chiefs living upon the Ohio, the Delawares & Shawanese.
PRESENT :
Col. Henry Bouquet, Commanding his Majesty's Forces in the Southern District, & the Officers mentioned at the Conference of the 17th ; Also, the same Indians, Chiefs, & Warriors.
-
217
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" Chiefs, Captains, and Warriors :
" I wish that in your Speeches you may have expressed the true Sentiments of your nations, but we shall judge of your Sincerity, not from your Words, but from your Actions.
A String.
" You say that 'twas not your fault that this War has happen'd, but that 'twas owing to the Western Nations, and to your foolish Young Men. I answer that 'tis your fault, because we might have protected you against these Nations had they attempted to force you to make War upon us. And as to your Young men, it is your duty to chastize them when they do wrong, & not suffer yourselves to be directed by them.
A String :
"I am glad to hear you have thrown everything bad out of your hearts, & that you are now sincerely disposed to take fast hold of the Chain of Friendship, which, as soon as a Peace is made with you, We shall likewise hold fast.
A String.
" You say the reason of not delivering your Prisoners sooner, was because Col. Bradstreet had told you to deliver them to him at Sandusky, & I had told you to deliver them to me. You know by the treaty made with Colonel Bradstreet, and now in your hands, and to which I appeal, you promised expressly to deliver all the Prisoners to him at Sandusky, in Twenty-five days after the 14th of August, when the said Treaty was Signed. And if you failed in the performance of that Article, the peace was then broke from that moment. The day on which the prisoners ought to have been delivered, was the 8th of September, and my first Message to you in writing (and in your hands), is dated at Fort Pitt, the 20th of September, 12 days after the time fixed was elapsed, and not being sent till the 22d, you could not receive it in your Towns before the 27th ; therefore, that Message cannot in any manner excuse you for breaking the Peace in not delivering your prisoners either to Col. Bradstreet or to me, from which 'tis very evident that as usual, you never intended to deliver them. Again, when you begged for peace, you assured Col. Bradstreet that you had re-call'd all your Warriors from our Frontiers, & you know contrary to that Declaration they have continued to murder our People, and to take them Prisoners, to this day, which we can prove by an old Man here present, who was taken on the 28th of September, 45 days after the Peace made.
" I have, besides, certain information that you were determined to pay no regard to that peace, and had actually collected all the Warriors of the Mingoes, Delawares, and Shawanese, to attack this Army, if you had found you had a sufficient force for it. Having now answered and refuted every thing you have said in excuse for your breach of the Peace, I am commanded by the General to declare to you, that as you have broke the peace granted to you by Col. Brad- street, he, likewise, break it on his side, and Sr. William Johnson
218
MINUTES OF THE
has already informed the Six Nations, and all the Western Indians of your perfidious Behaviour to us.
A Belt.
-
" You must be sensible that you deserve the severest Chastise- ment, but the English are a merciful and generous people, averse to shed the blood even of their most cruel Enemies; & if it was pos- sible that you could convince us that you sincerely repent of your past Conduct, and that we could depend on your good Behaviour for the future, you might yet hope for mercy & peace; but, before I tell you the Terms, I will recapitulate the many Injuries & insults we have recently received from you, or your Allies, which have at . last occasioned the march of the King's Army into your Country.
A Belt.
"You have begun this War without the least reason or provoca- tion whatsoever; You have in time of profound peace, & without having received the least injury, murdered Captain Clapham, who had been a Friend & a Father to many of you.
" You have killed or Captivated all the Traders sent to your Towns at your own repeated request, & plundered their effects.
" You have dared to attack Fort Pitt, to the building of which you expressly consented, when in presence of George Croghan, De- puty Agent for Indian Affairs, I made the first Treaty with you upon the Ohio, after we had dispossesed the French of Fort Duquesne, and several of you now present, assisted at that Treaty. You mur- dered, treacherously, last Year, one of our men sent in a Canoe from Fort Pitt to bring over the Ohio some of your people who preten- ded they had a Message to deliver to the Commanding Officer, and you violated, by that horrid Crime, the Custom held sacred by all- Nations, not to kill persons employed in publick Messages, even in time of War.
" You attacked, soon after, the King's Troops in the Woods, and" being defeated in the attempt, you fell upon our Frontiers, where you have continued to murder our people to this day.
" One of your partys killed, lately, in one day, eleven Children at a School, and not satisfied with that infamous action, they mas- sacred, near the Little Beaver Creek, the only Boy they had spared, & had the impudence to fix his head upon a pole in the middle of the path, and this they did after they had begged Peace from Col- onel Bradstreet. You have constantly declared that you would never make Peace with the English, and when the Senecas and Western Indians begged for peace, you alone, have pretended to stand out, declaring that you despised all the Efforts we could make against you, as appeared by that insolent Letter you obliged Thomas Small- man to write, and sent to Sir William Johnson at Niagara.
" Your Conduct has always been equally perfidious, you promised at every former Treaty, as you do now, that you would deliver up all your Prisoners, and have received every time on that account
219
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
considerable presents, but you never comply'd with that nor any of your Engagements.
"You know that all these charges are true, and only a small part of the numberless murders, Depredations & breaches of Faith you have been guilty of; and I am now to tell you, that we will no longer be imposed upon by your promises, & that the Army shall not leave this Country until you have fully complied with every Condition that is to precede any Treaty with you.
A Belt.
" I have brought with me the relations of those people you have massacred or taken prisoners, they are impatient to take revenge of the Bloody murderers of their Friends, and it is with the greatest difficulty that I can protect you against their just resentment, by assuring them that no peace shall be granted you till you have given us a proper Satisfaction.
"Your former Allies the Ottawas, Chippawas, Wyandots, &c., have made this peace with us, and the Six Nations have joined us against you.
" We now surround you on every side, having possession of all the Waters of the Ohio, Mississippi, the Miamis & the Lakes. All the French living in those parts are now Subjects to the King of Great Britain, and dare do longer assist you.
"It is consequently in our power to destroy you, but if I find that you execute faithfully the Conditions I shall require of you, I will not treat you with the Severity you deserve.
"I give you twelve days from this day to deliver up to me at Wickatamike all the prisoners in your possession, without any ex- ception. Englishmen, Frenchmen, Women and Children, whether adopted in your Tribes, married or living amongst you, under any denomination, or any pretence whatsoever, as also all negroes, & to furnish all the said prisoners with cloathing, provision & horses, to carry them to Fort pitt.
" When you shall have fully complied with this preliminary Condition, I will then let you know on what Terms you may obtain the Peace you sue for."
A Belt.
October the 20th, 1764. Col. Bouquet having required the Chiefs to appoint a man of each Nation to attend him on his March to the place fixed, they named Keyashuta for the Senecas, Turtle- heart and Custalogo's Son, for the Delawares, and James Smith for the Shawanese.
Keyashuta, addressing himself to the Nations present, desired them to be strong in performing every thing then required of them, and they had been accused of having told lyes always before, to be now punctual in the Execution of their promises, to convince their Brethren that they could speak truth ; he adds that he would con- duct the Army to the place appointed for delivering up the pris- oners.
220
MINUTES OF THE
Keisinantcha, Chief of the Shawanese, said he would immedi- ately go to inform his Nation of every thing he had heard, but as the distance was great they could not be at Waghatawmaky in 10 . days, when they would certainly meet us and comply with every thing required of them, & that he expected the Shawanese would be treated in the same manner as the Delawares.
October 22d, 1764 .- The Army proceeded, attended by a num- ber of Senecas, Delawares, & Shawanese, and arrived at the Forks of the Muskingham the 25th, this place having been fixed upon as more Centinal than Wackatamaha, to receive the prisoners.
27th October .- Col. Bouquet sent a Shawanese with a Message to his Nation.
First : desiring them to be punctual as to the day for delivering up their prisoners.
Secondly : as they had expressed some uneasiness in our not shaking hands with them, to tell that only the English took their friends by the hands, and that they could not expected to be treated as such till a peace was concluded with them.
Thirdly : To bring the Letters wrote for Col. Bouquet by the French Officer Commanding at Fort Charter, which were sent last Winter by three Shawanese, but detained by their Nation.
4thly. To provide themselves with a sufficient quantity of pro- visions to subsist their people and their prisoners during the time necessary to settle matters at this place.
28th .- The above messenger returned and informed Bouquet that he did not proceed all the way with his Message, but having delivered it, Waghatowmaky, the Chief of that town, proceeded him- self with it, & desired him to return & acquaint the Colonel that he had already collected all his own prisoners, which would arrive in two days, & that he was going to the lower Shawanese Towns to hasten the people to bring their prisoners.
A String.
29th .- Custalogo arrived with his prisoners.
30th .- Custalogo informed Col. Bouquet, by a String of Wam- pum, that as soon as his people was all come, which he expected to- morrow, he would then speak to him.
A String.
Col. Bouquet informed him he would have been glad to have heard him to day, but as there was yet two days of the time ap- pointed to come, he would not hurry him.
31st .- Arrived the Big Wolf and seven other Shawanese, And delivered up 8 White prisoners, and informed Colonel Bouquet that they were sent by their Chiefs to assure him that he might depend upon seeing them with all their prisoners at this place.
A String.
Col. Bouquet's answer :
" I am glad to see you in so good disposition, & that you have brought these prisoners before the time fixed in delivering
1
221
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
the whole up, & I hope your chiefs will follow your Example, & deliver every drop of White blood in your Nation."
A String.
November the 1st .- Custaloga & Keyashuta, with several other Indians.
" Brother :
"Two days ago we appointed to meet you to-day, and we desire you will listen to us.
A String.
" Brother :
"On our first meeting you at Tuscarowas, you then desired to see your flesh and Blood at this place, agreeable to which we, the Delawares, now deliver you up 32 English prisoners, and the Se- necas present deliver you 3; there is yet amongst them four more, which they have sent for and will be here to-morrow.
A Large String.
" Brother :
" We have told you both at Tuscarowas and this place, that we would strictly comply with your desire in delivering all our pris- oners, & now the four Nations, which this Belt represents, join as one and have agreed to follow your advice, and further are deter- mined to prevent & defeat any bad designs that may be formed against you by any Nation whatever. The Wyandotts have made peace with Colo. Bradstreet, but notwithstanding joined with us in, delivering you this Belt, to renew their Frienship with you."
A Belt.
They then addressed themselves to the Cochnewagas present, in substance of the above speech, with a String.
Colonel Bouquet's answer :
" I have heard with pleasure the good Speeches you have made to me, & I receive these prisoners as a mark of sincerity of the promises you made at Tuscarowas, and I recommend to you to be always sincere in your Transactions with us, and as it is the only means to make us forget what is past, and to bring about a recon- cilation, you must not forget that there is a number of prisoners amongst you; and till the last of them are delivered up, I cannot proceed to the good work of peace."
A String.
November 2d .- We sent to Sandusky an Officer and three Men of the Virginians, and two Cocknowaga Indians, with a Mes- sage to the Wyandots, ordering them to deliver up all the prisoners they had left.
This day King Beaver arrived with his prisoners.
3d .- Received a Message from the Shawanese Chief, acquainting Colonel Bouquet that they were coming with all their prisoners. Col. Bouquet sent them an answer to hasten them, & a string of Wampum, to bring the Four French men who lived amongst them:
222
MINUTES OF THE
The same day, having an Intelligence that some French traders was arrived at the lower Shawanese Towns, Michael, with two Coch- nawago Indians, was sent off with a Message to the Red Hawke, Chief of that nation, requiring him to have the said Traders seized and brought to Colonel Bouquet.
Custalogo and King Beaver, with several others.
" Brother :
"It is now late, and we can say but little, but to-morrow you may be assured in hearing of every thing we have to say.
A String.
" Brother :
"We now deliver you fifty-seven Prisoners. Our reasons for doing it to-night, perhaps some of them may attempt to run away. You can take better care of them than us, and to-morrow we will speak to you.
A Belt.
4th .- The Indians sent in a Message that they was ready to speak. Col. Bouquet sent them for answer, that he would not ad- mit them to speak till they had delivered the remainder of their- prisoners.
5th .- King Beaver delivered up eight White prisoners, & Cus- talogo delivd. up three prisoners.
Mr. Michael returned with the two Cochnewaga Indians, having been stopt by Keissuntchatcha, the Chief of the Shawanese, at Waghatamaky, who informed him that the Chiefs of the Lower towns were all gone down to the French, and that he would do no Business there, if even he proceeded, and that all the people of the Lower town were on the way, with all their prisoners, to meet Colonel Bouquet.
6th .- Owens, Turtle heart, a Delaware Indian, were sent to the Shawanese to know whether they were coming, and the time they would be here. Owens returned from the Shawanese the 7th In- stant, & said they would arrive with their prisoners ye 9th inst.
A Soldier was found killed in the Woods; The Indians were suspected, & the following Message was delivered to their Chiefs :
" Keyashuta, One of our Soldiers has been killed this morning near the White Woman's Creek. As this murder has been com- mitted in the Country of the Delawares, I expect that they will find out and deliver to me the murderer ; & till they do it, I shall make that Nation answerable for the murder ; Therefore acquaint, forth- with, the Chiefs of the several Tribes of the Delawares with this, that they may exert themselves toward the Discovery of the mur- derer."
A String.
The Chiefs promised to deliver up the murderer, if they could discover him, and sent five Indians in pursuit of a Wyandot, whom : they believed to be guilty of that Crime.
1
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
223
8th .- Sent a Message to the Shawanese, to acquaint them with it, and to desire them to come in with their Prisoners, and not be afraid on account of that murder.
The Shawanese sent Thomas Smallman, a Prisoner, among them, to the Camp, with some of the Horses stolen by the Senecas, & sent word they would come in the 10th with their Prisoners, and sent the following Letter :
" Waghatawmaka, 8th November, 1764.
" Brother :
" We the Shawanese, have thought proper to send our Friend Mr. Smallman to acquaint you of our arrival at this place, and have, according to your desire, brought with us a great number of your Flesh and Blood, which should have been given up to you before now, had we not heard some evil reports that you had some bad de- signs against us. We now dispatch the Bearer, with one of our young men, to know the Truth of it, & shall, upon your invitation of writing, proceed with all the prisoners to your Camp. We, the Shawanese, are come with no other intent than to see you, and ratify & confirm our antient Friendship, & to make an ever lasting peace with you, our Brothers.
"I am, in behalf of the Shawanese, " Your Friend and Brother, "RED HAWKE, or " MESQUAPAMESQUE, Chief Captain."
1
At a Conference held with the Senecas, living upon the Ohio, and Custalogo Tribe of Delawares, at the Camp upon Muskingham, Novr. 9th, 1764.
PRESENT :
Col. Henry Bouquet, Commanding his Majesty's Forces in ye. Southern District, and all the Officers mentioned, & several Gentle- men of the army at ye. former Conference.
Mr. Alexander McKee, assistant Agent for Indian Affairs.
Indians :
Senecas, Keyashuta, Chief & 10 Warriors, Delawares, Custalogo, Chief & 20 Warriors.
Keyashuta, Speaker :
" Brother :
"The misfortune which has happened of one of your people be- ing murdered the day before Yesterday, gives us the Same Sorrow it gives you, and we beg that this accident may be no hindrance to the friendship already begun between us."
A String.
224
MINUTES OF THE
4
"Brother :
" By this String of Wampum we wipe the tears from your Eyes, and remove from your heart the resentment which this murder has raised against us, and we hope that you will throw away every thing. bad that this may have occasioned, & hear us fully." · A String.
" Brother :
" We have strictly complyed with your desire, and now deliver you these three prisoners, which are the last of your Flesh and. Blood that remain among us; the Senecas and Custalogo's Tribes are now gathered together, and bury with this Belt all the Bones of the people killed during this unhappy War, which the evil Spirit occasioned amongst us.
" Brother :
" We cover the bones which have been buried, in such a manner that they may never more be remembered.
A Belt.
"Brother :
" We cover them again with leaves, that the place where they are buried may never more be seen."
A String.
"Brother :
"As we have been a long time astray, and the path between us & you stopp'd, we hope the path will be again clear'd ; & we now extend this Belt of Wampum between you & us, that we may again travel in peace to see our Brothers as our ancestors formerly did, and as you will hold it by one end and we by the other, and we hope we shall always be able to discover any thing that may happen to disturb our Friendship."
A Belt.
" Brother :
"As we have now extended a Belt representing a road between you and us, we beg that you will take fast hold of it, that the path may always be kept open between us. This is all we have to say at present.
A String.
Colonel Bouquet's answer to Keyashuta & Custalogo, at the Camp upon Muskingham, November 9th, 1764.
"I have heard, with pleasure, the Speeches you have made, which I shall now answer.
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