Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII, Part 3

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814

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" A String.

" ' Tt will be agreeabie to me to render you perfectly easy and well satisfied ; if there be, therefore, anything on your Minds that you want to complain of I beseech you not to suppress it, but open all your Hearts to us and I promise to give you entire satisfaction.'

" A String.

"The Indians took some time to consider the Governor's Speech to them, and then made the following Reply :

" ' Brother the Governor and the Gentlemen with him :

"' We most heartily thank you for your Kindness in coming to Lancaster, and sending for and speaking to us in so obliging a manner.

"' We have heard a great Noise all about us and expected we should have been killed, but now that we see you here, we are. revived and will lay aside our Fears.

""" I am lame and infirm, or I would have waited on the Governor at Philadelphia as soon as I heard of his Arrival. I thank you, Brother, for giving yourself the Trouble to come here.

""' You see, Brother, that the Connestogoe Indians, formerly a large Tribe, are reduced to these few, and that there is never an old man among them but myself, and I must die soon. I put them under your Protection ; they are all young and some meer Children and will want your Advice and Countenance.

"' You may be assured if any strange Indians come amongst us, we shall give you the earliest Notice, and that we shall not hearken to any thing that shall be said to your Prejudice. You see by our Papers that we have always been your fast Friends, and so shall ! continue whilst we have a Being ; and by this Belt I on the behalf

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of myself and all the Connestogoe Indians do ratify, confirm, and renew the Treaties of Friendship subsisting between us, and again repeat my Thanks to you for giving me this Opportunity by coming to Lancaster, as I am not able to come to you at Philadelphia.'

" A Belt.

" The Governor then said he would order them some Goods as a Token of his Affection for them, and accordingly they were deliv- ered to the Indians."

The following Letter from Sir Charles Hardy to the Governor was read, considered, and ordered to be enter'd :

" FORT GEORGE, New York, the 12th Jan", 1756. 1

" Sir :

" Colonel Johnson has shewn me a Letter of last Month from a Smith settled among the Senecas, wrote to him at the Request of the principal Sachems of that Castle, complaining that Eight of their People were going to the Southward to War, that in their Way they met at Canawaja, in your Province, with several White Men, who invited them into a House and treated them with Victuals and Drink, and after this and a good deal other civil Usage the White Men fell upon them, killed and scalped three, took one Prisoner, and the other four escaped to their Homes, where they have made this Complaint. I judged it adviseable to give you this Intelligence, as it is very probable the whole Tribe of the Senecas may, if not satisfied in this particular, revenge themselves.

" I have talked with Johnson; he advises your desiring him to take proper Measures with them upon it to authorize him to satisfy them in the best and cheapest manner he can, as he is doubtful but it may for want of proper Notice from you cause such an Uneasiness and Confusion in their Castle, and perhaps others, as may render it very difficult for him to pacify. Any thing you may incline to send him I will forward. I am,

"Sir, Your most obed and humble Servt., " CHAS. HARDY.

" The Honble. ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS."

The Council advised the Governor to write an Answer to Sir Charles Hardy, and in it to inclose a Letter to Coll. Johnson, setting forth that no such Murders have been heard of, that Conewago is not in the Warriors' Path, but in the Interior Parts of the Province where Warriors never come, that a copy of Sir Charles' Letter is sent to the Interpreter with Orders to enquire into the Fact ; but it appears to be without Foundation, and a Story formed to cover some bad Designs that some of the Senecas may have against the Inhabi-

MINUTES OF THE

tants of this Province, And further, that a Copy of the Indian Minutes at Carlisle & Conestogoe be sent Col. Johnson along with the Scalp and Strings delivered by the Indians.

The Governor informed the Council that he had issued Writts for summoning the Assembly to meet on Tuesday the 3d of February next.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Friday the 30th January, 1756.

PRESENT :

The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.

Robert Strettell, Benjamin Shoemaker, 1 Esquires.

Lynford Lardner, Richard Peters,

Benjamin Chew, John Mifflin,

The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.

The Council took into Consideration Governor Shirley's Request that the Governor would please to issue a Commission to some Per- sons of Probity and Judgment to hear and settle the Accounts of the Waggoners and Horses hired at the Instance of the late General Braddock for the Use of the Army, and the Council recommended Edward Shippen, Samuel Morris, Samuel McCall, Junior, and Wil- liam Lake, Esquires, or any three of them, to be a Committee for settling the Waggon Accounts, and a Commission issued to them accordingly.

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday, February 2d, 1756. PRESENT :

The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.

Robert Strettell,

Benjamin Chew,

Esquires.

Richard Peters,

The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.

The Governor laid before the Board his Answer to Governor Hardy in these Words :

"PHILADELPHIA, February 2d, 1756.

" Sir-

"I returned to this Place on Wednesday last from a Month's Tour I made into the Frontier Counties, in order to put them into a Pos- ture of Defence, and to form a chain of Forts and Blockhouses all along the Kittatinny Hills from Delaware to the Maryland Line near the River Potomack; and the Necessity I was under of setting

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

off immediately upon my Return from New York, prevented me from making my acknowledgments to you for the Civilities I received while there.

"I found here your Favour of the 12th January, relating to the Complaint of the Senecas, which I immediately laid before the Coun- cil, and made all the Enquiry I could concerning the Fact, but can- hot find that anything of the kind has ever happened in the Memory of any of the Persons concerned in the Publick Affairs of this Pro- ince. I am, therefore, apprehensive that it is a Story made by some of the disaffected of that Tribe to cover or excuse some Injury Rone or intended against the Inhabitants of this Province. What nduces me the more to believe it to be a Story without Foundation, s that the Place assigned for the Transaction is far within the Set- lements of this Province, out of any Road that is used by Warriors, und, had it happened, must have been known. However, I have sent to the Provincial Interpreter to be informed if he knows, or ver heard of such a Affair, and directed him to enquire of the Indians living in this Province (many of whom are Senecas) whether such a Transaction ever came to their Knowledge, and who were the Persons concerned in it; and if that or any thing of the kind appears to have been done, I shall do all in my Power to give the Benecas full Satisfaction.

"I am extreamly obliged to you for communicating this Matter, and hope Col. Johnson, to whom I shall send upon the Subject, will set the Matter in a proper Light, and prevent the Senecas from taking any rash Measures till the Affair can fully be en- quired into.

"In about ten days I expect the Chain of Forts and Block Houses along our extensive Frontier will be compleat, and render the Settlements within them tolerably secure ; but the expence of defending the Province in this way will be very heavy, as it has already gone near to consume the sixty thousand Pounds, and this may possibly induce the Assembly here to come into vigorous measures for removing the War into the Enemy's Country.

"My Assembly meets to-morrow, when I shall communicate to them the Plan of Operations concerted at New York, and endeavour to prevail with them to take a considerable Part in Measures the Success of which will redound so much to the Honour of the Pro- vinces concerned, and render it very difficult for the French to dis- turb the Quiet of these Colonies hereafter ; but I can as yet form no Judgment what part they will take.

"I am, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant,

"ROBT. H. MORRIS."

And then was read a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Gideon Haw- ley, a new England Presbyterian Missionary at Oneoquago, in-

MINUTES OF THE

closing a Speech from Scarrooyady and Andrew Montour, to which the Governor wrote an answer, which follows :

A Letter to the Governor from the Reverend Mr. Gideon Hawley. " ONOHQUOGE, 4th Jan'y-, 1756.

" Honored Sir :

"This Evening Andrew Montour and Scarrooyady arrived here and inform us that they were sent by your Honour to get Intelli- gence of the Disposition of the Indians on the Sasquehannah. That they have the unhappiness to find all the Delawares, who are settled at Wyoming, and at and about Diahoga, in the French Inte- rest ; that these (the Delawares) with a Party from Ohio, have lately done Mischief on your Frontiers ; that they have captivated 26 Persons, the most of which are women and Children ; and that there are five English Captives now at Diahoga; but they inform us that those who are of the Five Nations, Shawonese and Mohic- cons, who are interspersed among them, design early in the Spring to leave the Delawares and remove into the Country of the Five Nations, being determined to abide by them ; but perhaps it may be a Satisfaction to be informed by Scarrooyady himself. The fol- lowing is a Speech which he desired me to pen, and transmit to your Honour with all Speed. He addresses himself to your Honour and Mr. Peters, thus :

" ' Brethren, Onas and Oneratael-

""'The Delawares on Sasquehannah declare in plain Terms that they shall pay no Regard to what shall be said to dissuade them from Hostilities against the English. That they will not hear the greatest Sachem in the Country of the Confederates. That they are determined to fight the English as long as there is a Man left ; and that when they have conquered the English, they will turn their Arms against those Indians who will not join with them now. I am arrived here and now feel safe and easy; but 'tis with much Difficulty that I have come thro' the Settlement of the Delawares. I have but just escaped with life. When I return I shall go by the Way of Albany, for there is no going back by the way I came. You may expect to hear from us again by the next Opportunity. We design to go forward, quite into the Country of the Five Na- tions, and perhaps, as there is soon to be a meeting of the Confede- rates, we shall go on as far as Onondago. We shall not return till we can bring you the best Intelligence of the Situation of Affairs in those Parts.

""'I advise you to lay still, and not come against your Enemies this way, till you have further Intelligence ; but you'll guard your Frontiers well and keep Scouts out constantly. You may rely upon it that none but Enemy Indians will come upon your Frontiers. Those who design to be at Peace with the English, will either re- move this way immediately, or keep at home. Early in the Spring

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he Shawonese and Mohiccons and all that abide by the Six Nations vill come this Way.

"' I would inform you that now I am arrived here at Oneoquago, nd my Brethren here inform me that our Nephews (the Delawares), ho live near the Minesinks on the River Delaware, a few Days go told their Uncles (the Five Nations) that they would not join with their Brethren against the English, but would live and die with the Five Nations. This is all at present from

"' SCARROOYADY.'

" I am your Honour's most humble Servant, " GID. HAWLEY.

" The Wampum inclosed was presented by Scarrooyady when he oncluded his Speech. 'Tis much for the British Interest that Montour and Scarrooyady came this Way in the present Con- uncture.

" P. S .- There is here a very ingenious Gunsmith, who has for hore than a twelve month past worked at his Trade here con- tantly. Perhaps it might be well for the publick to encourage im to continue in his Business here. I would inform your Ionour that the two Families of White People, who live here are bliged to be at much Expence in feeding the Indians who run way from Ohio and other Parts to the Southward, for fear of the French and their Indians. Perhaps if the Publick were sensible how much we are obliged to expended in Acts of Kindness they would allow us some small Consideration.

"I am Your Honour's, &ca. "GID. HAWLEY.

" To the Honble. ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esqr., Lieut. Gov". tc., of his Majesty's Province of Pennsylvania, &c.

" This morning Scarrooyady desires me to inform your Honour, hat the Five Nations have lately called the Delawares to treat with them at Onandago, and that if they will not repent of the Mischief which they have done in falling upon the English, and make up the Matter and be peaceable, the Five Nations will im- mediately cut them off. He says they will speak but once to them. Montour informs me that if the Delawares had known their Busi- hess to the Five Nations, Scarrooyady and he had never come thro' their Settlements. He says he should have given your Honour In- telligence of the situation of Affairs on this River had it been practicable.

But no friendly Indians dare venture upon your Frontiers for fear of being treated as Enemies. I would give your Honour a Narrative of Facts relating to the Delawares and of their Messages to the Five Nations since the last Week in October last, was I not in the utmost Confusion, being upon the Wing to Boston, expecting to set off this morning. As my Business at present is here,

MINUTES OF THE

and as I have some Acquaintance with the Indians in these Parts, and can use the Language of the Five Nations pretty well, I may possibly have it in my Power to serve the Interest of your Pro- vince, which I shall be proud to do.

"I am, Your Honour's most humble Servant,

" GID. HAWLEY.

" January 5th, 1756.

" To the Honble. ROBT. MORRIS, Esqr., &c."'

The Governor likewise wrote to Governor Sharpe on this occasion the following Letter :

" Sir :

" I have the Pleasure to acquaint you that I have received a Let- ter from Scarrooyady dated the Fourth of January at Oneoquago, an Indian Town situate on the Head Branches of the Sasquehannah, in which he informs me that he and Montour were got safe there, tho' not without abundance of Danger; that the Delawares were obstinately bent on the Destruction of the English, and say they will pay no Regard to the Interposition of the Six Nations tho' they should send to them their greatest Sachems. He advises me to put the Province into a Posture of Defence, but not to act offen- sively till I should hear further from him and be made acquainted with the Determinations of the Six Nations, who he hears were con- vened by Col. Johnson; and that he proposed to be at the general Convention and there represent the Conduct of the Delawares and Shawonese, and he hopes with success, as he had heard that the Six Nations disapproved of the Hostilities and would resent it. By this Journey He and Mr. Montour have demonstrated that they are our true Friends, and as such will deserve our best Encouragements.

" Mr. Clause, a young Man who has for some time past lived in the Upper Mohock Castle, and is said to understand the Indian Lan- guage, attends the Treaty which was appointed to be on the Twenty- Second of January, and which I hope is now holding at Col. Johnson's, on the Part of Pennsylvania, and will hasten to this City as soon as it shall be ended. As soon as I know the Result I will impart it to you.

"Two of the neutrals, one imported at New York and the other here, have obtained my Leave to go to Annapolis in quest of their Families, who they think are in some of the Ships which have ar- rived in your Province. If they light of them or any. of their Wives and Children belonging to the Men imported here, I desire the Favour of you to suffer as many to come to their Friends here as these two will undertake to conduct and defray the Charge of their Journey. I do not mean to put you or my self to any Ex- pence for their Removal ; But if Joseph Muneer and Simon Leb- lane, who are recommended to me as good and worthy People, and

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who have been in the Service of his Majesty, will bring any here at their own Expence I desire they may be indulged to do it.

"I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant;

"ROBT. H. MORRIS."

Then were read Two Letters from Mr. Franklin, which follow in these words :

"FORT ALLEN, at GNADENHUTTEN, Jan. 25, 1756. " Dear Sir :

" We got to Hays' the same Evening we left you, and reviewed Craig's Company by the Way. Much of the next morning was spent in exchanging the bad arms for good-Wayne's Company having joined us. We reached, however, that night to Uplinger's, where we got into good Quarters.

" Saturday morning we began to march towards Gnadenhutten, and proceeded near two miles; but it seeming to set in for a rainy lay, the Men unprovided with great Coats, and many unable to se- cure, effectually, their Arms from the wet, we thought it most ad- viseable to face about and return to ourf ormer Quarters, where the Men might dry themselves and lie warm; whereas, had they pro- ceeded they would have come in wet to Gnadenhutten where Shelter and Opportunity of drying themselves that night was uncertain. In fact it rain'd all day and we were all pleased that we had not pro- seeded. The next Day being Sunday, we march'd hither, where we arrived about 2 in the afternoon, and before 5 had inclosed our Camp with a Strong Breast work, Musket Proof, and with the Boards brought here before by my Order from Drucker's mill, got hurselves under some shelter from the Weather. Monday was so fark with a thick Fog all day, that we cou'd neither look out for a Place to build or see where Materials were to be had. Tuesday morning we looked round us, Pitched on a Place, mark'd out our Fort on the Ground, and by 10 o'clock began to cut Timber for Stockades and to dig the Ground. By 3 in the afternoon the Logs were all cut and many of them halled to the Spot, the Ditch dug to Bet them in 3 Feet deep, and that Evening many were pointed and et up. The next Day we were hinder'd by Rain most of the Day. Thursday we resum'd our Work and before night were pretty well nclosed, and on Friday morning the Stockado was finished and part of the Plat form within erected, which was compleated the next morning, when we dismissed Foulk's and Wetterholt's Companies, nd sent Hays' down for a Convoy of Provisions. This Day we hoisted your Flag, made a general Discharge of our Pieces, which had been long loaded, and of our two Swivels, and nam'd the Place Fort Allen, in Honor of our old Friend. It is 125 Feet long, 50 vide, the Stocadoes most of them a Foot thick; they are 3 Foot in

MINUTES OF THE

the Ground and 12 Feet out, pointed at the Top, the Figure nearly as follows :

well.

Swivel

House 18 by 20

18 by 18

House 20 by 20

Swivel

Gate

"This is an Account of our Week's Work, which I thought might give you some Satisfaction.

"Foulk is gone to build another, between this and Schuylkill Fort, which I hope will be finished (as Trexter is to Join him) in a Week or 10 Days. As soon as Hays returns I shall detach another Party to erect another at Surfas' which I hope may be finished in the same Time and then I purpose to end my Campaign, God wil- ling, and do myself the Pleasure of seeing you in my Return. I can now add no more than that I am, with great Esteem and af- fection, Dr. Friend,

" Yours, affectionately,

"B. FRANKLIN.

" The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire."

"FORT ALLEN, AT GNADENHUTT., " Jany. 26, 1756.

".Sir :

"We left Bethlehem the 10th Instant with Foulk's Company, 46 Men, the Detachment of M'Laughlin's, 20, and 7 Waggons laden with Stores and Provisions. We got that night to Hays' Quarters, where Wayne's Company joined us from Nazareth.

" The next Day we marched cautiously thro' the Gap of the Mountain, a very dangerous Pass, and got to Uplinger's, but twenty- . one Miles from Bethlehem, the Roads being bad and the Waggons moving slowly."

(After giving an account of the week's Work almost verbatim as in the foregoing, he proceeds) :

"This present Monday we are erecting a third House in the Fort to accommodate the Garrison.

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" As soon as Capt. Hays returns with the Convoy of Stores and Provisions, which I hope may be to-morrow, I purpose to send Orndt and Haeds to Join Capt. Trump in erecting the middle Fort there, purposing to remain here between them and Foulk, ready to assist and supply both as occasion may require, and hope in a week or ten Days, weather favouring, those two Forts may be finished and the Line of Forts compleated and garrisoned, the Rangers in Motion, and the internal Guards and Watches disbanded, as well as some other Companies, unless they are permitted and encouraged to go after the Enemy to Sasquehannalı.

" At present the Expence in this County is prodigious. We have on Foot, and in Pay, the following Companies :

"Trump

- 50 Men. -

" Aston

- 50

" Wayne

" Foulk

46)

"Trexler

- 48

without the Forks.

" Wetterhold - -

44 J

" Orndt

" Craig -

30 in the Irish Settlements.

" Martin

30 S

' Van Etten

30 Minisinks.

' Hays - -

45 I

' Detachment of M'Laughlin

- 20

' Parsons -

24 at Easton.

522

" This, Sir, is a particular Account of our Transactions and the present State of Affairs in this County. I am glad to learn by . our Favour of the 21st Just received, that you have Thoughts of oming to Bethlehem, as I may hope for an Opportunity of waiting pon your Honour there after our Works are finished, and commu- icating every thing more fully. I now only add that I am, with utiful Respect,

"Sir, Your Honour's most obedient humble Servant,

" B. FRANKLIN. "To Gov". MORRIS." VOL, VII .- 2.

MINUTES OF THE

At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday, February 4th, 1756.

PRESENT :

The Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieu- tenant Governor.

Robert Strettell,

Benjamin Chew, Esquires.

Richard Peters,

Thomas Cadwalader, S

The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.

A Message was delivered to the Governor last night by Two Mem- bers that the House was met and desired a Copy of the Summons, and were ready to go on Business. The Governor told the Members that he would send a Message in the morning to the House, and as what he should then communicate to them was of great Importance he left it to them to proceed immediately upon the Consideration of it or to wait for a fuller House.

The following Message from the Governor to the Assembly was read, approved, and sent to the House with one of the Writs for summoning the Assembly :

" Gentlemen :

" As the Season for Military Preparations is far advanced, I judged it necessary as soon as the Business I was engaged in with the Commissioners upon the Frontiers would admit of my Attend- ance in Town, to call you together to consider of the Plan of Opera- tions concerted in the late Council of War at New York for the security of his Majesty's Dominions on this Continent. I have directed the Secretary to lay the Plan before you, but as it is in its Nature secret, and the execution of it may in some Measure be frustrated if it should be divulged, I must recommend it to you not to suffer any Part of it to transpire.

" The many Incroachments made by the French upon his Majes- ty's Territories, contrary to the Faith of Treaties and in the Times of profound Peace, the Measures they have taken to secure the Possession of the Countries they have seized, and to disturb us in the Enjoyment of the narrow Limits which they would prescribe to us, sufficiently shew what we are to expect from those restless and ambitious People if we do not by a united, vigorous, and steady Ex- ertion of our Strength, dislodge them from those Encroachments and confine them within their own just Bounds, And this I am per- suaded you will find the best and most effectual Way of securing the Inhabitants of this and the other Colonies against the cruel Insults of them and their Savage Allies. I must, therefore, recommend it to you to grant such Supplies as may enable me to furnish what is expected from this Province towards the general Service. As you are sensible our Success will very much depend upon our being early in motion, I make no doubt you will use the greatest Diligence and

she Cor

từ

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Dispatch in whatever Measures your Zeal for the Public Cause may induce you to take upon the present Occasion.

" Since the last Session everything has been done that the Time would admit for the Defence and Security of the Province, and I have the Satisfaction to tell you that a Chain of Forts and Block House's, extending from the River Delaware along the Kittatinny Hills. to the Maryland Line, is now almost compleat. They are placed at convenient Distances from each other, and at the most important Passes thro' the Mountains, and are garrisoned with com- panies and detachments all in the pay of the Province, from seventy-five to twenty Men each, according to the Situation and Im- portance of the Places, and if the officers and Men posted there do their Duty, I believe they will prove a sufficient Protection to the Inhabitants against such Parties as have hitherto appeared upon our borders.

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Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII, Part 3

Author: Publication date: 1838 Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814