USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VIII > Part 15
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" ' Brother :
"' I often told you, when we first began to make Peace, nor did I speak from the Lips, but from the Heart, that every thing should be published, and the Peace between us made known; and that if any body gave you a Blow not to impute it to me.
""'Now Brother, when I live here I am very uneasy, even at Night I cannot enjoy rest ; I see a great deal of Mischief done, and some who have done the Mischief came past my Door; now I am afraid if your People follow them, and comes as far as where I live and find me, they will think it was I did it, and so fall upon me.'
" 4 Strings.
"' Brother, the Governor :
"" The Indians have sent to see what was doing at Wioming, and they have sent me word that a great Number will be with me in Eleven Days, and many of those all this Summer, all the Wanamis and Mohiccons, and many others having resolved to come and live with me.
"'Now, Brother, I desire to know what I shall do, I have no Provisions for them. I beg you would help me, and if you will give me any assistance of that sort, I desire I may have it from Shamokin, not from Fort Allen ; my Young Men can soon go down the river in Canoes and fetch it from Shamokin, but the to Fort Allen is very Difficult. I desire I may have some Indian Corn with the Flour. I am likewise in want of Powder and Shot, and beg you would send me some.
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"'Brother, the Governor :
"' I would chearfully go with your Messages, which are good, but I every day expect Messages from different Parts; however, I will send by some trusty Persons, and I assure you the Senecas' Belt shall be delivered to the Chief Man in Eight Days. I have already sent a Belt to the Senecas, and every Day expect an Answer. We must have a Treaty this Summer; Of the Six Nations I can now promise ; the Onondagos will come; of the rest I can say nothing till the return of the Messengers.'
"3 Strings.
" As the Messengers were preparing to set out, Teedyuscung came to them, and asked whether Mr. Hughes had delivered to the Governor the French Colours which he (Teedyuscung) had taken from Will Sock. They told him they did not know. He then desired them to ask the Governor whether he had received them, and whether he had given Will Sock those Colours, or whether he kept two sorts of Colours. If, said he, the Governor has two sorts of Colours, and gives one sort to one Indian and another to another, that will breed con- fusion."
On the 2d Instant Mr. Hughs and Mr. Pawling returned from Building the Houses at Wioming, and on the 7th Mr. Hughes waited on the Governor, and presented him the Report of their Proceedings, which was read in these Words :
" Sir :
" On the 15th of May I proceeded, agreeable to your Honour's Request, to Build and Plant for the Indians at Wioming; and at Bethlehem I met my Companion, Mr. Pawling, and the next day we march'd with between Fifty and Sixty Carpenters, Masons and Labourers, and after a very Fatigueing Journey, arrived at Wioming on the 22d, and the next Day we put the Hands to Work. But as the Battoes did not arrive from Fort Augusta at the Time appointed, we were brought to very short allowance in Provisions, &cª Indeed, for Several Days we had no Bread at all, which created a good deal of Uneasiness amongst the Men. But, however, we kept the Business going forward as well as we could, until the 27th, when Joseph Croker, one of our Masons, was kill'd and Scalped by Six of the Enemy Indians ; this misfortune made our People very uneasy. But how- ever, the Battoes arrived next day with Provisions, which enabled us to carry on the Work untill we finished Ten Houses, mostly 20 fect by 14 in the Clear, And one of them 24 by 16 of Squared Logs, and Dovetail'd. We also plow'd some Ground for them to plant in, and we Split some Rails to Fence it; After which they thought it proper to let us know that as it was late in the Season, and the Grass grown very high, So that the Ground when plow'd was not fit for Planting, but in a few Places, such as Old Towns and the Like, we might return untill a more favourable Opportunity,
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which we complied with on Friday the 2nd of June, and got Safe home Tuesday Evening following.
"I send you a French Flag which Teedyuscung took from Will Sock and his Companions. They came up to us as Friends, altho' I now understand they murdered Chagrea and the Dutch Man in Lancaster County, but we knew nothing of that, and there- fore treated them as Friends, and Teedyuscung gave them an Eng- lish Flag.
" I am, Sir, your Hmt Serv., " JOH. HUGHES.
" Phila", June 7th, 1758."
Mr. Peters laid before the Governor and Council the Interpreta- tion of the Message which the Cherokee has to deliver to Teedyus- cung, in Answer to one given by Teedyuscung to the Cherokee, as he was returning from the Six Nations to Kiowies last fall ; he had another Belt from the Cherokee Town to the United Body of the Six Nations. Mr. Peters added that the Interpretation was taken while the Cherokee was in his perfect Senses, by Hart, the Inter- preter, who subscribed to the Truth of it. It was read and order- ed to be entered.
"' A Message from Techtama and Homwhyowa, or the Wolf King, the Two Chiefs of the Cherokees, to the Delawares, as it was delivered by Lowe, the Messenger, at Philadelphia, to Mr. Peters and Israel Pemberton, June 20th, 1758 :
" John Hart, Interpreter.
"'' Nephews :
"' We some time ago received a Belt from you at which we were glad, and are exceeding desirous to hear again from you.
"""Before this Belt came we had not heard from you a long time, and would be glad to hear oftener, and promote a good understand- ing with you.
""' Nephews :
"' We should be glad you would come to our Town to see us, . It is a great while since we saw you. The King of this Town called the Wolf, in particular, will be glad to see you.
"' We have to acquaint you that we have received a Tomhawk from our Elder Brother, the English, and are going along with them to the war against the French, and the Indians that are his Allies.
"''We are going to war along with our Brothers, the English, but, as for you, you need not be uneasy or apprehensive of our doing you any mischief, for we love you as ourselves from the Heart, and will not hurt you, for we look upon you as ourselves.
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"' Nephews :
""'Our Eldest Brothers, the Six Nations, have likewise given us a Tomhawk and desired us to join with our Elder Brothers, the English. But we desire you would be under no apprehensions, for we do not intend to hurt you, our Nephews, at all.
"' Nephews :
"' Listen to us. We do not desire you should go to War at all, Formerly you used to Wear a petticoat, and did not use to go to War, and we do not now desire you to go to War; you may stay at Home and we will fight for you; we are resolved to go to war along with our Brothers, the English, that you need not go to War.
"' Nephews :
" We are sorry there should have been a kind of Shyness between us and you for a good While past, we earnestly desire we may make a firm and lasting Peace. We suppose other Indians may envy our Peace, Friendship and good Understanding, and tell strange Stories, but we desire you, our Nephews, may not give Credit to such. When we speak to you we shall send you Belts, and unless you receive Belts from us, we desire you would take no Notice of the idle Reports you may hear. But when we send you our Belts we desire you then may regard what we send.
" ' Nephews :
"'We earnestly request that you would come and see us the Ensuing Spring, at some of our Towns, that we may have the Opportunity of conversing more freely than we can at this Distance from each other.
"' Nephews :
"' We desire you to tell your Women to be industrious & plant Corn, for they may do it safely, that they may have Enough for themselves when you come to see us, and Provisions for your Journey.
"' Nephews :
"' We, your uncles, the Cherokees, have a real Love and Regard for our Elder Brothers, the English, and we hope and desire you may have the same Love for them that we have. It is out of our particular Love and regard for them that we join in the War with them. We have already demonstrated our affection for our Elder Brothers, the English, by killing 20 Frenchmen, 12 Tawas, and 2 Shawanese.
"' Nephews :
""' We, the Chiefs of the Cherokees, will wait and smoke our pipe in expectation of our Nephews coming to see us. We will en- deavour to keep the Road clear for our Nephews, the Lenopis, to pass, and we hope you will come, and we shall be glad to see you.
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"' Nephews :
"' You know or can have a clear guess how many of your Coun- try People are Leiving on the Ohio among the French. We earnestly desire you would endeavour to bring them away, for the Tomhawk we have received from our Elder Brother, the English, is exceeding Sharp. It is a good Tomhawk; we are afraid we shall kill some of your in a Mistake, which we shall be very loath to do. For which reason we desire you to bring them away if possible, that so they may join with the English. Why do your People stay there to help the French when they get nothing from the French? They should come and settle with you and leave the French. We again request you to bring away the Lenopis and leave none there but the Shawonese and Tawas. Let them remain there. They are in Al- liance with the French, and are firm friends of the French. . As for our Parts, we have had War Time out of Mind with the Tawas, and intend to continue the War with them and the Shawanese on the Ohio. Why do your people Continue with the French who give them nothing ?
'' Nephews :
"' We hope when you come to our Towns in the Spring to see us, you will bring us the good News that you have removed your Breth- ren from the French and Shawanese and Tawas, the friends of the French on the Ohio. We shall smoke our pipe and wait impatiently for this good News, and Endeavour to keep, the Road clear 'till you come.'
" Here delivered the Belt.
" Being asked to whom he would have the Belt delivered, he said. to the Chief of the Delawares. Being asked his name, he said he did not know ; but desired to be informed who it was that sent a Belt last Fall to the Cherokees, and being told by Mr. Peters that it was Teedyuscung, he desired this Belt might be sent to him, and as soon as it could.
" He likewise desired that the Chief of the Delawares might be- informed that as he had another Belt for the Six Nations he in- tended as soon as he was recovered to go with that by water Via New York. And as he cannot go with this Belt to the Lenopi he hopes what he now sends will be satisfactory.
"The above is a true Interpretation.
"JOHN HART."
The Message to Teedyuscung from the Cherokees being Judged to be of very great Importance, and what would be of good Service at this Time to remove the wrong Notions entertained of the Chero- kees by the Susquehannah Indians, Frederick Post was employed
1
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to go with it to Teedyuscung, The Governor writing the following Letter to Post by way of Instructions :
"PHILADELPHIA, June 20th, 1758.
" Sir :
" The Cherokee Messenger recovering of his Indisposition, I caused him to be examined as to the Belt he has to deliver to the Delawares, and I inclose you a Copy of the Interpretation, which as you know was taken in the presence of Mr. Peters and Israel Pemberton.
" The Cherokee gave the Belt, desiring it might be sent to Teedy- uscung, and as it is of so important a Concern, I earnestly desire you would take the Charge of it and deliver it yourself to him at Wioming, or if upon your arrival at Fort Allen you shall find it not Safe to go farther, you may employ one or more trusty Indian to carry it, taking care that they thoroughly understand the full Sense of it.
"Please to let Teedyuscung know that the Cherokee is oblig'd to go to the Six Nations by Way of New York as soon as he is well.
"I thank Mr. Thompson and you for your Diligence and Care in the Execution of the Trust reposed in you, and for your full and Satisfactory Account of your Proceedings.
"You will be pleas'd to return my Thanks to Teedyuscung for the Assurances he gave of sending forward the Messages. His Continuance at Wioming is of great Service. His uneasiness at the Mischief done shows a sincere affection, and his giving us from time to time information of the Motions of the Enemy Indians is a farther Confirmation of it. I shall make known the Steps taking by him to bring about a Peace, and hope that none will hurt him in reverse for what others do, or at least I will try my Endeavours to prevent it.
"Orders are sent to Shamokin, and you have Duplicates of them to send by Way of Wioming, that a Supply of Provisions be delivered to Teedyuscung's Messengers, and a further Order shall be sent to give them a proper Quantity of Powder and Lead.
"No Flag was given by me to Will Sock, the one got by Teedy- uscung is not an English one. The General has made, as he tells me, an alteration in the Fly, and if one of the New Flags can be got here, it shall be delivered to you now, if not, one shall be sent as soon as possible.
" By a mere accident, the Indian Store at Augusta is Shut; the Agent, on the passing of -, oblig'd to come to this City. But he shall be sent to Augusta again in a very short time, & Goods will be sold as before ; of this you make mention, if you think it necessary, or if any Notice be taken of it to you.
1
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"I wish you a good Journey, and desire you will apply to the Commissioners for your Expence.
" I am, Sr., your most Humble Servant,
" WILLIAM DENNY. " To Mr. FREDERICK POST."
Captain Hewet, the Commander of a French Vessel that was taken in the Bay by the Privateer Spry, made complaint to the Governor that he was unlawfully taken, being in Commission as a Flag of Truce to carry some English Prisoners, about Twenty, to New York, and that he put into Delaware Bay by Stress of Weather, or for want of Provisions, and prayed the Governor would discharge the Ship, and suffer him to proceed to New York. The Captain being sick sent his first Lieutenant with a Letter, under seal, directed to Governor Delancey, which he said was from the Governor of Cape Francois. The Governor returned the Letter, declaring he had nothing to do with it, on which the Lieutenant broke it open and read it. Its purport was, that Captain Huet was sent as a Flag of Truce with Twenty Prisoners. But it appearing, on Examination, that the Captain had broke bulk, and had sent up here great Quantities of Sugar and other valuable commodities, and was on a Trading Scheme, The Governor dismissed the Petitioner, and left him to the decision of the Court of Admiralty whether he was or was not a lawful Prize.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 5th of July, 1758.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor. Robert Strettell, Richard Peters,
Esquires. Lynford Lardner, Thomas Cadwalader,
A Letter of the 22d June, from Governor Bernard to the Gov- ernor, was read in these Words :
" Sir :
" I take the first Opportunity upon my arrival into the Western parts of New Jersey, to inform your Honour that I have pur- suant to his Majesty's Commission, taken upon me the Government of New Jersey, and shall be glad to receive your Honour's Com- mands for his Majesty's Service.
"I have had the mortification immediately upon my arrival to have advice of an incursion made upon our Province, attended as usual by great *Barbarities, by Indians who are suspected to be of those who made a peace with your Honour's Province. I have for the present taken Measures to put a Stop to these disorders. I shall,
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in the next place, endeavor to prevent them for the future, by means of Peace, in which I shall be glad to be assisted by your Honour. If these fail, I shall immediately endeavor to pursue our Enemies into the Heart of their own Settlements. I think. it would be of use for these two Provinces to act in Concert on this Occasion, and shall do all that I can to make such a - of good effect.
"I had the pleasure to spend some agreeable Hours with your Honour at Colonel Robinson's, when I believed neither of us im- agined that we should so soon be neighbours in this part of the - World. I hope we shall cultivate this advantage with mutual pleasure.
" I proceed to Burlington to Night, and am, Sr., your Honour's most
" Obedient Hum. Servant,
" FRA. BERNARD.
" Trenton, June 22d, 1758.
" P. S .- I hope to stay at Burlington all to-morrow.". .
On receiving this Letter, the Governor had a Consultation with the General, in which it was thought proper to invite Mr. Bernard to a Conference on Indian Affairs, whereupon, he returned by Gov- ernor Bernard's Express, an Answer to his Letter.
Whilst the Governor was writing the Letter he received Intelli- gence from Captain Busse, and from Captain Read, that there were several parties of Enemy Indians on the Frontiers of Berks County, that on the 13th, they had taken and carried away the wife of John Franks with Three Children, 6 Miles from Fort Henry, and like- wise had killed the Son of Jacob Snabelee, who was found scalped, with 6 Shot in his Body.
Justice Read writes that on the 18th of June, Bernard Long was killed riding along the Waggon Road, about a Mile from his House. On this Intelligence the Governor added a postscript to Governor Bernard's Letter by the advice of the General.
In Consequence of this Letter, Governor Bernard came to Town next morning at 11 o'clock. The Indian Papers containing all Indian Transactions since the Commencement of the War were laid before him, and Copies given him of all the Transactions, and in the Conferences held between the General and the two Governors, it was agreed that Mr. Bernard should recommend it to the Com- missioners for Indian affairs, who waited for his return, to con- sent that he should send a Message to the Minisinks and Pump- ton Indians, inviting them to come to Burlington, and promising to redress injuries if any they had. The next Day Governor Ber- nard returned home, and on the 26th of June, passports were made out, at the request of Governor Bernard, to Moses Tetamy and Isaac Still, the Messengers employed to carry to the Minisink In- dians Governor Bernard's Invitation.
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The Sick Cherokee being recovered, he proceeded to Sir William Johnson, having first given to the Secretary the Interpretation of the Belt which he was carrying to the Six Nations ; which was read, and Likewise the Letter wrote by the Governor to Sir William Johnson, along with the Cherokees.
The Governor having received a Letter from General Abercom- bie, inclosing the Declaration of the Setting aside the Capitulation made at the surrender of Fort William Henry, the same was read and ordered to be entered :
" General Order from Major General Abercombie, declaring the Capitulation of Fort William Henry to be void :
" FORT EDWARD, June 25th, 1758.
" The Enemy having become Masters of Fort William Henry, by virtue of a Capitulation made upon the 9th of August last ; which Capitulation they immediately broke, in a most Notorious and flagrant manner, by murdering, Pillaging, & Captivating many of his Majesty's good Subjects, in Violation of the said Capitulation, as well as of the Laws of Nations. Upon these Considerations, and in Honour and Justice to his Majesty's Arms, Major General Aber- combie hereby declares the said Capitulation to be null and Void ; and that all Officers and Soldiers serving the 9th of August last, at Fort William Henry, are hereby empowered, and Commanded to serve in the Same manner as if no such Capitulation had ever been made, All which Major General Abercrombie has notified to the Governor General of Canada, signifying to him at the same time, that if any of His Majesty's Subjects supposed to be Comprehended in the said Capitulation, may fall into the Enemy's hands, and Vio- lence follows thereupon, that he will retaliate on the Persons of the French Prisoners now in his hands, as well as on all such as shall be taken hereafter by Sea or Land.
"The above to be published at the Head of every Corps in his Majesty's Service in North America."
Extract of a Letter from his Excellency Major-General Abercrom- bia, Commander-in-Chief of all his Majesty's Forces in North America.
" To his Excellency the Marquis de Vaudrevil, Governor-General of Canada, bearing date at Fort Edward, June 26th, 1758 :
" Sir :
" I have the Honour of your Excellency's Letter of the 4th of June, with Sundry Enclosures in relation to the Capitulation of Fort William Henry made the 9th of August last. Without en- tering into a Discussion of Particulars, Give me leave to acquaint
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Your Excellency that a Breach of that Capitulation of the part of the Forces of the King, your Master, immediately after the Sur- render of that Fortress was so notorious, Contrary to the good Faith which subsists amongst all Nations, that in Honour and Justice to the King, my master, who has entrusted me with the Command of his Troops in North America, I think myself obliged to look upon that Capitulation as Null and Void, which I have signified to all his Majesty's Governors and Commanders by Sca and Land in North America.
"I perswade myself that upon due Consideration your Excel- lency will be convinced of the Justice of my Proceedings in respect to the Capitulation, and that nothing can induce you so far to lay aside Humanity as to offer the least Violence on the Person of any of His Majesty's Subjects, Civil or Military, Comprehended in that Capitulation, that may unfortunately fall into your hands, as I must myself be obliged as well as all his Majesty's other Commanders both by Sea and Land to make Retaliation on all subjects of his most Christian Majesty that are now prisoners amongst us or who may hereafter fall into our hands.
" Allow me further to acquaint your Excellency that I am de- termined to carry on the War with all possible Humanity, agreeable to the Intentions of the King, my Master, and Nothing shall en- gage me to pursue contrary Measures but a failure in that respect on the part of the Troops of the King, your Master."
A Complaint being made by Reily, the Constable of Uwchland Township, Chester county, against Justice Lightfoot, for discourag- ing him in the Execution of his Office, in the impressing Horses for the King's Service, and making him pay an Exorbitant Price for the pressing of a Saddle, And this day being appointed for the Hearing, the Parties who attended were called in and after a full Examination, it not appearing that Justice Lightfoot was much to blame, he was dismissed without Censure.
Frederick Post returned last Night from Wioming, and made a report to the Governor in Writing, of his Journey, which was read and ordered to be entered as follows :
" Journal of Frederick Post's Journey from Philadelphia to Wio- ming, June the 20th, 1758.
" The 20th. Received an Order and Message from his Honour the Governor to Teedyuscung at Wioming.
"21st. Set out from Philadelphia. When I was come within 12 Miles of Bethlehem, met with a Violent Gust of Thunder and Rain, which obliged me to stay there that Night.
"22d. Came to Bethlehem. I met with the same Company of Indians which accompanied Mr. Thomson and me from Wioming. I enquired of them when they intended to return there ; they told
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me in Three or Four Day's Time. I enformed them that I had a message from the Governor and Cherokee Indians to Teedyuscung, and desired them to accompany me, to which they agreed.
" 23d. Set off from Bethlehem, and met with Lieutenant Pe- terson with a scouting party from Allimingle, who informed us that Levan's Servant had been fired at by seven Indians, near the place we must pass by, and painted the Danger of our Undertaking in very frightful Colours. My Company being tired, we put up Five miles this Side of Fort Allen.
" 24th. We came to the Fort; they told us the same Story, on which my Company concluded to stay there that Day, and to set off early next morning. Farther they told me, 'Brother, we assure you that it will not be long befor the War be quite over. For there are but few whom the Devil rides that can't be easy ;' that the others often made hard Complaints against them, to bring them to Reason.
" 25th. Sunday we crossed Nishewatshowall, the other Side of Meskonekek Creek, and came that Day 4 Miles the other Side of Quackkek. The Indians killed a Bear about a Gun Shot off from our Lodgings.
"26th. Near Taquchsekkachkawad our People Shot a Deer, divided it into pieces, to every Man his portion, and after dining here we went over Moshowatshong and Neskopekok River. From here onward my Companions would not have me go foremost. We lodged that Night on a Hill. There was a Violent Gust of Rain, and we had no other Cover over us but the Heavens, and all that fell from thence came upon us.
"27th. We made a great fire, and dried our Cloaths, &cª. My Companions desired of me to know the Contents of my Message before we came to the Town. I acquainted them with it, and they seemed well Satisfied.
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