USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 56
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APPENDIX-NO. XV.
whose roots are deep in the ground, and bury it where it will never be found any more. Our cousins, the Delawares, have done it before." Gave the belt.
"Brothers: these are the speeches made and settled in council before we left home, and with which we were charged."
He then acquainted the general they were done. The general returned thanks for what he had said. The general drank their health, and broke up the meeting.
At a meeting held at Fort Pitt, October 26th, 1759.
Present-GEORGE CROGHAN, Esq., deputy agent to the honorable Sir William Johnson, baronet.
Capt. WILLIAM TRENT, Capt. THOMAS MCKEE, N Assistants to Geo. Croghan, Esq.
Capt. HENRY MONTOUR, Interpreter.
Tedyuscung's brother, in behalf of Custalogo, made the following speech :
" Brethren : we are met this day in council in the presence of our uncles, the Six Nations and Wayandotts, and our grand children, the Shawanese and Twightwees. With this string of wampum, I wipe the tears from your eyes, and open your ears, that you may hear what I am going to say ; and I clear the passage to your hearts, that nothing that is ill may harbor there," Gave a string.
" Brethren : it gives us great satisfaction to hear what you have said to us. You have spread peace over the country we live in, and made a road from the sun-rising to the sun-setting. We return thanks for what you have done, and we hope you will continue to do good to us ; and we return you thanks in behalf of our women and children ; and we shall take care to acquaint our children as they grow up, with what you have done, that it may never be forgotten in our nation." Gave a belt.
The Beaver spoke :
"Brethren : I have heard what has been said by you at the several conferences you had here : it was all good, and pleasing to all nations that heard you, and agreeable to the treaty of Easton. The belts you sent me last fall, I took over the lakes, and made known your speeches to the several nations, whom you have seen here ; but there are several nations yet who now have your speeches considering of them, and I hope they will come next spring and take fast hold of the chain of friendship." Gave a string.
"Brethren: by the speeches sent me last fall by Frederick Post," the Governor of Pennsylvania promised that we, the Indians of all nations, should have goods here as they were sold in Philadelphia. This I have made known to all nations, and they expect goods to be sold here as he promised. Be strong and perform your promises, and don't make me ashamed. At present, goods are dear here, on account of the great numbers of white men; but I hope goods will be sold at
*See No. IX.
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S
STANWIX'S CONFERENCE WITH THE INDIANS, 1759.
such rates as will encourage all nations to come here snd trade." Gave a belt.
" Brethren : we have heard what you have said to us, and you have heard what we have said to you. God above has heard all, and I hope at the next meeting that we will be able to convince each other of our sincerity.
"Brethren: we are very well pleased with the speeches you have made us. In one of your speeches you desired to see your flesh and blood that lives among us. It is a reasonable request, and what all nations should comply with. Here is the number of all your people in our nation, (holding a bunch of sticks in his hand ;) we have killed none but what were killed in battle; those that are amongst us, you shall see every one ; but it is impossible for us to set the time; but this was agreed to in council before we left our own country, and you may de- pend upon this promise being performed to a single person, unless any of them should die with sickness before we can bring them here." Gave a bunch of strings, containing forty-one.
" Brethren : by this string of wampum, I return you thanks in behalf of our nation, for the road you have made to the sun-setting, for all nations to travel in peace. You have dispersed the dark clouds from over our heads, that we may all see the sun again; and I hope we shall live in peace and friendship, as our forefathers formerly did."- Gave a string.
"Brethren : I was charged by the council of our nation, when I left home, to assure you that they had in fresh remembrance all the former treaties they held with their brethren, the English, and that they were determined to hold fast by the ancient chain of friendship subsisting between the English, Six Nations and us, and to brighten the chain of friendship which has contracted some rust since the commencement of this war." Gave a belt.
After the conference was ended, the general sent for the chiefs of the several nations, and made each of them a present of a medal, for which the Indians returned thanks : after drinking the King's health, and all the Indian nations, the general took leave of them.
[NO. XVI. ]
COL. HENRY BOUQUET'S JOURNAL AND CONFERENCES WITH THE WESTERN INDIANS, &c.,
AT FORT PITT, TUSCARORA AND MUSKINGHAM, IN 1764, SEPT. 20, NOV. 12. The speech of Col. Bouquet, commanding the army upon the river Ohio, to Capt. Jacobs, and the Delaware chiefs with him, at Fort Pitt, 20th September, 1764.
"Sometime ago I received an account from Col. Bradstreet,* command-
* Lake Erie camp at l'anee aux fenillis, three o'clock in the afternoon, August 12, 1764.
At the request of ten savages, who arrived this morning, saying, they were sent by the Hurons of Sanduskey, the Shawapies, the Delawares, what they
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APPENDIX-NO. XVI.
ing the army upon the Lakes, that the Delawares and Shawanese had begged for peace, which he was willing to grant them, and as you as-
call the Five Nations, inhabiting the Sciota Plains, the banks of the Ohio, Presque Isle, &c., I received from them the following speeches :
First .- A long compliment, with a string of wampum.
Second .- A string of wampum, begging leave to speak and be heard.
Third .- We ask in the name of the whole of the above nations, when this army is gone, and what are your intentions. A belt of wampum.
That on receiving certain intelligence that you were coming against us with an army, we immediately called in all our warriors who were out against your frontiers, and determined to meet you on this Lake, and beg for mercy and forgiveness, and peace, which we now do, in the name of, and by the order of the nations above mentioned, the whole being truly sensible of their past folly, and unjust behaviour to the English without cause. . A string of wampum. Colonel Bradstreet's answers to the above :
First .- I thank you for your compliment.
Second .- You have my leave to speak openly and freely.
Third .- The reason for marching the enemy this way, is to revenge the in- sults and injuries done to the English, on those savages who have not asked forgiveness, and given sureties for their future good behaviour.
You have done well in calling in all your warriors, begging peace, and truly repenting of your late violence and bad conduct towards the English, without any provocation whatever ; and I am surprised to find you begging peace and forgiveness so soon, after writing such an impertinent letter as that you sent by Smallman, to Pittsburg, Detroit, &c., notwithstanding which, since you im - plore forgiveness and mercy, I will, on the following terms, grant peace to you, provided you are fully empowered, from the nations above mentioned ; and that the chiefs will rectify it as soon as possible, and that you name the chiefs.
Answer-We are fully empowered to conclude and sign a peace, if we can obtain one. The chiefs of the above nations will ratify it, and their names are as follows, viz :- For the
Shawanese-SCOBALECTIE, the great war chief.
Delawares-The whole of the chiefs.
Sandusky Huron-SASTAREGI chief of the warriors, and themselves of the Five Nations of the Sciota Plains, &c., &c., CUYASHETE, DECANEYSARYNTOO, TISNENNOCKSHOREE, ALEYWAYUNETA, ONEYAHEAETHA and ANARUNGUA.
TERMS ON WHICH PEACE IS GRANTED.
First. All prisoners shall be delivered up at Sandusky directly, English, French, blacks, without reserve or excuse of being married, or any otherwise connected with you, and should there be any unwilling to leave you, they must be obliged to come.
Second. All the chiefs above mentioned, shall come with the prisoners, to ratify the peace I shall now grant.
Third. Six of the principal men of the deputation, now here, must remain as hostages for the true performance of the engagements they hereby enter into, and in consideration of my not marching, immediately on my landing, against their castles as at first intended; and the other four, with one of my officers and an Indian belonging to this army, must proceed with the utmost dispatch, to acquaint the chiefs of the peace granted, and what is expected from them, as I am determined not to lose time to suffer myself to be imposed upon.
Fourth. That this peace may last forever, the nations above mentioned must entirely relinquish their claim to the forts and posts the English now have in their country ; and that the English shall be at liberty to build and erect as many forts or trading houses, as they may find necessary for carrying on trade betwixt them and the savages, without interruption; and they shall grant as much land round the forts, as a cannon can throw a shot over, for the raising of a proper supply of provisions, for the use of the garrison and traders, which lands they are to renounce, and look on as the property of the English forever.
Fifth. That I shall be at liberty to send, in safety, from this army to your [ 144 ]
BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
sured him that you had recalled all your warriors from our frontiers. Sometime before he wrote me not to proceed against your towns. I, therefore, would not have proceeded, had I not heard that in open viola- tion of your engagement, your party killed a man at Raystown, and several men in Virginia, a long time after you had begged for peace ; upon which I determined to march to fort Pitt, and wait there for an answer to the letter I wrote Col. Bradstreet ; but to my great astonish- ment upon my arrival at this place, I hear that one of our people has been murdered, and his head stuck upon a pole, in the path near Little
castles, six English, six Canadians and six Indians, to see that you bring away all the prisoners you have ; which prisoners you are to furnish with horses and provisions during their journey, and treat them with all the tenderness and kindness you can show ; and that I may, for the security of the people I send, have with me an equal uumber of Indians of your nations, till the return of the above six English, six Canadians and six Indians.
Sixth. That if, hereafter, it should happen that any person belonging to the above nations, shall kill or plunder any of the English, such person or persons so offending, shall be immediately given up and delivered at Fort Pitt, there to be tried for the offence committed, agreeably to the laws and customs of the English, with this difference only, that one half of the jury shall be Indians of the same nation as the offender.
Seventh. You cannot be ignorant of an army marching against the above nations by the Ohio, but in consideration of your truly repenting of your late bad conduct towards the English, and the engagements you hereby enter into, and the promises you also make of your future good behaviour, I shall send and prevent their proceeding against you ; but be assured, should you ever be guilty of the like bad behaviour again, you shall be cut off from the face of the earth.
Eighth. If any of the nations or tribes hierein mentioned should, separately violate this peace and disturb the public tranquillity, the others shall consider themselves as bound to make war on them separately, or jointly with the Eng- lish, and their allies, till they have brought them to reason; as also, against any Indians, enemies to the English; and the English will assist them against their enemies.
Ninth. To avoid being imposed on by delays in ratifying this peace, and so lose the season for acting against the above Indians, I do allow twenty-five days from the date hereof, for the arrival of the chiefs of the above nations, with all their prisoners at Sandusky ; and should they fail herein, what has been done, I shall look on as void, and they may expect to find us warriors, instead of brothers and friends.
By the power invested in me by his Excellency, Major General Gage, Com- mander-in-Chief of all his Majesty's forces in North America, &c., these are, therefore, the terms of peace I grant to the nations heretofore mentioned, that is to say, to the Shawanese, Delawares, the Hurons of Sandusky, under my hand and seal at this place, and on the date above mentioned.
JOHN BRADSTREET.
From the power we have received from the chiefs of the Delawares, the Shawanese, the Hurons of Sandusky, the Five Nations of Indians, inhabiting the plains of Sciota, the banks of the Ohio, Presque Isle, &c., &c., we do, in the name of the above nations, together with ourselves, most gratefully accept the terms above mentioned and granted ; and we do, also, most solemnly bind ourselves and them to the true performance of each article, in every respect. Signed after the manner of the Indians .- (The representations of a Turtle, a Fox, a Wolf, with two crosses.)
This peace being agreed on, the Six Nations and Indians of Canada got up, and took the deputies by the hand, saying, they were glad to see they were come to their senses, and hoped they would continue so; if they did not, on the first breach of this peace, which they were witness to their concluding, they would immediately make war against them.
(A true copy)
THEO. MANT, Aide-Camp.
J
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APPENDIX-NO. XVI.
Beaver creek, and that several of your parties are still on our frontiers. As I must consider you now as a people whose promise I can no more trust, I was determined to attack you, as soon as the rest of the army joined me, which I expect immediately ; but I will put it once more in your power to prevent your total destruction and save yourselves and your families by giving us satisfaction for the hostilities committed against us.
And first, you are to leave the path open for my expresses from this fort to Detroit. And as I now intend to write to Col. Bradstreet, who commands the army upon the Lakes, I will send my letters by two of our men, and I desire to know from you whether you will engage to send two of your people with them to bring them safe back to me with an answer from Col. Bradstreet. If they receive any injury, either in going or returning, or if the letters are taken from them, I will immedi- ately put Capt. Pipe, and the other Indians now in my power, to death ; and will show no mercy for the future to any one of your nations that shall fall into my hands. I allow you ten days to have my letters de- livered to Col. Bradstreet at Detroit, or to the commanding officer there, and the same number of days to bring me back an answer from him.
You must be sensible that during your stay here, I have had it in my power to put you all to death, and you deserved it, by refusing to speak with me when you pretended to have come as friends ; but I have not done it, to show you that you have yet a door open to mercy, and I desire that you will now go to your towns (except the two men who are to proceed with the expresses,) and acquaint your chiefs of what I say, and that I expect they will immediately come to me, and deliver up all their prisoners, if they have not already delivered them to Col. Bradstreet, and give such other satisfaction for the murders committed by your nations, as I shall require of them. With this last part I send to the chiefs this belt of wampum to show them that I shall still be ready to hear them on their giving me proper satisfaction."-A belt.
Speech of an Onondago and an Oneida Indian to Col. Bouquet, at Fort Pitt, October 2, 1764.
Usual compliments, a string of wampum.
" Brothers : We are come to inform you that the Indians living upon this river, are now in a state of confusion.' You do not see clearly what their intentions are ; and we desire you to wait a little, and make your- selves easy till we are able to open your eyes, as we still see you keep some evil designs in your minds against them. We likewise, desire you may remove all this from your hearts, and that you will receive them civilly, should any of them come to see you ; and they will treat you in the same manner."-A string.
" Brother: We desire you will remember the ancient friendship which has so long subsisted between you and the Six Nations. We have been sent by Sir William Johnson, to speak to the different nations this way, to endeavor to make up matters between you and them ; and beg you will hear them, and comply with their requests, as they are ready to do with yours. We now see you are going against those na- tions, who first disturbed the peace, who are the Senecas living down this river, the Wyandotts, the Delawares and Shawanese, They are [146]
BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
all now sincerely sorry for what they have done, and are collecting all their prisoners from the lower Shawanese town in order to deliver them up at Sandusky. What we now tell you, on the behalf of those nations, is the truth. You may depend upon every thing we say, as we have never deceived you, knowing that if we did, God would punish us for it."-A belt.
" Brother : As the officer who commands the army upon the Lakes has taken the above nations by the hand, and kindled for them a council fire at Sandusky, where they are now going, they beg that you would likewise forgive them as they very much repent their past conduct, and they promise, as soon as they have complied with their engagements there, they will then come. I ask forgiveness of you, till which time. We desire you may not be uneasy. They have desired us to assure you, in their names, that they will be at Sandusky in a few days from this date, to deliver up all the prisoners, and we desire once more that you will wait a little, and not be uneasy till you hear further from them; but consider what we have said. And as you have detained two of the Delawares that came to see you, we give it as our opinion that it would be best to let them return home, giving them a letter to their chiefs, informing them of your intention." A belt.
" Brother : We beg once more that you will seriously consider what you are now going to do ; and do nothing precipitably ; but if you are determined to proceed with the army, it is our opinion that it would be best for you to take the road leading to Sandusky, where you will meet with Col. Bradstreet, and there settle every thing with him. When the terms of peace are settled with the nations who desire it, should any of them refuse to comply with the terms agreed to, or break the peace afterwards, we will join with you to chastise them. We feel, as well as you, the misbehaviour of the nations ; but as they now repent, we forgive them and hope you will do the same." A belt.
Col. Bouquet's speech to the above, Fort Pitt, October 3, 1764.
" Brothers : You say that those nations are sorry for what they have done, and that they will make peace with us, and deliver all their pris- oners at Sandusky.
" Brethren : The Delawares, Wyandotts and Shawanese are a false people, and they deceive you, as they have always done ; if they are sincere, why don't their chiefs come to speak to me. They have in time of peace killed our traders in their towns : they have stole all their goods. They have attacked this fort, and when I came up last year, they attacked me in the woods," and killed some of our people, and finding us too strong for them, they went to the settlements, where they murdered and carried off a great number of our men, women and children. When the Chenceses, and all the western Indians have made peace with Sir Wm. Johnson, at Niagara, these people did go, but they wrote a letter to kill him ; they despised us. At last you went to Col. Brad- street at Presque Isle, and asked peace for them, and told him, they had recalled all their warriors from our frontiers, but a long time afterwards
* Near Bush Run, August 6, 1763, where, in a desperate engagement, the Indians killed about fifty, and wounded about sixty of Bouquet's men .- I. D. R.
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APPENDIX -- NO. XVI.
they killed a man at Bedford,* and a great many more in Virginia, and they even kill now. When I saw their hearts were still so bad, I came here with the army to attack them, but I first sent to Sandusky to inform Col. Bradstreet, that they had again struck us. My messengers did not find him at Sandusky, and saw that the Delawares had killed another of our people and fixed his head upon a pole in the path, after you had asked peace for them. Now, that they see we know their perfidy and will chastise them, they say, they are sorry for what they have done, and will make peace. But that is not sufficient satisfaction for us.
" Brother : The general has sent me with an army to take revenge for the murders committed by the Delawares and Shawanese, and not to make peace ; but as you say they want to be friends with us, I will tell you what I intend to do. I will go (as you desire) by the road leading to Sandusky, and if the chiefs of the Delawares and Shawanese have any thing to say to me, I will hear them at Tuscarowas; and if they are sincerely inclined for peace, I will tell them at that place what they are to do to obtain it; and in case they agree with me upon the prelim- Inary terms, I will permit them to go to Sir William Johnson to conclude it. I have detained two Delawares, because they came here as spies without having any thing to say from their chiefs ; and at a time when the Delawares and Shawanese had broke the peace, and struck us again. I will, however, use them well, and when peace is concluded between us and the Delawares, I will send them home.
"Brothers : You told Colonel Bradstreet, and you now tell me, that if these nations broke the peace you had made for them, you would join us and strike them. You see they have broken the peace, and that their parties are still at our frontiers killing our people ; they know this to be true, and have deceived you. I will write to Colonel Bradstreet and hear what has passed between him and those nations ; and I ask you whether you will go with two of my people to Colonel Bradstreet and bring me an answer with my two men at Tuscarowas; and I de- clare to you that if the Delawares, Shawanese, and Wyandotts do them any injury, I will put the two Delaware Indians to death, and march against them, which, if they oblige me to do, they must never expect peace from us. You may let the Delawares and Shawanese know that on my march to Tuscarowas, I will not kill any of their people unless they attack me first." A belt.
October 3d, 1764-The army left Fort Pitt and arrived the sixth at Beaver creek, when John Pallmer, who had been taken prisoner the 28th September, came to the army, having made his escape from the Indians the night before.
13th-Arrived at Tuscarowas without any interruption from the enemy, who kept parties upon the road to observe the motions of the army.
* Col. Bouquet, in a letter to Gov. Penn, dated at fort Loudon, August 22, 1764, mentions in the Postscript, that a party of thirty or forty Indians, had killed near Bedford, one Isaac Stimble, an industrious inhabitant of Ligonier -taken some horses loaded with merchants goods, shot some cattle, after Col. Reid's detachment had passed that post .- Rupp's History of Dauphin, &c. p. 151.
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BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
CAMP AT TUSCAROWAS, Oct. 14, 1764.
Received the following message, in writing, from the chief warriors of the Delawares :
" Brother, Colonel Bouquet-We are glad to hear the good speeches which you made, and also that our brothers, Capt. Pipe and Capt. John, are alive and salute us. We now salute you with a good heart, and shall be more glad when we meet you at Tuscarowas, if we see our brothers, Pipe and John, at a small distance; then we should think that you mean nothing but good. Signed,
LINECHQUE, SIMON GIRTY, Capt. KILLBUCK,
WINGINUM, Capt. WILL, JECASSE, or
NEOLAN, Capt. JACOBS, THOS. HICKMAN,
SUNFISH, NEACHAOLAN, WELAPACHIKIN.
The above message was written by Mr. Gibson, a prisoner amongst them.
Col. Bouquet's answer.
"CAMP NEAR TUSCAROWAS, Oct. 15, 1764.
"Chiefs, Captains, and Warriors of the Delawares-I received your letter you sent me yesterday, by which I see you are coming to speak to me. I shall be glad to hear what you have to say, and I will wait for you to-morrow at this place. You may come without fear, for I will not hurt you, or detain any of you; but leave you at liberty to go where you please, not doubting but you will behave in a proper manner. You will give me notice a little before hand, at what time you intend to come, that I may send people to bring you to camp. Capt. Pipe and Capt. John are both well, and if any of their friends choose to see them, I will give them leave after I have heard what you have to say ; and they shall be set at liberty as soon as peace is made, which will shortly happen, if you have well considered my message and determined to do what is right.
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