USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 57
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"Signed,
HENRY BOUQUET.
CAMP NEAR TUSCAROWAS, Oct. 16, 1764.
Speech of four Senecas and two Delawares to Col. Bouquet.
" Brother : We received your letter yesterday, by the white man you sent us, expressing you were glad. He returned to you, after being at our town, to acquaint you of our coming to meet you. We now thank God for giving us this opportunity of seeing one another, and speaking together ; and our chief warriors, women and children return you their thanks for the message you sent them yesterday.
" Brother: We thank God for enabling us this day to wipe your eyes that you may clearly see our chiefs when they come to speak with you; and we clean your body with this string of wampum, that you may cheerfully receive to your heart the good speeches they will make to you." A string.
" Brother : As we have now wiped your eyes and cleaned your body in behalf of ourselves, the Senecas living on the Ohio, the Delawares and Shawanese, we inform you that the reason of our not coming soon- er, is because the Shawanese are not yet come; but the chiefs of the
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other two nations are all present, and we expect the Shawanese to-mor- row ; when they shall have a meeting among themselves they will then come to speak to you.
"Brother : Another reason for not meeting you sooner, was because that beloved Col. Bradstreet had invited us to the lakes at the same time that you expected us to meet you at Fort Pitt. In this case we were at a loss which way to go; but when you hear our chiefs you will be con- vinced that our delay was not through any bad designs against you." A string.
Col. Bouquet's answer.
"Brothers : I am glad to hear what you say; as peace is preferable to war, I shall be well pleased 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, and that when the Shawanese do arrive you will consult together ; but I now tell you it is not necessary to wait for the Shawanese, as I will hear to-day, or to- morrow, what the Delawares have to say by themselves ; and I will not stay for the Shawanese, but will hear separately what each nation has 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, Oct. 17, 1764.
At a Conference held with the Chiefs of the Senecas living on the Ohio, the Delawares and Shawanese.
Present-Colonel HENRY BOUQUET, Commanding his Majesty's forces in the Southern District.
Lieut. Col. REED, Royal Highlanders.
Lieut. Col. FRANCIS, Pennsylvanians.
Lieut. Col. CLAYTON, do.
Major PREVOST, Royal Americans.
Major MURRAY, Royal Highlanders.
Major DE HAAS, Pennsylvanians.
Major FIELD, Virginia Volunteers.
Brigadier Major SMALL.
Captain STEWART, Royal Highlanders.
Captain GRANT, do.
Captain OURRY, Deputy Quartermaster General.
Captain WILLIAMS, Chief Engineer.
Captain LEWIS, Virginia Volunteers, with several other gen- tlemen of the army.
Mr. ALEX. McKEE, Assistant Agent for Indian Affairs. DAVID OWENS, Interpreter.
INDIANS.
Senecas. Delawares. Shawanese.
KEYASHUTA, Chief, CUSTALOGA,
KUSSINUTCHTCHA, Chief, with six warriors.
with fifteen warriors. BEAVER,
with twenty warriors.
KEYASHUTA and TURTLEHEART, Speakers :
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BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
"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 all attention, what they are now going to say to you.
" Brother : We have done our utmost to be ready to speak to-day as you desired ; and 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 happened 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, and we join our thoughts with yours that we may always be of one mind for the future." 'Two large belts.
"Brother: Now we have thrown away every thing bad, nothing re- mains bad in our hearts ; but good. We take fast hold of this chain of friendship, and we, the Chiefs of the Delawares, Shawanese and Sene- cas, living upon the Ohio, who are related to the Six Nations, request you will do the same, as we cannot hold it fast without your help, and we must both look up to God, who now sees every thing that passes between us, for his assistance. Do not think that what we say comes from our lips only, it proceeds from the bottom of all our hearts ; there- fore we again request that you will join both hands with ours to this belt of friendship." A belt.
" Brother: We have respectfully told you that we have thrown away every bad thing from our hearts : that you should hear nothing but good from us. Colonel 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 Colonel 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 that you will inform us at what place you choose to receive them ; whether at Fort Pitt, or the lakes. We have been very diligent in collecting ourselves together, with the few prisoners you see, to meet you." A belt.
N. B. Here they delivered up eighteen white prisoners.
"This is all we are ordered to say by our Chiefs ; you will listen to themselves."
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, and deliver you up your flesh and blood." A belt.
"I now deliver you the number of prisoners amongst my people." Delivered forty-two small sticks.
BEAVER, chief of the Turkey tribes, speaker.
" Brother : you shall likewise soon see all your flesh and blood who are still prisoners among my tribe."
N. B. Delivered forty-one small sticks.
KEYASHUTA, speaker.
"Brethren : you have now heard all we have to say at present, and
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APPENDIX-NO. XVI.
we think we have done every thing required of us by Col. 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 held with the Seneca Chiefs living upon the Ohio, the Delawares and Shawanese.
Present-Col. HENRY BOUQUET, commanding his Majesty's forces in the southern district, and the officers mentioned at the conference of the 17th; also the same Indians, chiefs and warriors.
"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 actions."- A string.
" You say, that it was not your fault that this war happened ; but that it was owing to the western nations, and to your foolish young men. I answer, that it is 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 chastise them when they do wrong, and not suffer yourselves to be directed by them." A string.
"I am glad to hear you have thrown every thing bad out of your hearts, and that you are now sincerely disposed to take fast hold of the chain of friendship, which, as soon as 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 San- duskey, and I had told you to deliver them to me. You know by the treaty made with Col. Bradstrett, and now in your hands, and to which I appeal, you promised expressly to deliver all the prisoners to him at Sanduskey, 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 broken 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, twelve 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 it is very evident, that, as usual, you never intended to deliver them !! Again, when you beg- ged for peace, you assured Col. Bradstreet, that you had recalled all your warriors from our frontiers ; and you know, contrary to that dec- laration, 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, forty-five days after the peace was 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 [ 152 ]
BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
the Mingoes, Delawares and Shawanese, to attack this army, if you had found you had sufficient force for it !
" Having now answered and refuted every thing you have said in excuse for your breach of peace, I am commanded by the General to declare to you, that as you have broken the peace granted to you by Col. Bradstreet, he likewise breaks it on his side; and Sir William Johnson has already informed the Six Nations, and all the western Indi- ans, of your perfidious behavior to us." A belt.
" You must be sensible, that you deserve the severest chastisement ; but the English are a merciful and generous people, averse from shed- ding the blood even of their most cruel enemies ; and if it was possible that you could convince us, that you sincerely repent of your past con- duct, and that we could depend on your good behavior for the future, you might yet hope for mercy and peace ; but before I tell you the terms, I will recapitulate the many injuries 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 provocation whatsoever. You have in time of profound peace, and without having received the least injury, murdered Capt. Clapham, who had been a friend and a father to many of you. You have killed, or captured all the traders sent to your towns, at your own repeated request, and plun- dered their effects. You have dared to attack the building, of which you expressly assented when in presence of George Croghan, deputy agent for Indian affairs. I made the first treaty with you upon the Ohio, after we had dispossessed the French at fort Duquesne, and several of you now present assisted at that treaty. You murdered treacherously last year one of our men, sent in a canoe from fort Pitt to bring over the Ohio some of your people, who pretended 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 em- ployed in public 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 con- tinued to murder our people to this day !
"One of your party killed lately, in one day, eleven children at a school; and not satisfied with that infamous action,* they massacred near the Little Beaver creek, the only boy they had spared, and had the im-
* This first murder was perpetrated three miles north of Greencastle, Franklin county, (then Cumberland county,) July 26, 1764, upon a school- master named Brown; but three of the children's names, viz: Taylor, Hart and Hale, are remembered, though no less than ten were killed, and one was left for dead-Archibald Mccullough-who recovered, to give an account of the tragic scene. It was remarkable, that with but few exceptions, the scho- lars were much averse to going to school that morning. And the account given by McCullough is, that when the master and scholars met at the school, two of the scholars informed him that on their way they had seen Indians ; but the information was not attended to by the master, who ordered them to their books ; soon afterwards, two old Indians and a boy rushed up to the door. The master seeing them, prayed them only to take his life, and spare the chil- dren ; but unfeelingly, the two old Indians stood at the door, whilst the boy entered the house, and with a piece of wood, made in the form of an Indian
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pudence to fix his head upon a pole in the middle of the path; and this they did after they had begged peace from Col. 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 an insolent letter you obliged Thomas Smallman 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, con- siderable presents ; but you never complied with that, nor any of your engagements. You know that all these things are true, and only a small part of the numberless murders, depredations, and breaches of faith you have been guilty of. I am now to tell you, that we will no longer be imposed upon by your promises, and 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 murders of their friends ; and it is with the greatest diffi- culty that I can protect you against their just resentment, by assuring them that no peace shall be granted till you have given us a proper satisfaction.
" Your former allies, the Ottawas, Chippewas, Wyandotts, &c., have made their 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 and the Lakes. All the French living in those parts, are now subjects of the King of Great Britain, and can no 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 WACKA- TAMIKIE,* all the prisoners in your possession, without any exception- Englishmen, Frenchmen, women and children-whether adopted in your tribes, married or living amongst you, under every denomination or pretence whatever, as also all negroes, and to furnish all the said prisoners with clothing, provisions and 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 20th, 1764-Col. Bouquet having required the chiefs to
maul, killed the master and scholars, after which the whole of them were scalped."
"On the 4th of August, 1843, a number of persons of Greencastle and vicinity, repaired to the place where, as tradition has it, the bodies of the murdered victims were buried, and commenced removing the earth, and soon found relics of skeletons; part of an iron box, seemed to have been a tobacco box." Rupp's History of Dauphin, &c., p. 150.
*The name of this place is spelled in different ways. The original copy of the Journal has been followed, in this transcript .- I. D. R.
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BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
appoint a man of each nation, to attend him on his march to the place fixed, they named Keyashuta for the Senecas, Turtleheart and Custa- loga's son for the Delawares, and James Smith for the Shawanese.
KEYASHUTA addressed himself to the nations present, desired them to be strong in performing every thing required of them, and they having been accused of having told lies always before, to be now punc- tual in the execution of their promises, to convince their brethren that they could speak truth. He adds, that he would conduct the army to the place appointed for delivering up the prisoners.
KEISINANTCHA, chief of the Shawanese, said, he would immediately go to inform his nation of every thing he had heard; but as the dis- tance was great, they could not be at WAGHHATAWMAKY in ten days, where they would certainly meet us, and comply with every thing re- quired of them, and that he expected the Shawanese would be treated in some manner as the Delawares.
22d-The army proceeded, attended by a number of Senecas, Dela- wares and Shawanese, and arrived at the forks of Muskingum the 25th ; this place having been fixed upon as more central than WACHATAW- MAHA, to receive the prisoners.
27th-Col. Bouquet sent a Shawanese with a message to his nation. First desiring them to be punctual as to the day of delivering up their prisoners. Secondly, as they had expressed some uneasiness in our not shaking hands with them, to tell them that all the English took their friends by the hands, and that they could not be treated as such, till a peace was concluded with them. Thirdly, to bring the letters written for Col. Bouquet, by the French officers at fort Chartiers, which were sent last winter by three Shawanese, but detained by their nation .- Fourthly, to provide themselves with a sufficient quantity of provisions to subsist their people and their prisoners, during the time necessary to settle matters at this place.
28th-The above messengers returned, and informed Col. Bouquet that he did not proceed all the way with his message, but having deliv- ered it at WAGHATAWMAKY, the chief of that town proceeded himself with it, and desired him to return, and acquaint the Colonel that he had already collected all his own prisoners, who would arrive in two days ; and that he was going to the Lower Shawanese, to hasten the people to bring their prisoners. A string.
29th-Custaloga arrived with his prisoners.
30th-Custaloga informed Col. Bouquet by a string of wampum, that as soon as his people were all come, which he expected to-morrow, he would then speak. A string.
Col. Bouquet informed him, he would have been glad to have heard him to-day, but as there were yet two days of time appointed to come, he would not hurry him.
31st-Arrived the Big Wolf, and seven other Shawanese, and deliv- ered up eight white prisoners, and informed Col. Bouquet that they were sent by their chiefs to assure him, that he might depend upon see- ing them with all their prisoners, at this place. A string.
Col. Bouquet's answer :
"I am glad to see you in so good a disposition, and that you have
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APPENDIX-NO XVI.
brought the prisoners before the time fixed in delivering the whole up, and I hope your chiefs will follow your example, and deliver every drop of white blood in your nation." A string.
November 1st-Custaloga and Keyashuta, with several Indians.
"Brothers : two days ago we appointed to meet you to-day, and we desire vou will listen to us." A string.
" Brothers : on our first meeting you at Tuscarowas, you then desired to see your flesh and blood at this place, agreeable to which, we, thed Delawares, now deliver you up thirty-two English prisoners, and thee Senecas present, three. There are yet amongst them four more, whom they have sent for, and will be here to-morrow." A large string.
" Brothers : we have told you at Tuscarowas, and this place, that we would strictly comply with your desire in delivering all our prisoners ;; and, now, the four nations which this belt represents, join as one, andi have agreed to follow your advice ; and further, are determined to pre- vent and defeat any bad designs, that may be formed against you by any nation whatever. The Wyandotts have made peace with Col. Brad -. street, but notwithstanding, joined with us in delivering you this belt, to renew their friendship with you." A belt.
They then addressed themselves to the Cochnewagos present, in sub- stance of the above speech, with a string.
Colonel Bouquet's answer :
"I have heard with pleasure the good speeches you have made to me, and 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, as it is the only means to make us for -. get what is past, and to bring about a reconciliation. You must not forget that there is a number of prisoners amongst you-till the last of them is delivered up, I cannot proceed to the good work of peace."' A string.
2d-We sent to Sandusky an officer and three men of the Virginians and two Cochnewago Indians, with a message to the Wyandotts, ordering them to deliver up all the prisoners they had. This day king Beaver arrived with his prisoners.
3d-Received a message from the Shawanese chiefs, acquainting Col. . Bouquet that they were coming with all their prisoners. Col. Bouquet sent them an answer to hasten them, and a string of wampum to bring the four Frenchmen who lived amongst them. The same day, having intelligence that some French traders were arrived at the lower Shawan -. ese town, Mitchell and two Cochnewago Indians were sent off with a message to the Red Hawk, chief of that nation, requiring him to have the said traders seized and brought to Col. Bouquet.
CUSTALOGA and King BEAVER, with several others :
"Brother : It is now late and we can say little ; but to-morrow you may be assured of hearing of every thing we have to say." A string.
" Brother : We now deliver fifty-seven prisoners, our reasons for do- ing it to-night, is perhaps some of them may attempt to runaway. You can take better care of them than we, and to-morrow we will speak to you." A belt.
4th-The Indians sent in a message that they were ready to speak. [156]
BOUQUET'S JOURNAL, 1764.
Colonel Bouquet sent them for answer that he would not admit them to speak, till they had delivered the remainder of the prisoners.
5th-King Beaver delivered up eight white prisoners, and Custaloga delivered up three prisoners.
Mr. Mitchell returned with the two Cochnewago Indians, having been stoped by Keissuntchatcha, the chief of the Shawanese at Waghatamagy, 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 pro- ceeded, and that all the people of the lower town were on their way with all their prisoners to meet Col. Bouquet.
6th-OWENS, TURTLEHEART, a Delaware Indian, were sent to the s; nd re- by Shawanese, to know whether they were coming, and as to the time they would be here. Owens returned from the Shawanese the 7th inst., and said that they would arrive with their prisoners the 9th inst. A soldier was found killed in the woods. The Indians were suspected, and the d. following message was delivered to their chiefs :
"KEYASHUTA : One of our soldiers has been killed, this morning, near the White Woman creek, As this murder has been committed in the country of the Delawares, I expect that they will find out, and de- liver to me the murderer ; and till they do it, I shall make that nation answerable for the murder, therefore, acquaint, forthwith, the chiefs of he several tribes of the Delawares with this, that they may exert them- selves towards the discovery of the murderer." A string.
The chiefs promised to deliver up the murderer, if they could dis- cover him, immediately, and sent five Indians in pursuit of a Wyandott, whom, they believed to be guilty of that crime.
8th-Sent a message to the Shawanese, to acquaint them with it, and o desire them to come in with their prisoners, and not be afraid on ac- count of that murder. The Shawanese sent Thomas Smallman, as a prisoner among them, to the camp, with some of the horses stolen by che Senecas ; and also, sent word that they would come on the 10th nst., with their prisoners ; and sent the following letter :
WAGHATAWMAKA, Nov. 8th, 1764.
" Brother :- We, the Shawanese, have thought proper to send our riend, 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 lesh and blood, which should have been given up to you before now, had we not heard some evil report, that you had some bad design against Is. We now dispatch the Beaver with one of our young men, to know he truth of it, and shall, upon your invitation of writing, proceed with ill the prisoners to your camp. We, the Shawanese, are come with no other intent, than to see you ratify and confirm our ancient friendship, ind make an everlasting peace with you, our brothers. I am, in behalf of the Shawanese,
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