USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Lancaster county Indians: annals of the Susquehannocks and other Indian tribes of the Susquehanna territory from about the year 1500 to 1763, the date of their extinction > Part 6
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In Vol. 33, p. 73, of the Jesuit Re- lations under date of 1648, there is the following statement concerning the Huron embassy to the Susque- hanna the year prior: "Our Hurons have sent an embassy to Andaste (Susquehanna), people of New Sweden their former allies, to solicit them to enter into a full peace with them or resume the war they waged but a few years ago against the Annierou-
nons (Mohawk-Iroquois.) Consider-
able assistance is expected from this as well as a great relief for the country. The Annierounons - Iro- quois are near Quebec." To those not acquainted with Indian history of these times, it may be explained that this statement means, the Hurons sent an agent to the Susquehannocks to ask them to help them, or to re- new their (the Susquehannocks') war with the Mohawks, called the Annierounons. This Susquehannock- Mohawk war we remember raged about 1607 to 1620 at least, and so demoralized were the Mohawks and their allies by the onslaughts of the Susquehannocks that the very name of Andaste made them tremble; and this fear continued up to 1640 at least. So says the Jesuit Relations, Vol. 45, pp. 203 and 205. In a prior item we have discussed the fear which the Susquehannocks threw over the Mohawks during and after the Mohawk war. The journey and speech of the agent the Hurons sent to the Susquehannocks we have fully set forth also earlier. As to the lo- cation of this wonderful Andaste, p. 135, of Vol. 33, Jesuit Relations, says Andaste is seven days' journey from the Iroquois.
1650 and Onward-Iroquois' Retalia- tion Upon the Susquehannas -- Open- ing of the Conflict-Minor Move- ments and Doings of the Susque- hannas-First Campaigns of the Iroquois-Susquehanna War.
We are now briefly to notice a various series of events, simply for the sake of the chronolgy (chronolo- gical arrangement being the only rule or system of these annals).
The Dauphin County Committee on Archaeology in their pamphlet before cited, p. 40, says that "Four years later (1651) the Iroquois, grown in- solent by their successes in almost
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annihilating their kindred tribes north and south of Lake Erie, provok- ed a war with the Susquehannas." This is all we shall note of this war at present. It will be discussed un- der a later date.
Other events as above stated must now claim attention, some of which are as follows: "During the year 1650 the terrible scourge of small-pox broke out among the Susquehannas. (Do. p. 40).
1650-Susquehannock Hunters Roam About Lake Ontario.
About this time (as likely perhaps many years before) the Susquehan- nock hunters in their hunting wan- dered as far as Lake Ontario, where they came into contact with the Iro- quois and were plundered. This shows the great width and extent over which these Susquehannocks were accustomed to roam. (Do. p. 40).
1651-The Great Susquehannock-Iro- quois War of Several Years Begins.
We have quoted above an author who says the war between the Sus- quehannocks and Iroquois began in 1651. While this may be so, it seems that the 'War' was simply desultory several years.
I find that Proud says nothing about this war. In his History of Pennsylvania he omits to mention any events from 1632 to 1654 (See pp. 117 and 118); and when he does resume the discussion it is about Swedes' af- fairs. He mentions a Swedish Treaty with the Indians in 1655; but makes no other Indian references until 1664, when mention is made of Albany In- dian affairs. Mombert's History, p. 23, quoting from Col. Rec. (no doubt) admits the war was in progress in 1654, but that the Susquehannocks were still superior at that time. The Dauphin County archaeologists,
their pamphlet before quoted. pp. 40 and 41, say of the period, about 1655, I suppose: "War had now begun in earnest with the Five Nations (Iro- quois) and though the Susquehan- nocks had some of their people killed near their towns they in turn pressed the Cayugas so hard that some of them retired across the lakes into Canada. They also kept the Senecas in check that they no longer ventur- ed to carry their peltry to New York except under heavy guarding. Smart- ing under constant defeat the Five Nations solicited French aid." Lyle's History of Lancaster County would lead us to infer that this war was declared or begun only about 1660 (P. 19) but it was earlier; because in Vol. 48 of the Jesuit Relations, p. 76, a communication written in 1662 says that the war "broke out some years ago." And finally the speech of the Indian orator in the Lancaster Court House June 26, 1744, 4 Col. Rec. 708, shows that the serious conse- quences of the war occurred some time after 1654. From all the evi- dences we gather it that the real brunt of the war came on about 1660. This we will treat fully later.
1651-The Mohawks and Other Iro- quois Now Combine Against the Susquehannocks.
From 1646 or 1647 to 1651 the Iro- quois Confederacy were warring on the weaker Hurons, during which time we have seen the Hurons sent to the Susquehannocks for help and the Susquehannocks freely offered to give aid. But strange to say the help never was given. The cause of this I cannot find; nor can I find the true cause of the war by the Iroquois up- on the Hurons, except while they were neighbors of the Iroquois, they were cousins of the Susquehannocks or at least former allies, and the Iro- in | quois Confederacy were jealous and
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fearful of a confederacy between the Susquehannocks and Hurons. The rich Susquehanna valley also was in some measure the prize at stake; and this stake was about 1675 won by the Iroquois from the Susquehannock's, they being forced into Maryland. Thus by 1651, no help coming to them from the Susquehannocks, the Hu- rons were almost annihilated by the Iroquois. And now the Iroquois,and especially the Mohawk tribe of them, having grown insolent because of their victories over the Hurons, re- membered their old insults from the wars with the Susquehannocks, and led a renewal of hostilities against them, thus starting the Iroquois-Sus- quehannock war of many years, in 1651. The very beginning of this war is told in Vol. 37, p. 97, Jesuit Relations, in 1651, as follows: "Dur- ing this winter the Annierounons (Mohawks) went to war toward the Andaste (Susquehannocks), the re- sult of which is not yet known." Thus in 1651 the war began.
1651-First Stages of the Susque- hannock-Iroquois War
In our last item we cited the first going out of the Iroquois against the Susquehannocks. The Jesuits called them Mohawks; but Senecas, Cayu- gas, Mohawks and other tribes are by these writers all called indiffer- ently, Iroquois. Later in this year, 1651, further accounts of the war are told us, viz .: "A fugitive brought back news that the Iroquois having gone during the winter in full force against the Andaste (Susquehann- nocks) had the worst of it." Vol. 37, Jesuit Relations, p. 105. And lat- er the same year these Jesuits write "As for news of the enemy the cap- tain of the Atia'kewae (the Andaste or Susquehannocks-Vol. 36, Jesuit Relations, pp. 247-8), who was cap- tured by the Iroquois nation, says
that 1,000 of the Andaste have been captured; or at least they carried off 500 or 600 Andaste, chiefly men. And the Mohawks lost in this expedition only eleven men." See Jesuit Rela- tions, Vol. 37, p. 111. This great boast of the Iroquois all turned out untrue, as we shall show later.
A good deal of what I write now has been discussed but as it was at that time taken second hand from other phamphleteers, I do not consid- er it first hand, and for that reason I now set it down from the original sources.
As to this Susquehannock-Iroquois. war I beg to stop long enough here to remark that the war lasted in a de- sultory fashion about twenty-four years, reaching its height about 1665. The combined Iroquois subdued the Susquehannocks and gradually forc- ed them from the Susquehanna into
Maryland along the Potomac. The backbone of the Susquehannock pow- er was broken by 1670, and the con- tempt in which the Iroquois held the Susquehannocks is testified to by the Jesuits as follows: "Since the Son- nonhourais (the Huron name for Iroquois) have utterly defeated the Andaste (Susquehannocks), their an- cient and most redoubtable foe, their insolence knows no bounds; they talk of nothing but renewing the war against our allies and even against the French, and of beginning by the destruction of fort Colorokoui." Vol. 59, Jesuit Relations, p. 251. The ef- fect of the success over the Susque- hannocks by the Iroquois was much like the effect of the victory over Na- polean upon the Duke of Wellington. The Iroquois felt they could now con- quer the worthiest foe in all the world, and that now they could over- come the French themselves. Chrono- logically this last paragraph is out of order; but I use it here simply
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again to illustrate the prowess of the on either side at any time hereafter Susquehannocks, which is plainly shown in that the Iroquois consid- ered their subjugation an event of first magnitude.
1652-The Haughty Susquehannocks Now Beg An Alliance with the Government of Maryland-A Treaty Formed.
In the very opening stages of the combined Iroquois onslaught upon them the eyes of the Susquehannocks were opened; and their haughty pride was humbled. They had found a foe- man worthy of their arms. While it was not true that 1000 of them were taken as the item under 1651 sets forth; it was true that many of them were killed by the barbarians of the north in these first encounters. The Susquehannocks knew they could not single-handed contend with the combined Iroquois forces, and so they proposed alliance with Mary- land.
Therefore they entered into the fol- lowing treaty with Maryland: "Ar- ticles of Peace and Friendship Treat- ed and Agreed upon this 5th day of July, 1652, between the English of Maryland of one part and the Susque- hannock Indian Nation on the other part followeth:
1. That the English nation shall hold and occupy to them and their heirs and assigns forever all the lands lying north of Patuxent river to Palmer's Island and to the west- ern side of the Bay of Chesapeake and from Choptank river to the North East Branch to the northeast of Elk river on the northeast with all is- lands, creeks, fish, fouls, deer, elk, and whatsoever else belongs except the islands of Kent and Palmer's which belong to Clayborne, but it shall be lawful for both the English and the Indians to build houses or forts for trade on Palmer's sland.
by the English or the Indians afore- said or any other confederated tribe or servants of them, that report be made and satisfaction be given from each other from time to time as the case requires and as in reason should be done between those that are friends and desire to continue so. 3. "That if any people or servants that belong to the English or to the Indians shall go away or run away from either side they shall not be concealed or kept away from each other; but with all constant speed be returned and brought home and sat- isfaction to be made in reasonable way for transport of them by land or by water.
4. "That on any occasion of busi- ness to the English or any message, or the like, the Indians, shall come by water and not by land that there shall not be above eight or ten at any one time, and that they bring with them the tokens given them by the English for that purpose by which they may be known and enter- tained. And also the English on their parts when they send to the Indians any message shall carry the token which we have received from them. 5. "And lastly that these articles and every particular of them, shall be really and inviolably observed, kept and performed by the two na- tions before named and by the people to them or that are in amity with them forever, to the end of the world; and that all former injuries being buried and forgotten, from henceforth they do promise and agree to walk together and carry one towards another in all things as friends, and to assist one another ac- cordingly. But if it so hereafter at any time happen that either party is weary of peace and intends war, then the same shall be signified and made
2. "If there is any damage done |known each to the other by sending
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and delivering up this writing, before any act of hostility or enmity be done or attempted and that 20 days' warning thereof be given before- hand.
"These several articles were sol- emnly and mutually declared and concluded at the river Severn, in Province of Maryland by Richard Benett et al, for the Governor and Council and by Savahegah, Aieroh- toregh, Scarluhadigh, Ruthchoque and Natheldrruh, War Captains and Counsellors of the Susquehannoughs Commissioners appointed and sent by said province and the Susquehan- noughs and were fully interpreted, done and confirmed by several pres- ents, gifts and tokens of friendship, mutually given and received." See this treaty Vol. 3, Md. Arch. p. 276- 7 and Bozman's Md. p. 682. (We shall see at a later date how treacherously the Marylanders violated the sancity of the tokens or medals spoken of here, and slaughtered the holders of them.)
| tank to northeast Branch or Creek lying to the northward of Elk River on the east side." (p. 17) This treaty was asserted by the Governor of Maryland, in our first Court House in Centre Square in Lancaster City, then a Borough, June 25, 1744, when and where the said Governor, speak- ing to the representatives of the Five Nations then assembled at the Treaty of 1744 said: "The Susquehanna In- dians by a treaty above ninety years since, which is on the table and will be interpreted to you, gave to the English Nation and their heirs and assigns forever, the lands we possess from Patuxent River," etc. (4 Col. Rec. 704). And the Indian orator replying the next day said: "We ac- knowledge that the Conestoga or Susquehanna Indians had a right to sell those lands unto you for they were theirs, but since then we have conquered them." (Do. p. 708). This would also make this treaty about 1652, and it also asserts the fact of its existence, and its import.
1652-Hurons Not Able to Help the Susquehannocks in the War.
Speaking on this same treaty Scharf and Johnson both say in 1652 the differences between the Susquehan- As we have stated in the last paper the combined Iroquois were too pow- erful for the Susquehannocks, and they looked to Maryland in treaty to help them. That they made the overtures to the whites is evident from the introduction to the treaty, viz .: "Whereas this court is inform- ed that the Susquehannocks have a long time desired and much pressed for peace with this province, etc." Bozman, pp. 450 and 451. nocks and Maryland were again com- posed, and a treaty was made be- tween them. The Susquehannocks began to see the unwisdom of war with the whites and with the Iro- quois at the same time. Scharf's History of Maryland, p. 212, Geo. Johnson, in his History of Cecil County, has the following to say upon that treaty of 1652: "A treaty was made between Maryland and the Susquehannocks, being the first Neither could the Huron cousins of the Susquehannocks help them; be- cause beside. subjugated five years be- fore, their geographical position was not favorable to co-operation. In Vol. 38, Jesuit Relations, p. 235, it is said "The country of the Hurons is a part treaty of which any record is pro- served. This was done where Annap- olis now stands. (p. 17). The treaty provided inter alia, "That the English shall have all the land from Patuxent River to Palmer's Island on the west side of Chesapeake and from Chop-lof Now France. Southward a little
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to the west comes the neutral nation, whose first villages were not more than 100 miles distant from the Hu- rons, the territory of this nation ex- tending 150 miles; thence moving from the neutrals a little toward the east one reaches New Sweden, where dwell the Andaste (Susquehannocks), who are allied to our Hurons and speak a language not very different from them. They are distant from us about 500 miles."
1654 - Indians Except Susquehan- nocks to be Deprived of their Guns.
Amity with the Susquehannocks seems now to have been firmly estab- lished by the Maryland government; Maryland passed the following act for their benefit; "It shall be lawful for any person to take away from any Indian that shall come within the liberties and bounds of St. Mary's and Potomac, their guns, powder and shott; and that none shall entertain Indians in their houses except they come on public treaty, which is meant only of the Susquehannocks and the Emperor of the Piscataways; and that as far as possble the Indians have notice of this Act." Vol. 1, Maryland Archives p. 348.
1654-An Extensive Beaver Trade Carried on by Susquehannocks.
We now turn for a moment again to the situation, environments and trade of the Susquehannocks at this time before going into their war with the Iroquois.
In Gerrett Van Sweeringen's Ac- count of the Settling of the Dutch and Swedes at Delaware found p. 746, in Vol. 5 of Ser. Pa. Arch. (p. 748) he says: "In the year 1654 the head of the Chesapeake Bay in Mary- land was not at that time seated and so the Marylanders did not take much notice of the Dutch or Swedes. The Swedes sailed up hiding themselves in a creek called the Schuylkill-in | nocks.
English "Hiding Creek." (Do.) And in the same volume p. 235 it is said "Thousands of beavers can be bought around the Schuylkill or Bever's Rede, which are brought down in great abundance by the Minquas and the Black Indians." Wm. Penn also in a paper dated 1690 mentions that the Indians of the Susquehanna came to Philadelphia by way of the Schuyl- kill and its branches-their old and unusual course. (I Haz. Reg. 400). Thus from all this we see that while the Susquehannocks' wars were in progress their trade was going on also.
1656-The Susquehannocks Still Hunt About Lake Ontario.
Some fathers of the Jesuits this year with other Frenchmen journey to the Upper Iroquois and tell of one of the experiences as follows: "To- wards evening some hunters perceiv- ed us (at the end of Lake Ontario) ; Vol. 43, Jesuit Relations, p. 141-and on seeing so many canoes in our company they fled, leaving behind them some booty for our people, who seized their weapons and beaver skins and all their baggage; but cap- turing one of those hunters we found that he belonged to the tribe of An- dastogue (Susquehannocks), with whom we are not at war. Our French therefore gave back to them that which they had plundered; this how- ever did not induce our savages to display the same courtesy." Vol. 43. Jesuit Relations, p. 143.
Two historical facts are worthy of notice here: (1) that the Susquehan- nocks continued to make hunting par- ties to the northward the same as in the days when they were not at war with the Iroquois, and (2) that though the French were the friends of the Iroquois, the 'fathers' say they are not at war with the Susquehan-
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1660-The Piscataways Complain of | 1661-Maryland Again Declares War the Effects of War.
In Vol. 3, Maryland Archives, pp. 402 and 403, it is reported that the Emperor of the Piscataways came to the English and complained as fol- lows: "A long time ago there came a king from the eastern shore who commanded over all the Indians now inhabiting within the bounds of this province of Maryland (naming every town severally), and also over the Powtomacks and Susquehannocks, whom, because he did embrace and cover all of them, he called Wafoin- gassenew. This man dying without issue made his brother, Quakon-as- siam king after him; after whom succeeded his other brothers. After his brothers they took a sister's son, and so from brother to brother. Af- ter this they were in danger of the Senecas, who are a potent nation, and had lately killed five of their men and threatened their fort for being friends with us and the Sus- quehannocks, who are at war with the said Senecas.
Therefore they
(the Piscataways) desire for pay they might have four English to help them make their fort." To this the authorities of Maryland explained the council would be called together and come to the Potomac and give them (the Piscataways) an answer." See Vol. 3, Maryland Archives, pp. 402 403.
Thus this old Piscataway Emper- or, after tracing the line of powerful kings who at one time held a con- federacy of Indian nations about the Potomac, similar to the Five Nations, now in New York, ends by saying that the Piscataway friendship for the whites and Susquehannocks has brought about a hereditary hatred to the Piscataways on the part of the descendants of the original powers of the confederacy.
Against the Susquehannocks.
Just about the time the Susque- hannocks were in the midst of the war with the Iroquois, their bad faith toward Maryland and their outrages upon the whites, caused Maryland to declare war upon them too. John- son in his History of Cecil County, page 51, says that in 1661 the "Coun- cil of Maryland met at Susquehanna Point, just below Perryville, and de- clared war on the Susquehannocks. But two years later, viz. 1663, says the same author, page 61, "Notice was sent to the Susquehannocks to come to Maryland to treat with the Com- missioners of Baltimore County; and that at this time the Senecas had begun to intimidate the Susquehan- nocks." This treaty is also noticed by Scharff in his History of Maryland page 290. We remember also that Maryland and the Susquehannocks made a treaty in 1652, mainly for land; but partly also of amity. This presupposes a state of hostility pre- cedent. Both of which treaties of 1652 and 1663, between Maryland and the Susquehannocks point out that they were warring on the whites and the Iroquois at the same time. Later we will show how the Iroquois fear- ed the Susquehannas after the fatal expedition; and also enter upon the Seneca-Susquehannock War.
1661-Fortunes of War Hard Against the Susquehannocks.
The Susquehannock-Iroquois war has now been going on about ten years, and the Susquehannocks are losing ground rapidly. Maryland passed a law to assist them, the ver- batim transcript of which may be seen in a prior item. To carry out the benefits intended by the Act a commission was issued by Maryland to John Odber as follows:
"We, Cecelius to John Odber, greet-
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ing: Appoint you Captain of 50 soldiers to be raised in the province of Maryland, and them to have use and command with provisions, vic- tuals and ammunition and to set forth with them in a march to the Susquehanna fort to the resistance of all enemies declared and to be de- clared and to defend the said fort against all attempts from any ene- mies of the Susquehannocks or of the province according to such instruc- tions as you shall receive from us, or our lieutenant general from time to time, and them to vanquish and put to death, and all or any other things, acts and powers to use and do concerning said expedition, till the return of the soldiers into this province again, as to the captain of an army or governor of a fort by the laws and use of warre doth or may belong. Given under our lesser seal of said province 18th May, 1661. Philip Calvert." Vol. 1, Maryland Archives, p. 417.
Thus the Susquehannock fort was evidently again in danger. In fact the Senecas were pressing on from the northward that the Susquehan- nocks were about being driven out of the fort on toward the Potomac, to which point about ten years later the Senecas did drive them, and at which latter place they made their famous last stand, as we shall see later.
Evans' and Ellis' history calls at- tention, page 11, to the fact that at this same time there was a fort on the Susquehanna near the mouth of the Octorara; and that it was pro- tected by a small stockade to har- bor hunting parties. But as the main fort, as we have shown, was farther up the river, three miles above the mouth of Conestoga Creek."
According to Hazard's Annals, p. 346, at this time the Susquehannocks
| were greatly reduced, as well smallpox as by war.
The character and progress of the war will claim our attention later.
Act or Law Passed by Maryland in 1661 to Help the Susquehannas.
Through the goodness of that most competent archivest, Hon. L. R. Kel- ker at Harrisburg; and the able and obliging Assistant Librarian of the Pennsylvania Historical Society at Philadelphia, Mr. Ernst Spofford, two of my especially valued friends and co-workers, I am able to send forth the context of the Act of Assem- bly of Maryland passed May 1, 1661, in that Colony to help our Susque- hannocks. Both these gentlemen sent me copies of the Act.
The Act, which is found in Acts of Assembly 1637 to 1664 Vol. 1 (Balti- more) Maryland Historical Society, 1883, p. 406 and 7; also Archives of Maryland, is as follows:
"Thursday, second of May, 1661, present as before. Then was reade the Act concerning the Burgesses tyme and charge which was voted by the whole house to passe. Acts made at a General Assembly held at St. Johns in St. Mary's country, begin- ning April the seventeenth, 1661."
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