90 |
the Wea or Piankashaw and displeasure was expressed by the Governor of Pennsylvania at their "unauthorized" actions.42
Heightened British influence did not prevent, however, an outbreak of hostilities between the Wea and Piankashaw who had remained in their Wabash Valley villages and the Shawnee, who were also pro-British and who were then living on the Scioto River in Ohio. During 1751 there were several raids back and forth between the Wea and Piankashaw and the Shawnee.43 However, according to the French commandant at Ouiatanon, in 1751 no Wea chiefs had been there "for a long time," and the best the French could hope for from the Kickapoos and Mascoutins in that neighborhood was that they would remain neutral. It was feared that the Wea, "who form with the Pianguichias [Piankashaw] and the Miamis but one Nation," would all attack the French.44 At this time, during the spring and summer of 1752, the major portion of the Wea were in Ohio, probably at Pickawillany.45
In midsummer of 1752 Pickawillany was raided and pillaged by Charles Michel Moras, Sieur de Langlade and a force of French Indians from Mackinac.46 After this, by the following
42. Mulkearn, ed., George Mercer Papers, p. 556,
fn. 319, p. 616,
fn. 533; Dft. Ex.
108. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York,
vol. 7, p. 268;
Dft. Ex.
83.
43. Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 18, pp. 90-93; Dft. Ex. 64.
44. Ibid., vol. 18, pp. 108, 111; Dft. Ex. 64.
45. Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. 29, pp. 668, 731; Dft. Ex. 67.
46. Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 18, pp. 128-129; Dft. Ex. 64.
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December, all the Wea returned to the vicinity of Ouiatanon with "many protestations of fidelity" to the French.47
Two years later (1754), when the Shawnee attempted to induce the Wea and Miami to again "assist them in recalling the English" to the Ohio River, the commandant at Ouiatanon reported that at least a part of the Wea were ready to attack the English.48 Actually an attack on the British was carried out shortly afterward. Again, in late 1755 or early 1756, a French-led party of 150 Miami and Wea, guided by a few Shawnee, raided English frontier settlements 150 leagues (375 miles) south of Fort Duquesne (present Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). On this raid five Indians were killed and five or six wounded.49
Two of the last French memoirs written about the western posts describe Ouiatanon as well as Vincennes and the Miami post at present Fort Wayne, Indiana. One of these memoirs, undated and unsigned (but written sometime between April, 1754 and February, 1758, the dates of the founding and destruction of Fort Duquesne,which Fort is mentioned in the memoir) describes Ouiatanon as
a fort of upright poles, situated on the right [north] bank of the Wabash or St. Jerome [River]. This post is leased for 1200 ?to the commandant. The savages which trade there are the Ouiatanon [Wea], the Kickapoo, the Mascouten, and the Tribes of the Vermilion [Piankashaw].
47. Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. 29, pp. 736,
751; Dft.
Ex. 67.
48. Stevens and Kent, Journal of Chaussegros de Lery, pp. 85-87; Dft. Ex. 109.
49. Indiana Historical Society Publications, vol. 18, p. 220; Dft. Ex. 79.
92 |
They can furnish three hundred warriors. From this post and its dependencies are shipped from three hundred to four hundred packages [of furs.]50
According to the second memoir, written in 1757 by Louis Antoine Bougainville,
a French army officer then stationed in Montreal, the Ouiatanon post was
|
|
situated on the right
[north] bank of the The savages who come to trade there There comes from this post and those |
By the time the two above-mentioned memoirs had been written, the French and
Indian War was half over and French power in the Ohio Valley-Great Lakes region
was waning.
1760-1782. With the fall of Montreal in 1760, the British took possession of the French posts, including Detroit, Miamis and Ouiatanon.52 During the early years of British control of the Ohio Valley George Croghan, former Pennsylvania Indian trader, furnished much information concerning the Ohio Valley Indian groups, and rendered invaluable aid in establishing rapport between these Indians and the British. The first location and description of the Wea during the period of
50. Ibid., vol. 18, pp.
220-221; Dft. Ex. 79.
51. Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 18, p. 175-176; Dft. Ex. 64.
52. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 71, p. 395, Dft. Ex. 110. Stevens, et al, The Papers of Col. Henry Bouquet, series 21645, p. 224; Dft. Ex. 111.
93 |
British control of the Ohio Valley can, we conclude, be attributed to Croghan. In "A list of Indian Nations," dated 1759, the Wea or "Waggueoughtennees" were noted as living in two towns on the Wabash, and were "computed at 200 fighting Men, Beaver & small skins their hunting."53 In 1759 Croghan had not traveled as far west as Indiana, hence his information was not based on observations he himself had made.
In spite of their taking part in the Treaty of Lancaster during the summer of 1762, and in spite of their requesting the renewal of Croghan's 1750 treaty with them,54 the Wea, like many other Great Lakes- Ohio Valley Indian groups, were by 1762 dissatisfied with British rule- chiefly because British policy dictated that few presents and little ammunition be given to the Indians. Resentment of such a policy was evident in the actions of Wea, Kickapoo and Piankashaw deputies at the Treaty of Lancaster; also when the deputies conferred with British authorities at Fort Pitt in September, 1762; also in a council held at Ouiatanon by Lieut. Thomas Hutchins55 in August, 1762. The Indians complained about the lack of, or small amount of presents given to them by the British, as well as about the lack of a blacksmith and traders among them.
53. Stevens, et al., The Papers of Col. Henry Bouquet, Series 21655, p. 86;
Dft. Ex.
111.
54. See pp. 89-90, this Report. Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, vol. 8, pp. 721-724; Dft. Ex. 118. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 71, p. 426; Dft. Ex. 110. Stevens, et al, The Papers of Col. Henry Bouquet, Series 21648, pt. 1, pp. 152, 155; Dft. Ex. 111.
55. British army officer, later assistant to Croghan in the Indian Department, and eventually Geographer of the United States.
94 |
They were promised, however, a trader at Ouiatanon.56
Hutchins found the Indians suffering from a "Severe Sickness." Many Wea and Kickapoo had died, and many more, he was told, were "likely to Die."57
During Pontiac's Uprising of 1763 the Wea captured Fort Ouiatanon without a shot being fired.58
Late in 1763 Sir William Johnson, British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, sent an "Enumeration of Indians within the Northern Department" to the Lords of Trade. Johnson gave the "Wawiaghtonos [Wea]" as 200 men, the Piankashaws as 100, the Mascoutens as 90, the Kickapoos as 180, and noted that "These Nations reside in the neighborhood of the Fort at Wawiaghta [near present-day Lafayette, Indiana] and about the Wabash River." The "Twightwees" [Miamis] Johnson listed as 230 men, "Near the Fort [Miami], on the Miamis River."59
Croghan, Johnson's deputy, who was at Ouiatanon in 176560 found three Indian groups still living there. Two of
56. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 71, pp.
428-429; Dft. Ex.
110. Stevens, et al, The Papers of Col. Henry Bouquet, Series 21648, pt. 2,
p. 1;
Dft. Ex.
111.
57. Stevens, et al, The Papers of Col. Henry Bouquet, Series 21655, pp. 171-174; Dft. Ex. 111.
58. Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. 10, pp. 12-13; Dft. Ex. 67.
59. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York, vol. 7, pp. 572, 582-583; Dft. Ex. 83. Papers of Sir William Johnson, vol. 4, p. 245; Dft. Ex. 112. For a "1764" population list see Smith, Historical, pp. 153-155; Dft. Ex. 144.
60. Collections of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 11, pp. 30-33, 39-41; Dft. Ex. 67. Croghan had been taken captive at the mouth of the Wabash by some Kickapoos and Mascoutens.
95 |
these groups, composed of the Mascouten and Kickapoo, had their villages near the fort on the north side of the Wabash; a Wea village was on the south bank of the River.61 While he was at Ouiatanon Croghan visited several Wea Indians whom he knew.
Through Croghan's efforts the Wea discarded many of their prejudices and suspicions against the British, which, according to Croghan, had been kept alive by the French resident at Ouiatanon.62 As a result of Croghan's efforts 38 Wea, including three chiefs and 35 warriors, participated in a great peace council held at Detroit in August, 1765. This council brought an end to hostilities resulting from the "Pontiac Conspiracy."63
In the following year (1766) the Wea took part in a council at Ft. Chartres on the Mississippi River near present Kaskaskia, Randolph County, Illinois. The council was held to resolve any difficulties between the "Western Indians" or so-called "Western Confederacy" and the "Eastern Indians" (i.e., Shawnee, Delaware, Iroquois, etc.), and also to counteract any French influence.64 In reporting the council Croghan described the western Indians in terms of the British concept of the Iroquois Confederacy or League. Croghan mentioned 12 groups of western Indians- Wea, Piankashaw, Miami, Kaskaskia, Peoria, Michigamea, Cahokia, Kickapoo, Mascouten, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox- and stated
61. Ibid., vol. 11, p. 34;
Dft. Ex.
67.
62. Ibid., vol. 11, pp. 34, 41; Dft. Ex. 67.
63. Ibid., vol. 11, pp. 43 - 48, 57; Dft. Ex. 67.
64. Ibid., vol. 11, pp. 373, 488, 494; Dft. Ex. 67.
96 |
The above mentioned twelve Nations of Indians composed the Western Confederacy, in the Illinois Country. The French During the late War, divided them into Twenty six Tribes & appointed a Chief, to each Tribe, so that now they consider themselves, as so many distinct Nations Which makes it more difficult, to Transact business with them. Since that time, many of the Tribes, have divided from the rest, left their Old Settlements, and have Settled in other parts of the Country.65
In his attempts to treat with the western Indians collectively, Croghan was
obviously misinformed as to the existence of a "Western Confederacy."
Many of the groups mentioned in his list had long been enemies (i.e.,
the various Illinois groups and the Fox for instance)66 and even
those groups which had had the longest history of amity, such as the Sac and
Fox, had often acted independently; the Sac with no regard for the Fox, and vice
versa.67 At times, even a part of one group could and did act
independently of the remainder of the group- as the Wea had done in 1748-1752.68
In consequence we conclude that Croghan was describing an organization which
did not exist, but which if it had, would have been invaluable to British
Indian administrators in 1766.
65. Ibid., vol. 11, pp.
494-495; Dft. Ex. 67.
66. See for example, ibid., vol. 29, pp. 535, 654-658; Dft. Ex. 67. Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 16, pp. 272, 300, 377, 429, 456-463, vol. 17, pp. 109-118, 318-320, 335-337, 362, 365-366; Dft. Ex. 64.
67. Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. 29, p. 677; Dft. Ex. 67. Collections of the Wisconsin State Historical Society, vol. 17, pp. 318-320, 336-337, 362, 365-366; Dft. Ex. 64.
68. See pp. 88-89, this Report.
97 |
Despite their efforts the British were not entirely successful in their dealings with the Ohio Valley Indians. The Wea did not, for example, confine trading and diplomatic encounters exclusively to British traders and emissaries. In 1769 the Wea, as well as the Piankashaw, Kickapoo, Mascouten and Miami, "All of the district of Ouabach," were receiving presents from the Spanish at St. Louis.69 It is interesting to note, however, that in 1777 neither the Wea, Piankashaw nor Miami appeared on another list of Indian groups "which generally come from the English district to receive presents" from the Spanish at St. Louis.70
In a document entitled "The Road from Detroit to the Illinois," probably written in 1774, the Wea were again located on the south bank of the Wabash River, opposite the site of the former Ouiatanon fort four miles below Lafayette, Indiana. Together with the Kickapoo, who lived on the north bank of the Wabash near the old fort,they numbered 1000 men.71
In the early 1770's the French settlement at Ouiatanon was described by Thomas Hutchins as
a small stockaded fort on the western [northern]side of the Wabash, in which about a dozen families reside. The neighbouring Indians are the Kickapoos, Musquitons [Mascouten], Piankashaws, and a principal part of the Ouiatanons [Wea]. The whole of these tribes consists, it is supposed, of about 1000 warriors . . . . The
69. Houck, Spanish Regime, vol. 1, p. 44; Dft.
Ex. 88.
70. Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 145-148; Dft. Ex. 88.
71. Haldimand Papers, B27, p. 296; Dft. Ex. 121.
98 |
annual amount of skins and furs obtained at Ouiatanon is about 8000?72
Immediately prior to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War the Wea were
actively hostile toward the Shawnee. In the late summer of 1775 the Shawnee
complained that
|
|
we have been Sore Struck
[by] the |
After the outbreak of the Revolution Henry Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor at
Detroit, reported early in 1778 that in his opinion "it must be impossible
for the Ouabasha [Wabash] Indians [i.e., Wea, Piankashaw, Kickapoo and
Mascouten] to be kept in order without a vast expense in presents or the
presence of dome troops."74 At this time Great Britain had
neither of these,troops nor goods,to spare for support of her western posts. In
spite of Hamilton's pessimism, some Wea, Mascouten and Kickapoo war parties had
"gone to war toward the Ohio" by early spring of 1778,75
and at a council held at Detroit in June of that year some Wea, with some
Kickapoo and Mascouten, "were much pleased to go against the Virginians
and act in concert with their [Indian] brothers."76 At this
Detroit conference were five Wea war chiefs, An-qua-sa-ca,
72. Imlay, A Topographical Description, p. 497,
Dft. Ex.
93.
73. Col. Richard Butler's Journal, p. 23; Dft. Ex. 77.
74 Thwaites and Kellogg, Frontier Defense, p. 281; Dft. Ex. 113.
75. Ibid., pp. 281-282; Dft. Ex. 113.
76. Historical Collections of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, vol. 9, pp. 452-458; Dft. Ex. 82.
99 |
Men-wee-shinga, Ree-mee-ca, Packing-qua-shinga, and Cha-ha, and three Wea village chiefs, Qui-qua-po-quois, Me-lou-e-sou-ata, and Ya-pa-ti-a.77
In midsummer of 1778 George Rogers Clark, in command of a detachment of Virginia militia, captured the British settlements on the Mississippi River, and by August, 1778, Vincennes was also occupied by Virginia troops.78 During that summer Clark and his lieutenants treated with a number of different Indian groups- Miami, Winnebago, Sac, Fox, Potawatomi, Ottawa, "and a number of other Nations all living east of the Messicippa, and many of them at War against [the Americans]."79 Other evidence indicates that the Wea were among the "number of other Nations'' mentioned by Clark.80
The American occupation of British villages on the Mississippi and on the Wabash led Gen. Henry Hamilton to attempt to retake these villages, in order to prevent further American expansion in the Great Lakes region.81 Therefore early in October, 1778 Hamilton, with a large force of British regular troops, Detroit militia and volunteers, and Indians, left Detroit to go to Vincennes by boat via the Maumee-Wabash water-way.82
77. Ibid., vol. 9, p. 452;
Dft. Ex.
82.
78. Ibid., vol. 9, pp. 459-460, 465, 475; Dft. Ex. 82.
79. Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. 8, pp. 72, 125; Dft. Ex. 67.
80. Barnhart, Hamilton and Clark in the Revolution, pp. 135-138; Dft. Ex. 66.
81. Ibid., pp. 37-40; Dft. Ex. 66.
82. Ibid., pp. 103-106; Dft. Ex. 66.
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