THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Extracts of Croghan's Journal
(May 22 - June 13, 1766)
(Due to length divided here into two
parts)
Croghan, George in: (Enclosed in
Croghan to Gage, June 15,
1766), Clements Library,
Gage Papers, American
Series, Vol. 52,
Reel 10.
Children
I am now to acquaint you with the business I am going upon to the Illinois Country, by order of His Excellency the Honourable Major General Gage, And the Honourable Sir William Johnston; you are all Sensible of what happened last year, after I Set off from hence, with the Deputies you Sent with me in Order to Confirm a lasting peace, between the Western Nations, And us, in behalf of All His Majestys Subjects in this Country; You have been made Acquainted with every thing that pass'd between them Nations and Me, last year. Since that Unfortunate Affair happened, thos Naitons have Expressed the deepest Concern for What they have done, And begg'd forgiveness of Your Nations, and the English in the Sincearest Manner, and Since that, have this Winter past Sent several Messages to us, to Invite, the Chiefs of your Several Nations, to Come to their Country with Me this Summer, in order to make up all differences subsisting Between their Nations And Ours, On Such a Permanant footing that no Evil Spirrits, may have it in their power to disturb the Publick Peace. Now Children in Consequence of the Several acknowledgements made by those Nations, both to your Nations, and your Fathers the English, His Excellency Major General Gage and the Honourable Sir William Johnston, from their great love of Peace, And Ours to promot it amongst all Nations, have Sent me to Settle All Differences, And Ratifie and Confirm A lasting peace with all Nations, that our women and Children, yet Unborn, May Enjoy the Blessings of Peace.-
5th This day a party of thirty two Seneca Warriors, Came down the River, on their way to war, Against the Southern Indians, and Requested Some Powder, Lead, Vermilion, and knives, and Disired That their guns and hatchets, might be mended, & Some provisions given them.
6th The Chiefs of the Several Nations came to me. And spoke each Nation On a String of Wampum, and desired me to pitty their present Situations, That they were Much disliked, for want of Council Wampum, and that there was None to be purchased from the Traders, And Requisted, that I would give Each Nation, A Quantity of Council Wampum to Enable them to Joyn with their Fathers, the English, In Council with those Nations, where we was going to promote the good works of Peace.
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In answer to which, I told them, that I was Sory to find, that their Council bag, was So Empty, as not to Enable them (page 9) to Joyn their Fathers in Council, on this Occation, which was as much for the true Interest, of their Several Nations, as it was for us, but to Convince them of the Sincear Regard, their Father, had for the wellfare of his Children, of the Several Indian Nations; I would Supply their present wants, And gave Each Nation a quantity of Council Wampum.-
7th The Delawares and weindotts came to me and made the following Speech.-
Father. We have heard what you have Said to Our Several Nations, three days ago, And have Considered every Speech, Which is very pleasing to all Our People; As Some of Our Wise Men is at home, we will take your Speeches home, And Lay them before Our Council; you may be Assured, that Our Chiefs will Joyn you at the Mouth of Siota, And go with you and Joyn with you in the Business you are going On.
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8th The Shawanese Sent me word, that they were then in Council Considering on the Several Speechs I had made them, and would meet me to morrow in the Council house, & give me their Answer.-
This day a party of fifty, Six Nation Warriors, came down the River On their way against the Southern Indians, and Requested to have their guns And hatchers Mended, And to have Some powder, Lead, knives, and Vermilion, given to them, with Some provisions while they Stay'd here for a few days.-
At a Meeting in the Council house with the Indians June the 9th 1766
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Capt
William Murray |
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Present |
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Lieut
Alexn. Donaldson |
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Captain Henry Montour Interpreter |
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Ethanakeeptha Speaker for the Shawanese Spoke as follows
Fathers
Some days ago you Condoled with us, for the Several (page 10) losses we have Sustained, Since we Meet here last year, in Council, then Repeated Over all the Speeches I had made them, On that Occation, and Returned a great Many thanks, for the Notice we had taken, of their Murdered friends, in Condoling with them, and burrieing their bones, agreeable to the Custom of their Nations, Which kind and friendly Speeches, on that head, had made their young men & women hearts perfectly Easy
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Fathers
After Condoling with us, you Acquainted us with The Business you was now going on to the Western Nations by order of His Excellency the Honble. Major General Gage, And the Honble Sir William Johnston, And desired that Some Chiefs of Each of our Nations Should Accompany you, As desired by those Western Nations, this gives us great Sadisfaction to find that our Fathers, is Determined to Promote the good works of Peace, And as Some of our Chiefs is at our Villages we will take your several Speeches to Our Country, And Lay the whole before Our Council, that those of our wise Men, who is not here, may Consider them, we here have Considered them, And approve Much of Your Measures, And have appointed two of our Chiefs to attend You from hence with some of Our People, and Desire that you may Stope at the Mouth of Siota, where the Rest of our wise men will meet You, and settle every thing with you, Relating to Making A Lasting Peace, with those Indian Nations, Who Struke you and Us Last year, and Such of our People, as you think will be proper to go with you on this Occation, will Certainly Attend you on your Journey.
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The Speaker then Added, that I might now fix the time of my seting off that they might Prepare to Set off, in order to Meet me, at Siota with the Rest of their wise men, that no delay that could be avoided, Might be given to the business we are all Joyned in, And which is of Such Consequences, to us all and so much wish'd for, by thos distant Nations.
Then Captain Murray made them the following Speech, As the Indians had Several times, this Spring Spoke to him, about the People that had Settled on this side the Mountains.-
Children
You have often Spoke to me this Spring, Concerning Some (page 11) White People, who have Come over the great Mountain, and Settled upon Your Lands, and desired to know from me, by whose Authority they were there, As it was Contrary to our Engagements to you last year, both at this place, and Sir William Johnston's; As we then promised you that No part of your Country should be taken from you, or inhabited till A Proper Boundary was Settled, by the kings Orders.- In Consequence of your Application, I acquainted the General with Your grivances, and he has been pleasd to Send me an order, to Send an Officer and a party of Soldiers, to order any people that have Cross'd the great Mountain, Immediatly to Retire, from your Country, which I am Ready to do, And now Requist that you will, Send a Chief of each of the Nations, with this party, to be present when the people, who without Leave have come to your Country, Are ordered away, that you may be Convinced, that the hearts of your Fathers the English are good, and that we will not, take any part of your Country, from you without Your Own Consent, and that we will in every part, fullfill the Engagements We have Entered into with your Nation.-
At a Meeting with the Six Nations in the Council House June 10th. Present the Shawanese & Some of the Delawares.-
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Capt
William Murray |
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Present |
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Lieut
Alexn. Donaldson |
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Captain Henry Montour Interpreter |
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I first had Acquainted them with every thing that had passt Between their Brethren the Shawanese And their Nephews the Delawares, And Me, And the Resolutions they had taken in Meeting me at the mouth of Siota in Order to Joyn me there with their Chiefs and Council Speches And from thence to proceed with me to the Ilinois Country, there to make up all Differences, Subsisting between those distant Nations, and us, that Our women and Children, May hereafter Enjoy the blessings of Peace.
Then Spoke to the Six Nations on a Belt, And desired them to Joyn Me, as their Brethren the Shawanese, & Nephews the Delawares, was Prepareing to go that they might Joyn in this General Settlement of Peace with those Nations to the Sun Seting.
The Six nations made the following Answer
Sir William Johnston and you have been long Employed in the Management of Our Affairs, And promoting the good works of Peace when you Set off last Summer, we Joyn'd Our Councils with Yours, and Shared the same fate, and the Delawares, and Shawanese; you now Acquaint us of Your being Sent, by Sir William Johnston, to finish the good work you began last Year, and we hear what Our Younger Brethren, the Shawanese have Said, that they, and, the Delawares, are going with you, we approve Much of your Undertaking, and will Joyn you, and go and See an End, Put to this good work of Peace.
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Here is Some of Our Warriors, has Something to Say to you, Listen to them.
Brother
When we Set off from Our Castles, we Determined to make all the haste we Could to Our Enemys Country, there to divert our Young men. Since we came here we have heard, of your going down this River, to Settle a Peace with those Nations, that Struck us all last Year; we hear they are Sory for what they have done, and Begs for Peace, be Strong and grant it to them; we are Warriors, And as you are going down this River, which is our war Path; if it is agreeable to you, we will Joyn you and Clear the way for you, as Some times the Southern Indians, Our Enemys come to this River, to make war against the Nations, you are going to make Peace with.
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This day I Sent an Express, to D:troit in order to Inform the Several Tribes, that way; of what has Past, at this Meeting, between and all the several Nations, and of My Setting Off down to the Ilinois.
The Chiefs of the several Nations on the 12th came to my House, and Spoke as follows On a Belt
It is of the greatest Consequence to us, that a good man Should Command at this place; the Present Commanding officer Captain Murray Our Father, has always Treated Our People Sivilly, and Since you was there last year, we have never (page 13) had the least difference with him nor his People, and we hear that he is to go away Soon we therefore disire you to Write to the General, that he may be Continued here Longer.
13th June At a meeting with the Indians, Benewassuo Spoke as follows
Father
Every thing is Now Settled, between you, and our Chiefs And you are going amongst those Nations, whom you and us Met with Misfortunes Last Year, we by this Spring wipe the Blood of Your Bodys and disire that you may forget what happened at that time.-
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Father
We take this opportunity to Signify to you, before you Set off Our great sadisfaction, of the Manner in which you , And Our Chiefs has Settled Matters, Respecting the many People, we have lost; and we now assure You, by this Belt, that we the Warriors of the several Nations, in this Country are well Pleased, And that by the Condoling Speeches, you made us, you have Removed the Remembrance, of Our dead Friends from Our Minds, and we shall never Once think more, of what is past, but Assist you and our Chiefs in Promoting the works of Peace.
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Father
We have one thing more to say to you, Our Tawies is a great Distance off And when we come here to Trade, we are Troubelsome to you we therefore desire, if it is agreeable to you, to let us have traders to go to Our Towns.-
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