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.
Letter to Croghan
(Johnson Hall, March 15, 1766)
Johnson, Sir William in: The Papers
of Sir William Johnson,
vol. 5, pp. 75-77.
ABRAHAM E. WENDELL'S BILL ETC
In the Johnson Calendar, p. 304, are listed the following papers which were destroyed by fire: Abraham E. Wendell's bill of sale of negro Jacob to Sir William Johnson, the consideration being 100 in New York currency, dated the 13th; and the account of Philip Boyle's losses by Indians in 1763, the 14th, Philadelphia.
TO GEORGE CROGHAN
Df.1
|
Johnson hall March 15th, 1766. |
DR SIR/
A few days ago I received your Letter of the 14th ulto.2- together with the Accounts enclosed which I have reduced to N York Curr, and transmit them to the General by this Post recommending the payment of them to him. As for the Accts. of Interpreters &ca at Detroit, they have been before now sent to the Genl. by Lt Coll Campbell who paid them by Billets, and therefore I apprehend he may yet send down these included in your Accots however I have transmitted them all to the General.
In Accots. of this Nature it will be best always to mention the times, & to bring them all to a Certain day, this has been recommended to me before now, and I have followed it. Vizt. from the 24th. March to 25th. 7br. & so on. In my Letter to the General I have mentioned you several Losses in the Service & the risque you may be at from undertaking any thing of yourself, and I have therefore recommended it to him to give you such Monies or Credit as may be necessary for your doing some Service & Supporting a proper character amongst the Indians without which I observed you could not do any thing, but I would not point out (page 76) any particular Sum as you will be the best Judge of that and I have told him you can inform him, therefor I would have you to make the best calculation you can & imediately let him know as nearly as possible what you think it can amount to.- he writes that by Letters from Pensacola there is an accot. of the arrival of the 34th Regiment at the Ilinois, and says they have large presents with them, but I have wrote him that this will be of no Service to you from whom the Indians will of Course expect favors, and that, as an Agent for the Department.
You can let the General know that it is by my direction you send him an Estimate of the Expences.
I daresay the General will imediately order payment of the Accots. but I know that previous thereto he will desire my Receipt for the Whole as his Boucher; so soon as this can be transacted I shall enclose my Receipt to you or your Order who can receive it without my bringing the Money here.
I wrote you sometime Ago to send off some Very Good hand with an Indian or Two to invite Pondiac to meet me at Oswego, about June next with a Sachem & Warrior of the Twightwees, Chipweighs, Ottawas, Hurons & Powtewatamies of St Joseph and that the Messengers should let me know the Exact time he can come, which I hope you have done before this time.
I deferr sending you the Instructions until the Article of your Expences is finally settled which I hope will be Soon as I have recommended it very strongly & said a good deal on the Subject to the General, who certainly cannot Expect you should advance your own money, or run any risque of your private fortune of that head.
I shall appoint Mr. McKee as a Commissary at Fort Pitt, and I can have no objection to Mr Smallmans appointment at Detroit but my promise formerly to Lieut McDonnell by your recommendation, & that Since, Lieut Hay who was recommended by Coll. Gladwin has made such frequent aplications to me for the post that really I don't well know how to set him aside in case Lt Mc Donnell should decline, or that his long absence would (page 77) Justify me in appointing another. I should have thought of Mr. Smallman of myself at Some of the posts as I believe him well qualified but for what you mentioned to me here which induced me to think you did not intend to recomend him, so that you see how hard my Situation is, between a desire to oblige you, & a promise, or what amounts almost to one in favor of another. The Post of Detroit will always have an Officer of some consequence at it, & therefore I wish you'd consider whether that Officer might not make a place very disagreable to one unacquainted with the Army which he could not so well do towards one who had been a Military Man. Another thing makes that post very uncertain that is, MacDonnels desire for it which may induce him as he had my approbation to get a Commission for it at home which would be a great disappointment to Mr. Smallman.- Mr. Mc Dugal applied to me some time ago and for the reasons before mentioned I was obliged to put him off as well as I could, so that I apprehended he had given up any thing that way, but notwithstanding I have determined to appoint him Some where else when the other posts are reestablished, as I believe him to be an honest, Active Man. If under all these Circumstances Mr. Smallman will take on him the risque of Lt MacDonnells return I shall Apoint him, but Let me hear from you soon about it, that it may not Lye Vacant for if M rHay is appointed there, he must take it on the like uncertainty. I shall inform Mr. Cole of my intention to appoint him at the Ilinois & direct him to meet you there or on the Road.
I am sorry Mr. Mc Kee incurred the 24. on acct. of the Tuscaroras as they were a few People of little importance who only had my pass to fetch their Relations from the Southward.
GEO: CROGHAN Esqr
________________________
1 In the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Mass.; in the handwriting of Guy Johnson.
2 Destroyed in the fire.
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