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 from Sieur D'Aigremont
Denouncing Cadillac Methods
(November 14, 1708)
(Due to length divided here into two parts)
D'Aigremont, Sieur de in: Michigan Historical
Collections, XXXIII, pp. 424-452.
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(page 431) be set apart for these companies, or at the very
least by three-quarters of them.
It was the same principle that he put into practice when he proposed the establishment of Detroit, for he knew, as everyone else does, that this post is most injurious to the Colony of Canada.
His most notable plea was that of bringing together all the tribes around lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior, namely the Outaois, Miamis, Hurons, Sauteurs, Mississaqueto, Amicouets, and others who live by the rivers falling into Lake Superior, and to induce them to form villages in the neighborhood of Detroit. But the troubles which have arisen since the beginning of the establishment show clearly how wrong it was to bring the savages who were allies of this colony, so near to the Iroquois. The Hurons, whose language and customs have a great resemblance to theirs, and with whom they have close relations, constantly pass through their districts to take their beaver-skins to the English. They were not content with doing this trade alone; they have also introduced the Miamis to it, who were formerly the enemies of the Iroquois, and did the best service in the war we had against them. The Hurons did not stop there. They made them form a very close alliance with the said Iroquois by belts which they gave to each other, which, among these tribes, is an undertaking always to join forces together as soon as one of them is attacked by any other. This shows that the Iroquois have taken advantage of the time since Detroit was established, to attract our allies so that they may have them on their side in case of war, which would undoubtedly occur. Moreover, how can this collection of several tribes at the same place, who have been at enmity live without fighting? Nothing more is needed to start it but to treat one of them more favorably than the others, or merely for that, to appear to them to do so. Jealousy infallibly seizes on their minds at once and induces them to make an attack on the tribe they believe to be favored, and even on the French people that are at the post, as has happened.
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This, then, My Lord, appears to me the best place in which to inform you of the occurrences, which led to the attack of the Outaois on the fort at Detroit in 1706. |
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Motives which gave rise to the attack of the Outavois on the fort at Detroit in 1706. |
It was reported to me, by five savages of this tribe whom I had questioned separately, that in 1704 the Miamis killed an Outaois who was a man of importance in his tribe; that when they complained of this to the Miamis, they gave them the same reply as they had made them before about six others whom they had also killed,- that it was by mistake. The Outavois were not satisfied with this answer; and complained to M. de La. Mothe. He replied that he would find out how the matter occurred. Some time after, M. de La Mothe said to them, "I am going to Montreal, where I have been sent for; complaints have been made against (page 432) me there, but be not surprised, I shall overthrow those who have tried to ruin me,"looking at M. de Tonty and at the Recollet father Constantin who were present, M. de la Mothe said to them again, "Although I am going away, have no fear so long as my wife remains here; but if you see her go down, then you will have reason to fear." When Madam de La Mothe went down, two months after, they were greatly alarmed, and thought of the attack which their people from Missilimakinac had made on Fort Frontenac, and mistrust then sprang up in their minds inasmuch as M. de Tonty, who had remained at Detroit as commandant, did not give them justice in any way for the insult which the Miamis had put upon them, any more than M. de La Mothe. In 1706 the Sr. Bourgmont was sent by M. de La Mothe to Detroit to relieve M. de Tonty. The savages assembled and went to greet him, and asked him what news he brought. He replied to them in an angry manner "I know of none except to tell you that M. de La Mothe will come next spring with a large number of people, and that all the French are already under orders." This bad reception, together with the fact that nothing was said to them as to all their men that the Miamis had killed, was the means of renewing their distrust. They continued however to go and see M. de Tonty but did not carry any complaints to him. But M. de Tonty said to them "the world must be turned upside down, they send me a private soldier to command me." These words redoubled their uneasiness, of which the Sr. de Bourgmont was warned by a woman named Le Chenette whom he kept. On this, the said Sr. de Bourgmont called these savages together and said to them, "I have learnt that you asked M. de Tonty to go and make war on the Sioux. I declare to you that I do not prevent you from doing so, and if you wish we will also join with you the Hurons, who left their dead there, the Miamis and the Iroquois, and you shall form but one corps.
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more than 200 leagues from Detroit towards the South. |
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But, while we send Quarantesou to speak to the Miamis, send some of your young men with the Hurons to war on the Flatheads." This was settled and ratified. They spoke to Quarantesou, to whom a present was given, |
to which the Outaois had largely contributed, to take it to the Miamis, and the Onyatanous, and tell them when presenting it to them, that this present was to induce them all to go against their enemies like the Sioux, and to forget all that was past. This Quarantesou, according to the Outaois, was a rascal whom the Sr. Bourgmont employed to deceive them; for, instead of telling the Miamis that he gave them this gift to induce them, with his tribe and that of the Outaois, to go and make war on the Sioux, their common enemies, he said to these Miamis and Oniatanous- "I am sent by the tribes of Detroit to tell you to join them, to go all together against the Sioux; but I warn you that it is in order to kill you. I know it from a good source. Bourgmont and La (page 433) Chenette, have told me so. The Outaois do not suspect us now; let us turn our arms against them," to which the Miamis consented. There were then some Iroquois, who also offered to join the party, having the attack, which the Outaois of Missilimackinac had made upon their people at Fort Frontenac, still quite fresh in their memories. During this space of time the Outaois had sent some of their men with the Hurons against the Flatheads, and another party in the direction of the Sioux, commanded by Outchipouak, a Sinagan Outaois and a war chief, to get together the savages in the direction of Puants Bay, 80 leagues from Missilimakinac, while waiting for Quarantesou's return to Detroit. This chief was much surprised when he saw the Saquis and the Poutcouatamis coming to him, who said to him, "We give you meat to eat, and it is the meat of the Kikapous." These Kikapous were among those he was looking for to reinforce him for going against the Sioux. "What are you saying to me, my brother Saquis and Poutcouatamis?" said this chief, "you give me meat to eat of those from those from whom I was hoping for help." Then the Poutcouatamis and the Saquis replied, "Do you not know the news, and the result of the embassy of Quarantesou? He made presents to the Miamis, the Onyatanous and the Kikapous, to induce them to tomahawk us all, instead of exhorting them to go with us against the Sioux." M. de Tonty was then still at Detroit. The brother of the Outaois who had been killed two years ago went to him and said- "What justice are they giving me for the death of my brother? I do not hear anything said about it. Does Onontio intend us to be always killed and never avenged? Yet we are his old children, while the Miamis have only known him as their father for a short time." The man who spoke in this way is called Quilengouché, a capable and important man, who is master of the Huron, Iroquois and Miamis languages. After this speech he said "I am going, my father, to fight against the Miamis;" whereon M. de Tonty said to him "Do nothing of the kind, you will have enough to do in protecting your village in a little while," without giving him any explanation. At that time M. de Tonty set out to go to Montreal, and before he left he warned four or five families of the Nipissingues and Sinagan Outaois that as soon as he had left to go down, they should withdraw because he had received letters from the Sr. Joncaire from Sonnontouan, which alleged that matters were not going well for them, and in fact a part of those people did retire as soon as M. de Tonty had set out. Some time after, Outchipouac, the war chief of whom mention has been made above, on his return from Ouisconsin reported all that the Poutcouatamis and Saquis had told him, and that that was why he had given up his first design against the Sioux, and said that they must not wait for help from the Hurons or the Miamis, and that they must not divide [their forces], but that the misfortune was that they (page 434) had some of their men with the Hurons in the country of the Flatheads, and others trading near Lake Huron and Lake Superior; that if they would trust to him, they would begin the attack on the Miamis without giving them warning and before they had all got together again. His advice was not followed, although it was true that they increased every day in numbers. All these items of news put together, which were all connected with one another, kept them in great uneasiness, but it was prodigiously increased by what was said by a Sonnontouan woman who arrived at Detroit, whose life the Outaois had saved. This woman said to them- "My fathers, you saved my life, and I have left my country that I, in my turn, might save yours. I did not depart in secret, but neither did I say that I was coming here; they think I am hunting with my family. You must know then, my fathers, that Joncaire arrived this last autumn, and he said that the tribes were being lured on to destroy you all, and that the French were to go to Missilimakinac to kill those who are there; and I am surprised that M. de Tonty did not warn you of it, for he knows it well; as for me I am come to warn you. Be secret, and say nothing of what I am telling you." After this speech the most important men of each of the Outaois tribes held a council and decided to attack the Miamis. Two chiefs at the council, the one called Ouaguescau of the Sable tribe, and [the other] Meaouana a Sinago, said that they must not make an attack like that without warning the French of it, and telling them that they should not interfere in their quarrel. The rest were of the opposite opinion, saying that the French had concealed everything from them. "Recall everything to your minds," said they; "do you not remember what Joncaire said at Sonnontouan, that the French would never forgive us for the death of the soldier who was killed on Hog Island; that M. de La Mothe told us when he embarked that if we saw his wife leave we should have reason for fear; that Bourgmont, on his arrival, did not speak to us except with a threat; that M. de Tonty secretly told some of our people to withdraw as quickly as possible after he had left; and you see that this Sonnontouan woman confirms all that for us. The Poutcouatamis and Saquis have told Outchipouak that Quarantesou betrayed us, together with Bourgmont and La Chenette." "What do you want to wait for" said Niutcouabamuct, war chief of the Kiscacous, "let us begin before they are any stronger; it will make no difference, for our men who have gone with the Hurons against the Flatheads are dead, it is a snare that they have laid for us." Others said "Let us hide our intention from the young men and let us act as if we wished to go against the Sioux."
In the evening they went to see the Sr. Bourgmont and said to him, "My father, have you no news," to which he made no reply and did not even appear to hear them. And what finally convinced them that all that (page 435) they had heard was true, was that when a dog bit one of their men, and the man struck the dog, the Sr. Bourgmont fell upon him and beat him so severely that he died some time after. They went out, therefore, from the Sr. Bourgmont's house greatly displeased, and decided that they would set out the next day, saying that they were going against the Sioux. This they did; and when they were in the woods they announced their scheme to the young men, which was to return upon their trail with all possible dispatch, and attack the Miamis, but not to touch either the French or the Hurons.
They therefore attacked the Miamis vigorously. Some of them went to the Missionary's garden, where they found him, and they took him and bound him. Jean le Blanc unbound him and said to him, "My father, go to the fort and tell the French people not to fire at us and that we have no designs against them." The father, as he went away, joined some Miamis whom the Outaois attacked; and while they were firing, and being fired upon from the fort, the father was shot. And at another place there was a soldier killed in the fray; and at that time the French had already killed or wounded five men. Next day they wished to take presents to pacify the French; but the latter fired on them, and they left their presents near the fort, and the French took them. I feel sure, My Lord, that this long discourse of the savages must be tedious to you; but I thought it my duty to repeat it at full length, that I might leave it to your sagacity to decide who were the persons who contributed most to this action.
This is what I have learnt from certain Frenchmen about that. They say that the Outaois left their fort in the morning with the intention of making an attack on the Miamis, and came along a narrow strip of forest opposite the French fort to fall upon their village; and having then caught sight of six Miamis who were going to the fort of the Hurons, Le Pesant said to his band that they had better begin by attacking these six men, and when they were mingled together he would cry "ho!" three times, and this should be the signal for killing them. This was carried out as planned, there were five of them killed and one escaped to the French fort; and as he shouted that the Outaois were attacking them, all the Miamis, who were in their village retired to the French fort where the Outaois pursued them up to the entrance of the fort; and the Sr. Bourgmont who was in command there, then ordered them to fire at the Outaois, two of whom were killed. The missionary, Father Constantin, who was in his garden outside the fort, and knew nothing of what was going on, was seized there and bound by the Outaois and taken into their camp. Jean le Blanc unbound him and said to him- "Go and tell Bourgmont not to let them fire at us, that we have no designs against the French." As the Father was returning, it happened that a young Out- (page 436) aois was shot dead by the Sr. Bourgmont or some other Frenchman, and at that moment another Outaois, a relative of the one who was killed, shot the Father as he was about to enter the fort, from which shot he instantly died. A soldier who was on his way back from the Huron fort, intending to go into the French fort, was also slain by the Outaois. Then the Sr. Bourgmont ordered the gates of the fort to be closed and the men to fire on the Outaois, of whom about thirty were killed by the Miamis and Hurons.
This disturbance is not the only one which has occurred at Detroit since it was first established, and one of which I have the honor of informing you, My Lord, will not be the last, if this post is long in existence. In the month of April last, when the Miamis had killed three Frenchmen, one league from the fort, M. de La Mothe sent a boat after the Sr. d'Argenteuil, whom he had sent to Saguinau to take the provisions which had been promised to the Outaois in the winter, to give him information as to what had taken place. He requested him to make as much despatch as he could, and to send to his assistance all the Outaois he found on his way. He informed the Sr. d'Argenteuil in his letter that he could assure the said savages that he would never make peace with the Miamis, and therefore they need only come and he would not fail them. On this statement, the Sr. d'Argenteuil went on day and night, and in a short time reached Saguinau, where he found some of the Outaois and Sauteurs, the remainder being still far inland. He sent for them and took them all to Detroit, to the number of about 1,300 persons. Among this number there were 300 men, besides those whom he had found on the road and had sent to M. de La Mothe's assistance, amounting to nearly 150. On his way back he met with another boat which M. de La Mothe sent him, through which he requested him to be as speedy as possible. The reason of his urgency was that he had many enemies around him, consisting of Hurons, Iroquois and Miamis, as these three tribes had determined to slay him with all the French people at Detroit; and this would have been carried out but for the Onyatanous who warned him of it at a council, giving him five bundles of furs. It was the Miamis of La Grue who had induced the other savages, by presents, to join the plot. The Sr. d'Argenteuil and the said Outaois were greatly astonished when they learnt from their men, who had arrived at first, that M. de La Mothe had not detained the Miamis but, far from that, had made peace with them on four conditions:- First,- that they should deliver the murderers to M. de La Mothe within 40 days.
2nd, that, within 15 days, they should give up a young Outaois they had taken.
3rd, that they should pay for an ox and a cow that they had killed. He insisted strongly on this point which made the savages allied to us say (page 437) that they saw very well that he valued an ox and a cow higher than a man.
4th, to return what they had stolen from the French people in their country.
As the Miamis did not send back within the 15 days the young Outaois they have taken, M. de La Mothe determined to go and attack them in their fort, and to that end he had a flag hoisted, to which he had had a tomahawk fastened, without consulting either the officers or the savages, about it. Both of these were rather discontented, especially the latter, who complained, saying that M. de La Mothe was a cheat to go and attack the Miamis before the 40 days he had given them, for they did not think that the young Outaois, whom they had promised to return in 15 days, was sufficient reason why he should not wait this time. Notwithstanding this discontent, they decided to follow him. He ordered a war feast, but it was held at the expense of the French people, each of whom had contributed to it, even the soldiers. Three days later he resolved to begin the march. The Outaois begged him to delay one day more so that they might have time to shut up their wives and children in the fort; he made them no reply, and embarked while they were making them go in. The Sr. d'Argenteuil having pointed out to him that it was dangerous to leave such a large number of Outaois alone, he ordered him to stay with them and bring them as soon as he could, and he would wait for him on the way, but he did not tell him where. The Sr. d'Argenteuil remained and took them all next morning. On his way, four leagues from the fort, he met a boat which M. de La. Mothe had sent for the powder, which he had forgotten- a proof of his lack of foresight and of the confused state of his mind. While waiting for this powder, he spoke to the French and the savages who were then with him, of the small value he set upon the Miamis, and how easy it would be to take them and destroy them. It was represented to him that he should not despise them so much, and that those people fought well, and he ought to take all the precautions necessary against surprise; upon which M. de La Mothe replied that they need not give advice to him. They remained there that day, and went next day to encamp close to the enemy's lands. They represented to M. de La Mothe that it was advisable to send scouts in boats and by land to find out whether the enemy were making any movements, but he would not do so. Next day he set out at noon just as if he were traveling in the midst of profound peace. The savages again represented to him that it would be well to lower the flags and go through the reeds so as not to be discovered, but again he would do nothing of the kind. He stopped about two leagues from the entrance to the enemy's river in broad daylight, where fires were lit, which made many people say that apparently he did not believe they were in the fort. He called together the French people and savages in the evening and told them (page 438) they must start and enter the river and that he would go on all night. On this the chief men of all the tribes pointed out to him that it was not necessary to go by night because it was still a long way from there to the enemy's fort; that their men were very tired and the savages were dying of hunger; but he took no notice of anything they could say. He went on therefore all the night, which was a very dark one. Some of them split their canoes and were abandoned. He was again begged to encamp because they could not possibly fail to lose their way, but still he refused to do so.
He abandoned both parties, who were so tired that most of them threw themselves on the ground to rest, and for fear of splitting their boats. In the morning they found themselves at the foot of the rapids of the river, but none of them knew what had become of M. de La Mothe, which made them decide to go to meet him. He was found on land on such a bad path, and walking so slowly that he would not have got to the foot of the rapids for four days, but for the help of those who had come to meet him. He arrived there, like the others, at the rapids. He then ordered them to march in order, and after marching for some hours, the savages, thinking they were near the enemy's fort, shouted according to their custom. This made those who were behind with M. de La Mothe think they had taken the fort, but they were undeceived a short time after by the firing that they heard. M. de La Mothe went forward and took shelter behind a tree of enormous girth and never quitted it until very late in the afternoon, when he betook himself out of cannon-shot range from the enemy's fort, although they had no cannon. From the morning until one o'clock in the afternoon the savages only fired with the small quantity of powder and bullets which the French gave them during the action; for M. de La Mothe had not taken the precaution to give them any the night before, and if the French people had had no more forethought than he, they would have appeared in front of the fort without powder or bullets; and this made them say that he did not believe he would find the enemy there.
The Sr. d'Argenteuil asked to go to the
palisade with such as wished to follow him, among whom would have been many of
the savages, as he has very great influence over those people. It cannot be
doubted that he would have carried the fort, which is not worthy of the name,
for it is nothing but a simple square inclosed with crossed stakes, and has no
bastions or other works flanking it; but he refused him and said that he wished
to blow it up. Every one felt sure that he would not do so; and, in fact, a short
time after, he sent the Sr. du Figiuez, ensign, to the Sr. d'Argenteuil,
lieutenant, who was in direct command after him, de La Mothe, not to let it be
known he was retiring, and that he would remain some time longer with the
French and savages who were in ambush. The Sr. d'Argenteuil obeyed his order
and had the wounded car- (page 439) ried off, and
afterwards went to join him with the few people who had remained with him. Just
then it was observed that the Miamis were showing a flag which M. de La Mothe
had given them in the spring. When that was reported to him, he said they must
be given a hearing. For that purpose he sent to them a Frenchman and a savage
who spoke their language, with whom they agreed upon a place to parley in, to
which these savages repaired and M. de La Mothe also; about 200 men were
concealed on their flank, in case of treachery on the part of the Miamis. It
was settled that a Miami chief should come and speak to M. de La Mothe, and
that he should bring the flag which he had given him in the spring, and that
the one who had brought the messengers should remain at the meeting-place in
token of safety. After that the messengers departed and brought a chief of the
Miamis to M. de La Mothe's camp. This chief reproached him severely, asserting
that he had failed in his promise and had violated the law of nations, the
forty days he had given them not having expired yet. But M. de La Mothe replied
that, as they had not delivered the young Outaois to him within the time they
had promised, he had been in the right in attacking them. It was then arranged
that the Sr. d'Argenteuil should go for the young Outaois, who was a prisoner
among the Miamis, which was done at once, and he was taken into the French
camp. They then gave M. de La Mothe about 50 bundles of different furs for
distribution among all those who had followed him in this fine expedition, and
to stay the tomahawk. I was assured that they were not all distributed
according to the intention of these savages, and that he had kept a good part
of them for himself. The man Chauvin1,
who seemed to me the most devoted to him and is also related to him, confessed
to me that he had kept four bundles. They also gave M. de La Mothe three slaves
to replace the dead. The savages promised him that they would bring the
murderers in six weeks if they could, and if they were unable to do so they
would go and settle at Detroit, after they had gathered in their harvest; and,
as security for their word, they gave M. de La Mothe three Miami chiefs as
hostages, after which each side withdrew. That, My Lord, is the report given me
by several persons who went through this glorious campaign. All the French and
the savages say that M. de La Mothe did not act as he ought to have done on this
occasion; that until then they had believed him to be a very brave man, because
he had told them so many times that he was so; that every one felt a
conscientions scruple about doubting it. Moreover,
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