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.
Bienville to the Minister
(New Orleans, June 18, 1736)
Bienville, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne,
Sieur de in:
(AC, C13, V21, Gen. Corr. of Louisiana,
pp. 207-212 v.) and in Mississippi
Provincial Archives, vol. 1,
pp. 311-314.
(page 311) leur Village depuis sa mort, la reserve d'environ 15 hommes qui etoient encore avec le Sr. de St. Ange. Ils sont alls plus haut dans Ouabache un autre village. Je previsque puisque cette station se retire on seroit inquiet par les Chikachas dans ce post o la garnison n'est pas forte. Cette Circonstance et Les Tentatives recentes et reiteres des Anglais pour penetrer dans la Colonie par la rivire Oyo par laquelle ils descendent dans Ouabache me determine replacer ce fort 40 Lieues plus bas l'entree de cette Rivire. Je l'y aurait mis d'abord si les Sauvages eussent voulus nous y suivre. Il se trouve aujourdhui qui Les Kikapous et Maskoutins qui sont venus il y a deux ans fair Village avec les Miamis ne s'accordent point avec eux et Mr. De La Buissonire m'assure que pour peu qu'on les invitat ils viendront s'y tablir. Je luy envoyeray les ordres pour ce Changement qui ne sera pas d'une grande depense et j'espre que Monseigneur les approuvera. Tout ce que je crains c'est que Left. de Linquetot officier de Canada qui commande aux Miamis et Ouyatanons, ne s'oppose laisser aller Les Kikapous et Maskoutins, parceque ces deux nations sont de son departement. Je lui ecriverai a ce sujet.
[TRANSLATION. The Piankeshaws, in whose country we have a post where the late Sieur de Vincennes commanded, have almost all left their village since his death with the exception of about fifteen men who are still with Sieur de St. Ange. They have gone higher up the Ouabache to another village. I foresee that since this station shrinks we will be troubled by the Chickasaws in this post, which has a weak garrison. This circumstance and the recent and repeated attempts of the English to penetrate the colony by the river Ohio, by (page 312) which they descend to the Ouabache, determine me to relocate this fort forty leagues lower down, at the mouth of this river. I would have located it there in the first place if the Indians had been willing to follow us there. At the present time the Kickapoos and Mascoutins, who came two years ago to make their village with the Miamis, do not harmonize with them, and M. De La Buissoniere assures me that they will go for little more than an invitation if we establish there. I will send him orders for this change, which will not be of much expense, and I hope that Monseigneur will approve them. All that I fear is that Lieutenant de Linctot, officer of Canada, who is in command at the Miamis and Ouiatanons, may oppose letting the Kickapoos and Mascoutins go, as these two tribes are in his department. I will write to him on this subject.]
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