CHAPTER I ORGANIZATION OF THE WESTERN TERRITORY, MARCH, 1763 – DECEMBER 7, 1763 DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY - DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON'S CAHOKIA CHURCH PROPERTY AUBRY'S ACCOUNT OF THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY, 17631 The Settlements of Illinois is in the Fortieth Degree of Latitude, 500 Leagues from new Orleans by water, and 350 by Land. The 1st of Feb[rua]ry2 is the latest that one should leave new Orleans, the water being then high, make the passage up the Mississippi much easier than in the summer; and the Country being then Drowned renders any attempt from the Enemy more difficult. The Commanding Officer should take care to Encamp as much as possible on the west side the River, as 'tis natural to expect the Enemy on the other side, especially if they have any design to attackt or Ambuscade him with a large Body, the want of conveniences making it difficult for them to Cross the River. There's not much to be feared from the Indians when you are upon 1 The original author of this paper was M. Aubry, last acting governor of French Louisiana. The identification is proved by the fact that the author speaks of his building Fort Massac and of his journey with four hundred troops to Venango. The paper was evidently drawn up for the use of Major Loftus when he attempted to occupy the Illinois country in 1764, and certain remarks were added to the translation. It is the original of appendix ii of the Historical Account of Bouquet's Expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1764. This appendix is a paper "written by an Officer well acquainted with the places he describes." The publisher of Bouquet's Expedition, however, has changed the paper somewhat and has evidently intended that the original author should remain anonymous. Robertson's description, printed later (post, 218), is evidently drawn from the same paper. 2 Where the original writer has indicated the omission of letters by a line above an abbreviation, the omitted letters are supplied in brackets; in other cases the abbreviated word is printed in these volumes as written. I your Guard, they Generally attack on the first break of Day, or when you are Embarking. It is necessary that the Commanding Officer should send to the Inhabitants to acquaint them with his arrival, and to desire them to send 100 of their most Allert people with a few Illinois Indians, to meet him with fresh provisions &c promising them proper payment for the same. This being the Indians hunting Season, and those that are at War with the English being very distant from the Illinois, makes any Interuption from them less to be suspected. The Settlements of the Loups and Chaouanons are near Pitsburg, which is near 500 Leagues from the Illinois. The Herons & Outowawis that are at Detroit, are near 250 Leagues by Land from it. The Miamis near 200 Leagues, and the Pouxs, Mascoutins, and Ouiatanous (on the Ouabache) are near 160 Leagues by Land.1 But as news flys swift amongst the Indians 'twould be proper to desire the Commanding Officer at Illinois to acquaint you if possible with their designs that you may take your measures accordingly. The greatest danger will be near the Ohio, as the Chiraquis2 and all the Nations that are at War with you can come down that River therefore the utmost diligence is required for fear of a Surprise. The Ohio empties itself into the Mississippi 35 Leagues from the Illinois. 1 These tribes were all united in that opposition to the advance of the British settlements, that showed itself in the war known as the Conspiracy of Pontiac. a. The Loups is the name given by the French to the Delawares, who at this time were settled in the Ohio Valley with their center near the Muskingum River. b. The Chaouanons are the Shawnee, formerly divided into two bands, one in South Carolina and the other in Tennessee on the Cumberland River, but at this date united on the upper waters of the Ohio River. c. The Huron (Heron of the text) is the name of a confederacy of Indian tribes who lived formerly in what is now the province of Ontario, but had settled by this date in the vicinity of Detroit. d. Part of the Ottawa (Outowawis of the text) had also moved from Ontario to the region between the lower Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. e. The Miami had by this date been forced by other Indian tribes to limit their settlements to what is now northern Indiana. f. The Potawatomi or Pouxs lived at this time along the southern shore of Lake Michigan and were pressing upon the Miami's hunting grounds. g. The Mascoutens were at this time practically absorbed by the Kickapoo and were dwelling on the Fox River, Wisconsin, but their hunting grounds extended to the southward. h. The Quiatanon or Wea were, as the above account states, on the Wabash. Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, passim. 2 The Cherokee. The Fort Massiac1 or Assension is on the Left side the River Ohio 13 Leagues from the Mississippi, which I bult in 1757, it is also Two Leagues from the Chiraquis River. It is a Picqueted Fort with four Bastions and eight pieces of Cannon, and Contains about 100 men, 'tis but four days passage by Land from this place to Illinois, and is very necessary to be possessed by us as it keeps up the Communication between that and Pitsburg. The Fort of Vincennes is the last Post in the Department of Louisiana, it is situated on the Ouabache 60 Leagues above its entrance into the Ohio, and from the entrance of the Ouabache into the Ohio to the Mississippi is 60 Leagues more. It is a small Piqueted Fort, in which may be about Twenty Married Soldiers and some few Inhabitants. The Land is very fertile and produces plenty of Corn and Tobacco. It is about 155 Leagues from the Illinois by water, but one may march it in Six days by Land. The Indians that live near this place are called Peauguichia,3 they are about 6 Warriors Tho' we may not have men enough to occupy this Post at present, it is very interesting to us to do it, as the Passage to Canada lies up the Ouabache. It is 60 Leagues from Vincennes to Ouiatanous, and 60 more up the River Ouabache to Miamis, and from thence a Carrying place 1 Fort Massac has enjoyed a greater reputation in the traditions that have grown up around its abandoned earthworks than can be derived from its actual history. It was first built by M. Aubry in 1757 as he states above. The occasion for the erection of the fort was a report that the British were on the point of descending the Tennessee River for the purpose of attacking the French posts on the Mississippi. In order to be prepared for this threatened attack, which was never made, M. de Macarty, commandant in the Illinois, sent Aubry with one hundred and fifty French, one hundred savages, and three cannon to build a fort on the Ohio. Aubry set out from Fort de Chartres, May 10, 1757, and constructed a fort which he called Fort Ascension as a memorial of the day on which the first stone was laid; but in history it has become known as Fort Massac. So far as is known, the fort experienced, during its history, only one attack. This was made late in 1757 by the Cherokee who were repulsed. On December 1, 1763, De Villiers, the successor of De Macarty in the Illinois, reported to his superior that he had reduced the garrison of the fort to fifteen men and one officer, and had had all the serviceable artillery, which consisted of five cannon and smaller arms, brought to Ste. Genevieve, leaving three cannon of little service at the fort (post, 53). A few months later, in 1764, Fort Massac was entirely abandoned, and remained unoccupied until 1794 when for a few years there was stationed there in a newly built fort a small garrison of United States troops. De Villiers du Terrage, Les dernières années de la Louisiane française, 179, 190, n. 2, 205. 2 The Tennessee River. 3 The Piankashaw. The number of warriors (6) is evidently the result of some transcriber's mistake. of Six Leagues to the River of Miamis, and 8 Leagues more down that River to Lake Erie. This was my Rout in 1759, when I went from Illinois to Venango with more then 400 men, and a hundred thousand weight of Flour. All the Indians in this part of the Country are at present Our Enemys it is not possible to think of Establishing these Posts at present. At about 35 Leagues above the entrance of the Ohio into the Mississippi and on the East side is the River Cascaquias,1 and about Two Leagues up that River on the Left is the Settlement Cascaquias, the most considerable of the Illinois. This Fort has been built since I was there on the heights on the other side of the River Cascaquias.2 As the River is narrow the Fort can Command the Town and protect it from the Savages. I don't know what number of Cannon there is, or what Number of men the Fort can contain. There may be about 400 Inhabitants. The Illinois Indians called Cascaquias live about half a League from the Town; there are 100 Warriors, but they are Idle and very drunken. Six Leagues above this Place on the side of the Mississippi is Fort Charters, it is built with Stone and can contain 300 Soldiers, There may be about 20 pieces of Cannon or more, I can't be certain as 'tis four years since I left it.3 there may be about 100 Inhabitants about the Fort and the Indians which are called Metchis are about Forty Warriors.4 Between Cascaquias and Fort Charters is a small village call'd Rocky-Meadow containing about fifty Inhabitants, but no Indians or Fort. 1 Kaskaskia River. 2 Aubry left the Illinois for service around Venango and Niagara in April, 1759, the year the French began building a fort (today incorrectly called Fort Gage) at Kaskaskia which is described by Captain Pittman, who saw it in 1765, as follows: "The fort, which was burnt down in October, 1766, stood on the summit of a high rock opposite the village, and on the other side of the river; it was an oblongular quadrangle, of which the exterior polygon measured two hundred and ninety by two hundred and fifty-one feet; it was built of very thick squared timber, and dovetailed at the angles." Pittman, European Settlements on the Mississippi (Hodder ed.), 85. 3 For a complete description of the fort, see post, 2:91. 4 The Michigamea, one of the tribes of the Illinois confederacy. 5 Prairie du Rocher. Near Fort Charters is a small Village of about 20 Inhabitants but neither Indians nor Fort.1 Fifteen Leagues above Fort Charters is a Village called Casquiar,2 there is a small Piqueted Fort (I don't know if there be Cannon) and about 100 Inhabitants-The Indians near this Village are Called Casquiar, and are about 60 Warriors. I immagine there may be about 300 Negroes at Illinois. The Country is extreamly Fertile, Wheat and Indian Corn grow very well, and all the European Fruits Suceed to a Wonder. They make very passable Wine from the wild Grapes, and their Beer is very good, they make Indian Sugar. There is Mines of Lead, Quarrys of Stone, and plenty of Salt. [Endorsed:] Discription of The Illinois. DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS, 1763 [P.R.O., C.O., 323.16, f. 169 — C.] Plan of Forts & Garrisons proposed for the Security of North America, and the Establishment of Commerce with the Indians. The Number of Regiments,- Their Stations & in what Manner the Garrisons necessary in each Fort, is to be Kept up, by Detachments from the Said Regiments.3 N. B. This Plan is formed upon a Supposition that the Regiments will consist of Ten Companies of Seventy Five Men to each Company, Except at Nova Scotia, where a lower Establishment is proposed and 1 This is St. Philippe. 2 Cahokia. The fort was described by Captain Pittman, who saw it in 1765, as follows: "What is called the fort is a small house standing in the center of the village; it differs in nothing from the other houses except in being one of the poorest; it was formerly enclosed with high pallisades, but these were torn down and burnt. Indeed a fort at this place could be of but little use." Pittman, Mississippi Settlements, 93. This plan for the distribution of forts is the first one proposed after it was determined by the British ministry to maintain a force of troops in the American colonies. Since the cabinet did not have sufficient knowledge of the local situation, the secretary at war sent instructions to Sir Jeffrey Amherst, at the time commander in chief of the forces in America, to send a plan of the distribution of troops, of which this is a copy. It is to be noted that this plan calls for the distribution of troops in widely scattered locations throughout the newly acquired territory. It was formed at the time when the British ministry intended to develop the West rapidly by colonization; it continued to be the plan of those who advocated the extension of the settlements westward, and was opposed by those who favored the limitation of settlement to the seaboard. |