Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

From the Johnson Papers, Vol X, page 754

TO JEFFERY AMHERST
A. L. S 1
Johnson Hall July 24th. 1763

SIR
I am to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellencys letter of the 9th. Ins(t). 2 at the German Flatts, and that of the 16th. 3 which I received last night on my return from thence. -

My Proceedings with the Indians who assembled there on my Summons, being too long to be coppied at present, I must therefore defer transmitting them as yet, and shall only inform your Excellency in general, that on the 18th. Ins(t), the Indians being arrived to the Number of 340, consisting of all y(e). Principal Sachims, & Cheif Warriors of everry Nation except the Senecas. - I then delivered them a Speech wherein I represented the behaviour of the Western & other Indians, their unprovoked hostilities and the absurdity of their Attempts to distress a People, who had entirely defeated the united efforts of both the French & them, concludeing with recommending it to them to consider y(e). behaviour of these People as a breach of the Covenant, not only with us, but with themselves, & that therefore it was expected they would give us a proof of their Attachment to us by a Strict observance of their Treaties, and by their resentment at the Hostilities committed. - The next day they answered me, and therein, after acquainting me that the first rise of the present Hostilities was in a great measure owing to the Belts & Speeches left amongst y(e). Westeren & other Indians by the French on leaveing the Country in 1760, (whereby they exhorted those foolish People over whom they had great influence to revenge their losses in convenient time, and defend their own liberties

1 In Public Records Office, W. O. 34, Vol. 39. The draft, in Guy Johnson's hand, is in the Canadian Archives, Indian Records, Vol. 9.

2 Johnson Papers. 4:166-68.

3 Ibid. 4:171-74.

before it was too late) the Speaker proceeded to lay before me other reasons assigned by those Indians for encourageing them thereto particularly the dearness of powder, & goods, III treatment, and want of any Supply from the Garrisons, and the dislike they had to our keeping many of the small Posts which had been promis'd formerly to be destroyed, and the retention of which had created many Jealousies amongst them. - then expressed their dislike at their behaviour, their approbation of Your Excellencys notice of them on this occasion, and their resolutions to abide steadfast by their Treaties, after which they requested that there might be a plentiful! Trade, & confined to Osswego & Niagra, and that every thing might be sold them on reasonable terms, and then concluded with laying before me a verry large Covenant Chain Belt, the One End of which they represented as held by the Senecas, and the other by the Mohawks, that the former had lately fallen of, and that the other End must soon become loose, by reasons of y(e). designs of the English to cheat the Mohawks of their lands & Habitations, in which if they were not redressed the Covenant must fall, they haveing no other place of residence, and also represented that some of the Cayugas returning from the War against the Cherokees were lately cut of by the English, therefore requested that if we loved to abide by the Cov(t). Chain as they did, we should procure them redress on all these articles - To this I answered them on the 20th. and therein laid before them in how trifleing a light the causes assigned by the Westeren Indians for committing hostilities must appear to everry body, that your Excellency loved Peace, to preserve which for the future, you would punish those rash People and expected only from them a Strict attention to their Treaties, and that they should shew their attachment to us by their present Services which would always entitle them to our favour & protection, that the Step taken by these foolish People, instead of makeing trade more advantagious, must effectually deprive them of any, that the Several Posts were won at y(e). expence of much Blood & Treasure, and were verry necessary to us both, that one end of the Covenant Chain was let loose by one of their own Nations, the Senecas, and that they need not be apprehensive of y(e). other End, as I should lay the affair of the Mohawks Lands before your Excellency, and those in authority to procure the Mohawks Justice, as well as that I should enquire concerning the loss of the Cayuga's, in which ace(tt) I apprehended they might have been missinformed, and ended with repeating my desires that they would act as became Brethren & faithfull Allies on the present Occasion.

in answer to which they next day assured me they would imediately send Deputys from all the Nations to bring the Senecas to their Senses, and do everry thing to convince us of their freindship in case those People should not pay any attention to their Embassy.

On this Subject I answered them on y(e). 21st. & represented pritty fully the part was expected from them, to which they answered pritty favourably, and on the 22d. haveing finished all Matters with them I sent of a Party of 6 verry trusty Mohawks with a letter to Cap(tn). Dalyel,1 & directions to do him all the Service he should require of them, as also sent of 2 other verry trusty Mohawks on y(e). Same Errand, and make no doubt of procureing some other parties in a little time, to which nothing will contribute more amongst the lower Nations in particular than our procureing Justice for the Mohawks touching their Lands, on which Subject they could have no satisfaction at y(e). late Tryal at common Law at Albany as at that Court, a Patient however fraudulently obtained is deemed a good right, neither would the Evidences be admitted who could prove the Villainy of obtaining the same, w(h). are too tedious to mention, or trouble your Excellency with at present. & y(e). infamous proceedings lately taken by one George Klock an Inhabitant of this Country, whose Character I formerly laid before Your Excellency for satisfying the Indians thereon, but I must beg leave to represent to You that the continued state of Drunkeness in which a few Indians whom

1 Captain James Dalyell of the 1st regiment.

he has by low vile artifice brought over to oppose the rest, are kept at his house, begins not only to appear of dangerous consequences to the Indians, but even to the white People, and as y(e). Indians are perpetually quarrelling thereon amongst themselves, those so deluded by Klock would not attend the Meeting, neither can the Cheifs get any good of them, and as this cannot end here, & that notwithstanding my repeated representations thereon to those in power in the Province, I find by the powerfull influence of Persons at New York concerned in the Lands, there will be no satisfactory nor effectual measures taken on behalf of the Indians, nor any thing thought of for putting a Stop to Klocks flagitious proceedings, & the Subsisting party Divisions occasioned thereby. I must therefore earnestly request your Excellencys interposition to punish this fellow, as I shall make it appear He deserves, as also to prevent him & any other Persons from engageing the Indians in parties on Matters of private concern, to the prejudice of his Majestys Service, & the hazard of numbers of the Inhabitants resideing in this Country. - Yesterday Several Stockbridge Indians came here and offered me their Service to act offensively on pay. they Say they can Muster about 60 Men imediately, if therefore Your Excellency thinks proper to employ them, I shall order Cap(tn). Lotteradge1 from Canada to go with them on Service, and I beleive he might be able to procure some in Canada to go with him, if so it would strike a great Awe into the rest, as the Indians in that Government are thought of so much consequence, that some Nations will not yet act, till they know what Party they espouse. Several Oghquago & Susquahanna who also arrived here yesterday informed me that about 5 or 6 Hundred Ind(s). of the Chenussios, Shatvanese, Twightiees, & Delawares were on their March (as they had heard) against Fort Augusia,-about the same time an Express came from Conajohare with a Belt of Wampum & message from y(e). Oneidaes, as also a letter from y(e). German Flatts Signed by Justice Frank 2

1 Captain John Lottridge of the Indian service.

2 Justice Conrad Franck.

there, this letter informs me that a Body of English have surrounded the Chenussio Castle, & that 200 Indians were on their way to make some attempt about Niagra, the purport of the Oneida Belt & Message was to inform me that a large Body of Indians were on their way designed against y(e). German Flatts & this River, in consequence of which, I ordered the Militia Companys on this River up imediately to that Settlement, and this Morning verry early I received a Second express with a letter from Justice Harkemer 1 & Cap(t). Fry 2 acq(tg). me that the Indians were said to be near that place, I there up set up some necessary orders to the Militia at y(e). Flatts, which will amount to 9 Companys, and have ordered part of y(e). Albany Battallion to Schenectady for the defence of the River in y(e). Absence of the rest, I shall myself set out for that place as soon as I am any way able, but realy the fatiuge I went thro at the Flatts, with a Cold I catched comeing back, together with the Multiplicity of business on my hands with many Ind(s). now here, has greatly indisposed me, as I was not recovered when I attended the last Congress. - These Alarms may prove nothing, but they require being noticed as there is no knowing exactly when such a Blow may be Struck.

I am also this Day informed that Major Rojers 3 has had an Action with, and defeated some Indians on Lake Ontario, upon the whole I am humbly of opinion we should guard ag(st). the worst that may happen, as I have recieved private Advices on my own Acc(tt), from some Indians in whom I think I can confide, and that therefore a Body of well chosen Rangers, or such persons Sent against some of those Nations in Arms, might prove of great Service, and encourage our freinds, as I am in some measure apprehensive that the Numbers of which the Westeren Nations & Senecas consist may intimidate many of the others, and induce some to act against us, in which case, the defection might prove

1 Justice Han Jost Herchheimer (Herkimer).

2 Captain Hendrick Frey jr., justice of the peace.

3 Major Robert Rogers.

too general, from their expecting no forgiveness, and I humbly conceive the 700 Men raised by Pensilvania, would, if they are good, be better employed in carrying on the War immediately into the Enemys Country. -- I have the Honour
To be with y(e). greatest Respect
Sir
Your Excellencys
Most Obedient, and
Most Humble Servant
WM. JOHNSON
Hist Excellency
SIR JEFFERY AMHERST

Indorsed:

Sir William Johnson, Bar(t).
Johnson Hall 24th. July 1763.
Rec(d), & Ans(d)--28th. Ditto--

Donated by Margaret Johnson

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