before Hillsborough a memorial drawn up by Johnson, setting forth the spiritual wants of the Indians, 356 Lord Dartmouth succeeds Hills- borough. Dr. Cooper hopes much from the piety of Dartmouth. Des- cribes his character in a letter to the Baronet, 357 Colonels Guy John- son and Hendrick Frey elected representatives from the new county of Tryon. Sir William Johnson at this time the most influential man in the Guy Johnson an active member in the Assembly. Instructed by his father- in-law, he frames several measures for the improvement of the new county. His bills all passed, 359 - Discussion in the Assembly on the bill providing against counterfeit money. History of the debate given in a letter to the Baronet from his son-in-law, 360 Philip Schuyler pro- poses a substitute which is adopted, 361 — The boundary line between New York and Massachusetts settled by commissioners appointed for that purpose, Marriage of Sir John Johnson to Miss Mary Watts of New York city, 362-The Baronet goes to New London for his health. Affairs between the mother country and her colonies again assume a threatening hue, 363 - Burning of the Gaspee. The tea thrown over- board in Boston harbor. New York not behind her sister colonies in resisting ministerial oppression. The Sons of Liberty call a public meet- ing, which is addressed by Whitehead Hicks, and John Lamb, 365 - This spirit of resistance not shared in by the Assembly which had of late grown very subservient. The session of the Assembly ends without having, in a single instance, come into collision with the governor, 366— This profound tranquility very remarkable from the raging of the politi- Sir William Johnson a close observer of the signs of the times. His sympa- thies with the people. If he had lived, would probably have taken his stand with the people, 369 Cresap's war. Account of the family of Logan, 370-Logan's brotber and sister butchered in cold blood. The Bald Eagle, an aged and inoffensive chief, shot while paddling his canoe, 372-Murder of Silver Heels, 373- The Six Nations receive intelligence of these wanton murders, and desire to hold a council with the Baronet without delay. The request is granted, and six hundred of the Confeder- ates assemble at the Hall. The efforts of Johnson at this crisis unremit- ting, 374-Although suffering under his old complaint, yet he holds a council with the chiefs, 375-Addresses the Indians for over two hours under a burning July sun. The Sachems disperse to prepare their reply this last effort of the Baronet was too much for his overtaxed system. He is carried to his library, 376- His death, 377 Stupefaction of the Indians upon hearing the sad news. They depart to their encampment to prepare the usual ceremony of condolence for the death of their Great Brother, 378- Obsequies of the late Baronet. The pall borne by Governor Franklin, Goldsbrow Banyar and Stephen DeLancy. The Indians attend the funeral in a body. Early the following morning they perform the ceremony of condolence, 379-Sir William Johnson is suc- ceeded in his title and estates by his son Sir John Johnson. Col. Guy Johnson, assisted by Colonel Claus receives the reins of authority as Superintendant of the Indian Department, 381 Character of Sir Wil- I. Speech of Sachem Abraham, relating the wrongs to which his nation had been subjected by the whites, 389. II. Instructions given to Lt. Col. Farquahar, by Sir Wm. Johnson, 392. IV. Private manuscript diary kept by Sir Wm. Johnson, on his journey to and from Detroit, 1761, 429. V. Sketch of Johnson Hall (engraving), 478. VI. Manuscript letter from Sir Wm. Johnson to Arthur Lee, Esq., of the VII. An account of the location of Indian tribes, by Sir Wm. Johnson, 488. X. Account of the disinterment and reburial of the remains of Sir William XI. Address of the Field officers, Captains and Subalterns of the militia, to Sir John Johnson, 530. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON, BART. CHAPTER I. I. 1756. The winter wore away in gloomy inactivity; its repose CHAP. being unbroken, save by occasional skirmishing with the enemy in the vicinity of Crown Point, by Rogers and his rangers. The expedition against Ticonderoga, owing to the unusual mildness of the season, was given up; and the French were again left to mature their plans of conquest unmolested. On the seventeenth of March, De Levy, at the head of three hundred men, left Montreal, and gliding swiftly over the ice reached La Presentation. Here, exchanging their skates for snow shoes, they left the "ocean river," and passing lightly over the winter snows, through dense forests, and along paths known only to Indian hunters, suddenly appeared at the Oneida portage, and summoned Fort Bull to surrender. The garrison were not, however, taken wholly by surprise. Sir William Johnson, apprized of the approach of the enemy through Indian runners, had given the commander timely notice of his danger, and, at the same time, supplied him with a quantity of hand grenades and ammunition. The summons of De Levy was therefore answered by a shower of bullets. This so exasperated that officer, that he forthwith ordered a charge, and breaking down the gate, put all but thirty of the garrison to the sword. The French officer then burned the fort, and having destroyed forty thousand pounds of pow CHAP. der, returned with his prisoners into Canada with the loss of only three men.1 I. 1756. While the French were thus penetrating into the very heart of the province, the savages had resumed their depredations along the frontier. The counties of Orange and Ulster especially, felt the ravages of the foe, but so tardy was the assembly, in taking measures for their protection, that it was severely censured in an article which appeared in one of the newspapers on the fifteenth of March. This seeming indifference of the assembly to the sufferings of the border, arose from no want of energy on the part of Governor Hardy. He had repeatedly, by special messages, implored the house for a force sufficient to protect the frontier, and had as often been put off with frivolous excuses. 2 The explanation of this singular conduct is, that the assembly had sent up on the thirty-first of January two bills-one for the payment of the arrears due the officers of government, and another for meeting their own salaries during the ensuing year-in direct opposition to the demand of the crown. The latter bill, as might be foreseen, the governor refused to pass. Previous, however, to the sending up of these bills, Sir Charles had requested the levy of one thousand men for the expedition against Crown Point, and the house had even voted to raise that number; but now it refused to pro ceed farther until the governor had given his decision upon the two bills then in his hands. Sir Charles delaying his assent, the assembly artfully adjourned from week to week, until his pleasure should be known. The attack, however, upon it in the public print, hastened its action; and on the twentieth of March, it sent up a bill for raising for the Crown Point expedition and for the defense of the western frontier, seventeen hundred and fifteen men. This bill, 1 Journal from Oct, 1755 to June 1756, Paris Doc, Also Quebec His. Col. 2 Smith. * Smith. |