apprehensions of death, however was prevailed with to make a will, by which has constituted Mr. Delavel his executor, his affairs are in great confusion and he judged to be indebted £300. besides what his engagements may be to you, his Excell: being at Albany. The Councill, sealed up the office in which state it now remains and will continue until His Excell pleasure be known. Mr. Knight in the mean time does the service of the office. Last night I received a letter from his Excell: in which aduiseth that the French had assaulted the Senaquaes, and were worsted, report by other hands saying the French had 300 men killed, the certainty wants confirmation, however, its consequence is like to be very injurious to us, we having already very little trade, besides are likely to be ingaged in a bloody warr, whose events is uncertain, we are strangely surprised with the french proceedings, not knowing what moves them to invade his Majtys dominions, without giving notice, and so soon after the publication of the treaty af Commerce betwixt the two Crowns-P the next which will be Jacob Maurite His Excell: will give you a full account of his resolves, he having sent a messenger to the French which is not yet returned. Five days agoe, My Lord Effingham... Sr Robert Parker arryved here from Virginia, he laments the Governours absence otherwise wer satisfied with his entertainments: all your friends are well, my wife kisseth your hands and joins with me in the request that you would give our duty to our Father, our service to Major Baxter, to whom please to excuse not writing, being strained with time, and accept of the assurance that I am Sir Your affectionate friend and most humble servant JA GRAHAM. INFORMATION GIVEN BY SEVERALL INDIANS TO THE GOVERNOR AT ALBANY, 6 AUG. 1687. [ Lond. Doc. V. ] The Gov' of Canada last fall, sent word to the Sachems of all the Five Nations to come and speak with him at Cadarachqui this spring, which we acquainted His Excellency withall, but in pursuance to his Excelleys commands wee being the King of England subjects, thought ourselfs noways obliged to hearken to him, and therefore refused to go, and shortly after we heard by an Onondage Indian that had lived long at Cadarachqui, that the Gov' of Canada had a design to warr upon us, for hee had seen a great deal of amunicion and iron Doubletts brought to Cadarachqui, and that a Frenchman at Cadarachqui told him, that they would warr with all the Five Nations, About ten days after wee got the news, that the Gov" of Canada with his army was seen encampt att the side of the Lake with many Canoes about halfe way between Onnondage and Cadarachqui: upon which they sent a hundred men to the Lake side to spy; who see a Barke neer Irondequat the landing place a lyeing by and not at anker they sent four men in a Canoe to haile them, their orders from the Sachems being expressly not to doe the French any harme, and when they hailed them, the French answered in base language: Enustoganhorrio, squa, which is as much in their language as the Devil take you, whereupon they paddled for the shore, and told the rest of their companions, what answer they had, the hundred men went forthwith to the Castles, and told the Sachems, what they had seen who forthwith sent twenty men to spy what theire designe was, and they see another Barke come to the first, and while they were theire as scouts spied a great many of the Twichtwich Indians come by land, and had almost environed them before they were awarr of them: the twenty men seeing this, went up forthwith to the Castles and had much adoe to gett through, and the Sachems having sent out three Spyes, after the twenty, to see what the French would have, and before the three were come to the Lake side (it being about twenty miles from their Castles) the French Army out of Barks and Cannoes was landed, they seeing that, called to them and asked what they were intended to do, A Maquase answered out of the Army. You Blockheads, I'll tell you what I am come to doe, to warr upon you, and to morrow I will march up with my army to your Castles, and as soone as hee had spoke they fyred upon the three Indos butt they runn home and brought the news to the Sachems about the twilight, The Sachems upon this news concluded to convey their wives and children, and old men away, and beeing busy thereabouts all next day, most parte retiring to Cajouge, and the rest to a Lake to the Southward of there Castles in the meantime the French were as good as there words, and marched up halfe way between the landing place and the Castles and there encamped that night; As soon as the women and children were fled, their fired their own Castles and all the men being gon to convey them away except a hundred in a small Fort who had sent out Spyes and received information that the French were upon their march towards them. they sent forthwith messengers to them that were conveying the Women and Children and desired the assistance of as many of their young men as could conveniently bee spared to turn back and face the French and give battle: whereupon 350 turned back and joyned with the hundred, butt being all young men, were so eager to fall on, that the officers could not bring them in a posture to engage, they went out about halfe a league from the Castle, on a small hill, and there stayed for the French army, but the officers could not persuade them to be in order there neither, all being so fiery to engage, and having scoutts out, brought them intelligence, that they were approaching and how they marched, vizt the Right and left wing being Indians and the Body French, and when they came in sight of the Sennekes, the French not seeing them satt down to rest themselves and the Indians likewise; the Sennekes seeing this advance upon the left wing being Indians, the French seeing them stood to their arms and gave them first valley, and then the enemy Indns that were on the left wing; whereupon the Sennekes answered them with another, which occasioned soe much smoak that they could scarce see one another, wherefore they immediately runn in and came to hardy blows and putt the left wing to the flight, some went quite away and some fled to the reare of the French, and when that wing was broake, they charged and fyred upon the French and the other Indians. The French retired about 150 paces and stood still, the Sennekes continued the fight with their Hatchets, butt perceiving at last the French were too numerous and would not give ground, some of the sennekes begun to retreat, whereupon the French Indians cryed out, the Sinnekes run and the rest heareing that followed the first party that gave way and so gott off from another and in their retreat were followed about half an English mile, and if the Enemy had followed them further, the Sinnekes would have lost abundance of people because they carried off there wounded men and were resolved to stick to them,.and not leave them. The young Indian that was in the engagement relates that after the engagement was over, when the Sinnekes were gott upon a Hill, they see a party of Fresh French come up, the French called to them and bid them stand and fight, but the Sinnekes replyed, come out four hundred to our four hundred and wee have butt a hundred men and three hundred boyes, and wee will fight you hand to fist, The said Boy being asked, whether he see any of the French with Gorges about their necks, it was to hott, they were to numerous, There was amongst the 450 Sinnekes five women, who engaged as well as the men, and were resolved not to leave their husbands but live and dye with them A true copy examined p me ROB LIVINGSTON CL. EXAMINATION OF INDIAN PRISONERS. [ Lond. Doc. V. ] 31 August, 1687. A few days after the French came and gave him all the Indians in the Christians Castle, each thirty bullets and a double handfull of powder, and bad them appeare att a French Gents house, neare Mont Royall: the Christian Indians being about one hundred and twenty or thirty strong, in meane time the French and other Nations of Indians all appeared at Mont Royall, and the second day after that the Govr himselfe; the number of the French being two thousand and of all the Indians one thousand. The army went all by water in about two hundred boates in each Boate some seaven and some ten menn, the rest went in Canoes, they were sometimes forced to draw the Boates with Cordes against the Trenches, the Provisions being part in the Boats and a great deal sent upp before at Kadraghke: they were going up from Mont Royall to Kadraghke three dayes, makeing verry short journeys; att Kadraghkie they rested three days from thence they went and lay att night upon an Island, the night after they lay at Cadranganhie next morning about nine the clock they saw ten Onnondages att Aranhage; the Govr gave orders not to meddle with them, upon that the Onnondages gave a greate shout and went their way, and the army went along the shore-side to a passage that goes to the Cayouges; the day following they saw a Brigantine at anker, and all the army went ashore and lay there that night. Some of the French went aboard the Brigantine where Arnout was, as this Examinant has heard; next day the army went along and att Jedandago, the Govr landed fifty men to discover the place and the rest went on to Ierondokat where at the same time they mett with the French that came from Twightwig and Dowaganha with their Indians, then the Gov ordered the Xtian Maquasse and some other Indians to bee putt in the middle of the army and stayed there three dayes till the Fort was finished, in the mean time four or five Indians came and asked what the matter was, and why the French came so strong in their Country, the French answered (by a Xtian Maquasse) wee come to meet you, the Sinnakes asked againe, and said, why" doe you make a Fort, you should butt come on, for we intend to kill you all in a short time. The third day the army marched in the afternoon and came that night about half way between the Lake and Sinnakes Castle: next morning very early after prayers they marched on all the Indians being putt on the right side somewhat before the French, and we marched on till about noone, then the Indians would boyle their potts, but the Gov bid them march on, till they come upon a grate hill from whence the Gove sent three Dowaganhas to spye towards the Sinnakes Castle, who were out but a little time, and returning said that the Sinnakes were neare by and lay in the passage, upon which the Gov' gave order that one hundred Indians should be chosen out and sent to discover the Sinnakes, who went but not farr before the army then the Gov" sent out againe four Dowaganhas Indians and one Frenchman to discover, who went out, and stood in the path till the army came to them, and a little time after fouer hund Sinuakes appeared at the right side of the army, where the French Indians were and with greate cry or shout, fyred upon them without wounding one mann being too farr off, but the Sinnakes advancing came nearer by, and fyred againe, then the French Indians got some wounded, who fyred also upon the Sinnakes and wounded some of them, but the Sinnakes came so neare, and tooke an Indian out of the French army, and cutt off his hands, the rest firing stoutly upon one and the other, till the Douwaganhas and other French Indians fled without returning to the fight, but the Maquass came up againe and stood their ground till the whole body of the French, came firing all at once upon the Sinnakes, soe that the Sinnakes retreated, having got some dead and wounded in that firing; the Gov forbidd following of them having gott seven Frenchmen killed and many wounded and five dead Indians and several wounded; of [VOL. I.] 20 the Sinnakes were killed sixteene and some wounded; forthwith the Govr gave orders that the army should fortify themselves at the same place where the Battle was and so stood there all that night. Next morning the whole army marched towards the Sinnakes Castle called Kohoseraghe, leaving their dead Frenchmen unburried but the Indians burried their dead, and carried all the wounded French and Indians with them to the aforesaid Castle, where one of the wounded men died at said Castle; they found itt all burned, then the Gov' gave orders that the Christian Indians should cutt downe and destroy the Indians corne, which they refused: soe Frenchmen were sent and destroyed all that they could find. Afterwards the Govr sent four hundred men to another small castle neare by, to surround the same till the whole army should come, thinking the Sinnakes might be there, but found the same burned also, butt found a great deale of provisions which they destroyed, takeing only some beanes along with them, for they had provisions enough, every man carried some and the Boates were loaded at Jerondekott with corne and other necessaries, sue the army went to every place where the Castles were burnt and lay att every Castle one night destroying all the corne they could finde except some out fields, which the Xtian Indians would not show them, The Sinnekes made severall times small allarms, butt never attacked the French, since the first fight. From the last Sinnekes Castle, called Theodehacto, the army went back againe, by another way, as they came to Jerondekatt, being butt one night by the way, and were butt two dayes still there, then the Gov" gave orders that the whole army should goe directly to Oneageragh but the Xtian Indians refused itt butt would returne to Kadaradkie, and soe went that way, the GovTM forthwith followed them with seven Canoes, each seven menn, and stopt them saying, what is the matter that you leave us, itt is better that wee goe and returne together; but they would not, till one Smiths John stood up and spoke very loud, saying to the rest of the Xtian Indians, you hear what the Govr's will is, that wee should goe up with him, if wee doe not, he will force us to it; come, you are lusty men let us goe with him, soe they were persuaded, and returned back with the Govr, severall Canoes endeavoured yett to escape, butt were soe watched by the French, that they could not except two or three Canoes that stole away: soe were forced to goe with the French along the shore side of the Lake till they came to Oneagorah being two days by the way, where the French made a Fort and putt two great gunns and several Pattareras in it with four hundred men to bee there in Garrison, After they had been there five dayes, the rest of the army returned to Cadarachque and slept there one night, and left there some men, from whence they went to Mont Royall in two dayes, there this deponent left the Gov' and the Christian Indians went to their Castles. [From Council Min. V. ] Councill held at ffort James Thurs day ye 18th of Augs. 1687. (O. S.) Present His Excelcy the Goverr &c. The account of the Expense that has been about the Seneckas & the ffrench, Read Resolved that it be taken into Consideration that the Councill Do tomorrow give their oppions about a Method for Raising it, The Councill give their opions about Raising money to Defray ye expense about ye Indyans & ye ffrench. Resolved that a penny in ye pound besides the former tax of a halfepenny in ye pound be raised out of ye Estates of the ffreholdrs Inhabitants of Kings County queens County Dukes County Dutchess County Countys of Richmond Orange Suffolk & Westchester & one halfepenny in ye pound out of ye Estates of ye Inhabitants & ffreeholdrs of ye Cittys & Countys of New York and Albany & County of Vlster and the mony be brought in to ye Kings Collector at ye Custome house on or before ye first day of May next. Ordered that two bills be Drawn up for the same Accordingly Councill held at ffort James. Saturday August ye 20th 1687 The Bill for Raiseing a penny in ye pound out of ye Estates of ye ffreehold's & Inhabitants of ye Kings Queens Dukes & Dutcheses Countys the Countys of Richmond Orange westchester & Suffolk, Read and approved Passed and Signed by ye GovernTM & Councill May it please your Excellency MR. SCHUYLER TO GOV. DONGAN. [ London Doc. V. ] 2 Sept. 1687. Last night Anthy Lesjinard & Jean Rosi arrived here from Canada, have been twenty days upon the way, have letters from [for?] your Excell: have therefore dispatched Anthoy with 2 Indians down, his compagnion being sick, could not goe— The news your Excell: will hear of Anth°. neverthelesse have thought fitt to examine his compagnion, who is an honest man, tells us these following news, of which your Excell: may discourse Anth° about at large 1 That he heard of father Valiant that the French will not release our people, Except that your Excell: will promise not to supply the Sinnokes with ammunition or any other assistance2 That Antho told him he heard one of the Fathers say, if the Sinnekes got any of there people prisoners would exchange our people for them, man for man. 3 That they had now a great advantage of your Excell: and of the Indians also, having so many of our people and of the Indians prisoners 4 He heard the Jesuits say that Cryn and the rest of the Christian Indians, were no ways inclined to engage in the war if the Maquas, Oneydes and Onnondages were concern'd, because their brethren sisters, uncles ants ettc were there; and therefore all means was used to engage said three nations to sit still, for he see 5 Onnondae Christian Indians dispatched with belts and presents to the Onnondages 26 days agoe, to persuade them not to warr— 5 The French were not minded to warr with any of the Indians, except the Sinnekes, and would make a peace with them also if they would deliver to them 10 or 12 of the best Sachims children for hostage and then they would appoint them places where they should hunt: and so gett them wholly to their disposition— 6 The Governour of Canida sent for all the Bosslopers that were at Ottowawa and ordered them to come only with their arms and meet him at Cadarachqua which they did, being about 300 men under the command of three French Captns and left their Bevers in the Jesuits house at Dionondade, and so marched with the Governour of Canida to the Sinnekes, in the mean time a fortunate fyer |