On the 22d August, thirteen Algonquins brought in two Mohawk scalps, and one woman and two girls prisoners. Seven savages from the Sault and the Mountain who had been detached to Oneida with Monsr de Vaudreuil, brought in a prisoner of the same Nation, who was burned at Montreal. Some small parties of the enemy appeared along the south shore, but they made no attack, and the harvest has been saved very quietly.

COLL. FLETCHER TO THE LORDS OF THE LATE COMMITTEE DATED THE 22D AUG. 1696.

[ Lond. Doc. X. ]

May it please your Lordships.

On the 2nd instant I had intelligence the Governor of Canida was in our Indian Country with 1000 French and 2000 Indians, and that the people of Albany were in some consternation lest the Indians of the Five Nations should joyne with them and fall down upon Schenectady and Albany. He surprized one Castle at Oneyde which he burnt and destroyed the Indian corne. The Onondages sent away their old men, women and children to the southward, the young men tarryed 'till they perceived the French were too numerous for them, then burnt their Fort and retreated, leaving their corne to be destroyed. It is reported by some prisoners that did escape, that an Indian brought tydings to Count Frontenac, that I was on my march from Albany with a great army as numerous as the trees of the woods, which hastened his retreat, the Cayounges and Sinnekes are no[t] hurt, I wrot to Connecticut for their quota and to the Governour of the Jerseys for men to meet me at Albany, but all my endeavours could not obtain a man from them

It is resolved in Council here for His Majtys service that the Oneydes and Onondages be supply'd with corne the ensuing yeare which will add to the charges of this Province.

I have herewith transmitted to your Lordps a copy of my proceeding at Albany on this occasion, I have delayed the giving them the present from His Majty until such time I can get them all together, and having received advice from the Rt Honble the Lords of His Majtys Privy Council of a designe the French have upon some part of America, I hastened to Yorke, for in a month or six weeks time the winds are esteemed a defence to this coast.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE LATE EXPEDITION TO ALBANY IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST 1696. [ Lond. Doc. X. ]

July 31. His Excelly Benjamin Fletcher had certain intelligence that the French were on their march against the Indians of the Five Nations.

Sunday Augst the 24. Intelligence came that the French were in the Indian Countrey and that the inhabitants of Albany were apprehensive of their marching against that garrison. At the same time came a letter from the Rt Honble the Lords of his Matys Privy Council advising of preparacons made by the French against some part of America. His Excell. the same day did recommend to the Council to cause the guns and batterys to be put in order and about noone took his departure for Albany.

On the 7th of Augst his Excell arrived at Albany and called a Council of such gentl. and officers as were upon the frontiers.

[ Council Min. Vol. VII. ]

At a Council held at Albany the 7th day of August 1696.
Present. His Excellency Benjamin Fletcher &c.

Col. Nich. Bayard of the Council
Majr Peter Schuyler of the Council
Matth: Clarkson Secy

Lt Coll. Charles Lodwick

Mr. Dellius the Minister to the Indians

His Excell the Governor said :

Coll. Rich Ingoldesby
Capt James Weems
Capt William Hyde

Capt. Peter Matthews
Evert Banker Esqr
Dirck Wessells, Esq.

Gentl. As soon as I had certaine notice from you that the enemy were marched into the Countrey of our Indian friends, and by the number of their forces did seeme to threaten this place & Schenectady, I made all the haste I could to yor assistance, loosing no more time but while I wrott to Connecticutt & the Jerseys for such supplys of men as I conceived necessary upon this occasion by this letter which I received at the same time (with those from Albany) from the Lords of His Matyes Council in England, you will see that I could not reasonably draw forces from New Yorke nor be well spared from that place myself; yet by advice of his Mayes Council there I am come up with a part of my own Company and desire yo1 advice what is most proper to be done for the King's service and yr own safetyes and for the secureing the Indians in their fidelity and renewing the covenant chain: this we are to consider, that time may not be lost and the Countrey not burthened by an unnecessary charge.

His Excell. further proposed sending thirty men of his own Company now brought up with him with a detachment of twenty out of each of the three Companyes here, into the Indian Countrey to cover the retreate of our Indians and secure them from their fears.

The Council were of Opinion the French being retreated it would be an unnecessary charge. And offered their advice that the Sachems of the Oneydes should be sent for (who are here) and their losse condoled, which was accordingly done.

The Council are of opinion that the members of Council present with the officers of the Companyes and principal inhabitants of this place should meet & consult with the chiefe Indians now in town about the propperest methods for bringing back those Indians that are fledd, and settling them firm again in the covenant chain, and make report what they have done therein to His Excellency. Which His Excell. did approve of & order accordingly

May it please yor Excell.

In obedience to yor Excell. order of the 7th instant we underwritten have mett & considered about the properest methods for bringing both those Indian Nations vizt the Onondages and Oneydes that are fled, and renewing with them and the rest of the Five Nations the Covenant Chain, and having thereupon sounded the opinions of the Sachims of the Maquaes and Oneydos Nations and severall of their chiefe men now at Albany, do humbly offer as our opinions that since we are informed that it is now twelve dayes ago the French army left the Indian Countrey and that the Senekes and Cayouges are still undisturbed in their own country that the Onnondage Nation upon the approach of the enemy have set their own Castle on fire and all fledd to be out of the enemy's reach, that the Oneydes Nation have in like manner left their Castle and great part of them already are come in here to Albany for reliefe in their wants of provision and ammunicôn &c. and that the Maquaes Nation or great part of them are in the like manner come in hither, We cannot perceive [VOL. I.]

28

that it can be any great service to send any great body of men now to the Upper Nations, who are seated at that distance from hence, neither can any men be well spared from Albany, here being only three establisht companyes in garrison with a detachment of yor Excell. own Company now brought with you, besides a few inhabitants; which we judge to be little enough for the defence of the place: but we humbly suppose that its of absolute necessity that small partyes be frequently sent out to clear the coast from such small troops that may come to annoy the adjacent farmers in getting in their harvest; and lastly with submission we are of opinion that the best method to reduce the Indians that are fled & to unite them with the rest to this government as formerly in renewing the Covenant chain, is,

First, that trusty and faithfull Indians be procured and sent to the Senekes and Cayouges in their Castles and to the Onondages that are fledd, with instruccôns to acquaint them that his Excell. the Governor upon the first news of the French invading their Countrey came to Albany from New Yorke in order for their assistance and reliefe.

2. That upon his Excell. comeing hither hehad intelligence the enemy was already departed out of our Indian Countrey.

3. That it is hardly possible to have a meeting with all the brethren of the Five Nations now to consult with them what may be propper for the common good and to present them with those things which are sent to them from his Excell: great Master the King of Great Brittaine.

4. That therefore yor Excell: do appoint the brethren to meet you thereunto at Albany this day two months, but if it should so happen that by reason of the Onnondages being fledd the brethren could not then meet in a body at that time the Onondages and Senekes and Cayouges will consult and pitch upon the time, and to give yor Excellency timely notice thereof to the end the brethren of the Maquaes and Oneydes may be acquainted therewith accordingly, Dated the 8th of August in Albany 1696.

G. DELLIUS

EVERT BANCKER

DIRCK WESSELS

NICH BAYARD

Pr SCHUYLER,

Copy of a Commission left by his Excell. Benjamin Fletcher, Capt. Gen1 & Govern' in Chiefe of his Matyes Province of New-Yorke, &c. to Peter Schuyler Esq. one of his Matyes Council for the sd Province, Mr. Godfrey Dellius Minister at Albany and places adjacent, Majr Dirck Wessels and the Mayr of the city for the time being. I doe by virtue of the power and authority to me given by his Matys Letters Patents under the Greate Seale of England, hereby impower you or any two of you to treat conferr and consult with the Five Indian Nations of the Maquaes Oneydes Onondages and Sinnekes who have hitherto been faithful to my Master his Majesty of Great Brittain, France & Ireland &c. and to hold a correspondence with them pursuant to such instruccôns as you shall from time to time receive from me, so as by yr endeavours they may be confirmed in their fidelity and allegiance. And from time to time you are hereby required to give a constant and minute account of all yor proceedings to me & his Maty es Council for the province of New-Yorke, and I doe hereby supersede vacate make null any former warrt or commission granted in this behalfe. Given under my hand and seal att Albany the tenth day of August in the 8th year of his Matyes reigne Anno Dmi 1696.

BEN. FLETCHER.

Instruccôns for Major Peter Schuyler one of his Matyes Council for the Province of New-Yorke, Mr. Godfrey Dellius Majr Dirck Wessels and the May1 of Albany for the time being, commissionated by me in my absence to conferr with the Five Indian Nations for his Matyes service pursuant to the sd Commission.

To send out trusty and faithful Indians with one or two Christians that understand the Indian Language to the Castles of the Sinnekes Cayouges and Onnondages who are fled, to acquaint them that upon the first news I had of the French Invasion I came up to their reliefe and assistance. That att my arrivall at Albany I had Intelligence the French were retreated out of their country. That I am desirous to have a meeting with the Five Nations at Albany to consult with them what may be proper for their common good and safety, and present them with such things as are sent from my Great Master the King.

And that I desire to meet them the Eleventh day of October next, but if it should so happen there be reason of their seperacôn and flight the brethren cannot meet in a body at that time, the Onnondages, Sennekes, and Cayouges being the uppermost Nations do consult and appoint a time and give me notice thereof, to the end the brethren of the Maquaes and Oneydes be acquainted therewith that the meeting may not faile.

That if any of the Sachims come down in my absence you hear and answer their propositions as you shall finde most to conduce to his Matyes service and the safety of the Province.

That by all opportunityes you give a minute account of these affairs to me and his Maty es Council for this Province and from time to time follow such further directions and instruccôns as you shall receive from us.

And it is hereby further directed by & with the advice of those of his Matres Council here present that the sume of One Hundred pounds be lodged in the hands of Mr Dellius towards the defraying the necessary charges of these persons thus employed for his Maty es service of which he is hereby obliged to give a particular account to me and for his Matyes Council at New Yorke or to the Governour and Council for the time being. Given under my hand and seale at Albany the tenth day of August in the eighth year of his Matyes reigne Anno Domini 1696.

Att a Council held at his Matyes ffort in New Yorke the 18th of August 1696
Present His Excell: Benjamin Fletcher &c.

Resolved the Indians of the two Nations of Onnondage and Oneyde whose Corn is destroyed by the enemy be supplyed the ensuing winter at the charge of this Government.

Ordered no Indian Corne be brought down the river from Albany Vlster and Dutchesse Countyes untill the Indians be supplyed this ensueing winter and that the Commissioners appointed to treate with the Indians in his Excell: absence do purchase soe much corne as is necessary for them.

LETTER FROM COLL. FLETCHER TO Mr. BLAITHWAYTE, DATED THE 18th SEPTR 1696.

[ London Doc. X. ]

Sir—I am not willing to take up much of your time by my scurvy scribblings; having said all that occurs to my thoughts in this hasty call from the Five Indian Nations, who have been driven by the French from their wooden castles and are returned; they desire to see me at Albany in a short warning and I am now ready to step on board. The French Count of Canada has made but a very silly business of it after three years preparations afrighting a few naked Indians only; by this he shews them his strength and his mercy, being this summer recruited from France, he told all he took prisoners, his business was to bring them under the protection of his Master but not to destroy them. Our Chiefe Sachims would not be persuaded to stay and treate, but seeing his force, they fled, and are return'd. I hope to revitt them in their allegiance, by the presents sent from His Majty and an addition sent from this Province; but yet I want the most congent argument; a good body of men.

A JOURNALL

OF WHAT PASSED IN THE EXPEDITION OF HIS EXCELL. COLL. BENJAMIN FLETCHER CAPTAINE GENERALL AND GOVERNOR IN CHIEFE OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORKE &C. TO ALBANY TO RENEW THE COVENANT CHAIN WITH THE FIVE CANTON NATIONS OF INDIANS, THE MOHAQUES, ONEYDES, ONONDAGES, CAYOUGES AND SENNEKES.

Sept. 17, 1696. On Thursday after sunsett his Excell: imbarqued at Greenwich: on Tuesday morning arrived at Albany.

22. This day his Excell. viewed the fortifications of the city and gave orders to ye Mayr and Aldermen for such reparacôns as were found needfull in the blockhouse platformes and stockadoes. 27th Sunday afternoone the Sachims of Oneyde and Onnondage arrived at Albany, in the evening they supped with his Excel. giving great expression of ye joy and satisfaccôn they had in meeting his Excell.

28th His Excell sent Capt James Weems to view the garrison at Schenectady and bring report to His Excell what necessary repairs are wanting which was performed accordingly.

This day the Sachims of the other three Nations arrived and desired time to rest themselves till tomorrow.

29th His Excell. called the Sachims together and spake.

At a Meeting of the Sachims of the Five Nations at Albany the 29th of September, 1696 Present His Excell Coll Benjamin Fletcher &c.