The Documentary History of the State of New York/Volume I/Chapter III/Article II

by Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan

A RELATION OF THE GOVERNO^R OF CANNADA

HIS MARCH WITH 6OO, VOLUNTEERS INTO Y^e TERRITORYES
OF HIS ROYALL HIGHNESSE THE DUKE OF YORKE IN AMERICA.

[Lond. Doc. II.]

Upon the 29^th of Xber last, Monsier Coarsell the Governour of Canada, in Nova ffrancia begun his march with near 600 men, to seeke out their inveterate ennemyes called the Mahauke Indians in their owne country and forts, there to take reuenge upon them for the seuerall murthers and spoyles which the Barbarians had for many yeares exercised in Cannada upon the French, and the Indians of those parts even to the ruine of most, but to the insufferable discouragement of all those Inhabbitants, who being taken alive were usually tortured and eaten, or burnt by the Mauhaukes; If not taken, yet liv^d in perpetuall alarums to see their dwelling houses burnt, their Cattell and Come destroyed. All which powerfull arguments furnish’t y^e french with heate enough to march over the ffrozen lake of Canada, lying in the 60th degree of northeme latitude, and taking their tyme that the snow upon the ground was hard frozen (though in most places 4 foote deep) made use of Indian snow shoes w^ch hath the very form of a Rackett tyed to each foote, whereby y^e body and feet are kept from sinking into the snow, and because it was not possible for horses to pass, or subsist in the snow, or for the soldiers to carry their necessary provisions on their backes, and had lesse expectation to meete w^th any reliefe in the vaste wilderness, the Governo^r caused slight sledges to be made in good number, laying provisions upon them, drew them over the snow with mastive doggs, all these difficultyes put together impeded his march, and by the mistake of his guides hapned to fall short of the castles of the Mauhaukes, and to take up his quarters or rather incamp upon the 9^th of February within 2 myles of a small village called Schonectade, lying w^th in the woods beyond fort Albany in y^e territoryes of his Royall highness, and 3 dayss march from the first castle of the Mahaukes.

The French suposed they were then come to their designed place, and the rather because y^t evening they Bid rancounter w^th a party of the Mohaukes who made appearance of retreating from the French, whereupon a party of 60 of their best Fuzileers after them, but that small party drew the French into an ambuscade of neare 200 Mohaukes planted behind trees, (who taking their advantage as it fell into their hands,) at one volley slew eleauen French men whereof one was a Lieuten^t. wounded divers others, the french party made an hono^rable retreit to their body, w^ch was marching after them close at hand, w^ch gave the Mohaukes tyme and opportunity to march off w^th the loss of only 3 slaine upon the plaice and 6 wounded, the report whereof was soone brought to Schonecttade by those Indians, with the heads of 4 of the ffrench to the Commissary of the Village who immediately despatched the newes to Fort Albany, from whence the next day 3 of the principle inhabitants were sent to Monsier Coursell the Governo^r of Cannada to inquire of his intention to bring such a body of armed men into the dominions of his Ma^tie of Great Brittaine, w^thout accguainting the Governo^r of these parts w^th his designes. The Governo^r reply^d that he come to seeke out and destroy his ennemyes the Mohaukes without intention of visiting their plantations, or else to molest any of his Ma^ties subjects, and that [he] had not heard of the reducing those parts to his Ma^ties obedience but desired that hee and his soldiers might bee supplied witch provisions for their money, and that his wounded men might be sucoured, and taken care for in Albany; To all which the Emissaryes freely consented and made a small but acceptable present of wine and provisions to him, further offering the best accommodations y^e poore village afforded w^ch was civilly refus’d, in regard there was not accomodacôn for his soldyers, with whom he had marcht and campt under the blew canopye of the heavens full six weekes, but hee prudently foresaw a greater inconvenience if hee had brought his weary and halfe starv’d people within the smell of a chimney corner, whom hee now cold keepe from stragling or running away, not knowing whither to runn for feare of y^e Indians; The next day Monsieur Corsell sent his men to the where they were carefully drest and sent to Albany, being number, the Dutch bores carried to the camp such provisions as they had, and were too well payd for it; Especially peaz and bread w^ch a good quantity was bought; y^e Mohaukes were all gone to their Castles, with resolution to fight it out against the French, who being refresht and supplyed w^th the afforsaid provisions mane a shew of marching towards the Mohaukes Castles, but with faces about and great sylence and dilligence return'd towards Cannada.

Upon the 12^th of February, whether a Panick feare, some mutiny, or y^e probability of the thawing of the lake, caus’d this sudden (w^ch the Indians call a dishono^rable retreit) I cannot learne, but surely so bould and hardy an attempt (circumstances considered) hath not hapned in any age. All w^ch vanisht like false fyer, and hath given new courage to their old enemyes y^e Mohaukes who by their spyes hearing of y^e retreat of y^e French pursue'd them back to the Lake, but the French making more speed to them from Canada, the Mohaukes did noe considerable prejudice to them, only took 3 one of w^ch at his own request they slew, not. being able to march, the other they kept prisoners, they found 5 others dead in the way with hunger and cold, but according to their manner brought the crownes of their heads away. those who observed the words and countenance of Monsieur Coursell, saw him disturbed in minde that the king was Master of these parts of the Country, where hee expected to have found the Dutch interest upermost, saying that the king of England did graspe at all America, but hee did not beleive to see the Dutch the masters ere long; he enquired what garrison or what fort was at Albany, ’twas told him a Captain and 60 English soldyers with 9 peece of ordinance in a small fort of foure Bastions, and that the Cap^t thereof Csp^t Baker had sent for 20 men from annother garrison of the Kings at the Sopes, who probably might be arrived at Albany the same hower, thus finding his men tyr’d, the Mohaukes resolute, and something doubtfull, without tryall of the good will of the English Garrison, because y^e reports were strong that the French King and States of Holland were united against His Ma^tie of England, Monsieur Coursell found it reasonable to returne home nothing effected, the 2 prisoners taken by the Mohaukes in the retreate tell them y^t this summer another attempt will be made upon their country with a greater force and supplyes of men, the truth or success of which I shall not now discourse upon, having given y^e trew relation of what past from y^e 29^th December to the 12^th of February.

[From Paris Doc. I.]

On the seventh of the month of July of the year 1666, the Iroquois of the Oneida Nation, having learned from the Mohawks, their neighbours and allies and by the Dutch of Fort Orange that the troops of Louis the fourteenth by the grace of God Most Christian King of France and Navarre, had in the month of February of the said year carried his Majesty's, arms over the snow and ice near unto Fort Orange in New Netherland, under the command of Messire Daniel de Courcelle, Lieutenant General of his armies, pursuant to orders which they received from Messire Alexandre de Prouville knight, Lord de Tracy, member of his Majesty’s councils and Lieut. Genl. of his armies, both in the Islands and mainlaind. of South and North America, as well by sea as by land, to fight and destroy the Mohawks, which probably they would have accomplished, had not the mistake of their guides caused them to take one road for the other, came down to Quebec to solicit peace as well in their own name as in that of the Mohawks by ten of their Ambassadors, by name Soenres, Tsoenserouanne, Gannoukouenioton, Asaregouenioton, Asaregouaune, Tsendiagou, Achinnhara, Togoukouzras, Oskaraquets, Akouehen, And after having communicated by the mouth of their Orator and Chief Soenres, the object of their Embassy by ten talks expressed by as many presents, and having handed to us the letters from the officers of New Netherland, have unanimously requested, acknowledging the force of his Majesty’s arms and their weakness and the condition of the forts advanced towards them, and moreover aware that the three upper Iroquois Nations have always experienced great benefit from the protection which they formerly received from the said Lord the King, that his Majesty would be pleased to extend to hem the same favour by granting them the same protection, and receiving them among the number of his true subjects, demanding that the Treaties formerly made as well by the said Nations as by theirs, have the same force and validity for that of the Mohawks, who have required of us to solicit this with great importunity, as they should have themselves done by means of their Ambasadores had they not been apprehensive of bad treatment at hands ratifying on their part all the said treaties in all their points and articles, which have been read to them in the Iroquois tongue by Joseph Marie Chaumont, priest, member of the Society of Jesus adding, moreover, to all the said articles what the protest effecting in good faith what they offered by their said presents especially to restore all the Frenchmen, Algonquins and Hurons whom they hold prisoners among them of what condition and quality they may be, and as long as any are detained there, even on the part of the Mohawks, to send families from among them to serve, like those of other nations as the most strict hostages for their persons and dispositions to the orders of those who shall in this Country have authority from the said Lord the King whom they acknowledge from this time as their Sovereign; demanding reciprocally among all other things the restoration to them in good faith, of all those of their Nation who are prisoners at Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers, that French families and some Black gowns, that is Jesuits be sent them, to preach the gospel to them and to make known to them the God of the French whom they promise to love and adore; also that trade and commerce be open to them with New France, by the Lake du Saint Sacrement, (L. George) with the assurance on their part that they will provide in their country, a sure retreat as well to the said families as to the trading merchants, no only by preparing cabins to lodge them in, but also by assisting erect forts to shelter them from their common enemies the Andastaeronnons and others. And that the present Treaty, made on their part in ratification of the preceding, may be stable and knows to all, they have signed. it with the separate and distinctive marks of their Tribes, after which what they solicited from the said Lord the King was granted to them in his name by Messire Alexandre de Prouville, Knight, Lord de Tracy member of the. King’s Councils, &c. (as above) in the presence and assisted by M. Daniel le Remy Siegneur de Courcelles, King’s Councillor, &c., &c. and of M. Jean Talon also Councillor, &c. who have signed with the said Lord de Tracy; and as Witnesses, Priest, Member and Superior of the Society of Jesus at Quebec and Joseph Marie Chaumont likewise Priest and Member of the said Society, Interpreters of the Iroquois and Huron languages. Done at Quebec the 12 July, 1666.