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recognised and recapitulated, in your speech to me. I therefore propose it as a preliminary, or foundation, upon which a permanent and lasting peace shall be established, between the United States of America, and your nation, and the other nations of Indians. Should you have any well grounded objections to this proposition, come forward and speak your minds freely, in the manner mentioned in my speech, of the 12th of September last; and rest assured of a sincere welcome, and the most perfect security to yourselves and friends, both in coming to this place, and returning home, when most agreeable to you."

On the 5th of November, the General replied specially to the letters of Tarkee and other Wyandot chiefs delivered to him at the Miami village, shortly before; in which he commended the part they had taken, to bring about a peace between the United States and the hostile tribes; and exhorted them to continue their influence to accomplish that good work; with an assurance that they should be liberally rewarded for their fidelity and trouble. He referred them to his speech of the 4th, in which he proposed the treaty made at Muskingum, on the 9th of January, 1789, as a preliminary, or foundation of a permanent and lasting peace.

He reminded them, that a duplicate of that treaty had been delivered to the Wyandots, and was probably then in their possession; but as they had attended the making of it, they were well acquainted with the principles upon which it was founded. He also stated his belief, that his speech to the hostile Indians, of the 12th of September, preceding, was in a great part suppressed, by some of the bad white people, at the foot of the Rapids; in consequence of which, he then sent them a copy of it, as also of his speech of the 13th of August, which he requested them fully and clearly to explain to their people. He also invited them to come to Greenville, immediately, where matters could be better and more fully understood; and he pledged his

sacred honor for the safe return of themselves, and all such chiefs and warriors, as might accompany them. In the close he expressed an ardent wish that the Great Spirit might incline their hearts and minds to peace; and that he and they might soon have a happy interview.

On the 10th of November, a confidential communication was sent to General Wayne, at Greenville, from the Wyandots, by a chief who came as a flag, and whose personal safety made it necessary to suppress his name. The communication was in writing, and stated the following facts: -That his tribe were determined for peace, that the chiefs were prevented by the British agents, Simcoe, McKee and Brandt, from coming forward at that time, as they found it expedient, to send one or two of their number to the proposed treaty of the British, at the mouth of the Detroit river, where they had already gone. That Captain Brandt insisted on their making one more desperate effort, in which the Six Nations were determined to join them.That he had come with a chosen body of his own warriors, and would wipe the tears from their eyes.

He exhorted them to keep a good heart, forget their late disaster, and look forward to better fortune and success, assuring them that their father, the king, would assist them with his warriors, who were then advancing to join them; and that they must come to the treaty at Roche de Bœuf, and hear what their father, Governor Simcoe, had to say to them. A message to that effect, was sent by Patterson, a Mohawk, and principal chief under Brandt.

The communication also stated, that three of the principal war-chiefs of the Wyandots, belonging to the same town, who had always been for war, were killed in the battle of the 20th of August, and that the principal chiefs then surviving, were anxious for peace. It further stated, that the first intelligence of the advance of the army towards Au Glaize, was received by the Indians from Newman, a foreigner, who deserted from St. Mary's, when the

troops were on their march;-that he was not captured by the Indians, but went to them voluntarily, to give information of the advance of the army;-and that the Indians would have been completely surprised, at Grand Glaise, but for the arrival and information given them by that deserter.

It was further stated, that the Shawanees appeared determined to remove to the west side of the Mississippi,that more than a hundred of their warriors were then hunting on the head waters of the Miamies of the Ohio, and of the Scioto, who intended to disperse about Christmas, and steal as many horses as would be necessary to carry them and their families to the Mississippi, where several of their nation, and many of the Delawares, were already settled; and that those nations, it was believed, would remove, rather than make peace. It was also stated, that the Indians, by that time, had heard the proposals of the British, and the Six Nations, with regard to assistance and support, and would determine for peace or war, according to the certainty or uncertainty of the promised support.

CHAPTER X.

State of the American army and of the Indians, in 1794-5.-Indians begin to collect at Greenville.-Preliminary conferences.

It does not appear that any military movement, worthy of notice, took place during the winter of 1794-5. The General, however, was pressing his appeal on the War Department, to reinforce his army, and was engaged in watching the movements of the enemy, and bringing every influence within his power, to operate on their minds in favor of peace. He appealed to their hopes and their fears. He availed himself of the influence of the chiefs who were friendly to the United States, and of such as were indisposed to continue the war, by which he distracted their councils-kept their minds in a vacillating state-and prevented them from agreeing on any plan of operations, of a warlike character. Whether he had succeeded in concealing from them the reduced state of his army, which was producing great fear at head-quarters, was not known, though it was believed that a knowledge of that fact would operate as a strong temptation to the savages to try the fate of another battle.

Their numbers had not been materially reduced, while the strength of the American army had been very greatly diminished by sickness and death, and by the expiration of the term of enlistment of many of the Legion, and the discharge of the Kentucky volunteers. The fact, however, fortunately was, let the cause of it be what it might, that the British officers and agents, with all the influence they were able to exert, could not stimulate the Indians to recommence

hostilities. They had acquired some knowledge of the

United States, and of their
Some of them were made

population and strength of the own utter inability to resist it. to understand, that the white people were so numerous, that they could bring into the field fifty warriors to their one; and that, sooner or later, they must be destroyed, if the contest were continued. Though this impression was not general, it occupied the minds of a sufficient number of the more intelligent and influential chiefs and warriors, to disappoint the hopes, and frustrate the plans of Simcoe and his associates.

The Indians were evidently divided in opinion, as to the course they ought to pursue. A majority were disposed to continue the war, but were afraid the British agents would not redeem their pledges, by which they might be again defeated. They remembered the solemn promises of cooperation, which had been made to them in times past. They recollected that when the fort was built at the foot of the Rapids, they were told it was intended for their protection, and as a place of refuge, to which they might retreat, should they be unexpectedly defeated by the American troops. They knew, also, that in violation of those assurances, the gates of that strong fortress had been shut against them, after their defeat on the 20th of August, and that neither chief, nor warrior, was permitted to enter it.

Some of the chiefs were decidedly in favor of commencing a negotiation for peace, without further delay; while others, under the influence of ambition and pride, had partly determined to abandon the country, and remove their families to the Mississippi, rather than submit to the humiliation of suing for peace. This diversity of feeling and opinion, produced in part by the judicious measures pursued by General Wayne, accomplished, in the end, the great object he had in view from the beginning.

It did not require the spirit of prophecy to foresee, that if a diversity of opinion could be produced, and kept up

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