some of that nation having formerly lived there.[1] In this day's proceedings we came about seventy-six miles. The general course of the river; from Scioto to this place, is south-west.
7th.—We stayed here and despatched two Indians to the Illinois by land, with letters to Lord Frazer, an English officer, who had been sent there from Fort Pitt, and Monsieur St. Ange,[2] the French commanding officer at Fort Chartres, and some speeches to the Indians there, letting them know of my arrival here; that peace was made between us and the Six Nations, Delawares, and Shawnesse, and of my having a number of deputies of those nations along with me, to conclude matters with them also on my arrival there. This day one of my men went into the woods and lost himself.[3]
8th.—At day-break we were attacked by a party of Indians, consisting of eighty warriors of the Kiccapoos
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- ↑ The Shawnees had formerly dwelt west and south of their habitations on the Scioto. The Cumberland River was known on early maps as the "Shawana River;" and in 1718, they were located in the direction of Carolina. Their migration east and north took place about 1730. The present Illinois town at this site, is still called Shawneetown.-Ed.
- ↑ Being able to speak French, Lieutenant Alexander Fraser of the 78th
infantry had been detailed to accompany Croghan. He went in advance of
the latter, and reached the Illinois, where he found himself in such danger that
he escaped to Mobile in disguise. See Parkman, Conspiracy of Pontiac, ii, pp. 276, 284-286.
St. Captain Louis St. Ange de Bellerive, was the son of a French officer who came to Louisiana early in the eighteenth century, and commanded in the Illinois country in 1722 and again in 1733. St. Ange had himself seen much pioneer service, having been placed in charge of a fort on the Missouri (1736), and having succeeded Vincennes at the post bearing the latter's name. Ange remained at Vincennes until summoned by De Villiers, commandant at Fort Chartres, to supersede him there, and spare him the mortification of a surrender to the English. After yielding Fort Chartres to Captain Sterling (October, 1765), St. Ange retired to St. Louis, where he acted as commandant (after 1766, in the Spanish service) until his death in 1774.—Ed. - ↑ This man was in reality captured. See Parkman, Conspiracy of Pontiac, ii, p. 289, note.―Ed.
