1759, January 26, Fort Loudoun

The following data is extracted from Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760.

Sir

The 18th Instant arrived here the Exprefs with the Agreeable News of the Reduction of Fort DuQuenoi Immdiately I order’d From Tender Armis field, if Great Guns & the Shen Three Collies the Same Day Sent word to Old Hopp. I shod. Be with Him the Hea’t Day. Accordingly whent to Chotia & found him wth. The Standing sTurkey in his Hold House & as I intended to Spek with the Great Warriour, I desired him to Send for Him wch. He did I then told them, what yor. Excellency wrote to me Concerning this Reducttion of Fort DuQuenoi, & Read to them all the Paticulars, They Seam'’, to be very glad of it. I told ye. Likewise that this Govr. Of the Garifson had abanded the Fort, when they heard that our Army was hear & that they were all Gone Down ______River in Buttois’ Vas I had ________my -y on ye Gt. Warriour to go Towards ye French fort with Some White Men according to your Excellencies Instructions, I desir’d _____to Dine with me the ex’t Day at ye Fort because their was too many Indians Then Present & I did not Chouse to fell _____all what my intentions was. The Gt. Warriour & the Standing Turkey came, Old Hop Being Indispos’d after dinner I said to _____what your Excell,cy Request d, of Them & as Intended to send Some White Men I could not fix upon any one to be depend’d upon so well as the Great Warriour to gett all of Intelligance they could, & to Bring as Prisoner. He Seam’d, at first, very glad of it, but Said that, his Gang were Fak d as well as their Wives. That if they had, not Lost their henting Seasion, They Shed have gold Enough to Cover themselves & their Families & Said that I was verry Sensible, that the came lately from Warr, & Had not Received a nough to cover themselves, that ____when there was __uey Cold & thay was Oblig’d to Help themselves within Hold Houses for Want of Cloaths. Thay had Desird me to write to your Excellency Concerning their Return from Warr & What they had Done, and that you had Taken no Notice of them, to which I Replyd that I was Sertain that you did not know it because, ______had wrote but Lately.

The Standing Trukey being Prest. He Said, but Little but as Soon as He was gone, Well say the Ct. Warriour do you Defire I shod. Go Towards ye Frence Fort, I answd. I had Rather he wod. Go then any Other’s Because I was Sure he take care of the White People that ware to go along with Him, he said, you may Depend of that, I have whare all Nakd. And as the Wheathers is verry Cold thay, shod. Parrish in the Woods, Give them Cloaths and I am Sure They will go I faid I was very sensible of what he said was True I then Offer’d Him, 15 Blanketts, Knives, Paint & Armonistions to Fill out his Gang. He seam’d Sattisfy’d & said he wod. Spake to them that verry Night at Chotia and that he would come & give me an Answr. Within Two days, but the wheather proving Bad, he did not come Till the Sixth Day. And then Said the yound Fellow in ware all Willing to go, but that Old Hopp and the Rest of the Warriours advised them to ______Contrary Saying the Wheather was Cold & that ye Goverere Had not Sent ___Prests, for the Last Exspodisition. That He was verry Sorry forth, For he shod. Have been glad to Have gone.

I Told ____that it was not Long Since prest. Ware Sent From Charles Town and tha ye Little Carpenter & His Gang Have been So well Reward’d in Town & I had given Him Presents When He came Last from Warr. That I was verry Sorry to find they ware So backwards to go in Quest of their being ask’d. by me at ye Request of the Govr. That I was Sure yor. Excel,y wod. Be much Displeas,d at His Hearing thay shod. Refuse going to war. He Reply d he was Sorry for it, that it was not His Fault but that He Intend’d To Sett off as fonn as Ever if weather provd. Warm. I told Him Perhapps it wod. Be too Lat.

The Little Carpenter is not Returnd from the Northward nor a Great Many Warriours Hunting Judge Friend Has Had the Nifsfortune to Shote Himself Threw the Foot. Some Time ago the Thickleg d warriour of Tellico Came to me & said that he was Inten’d to go to Warr against the French fort and that he then Expected Soon as Gang From the Middle Settlements & then he wod. Lett me Know of it, I propose to send for him to to Morrow Morning to Endeavour to get Him off as Soon as Pofsible.

Ensign Ben arrive. Here the ___with 25 Private men 20 Sargts., 2 Corpls., I wish Cattle may come Soon For Fare I fhod. Be in want of Meats. I am Afraid, That John Elliot will be the Occafsion of Great many Difsturbanecis Amongst ye Indians & Traders by Selling goods cheaper than the Others. J am with the Greatest Regard.

Sir.

Your Excellency’s
Most obedient
and most humble Servant

Paul Demere

Source: Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760

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