The Thomas Hutchins' Journal.
In the summer of 1762, Ensign Thomas Hutchins of the 60th Royal American Regiment was dispatched by Sir William Johnson's Deputy George Croghan to examine the state of behavior of the American Indians, as well as regulate or conduct any business with them that would be of benefit to the service. Deputy George Croghan wrote to Johnson on May 10, 1762 informing him that Hutchins had departed Fort Pitt and at the conclusion of fulfilling his duties Hutchins would "send his Journal with a draft of that country as he is very capable of taking it."
Except of Thomas Hutchins' Journal relating to Fort Edward Augustus:
“I was detained at D’Troit until the 15th of May Partly on Account of Bad Weather and partly on Account of a Batteau not being Ready for me, I being obliged to leave my other Boat here which being now Prepaired Set out for Michilimackinac where I arrived the Second of June; detained here four days by Contrary Winds and a Ruff Sea.
The day I arrived the Cheapwas Kill’d a man of the Meynomeney Nation upon the Parade in the Fort in Revenge for two Men that had been Kill’d by his Nation some Considerable time ago of the Cheapwas, soon after this happen’d a Chief with the Murderers and some more of their Tribe came to the Commanding Officer and assured him that they were Extremely sorry that they had Kill’d the Indian within the Fort and hoped they wou’d impute to the Passion they were in and to Confirm what was said they made the Commanding Officer a Present of an Indian Slave and desired him to rest Satisfy’d.”
“The 7th Set out for the Bay where I arrived after a very Disagreeable Passage of 17 Days; I could not have a meeting with the Indians here until the 25th as their Chiefs were mostly gone to an Indian Village to hold a Council on Accot. of the Man of their Nation that was Kill’d at Michilimackinac-
The 25th All the Indians of the Sax Nation that were at the Fort assembled and after I made them acquainted with my Instructions Confirming what I said with a Belt of Wampum.
One of their Cheifs spoke as follows:
I in behalf of my Nation Return you my sincere thanks for the Accounts you have brought us. We are also greatly obliged to Sir William Johnson for taking so much care as to send you to let us Know what the General had done respecting us. We are Extreamly well pleased with every thing you have said; We are thoroughly convinced the Prohibition of Spirituous Liquors was done for our good, from the bad effects attending the use of it long ago – We desire you will request Sir William Johnson to send a Smith to this Fort to mend our Guns and Tomahawks & c. as we are greatly Straitned many times to support our families Occasioned by our Guns being out of Repair which obliges us to come here with our Women and Children to beg some Provision from our Brother – You will also let him Know we are a Poor People and it’s very likely we shall be obliged to take Part in the quarrel that subsists between the Meynomenys here and the Cheapwas at Michilimackinac; this will prevent our hunting for furrs to Purchase Cloathes for our Women and Children, therefore we hope Sir William Johnson will Consider us and send us some Necessaries to Keep our Women and Children from the Cold – Your coming here plainly convinces us the Commanding Officer here was sincere in every thing he told us. And you may Assure your self that we will do everything in our Power to serve the English.
The same day I made the Reynard Nation Acquainted with my Instructions and gave them a Belt of Wampum.
Their Answer was the same with the Sax Nation. The 26th I delivered the same Message to the Meynomeneys that I had done to the Sax and Reynard Nations, And gave them a Belt of Wampum.
Their Answer was the same with the other two Nations only added that it was very probable they would Strike the Cheapwas in Revenge for the Man of their Nation that was lately Kill’d at Michilimackinac but assured me that if any of the English should have Occasion to come amongst them they should Pass and Repass unmolested –
I was informed by my Interpreter that the Sax, Reynard & Meynomeney Nations all expected a Present from me and were a good deal displeased at their being disappointed.
After my Business was over with the Meynomenies I desired they would send a Careful Indian with me as a Guide to St. Josephs; their Chief assured me that at that time they could not spare any as they expected in a few days to send of a Party to War against the Cheapwas, and added as their Indians along the way I had to go were informed that the English had Countinanced the Killing of one of their People in the Fort at Michilimackinac that it was more than Probable they wou’d do me an Injury and advised me to Return to Michilimackinac and go from there to St. Josephs which I did –
The 28th of June Set out from the Bay and Return’d to Michilimackinac the 7th of July…”
“Number of Indian Warriors
At Puans Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Menomines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Some distance to the westward of the Bay . . Puans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Sax or Sawkes . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Reynards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320”
Source: The “Hutchins” Map of
