# Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison/Harrison to the Secretary of War Complaints of the Indian chiefs of the Northwest territory

Harrison to the Secretary of War
July 15th, 1801
Dawson, Harrison, 10-11
Sir
For the last ten or twelve weeks I have been constantly engaged in receiving visits from the Chiefs of most of the Indian nations which inhabit this part of the Territory. They all profess and I believe that most of them feel a friendship for the United States—but they make heavy complaints of ill treatment on the part of our Citizens. They say that their people have been killed—their lands settled on—their game wontonly destroyed—& their young men made drunk & cheated of the peltries which formerly procured them necessary articles of Cloathing, arms and amunition to hunt with. Of the truth of all these charges I am well convinced. The Delaware Chiefs in their address to me mentioned the loss of six persons of their nation, since the treaty of Greenvill having been killed by the White people—& I have found them correct as to number. In one instance however the White boy who killed the Indian was tried and acquitted as it was proved that it was done in self defence. In another instance the Murderrer was tried and acquitted by the Jury, altho it was very evident that it was a cruel and unprovoked murder. About twelve months ago a Delaware was killed in this Town by a Citizen of the Territory against whom a bill has been found by the grand. He has however escaped and it is reported that he has gone to Natchez or New Orleans. [See May 5, 1802, below.] But the case which seems to have affected the Indians more than any other is the murder of two men and one woman of this same nation about three years ago. This cruel deed was perpetrated on this side of the Ohio, forty or fifty miles below the falls & is said to have been attended with circumstances of such atrocity as almost to discredit the whole story—were it not but too evident that a great many of the Inhabitants of the Fronteers consider the murdering of Indians in the highest degree meritorious—the story is this. About three years ago two Delaware men and a woman were quietly hunting in the neighbourhood of the Ohio—I believe on the waters of Blue river their Camp was discovered by two men I think of the name of Williams—brothers—and these Williams mutually determined to murder ​them for the purpose of possessing themselves of about fifty dollars worth of property and the trifling equipage belonging to the hunting Camp of a Savage. They thought it too dangerous to attack them openly as one of the Indians well known to the white people by the name of Jim Galloway or Gilloway—was remarkable for his strength and bravery. They approached the camp as friends & as I am toled they have since confessed asked leave to stay at the Indians Camp and hunt for a few days. Their request was granted & they remained until a favorite opportunity offered to carry their design into effect—& the then Indians were murdered. Altho they were missed by their friends it was a long time before their fate was ascertained. The murderers thinking themselves safe from the length of time which has elapsed, now begin to talk of the affair, and one of them is said to have declared that he was very nearly over-powered by the Indian after he had wounded him—that he had closed in with him and the Indian was on the point of getting the better of him when his brother to whom the murder of the other Indian had been committed came to his assistance. Altho I am convinced that the facts above stated are all true—yet so difficult is it to get testimony in a case of this kind, that I have not as yet been able to get the necessary depositions on which to ground an application to the Executive of Kentucky for the delivery of these people to Justice. Whenever I have ascertained that the Indian boundary line has been encroached on by the white people I have caused the Intruders to withdraw. But as the boundary line seperating the Indian land from that to which the title has been extinguished has not been run—nor the manner in which it is to run precisely ascertained either at this place or in the country on the Mississippi called the Illinois—it is impossible to tell when encroachments are made on the Indians at those two places. As this is an object of considerable importance to the Citizens of the Territory I must beg you Sir to obtain the directions of the President to have it done as soon as possible. The people have been about petitioning Congress on this subject—Untill it was observed that the President was authorized by law to cause all the boundaries between the lands of the U.N. States & the Indian tribes to be ascertained and marked—Untill their boundaries are established it is almost impossible to punish in this quarter the persons who make a practice of Hunting on the lands ​ of the Indians in violation of law and our Treaty with that people. This practice has grown into a monstrous abuse. Thousands of the wild animals from which the Indians derive their subsistance have been distroyed by the white people. They complain in their speeches to me that many parts of their Country which abounded with game when the general peace was made in 1795 now scarcely contains a sufficiency to give food to the fiew Indians who pass through there. The people of Kentucky living on the Ohio from the mouth of the Kentucky river down the Mississippi make a constant practice of crossing over on the Indian lands opposite to them every fall to kill deer, bear, and buffaloe—the latter from being a great abundance a few year's ago is now scarcely to be met with, in that whole extent. One white hunter will distroy more game than five of the common Indians—the latter generally contenting himself with a sufficiency for present subsistance—while the other eager after game hunt for the skin of the animal alone. All these Injuries the Indians have hitherto borne with astonishing patience but altho they discover no disposition to make war upon the United States at present—I am confident that most of the tribes would eagerly seize any favorable opportunity for that purpose—& should the United States be at war with any of the European nations who are known to the Indians there would probably be a combination of nine tenths of the Northern Tribes against us—Unless some means are made use of to conciliate them. The British have been unremitted in their exertions to preserve their influence over the Indians resident within our Territory ever since the surrender of the Forts upon the Lake—& those exertions are still continued—last year they delivered a greater quantity of goods to their Indians than they have been ever known to do—and I have been lately informed that talks are now circulating amongst them, which are intended to lesten the small influence we have over the Indians—I cannot vouch for the truth of this report—but I think it very probable that the British will redouble their efforts to keep the Indians in their Interest as a mean of assisting them in any designs they may form against Louisiana which it is said will be shortly delivered up to the French.
I have had much difficulty with the small tribes in this immediate Neighbourhood—viz.—the Peankashaws, Weas & Eel river Indians, these three tribes form a body of the ​ greatest Scoundrels in the world—they are dayly in this town in considerable numbers and are frequently intoxicated to the number of thirty or forty at once—they then commit the greatest disorders—drawing their knives and stabing every one they meet with—breaking open the Houses of the Citizens killing their Hogs and cattle and breaking down their fences. But in all their frolicks they generally suffer most severely themselves they kill each other without mercy, some years ago as many as four were found dead in the morning—& altho these murders are actually committed in the streets of the town, yet no attempt to punish them has ever been made. This forbearance has made them astonishingly insolent & on a late occasion (within 8 weeks) when one of these rascals had killed without provocation two of the Citizens in one of the Traders Houses in this place, & it was found impossible to apprehend him alive, he was put to death. This peice of Justice so exasperated those of his tribe in the neighbourhood that they actually assembled in the borders of the town with a design to seize some favourable opportunity of doing mischief—the Militia were ordered out and their resentment has subsided.
Should you think proper to garrison Fort Knox with a small body of troops it will be the means of keeping the Indians under much better controle when they come here to trade—& would enable the civil Magistrates to punish those who violate the laws. Inded I do not think that a militaiy force is so necessary on any part of the fronteers as at this place—the inhabitants tho fully able to repulse them when aware of their designs are constantly in danger from their treachery. Five Hundred Warriers might introduce themselves into the settlement undiscovered by the White people—& after doing all the mischief in their power might make—their escape with as much facility. I do not indeed apprehend in the least that the neighbouring tribes have any inclination to make open war upon us—I fear only the effect of some sudden resentment arrising from their constant intercourse with the people of this town. In this intercourse causes of irritation are constantly produced twice within a few weeks an appeal was made to arms by both parties—one occasioned by some drunken Indians attempting to force a House in which one was killed and an other wounded. The other at the time when the two ​ white men were killed as above mentioned. Luckily however no other mischief was done in either instance.
The Indian Chiefs complain heavily of the mischiefs produced by the enormous quantity of Whiskey which the Traders introduce into their Country. I do not believe there are more than six Hundred Warriers upon this River (the Wabash) and yet the quantity of whiskey brought here annually for their use is said to amount to at least six thousand Gallons. This poisonous liquor not only incapasitates them from obtaining a living by Hunting but it leads to the most attrocious crimes—killing each other has become so customary amongst them that it is no longer a crime to murder those whom they have been most accustomed to estem and regard. Their Chiefs and their nearest relations fall under the strokes of their Tomhawks & Knives. This has been so much the case with the three Tribes nearest us—the Peankashaws, Weas, & Eel River Miamis that there is scarcely a Chief to be found amongst them.
The little Beaver a Wea Chief of note well known to me was not long since murdered by his own son. The Little Fox another Chief who was always a friend to the white people was murdered at mid day in the Streets of this by one of his own nation. All these Horrors are produced to these Unhappy people by their too frequent intercourse with the White people. This is so cirtain that I can at once tell by looking at an Indian whom I chance to meet whether he belong to a Neighbouring or a more distant Tribe. The latter is generally well Clothed healthy and vigorous the former half naked, filthy and enfeebled with Intoxication, and many of them without arms except a Knife which they carry for the most vilanous purposes. The Chiefs of the Kickapoos, Sacks, & Patawatimies, who lately visited me are sensible of the progress of these measures, and their Views amongst themselves—which they are convinced will lead to utter exterpation—and earnestly desire that the introduction of such large quantities of Whiskey amongst them may be prevented.
Whether some thing ought not to be done to prevent the reproach which will attach to the American Character by the exterpation of so many human beings, I beg leave most respectfuly to submit to the Consideration of the President—That this exterpation will happen no one can doubt who knows the astonishing annual decrease of these unhappy beings. The ​
Delawares are now making an other attempt to become agriculturists—they are forming settlements upon the White river a branch of the Wabash under the conduct of two Missionaries of the Society of "The United Brethren for propogating the gospel amongst the Heathens" otherwise Meravians. To assist them in this plan the Chiefs desire that one half of their next annuity may be laid out in impliments of agriculture, and in the purchase of some domestic animals as Cows and Hogs. The Kaskaskeas & Peankashaws request the same thing and the Patawatimies wish a few corse hoes may be sent with their goods. The sun a great Chief of the last mentioned Nation requests that a Coat and Hat of the Uniform of the United States & to prevent Jealousy a few more may be aded for the other Chiefs, of his nation. Indeed I am convinced that nothing would please the Chiefs of all the Nations so much as a distinction of this kind. It was a method always persued by the British and nothing did more to preserve their Influance. I therefore take the liberty of recommending that about a half dozen Coats made in the uniform of the United States and ordinary Cocked Hats may be sent for each of the nations who have an annuity of one thousand dollars, and Half that number for the Nations who receive 500 dollars—the expence to be taken from the allowance of each nation. The Kickapoos who are a strong and warlike Nation have not a proper proportion of goods allowed them by the United States their annuity is 500 dollars only, which is the sum allowed to the remnant of the Kaskaskias which have only fifteen or twenty warriors. The Kickapoos of the Priaria a large branch of that nation never receive any part of the goods. They frequently steal Horses which are never returned because they do not fear the withholding of their annuity. The Socks a very large nation which Inhabit the Waters of the Illinois River are not bound by any treaty—and will not deliver up horses or prisones in their possession. I have reason to believe that there are several persons still with them which were taken during the late war. They say they are very willing to treat if they are put upon the same footing that the rest of the Indian Nations are.
The contractor to the army had untill lately an agent at ​this place—from whom I had procured the provisions which were necessary in the Councils I have had with Several nations which have visited me. I have signed an abstract for the quantity furnished. In their issues I have been as economical as possible—perhaps more so than was proper—the whole amount of Issues under my direction until this—amounted only to 13 rations.