George Washington Papers
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Timothy Pickering to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., February 1795

Timothy Pickering to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr.

War-Office Feby 28. 1795.

Mr Dandridge will be pleased to hand the inclosed letter and papers from Genl Wayne to the President.1

The result of the Conference at Greenville between General Wayne & the Indians is this.

That a general treaty shall be held at Greenville about the 15th of next June, with the Chippawas, Ottawas, Pattawatamies, Sakies and Miamis, to conclude on articles of peace; agreeably to preliminary articles signed the 21st of January.2

In General Wayne’s speech dated January 1st, to Tarhe & other Chiefs at Sandusky, he has this passage. “The Miamis say that the Chiefs of the remaining hostile tribes had acceeded to the prevailing opinion and wish for peace; and that those Chiefs are now on their way to this place (Greenville) & may be expected in the course of a few days after the arrival of the Chiefs of the five nations before mentioned.” The papers received do not announce their arrival.3 The information of the Miamis was communicated by Colo. Hamtranck from the post at the Miami Villages.

I have thus mentioned the object and result of the conference for the President’s information, if he should not have leisure to read all the papers, which are not interesting. I may except the speech of Richardville, a Miami Chief, of one of the most hostile tribes, & which is very short4—and the preliminary articles for suspending hostilities.

T. Pickering

ALS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.

Dandridge replied to Pickering on 1 March: “By order of the President Bw Dandridge has the honor to return to The Secretary of War, Genl Wayne’s letter of the 24. Jany & the several papers submitted with it, and to inform the Secretary that the President is of opinion that Genl Waynes letter, or parts of it, and the preliminary articles, ought either to be laid before Congress, or published in the gazettes” (ADf, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW). Pickering enclosed one sentence from Wayne’s letter and extracts from two enclosures in his message to Congress of 2 March (ASP description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , Indian Affairs, 1:559–60).

1Anthony Wayne’s letter of 24 Jan. (addressed to Henry Knox as secretary of war) announced “the strong & pleasing prospect of a General Peace between the United States and all the late hostile tribes of Indians North West of the Ohio” (Knopf, Wayne description begins Richard C. Knopf, ed. Anthony Wayne, a Name in Arms: Soldier, Diplomat, Defender of Expansion Westward of a Nation; The Wayne-Knox-Pickering-McHenry Correspondence. Pittsburgh, 1960. description ends , 379–83). The papers that Wayne transmitted with that letter included “copies of speeches & agreements that lately took place between The Wyondots, Chepawas, Ottawas, Putawatimes, Saukey’s Miamis & myself,” a “Map or Draught of the Country thro’ which we marched,” returns of the Legion and abstracts of their rations, copies of correspondence with contractors, some recommendations of “Gentlemen” for army appointments, and depositions of Antoine Lasselle, 22 Jan., and Jean Baptiste Sans Crainte, 23 Jan., about what northwest posts were occupied by the British in 1783. Versions of many of the documents can be found in PHi: Wayne Papers.

2For the preliminary articles, see ASP description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , Indian Affairs, 1:559–60.

3Tarhe (Crane; 1742–1818) was a Wyandot chief of the Porcupine clan. Wounded at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, he was the first Indian signer of the 1795 Treaty of Greenville, and he was thereafter considered an ally of the United States. Pickering submitted a slightly longer extract of this passage to Congress (ASP description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , Indian Affairs, 1:560); for the full text of the speech, see PHi: Wayne Papers. On 12 Feb., Wayne wrote Knox (received by Pickering as secretary of war) to announce that “the infamous Blue Jacket with a Number of Chiefs & Warriors belonging to the Shawanoes & Delawares arrived at this place on the 7th. Instant bearing a flag & suing for peace” (Knopf, Wayne description begins Richard C. Knopf, ed. Anthony Wayne, a Name in Arms: Soldier, Diplomat, Defender of Expansion Westward of a Nation; The Wayne-Knox-Pickering-McHenry Correspondence. Pittsburgh, 1960. description ends , 384–85).

4Jean Baptiste Richardville (Peshewa; c.1761–1841), a nephew of Pacan (Pacanne, Pecan), the head chief of the Kekionga Miamis, was a deputy chief at this time. He succeeded Pacan as head chief in 1816. Richardville signed the Treaty of Greenville in August. His speech of 22 Jan. responded to a speech from Wayne of the previous day by asserting the Miamis’ desire for peace and promising “About the midle of June we will assemble at the Miamis in order to take thee by the Hand and to conclude a solid & well cemented peace.” Richardville added that he spoke “in the Name of the Miami Nation who have sent me” and that “We are fully convinced of the Equity and sincerity of thy Words” (PHi: Wayne Papers).

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