hired men on the frontiers, crossed the Alleghanies

trails, with which all this wilderness was seamed, and

the Mississippi, and had established trad- whom were Christopher Gist, William Trent and ing points at every important Indian vil. George Croghan. These and other chief traders lage. In 1745 they built a block-house with goods packed on the backs of horses, descended among the Hurons, on the north side of into the valley of the Ohio, and journeyed from stream Sandusky bay. In 1750 Thomas Walker to stream and village to village along the Indian is known to have penetrated to the very centre of what is now the State of Kentucky. In 1748 the Colonial Ohio company was organized by eminent citizens of Virginia, among whom were Thomas Lee, Lawrence and Augustine Washington. A grant of 500,000 acres of land had been

which the traders widened to make them practicable. More rarely, they carried their goods on horses to the upper waters of the Ohio and embarked them in large wooden canoes, in which they descended the main river and ascended such of its tributaries

as were navigable.

France became alarmed.

These en

obtained from the crown, lying mostly croachments of the English traders and south of the Ohio river, and in 1751 the land speculators upon the domain which company's agent, Christopher Gist, visited for seventy years she had claimed as hers Shawneetown at the mouth of the Scioto, by right of discovery and occupancy, were now Portsmouth, Ohio, an Indian village not to be permitted. The English must at that time of some three hundred peobe pushed back beyond the mountains and ple. He found there many Indian traders. confined within narrow limits, or else all In 1752 Lewis Evans published a map of that had been gained by the explorations the western country. About three hun- of Nicollet, Jogues and Rymbault; of dred of these daring men are said to have Ménard and Allouez; of La Salle, Tonty over the mountains every year. and Joliet; of St. Lusson and Nicolas Some of them, according to French writ- Perrot; of Hennepin and Du Luht, would ers of this period, had even crossed the be lost. These explorations began as Mississippi to trade with the distant Osa- early as the year 1639, full fifteen years

come

ges.

before the first English trader crossed the Alleghanies, and nearly 120 years What sort of men were these members before war was declared between the two of the advance guard, or scouting party, of powers; and yet France had done little to the army of western pioneers soon to fol- make good her title to the disputed terrilow? They were certainly bold and en- tory. What she had done was to establish terprising, or they could never have braved a few weak forts at long distances-one the dangers they heroically faced. They on the Maumee, another on the St. Joseph, came from Virginia and Pennsylvania, chiefly from the latter colony. Mr. Park man says of them :

Indian traders of whatever nation are rarely models of virtue, and these, without doubt, were rough

and lawless men, with abundant blackguardism and

few scruples. Not all of them, however, are to be thus qualified. Some were of a better stamp, among

two on the Wabash, and one other, Fort Chartres, in the Illinois country. There were, in 1749, seventy or eighty houses at Kaskaskia, half as many at Cahokia, opposite St. Louis. With the Indians they had failed to perfect ties of friendship, and upon the eve of war most of the savage

tribes were found to be the allies of the tending from Canada to the Gulf of MexEnglish.

ico must be built, and firm alliances with the Indians established. These plans led to the expedition of Céloron de Bienville in 1749.

At the time when English colonists were crossing the Alleghanies, and pouring into the Ohio valley in the largest numbers, 1749-52, Galissonière was governor of Canada. He was a humpback, NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. -The first but a man of keen mind and intrepid edition of the December number of the spirit. He foresaw the loss to France of Magazine has been exhausted, and the the Mississippi valley and Louisiana if the publisher is at present unable to supply intruders were not forced back beyond the that number. However, a second edition mountains and the friendship of the In- will soon be printed, and all who are endians regained. A chain of strong forts ex- titled to it will in due time receive it.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the MAGAZINE OF WESTERN
HISTORY:

MY DEAR SIR :-In my article on "The Battle of the Peninsula," elsewhere published in this number of your Magazine, I have made some statements which further examination of the facts proves to be incomplete and, in some respects, inaccurate. I wish to say: (1) In regard to the military organization of the Reserve, that it was, in 1812, included in General Wadsworth's division. The counties of Trumbull and Ashtabula constituted the Third Brigade, under Brigadier-General Simon Perkins; the counties of Portage, Geauga and Cuyahoga, the Fourth Brigade, under Brigadier-General Joel Paine.

It is said the first news of Hull's surrender reached
General Wadsworth at Canfield, August 22, and he
immediately ordered his division to rendezvous at
Cleveland. (2) In regard to the stockade at Lower
Sandusky I would like to have said: The first armed
demonstration at Lower Sandusky was made by
Captain John Campbell, of Portage, who, with his
company, reached that point July 14, when he was
joined by a company under Captain Norton, from
Delaware county. They erected a small stockade at
that point. (3) In my article I speak of Bull's
Island. It is now known as Johnson's Island. (4)
Instead of Colonel Hayes, I should have said Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Hayes.
A. G. RIDDle.

Washington, D. C., Feb. 25, 1885.

Very much has at different times been said about the simplicity of the ceremonial on the occasion of the inauguration of Mr. Jefferson as President, in March, 1801, when he rode up alone to the Capitol on horseback, threw his reins over the palings, tied his horse, walked up to the Senate chamber and took the oath of office. The proceeding was of course in accord with the simplicity of Mr. Jefferson's character, and may have been in part intended to accentuate the accession to power of the Republican party and its triumph over the more aristocratic

Federalists. But a consideration of the circum- plaining the very scant ceremonial used on the ocstances in Washington just at that time will show casion.

C. F. R.

that any very elaborate preparation or ceremonial then was altogether out of the question.

ST. LOUIS, February, 1885.

TORY.

TOLEDO, OHIO, February 25, 1885.

Respectfully,

F. D. JERMAIN.

To the Editor of the MAGAZINE OF WESTERN
HISTORY:

DEAR SIR: I herewith enclose the following correspondence relating to Lord Dunmore's expedition to the Ohio country in 1774, which I think will interest your readers:

REPORT OF LORD DUNMORE.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, }

LONDON, November 17, 1884.

The contest in the House of Representatives over the electoral vote for President in February of that To the Editor of the MAgazine of WESTERN HISyear was very heated. Passions ran even higher DEAR SIR: A good deal of interest, for local reathan under similar circumstances in 1876. The fortunes of the party which had been in power since sons, has arisen in this region with regard to the the foundation of the government, and which had origin of the word Yondota. Is or is it hot a French the honored name of Washington associated with corruption of Wyandotte? I should be greatly obit, was in such jeopardy that any one of ten individ- liged if, through the offices of your valuable journal, uals in the House of Representatives could by a satisfactory answer could be found for this question. changing his vote alter the entire issue. Up to the seventeenth of February, a fortnight before the expiration of the existing administration, no conclusion had been reached. All sorts of expedients were being proposed for the continuance of the government, in case the dead-lock should be prolonged. A convention was even proposed to reorganize the government and amend the constitution (Jefferson's Works, IV., p. 354). There were only a few days therefore between the time of the declaration of Jefferson's election and the day of the inauguration, and probably in the slow means of communication then some parts of the country were not informed SIR: as to who was the President until days after the installation. There was no time, therefore, under such circumstances, for any elaborate ceremonial. Moreover, the city of Washington was a very different place then from what it is now. It was a simple, rude village. The streets abounded in quagmires, and along them no procession was possible. It was only in the previous November, not three months before, that President Adams had reached Washington and removed into the White House. It was not yet finished. On the twenty-first of November, Mrs. Adams writes that in the journey over from Baltimore to Washington, a few days before, they lost themselves in the woods, and wandered two hours without finding a guide or the path. She says that bells are wholly wanting in the house; and that while the house is surrounded with forests, no one can be found to cut and cart any wood. Not a single room was finished, nor the least fence or yard or other convenience without, and the great, unfinished audience (now East) room she made a drying room to hang up clothes in. She had not a twentieth part of lamps to light the house; and the roads were such that it was the work of a day to return a single visit in the city. (Letter of Mrs. Adams, p. 384).

I am directed by the minister to acknowlege the reception of your letter of the twenty-sixth ultimo, and to acquaint you that he immediately caused inquiry to be made at the public record office respecting the report for which you ask.

I enclose herewith a copy of the answer which has just been received, and by which you will see that no such report can be found, with an abstract from the State papers bearing upon the subject.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,
HENRY WHITE.
Asst. Secretary of Legation.

CHARLes Whittlesey, ESQ.
1305 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

ENCLOSURES:

Mr. Lainsbury to Mr. White, November 12, 1884. (Copy.)

PUBLIC }

November 12, 1884.

To HENRY WHITE, ESQ.,
Secretary of Legation.

DEAR SIR:

In reply to your letter of the tenth inst., in reference to a report of the adjutant of Lord Dunmore's expedition against the Indians (with enclosures here

These facts, kept in mind, will go far towards ex- with returned) I have to inform you that I have

made a careful search through our Colonial State Papers, but do not find that any such report was enclosed by Governor Lord Dunmore in his despatch of December 24, 1774, to Secretary Lord Dartmouth, wherein the governor of Virginia himself reports the success of his expedition against the Indians. I have the pleasure to enclose an extract from said report, from which it will be seen that Lord Dunmore does not enclose any other report of the action of the tenth of October, 1774.

Your obed't servant,

H. NOEL.

Lewis. In effect this body, in their route to join me, was encamped within a mile of the conflux of these crossed, who were discovered by two men, one of two rivers, and near the place where the Indians whom they killed, of Colonel Lewis' corps, at break of day the tenth of October. Colonel Lewis, upon receiving intelligence of their being advanced to within half a mile of his camp, ordered out three hundred men in two divisions, who, upon their approach, were immediately attacked by the Indians, and a very warm engagement ensued. Colonel Lewis found it necessary to reinforce the divisions first sent out, which (without the main body of the corps having engaged) obliged the Indians to retire after an action which lasted till about one o'clock in the afternoon and a little skirmishing till night, under the favor of

State Papers, Colonial Series, American and West which the Indians repassed the river and escaped. Indies, Vol 213:

(No. 23.)
WILLIAMSBURG, December 24, 1774.
Governor the Earl of Dunmore, to Secretary the
Earl of Dartmouth :

I determined, therefore, to go down the Ohio; but I thought it prudent to take a force which might effect our purpose if our negotiations failed, and I collected from the militia of the neighboring counties about twelve hundred men to take with me, sending orders to a Colonel Lewis to march with as many more of the militia of the southern counties across the country, to join me at the mouth of the Little Kanhaway, the place I appointed to meet the Indians at. I passed down this river with this body of men, and arrived at the appointed place at the stated time. The day after, some of our friends, the Delawares, arrived according to their promise, but they brought us the disagreeable information that the Shawances would listen to no terms, and were resolved to prosecute their designs against the people of Virginia. The Delawares, notwithstanding, remained steady in their attachment; and their chief, Captain White Eyes, offered me the assistance of himself and whole tribe; but apprehending evil effects from the jealousy of, and natural dislike in our people to all Indians, I accepted only of him and two or three others, and I received great service from the faithfulness, the firmness and remarkable good understanding of White Eyes.

Colonel Lewis not joining me and being unwilling to increase the expense of the country by delay, and

Colonel Lewis lost on his side his brother and two other colonels of militia, men of character and some condition in their countries, and forty-six men killed and about eighty men wounded. The loss of the Indians, by their accounts, amounted to about thirty killed and some wounded. The event of this action proving very different from what the Indians had promised themselves, they at once resolved to make no farther efforts aganist a power they saw so far superior to theirs, but determined to throw themselves upon our mercy, and, with the greatest expedition, they came in search of the body with which they knew I marched, and found me near their own town the day after I got there. They presently made known their intentions, and I admitted them to a conference, wherein all our differences were settled. The terms of our reconiliation were, briefly, that the Indians should deliver up all prisoners without reserve; that they should restore all horses and other valuable effects which they had carried off; that they should not hunt on our side of the Ohio, nor molest any boats passing thereupon; that they should promise to agree to such regulations for their trade with our people as should be hereafter dictated by the king's instructions, and that they should deliver into our hands certain hostages, to be kept by us until we were convinced of their sincere intention to adhere to all the articles. The Indians finding, contrary to their expections, no punishment likely to follow, agreed to everything with the greatest alacrity, and gave the most solemn assurance of their quiet and peaceable deportment in the future; and in return I gave them every promise of protection and good treatment on our side.

from the accounts we had of the numbers of the Indians, judging the force I had with me sufficient to NOTE. When Lord Dunmore went on board of defeat them and destroy their towns in case they the man-of-war, in the James River, to escape should refuse the offers of peace, and, after sending from the colonies, he probably took his papers to orders to follow me to a place I appointed near the Indian settlements, I crossed the Ohio and proceed- England. They have not been found in Virginia. ed to the Shawanoes' towns, in which march one of our The above reliable extract brings to light new historidetached parties encountered another body of Indi- cal facts, among others that the rendezvous of the ans lying in ambush, of whom they killed six or eight two columns was to be at the mouth of Little Kanand took sixteen prisoners. When we came up to the towns we found them deserted, and that the awha, now Parkersburg, West Virginia, and not at main body of Indians, to the amount of nearly five the Great Kanawha (Point Pleasant), where the hundred, had some time before gone off towards the

Ohio, and we soon learnt that they had crossed that engagement took place. The expedition to the river near the mouth of the Great Kanhaway, with Scioto towns was an after consideration. the design of attacking the corps under Colonel

CHARLES Whittlesey.

HISTORICAL AND PIONEER SOCIETIES.