288 GRANT BY CREEKS IN GEORGIA; WALPOLE COMPANY. tersects the Ogeechee River; and A transaction of a very different character and moment took place about the same time in Virginia, where a war known as Dunmore's War broke out with the Ohio Indians. The chief cause of the trouble there *White, Historical Collections of Georgia, pp. 121-123. was the dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania regarding the ownership and possession of certain lands in the West and the control of lines of communication with these lands. Fort Duquesne, or Pittsburg, was the centre of the contest.* In 1767 Sir William Johnson of New York, Benjamin Franklin, his son, Governor William Franklin of New Jersey, and Thomas Walpole, a London banker, formed what was known as the Walpole Company, in order to control the territory between the Ohio and Alleghanies for the purpose of making a settlement, and subsequently secured a grant to the territory.† Governor Dunmore of Virginia considered that this territory was within his jurisdiction, and consequently planned to resist all encroachments. He did not strike directly at the colonists themselves, however, but planned, instead, to stir up an Indian war and to suppress it with Virginia troops alone, using Pittsburg as a base of operations - thereby hoping to gain favor for the Virginia claim with the home government, not only by the use of *On the controversy see Daniel Agnew, History of the Region of Pennsylvania North of the Ohio and West of the Allegheny River (1887); James Tilghman, Thoughts on the Situation of the Inhabitants on the Frontier, in Pennsylvania Magazine of History, vol. x., p. 316; William P. Palmer, Calendar of Virginia State Papers, vol. i., p. 375; George H. Alden, New Governments West of the Alleghanies Before 1780, in Bulletin of the University of Wisconsin, series ii., no. i., chap. ii; C. W. Butterfield, History of the Girtys (1890); Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. i., p. 195 et seq. King, Ohio, p. 100 et seq. DUNMORE'S WAR. Virginia troops to subdue the Indians but also through the odium the other states should incur by leaving him to conduct the fight single-handed. Probably he thought also that in the midst of the impending conflict between the colonists and the mother country, it would be good policy to distract the minds of the Virginians by an Indian war, which, if he conducted it to a successful conclusion, might strengthen his own position.* Dunmore used Captain Michael Cresap as an unwitting tool in the furtherance of his scheme. In April, 1774, some Cherokees had attacked three rangers employed by a trader named Butler and using this as an immediate pretext, John Connolly (or Conolly), Dunmore's representative, ordered the frontiersmen to prepare for a war of extermination. Cresap was then sent out with a small force and on the journey unfortunately killed two friendly Shawnee agents of Butler. It was then determined to proceed to the camp of the Iroquois chief Logan and attack it, though Logan was friendly to the English. however, led them to turn back. Calmer judgment, Calmer judgment, Sir William Johnson was in constant correspondence with his agents in the Ohio and Illinois country, using all his vast influence to avert the impending disaster,‡ even sending a rep * Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. i., p. 201. Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. i., pp. 204-205. Griffis, Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations, pp. 220–221. 289 resentative to Cresap to warn him of Dunmore's scheme to embroil the colonists in a war with the Indians. The mission was fruitless, however, as Butler, to revenge the murder of his agents, had employed a border ruffian, named Daniel Greathouse, to attack and murder some of the Indians under Logan, the victims including all of Logan's relatives.* Butler then convinced the Indians that the colonists intended to exterminate them, and a furious war broke out, which terminated in a disastrous battle on October 10, known as the Battle of the Great Kanawha or Point Pleasant. The Virginia forces (about 1,100 men) were commanded by General Andrew Lewis, and the Indians (about 1,000 strong) by the Shawnee chief Cornstalk. The battle was indecisive, the Indians finally withdrawing to save their forces rather than win a victory at the cost of a large number of their braves. Of the whites some 75 had been killed or mortally wounded and 140 severely or slightly wounded. The Indians lost about 40 killed. about 40 killed. After the battle a council was held to conclude peace, and, with Logan's and Cornstalk's assent to the terms, the conflict came to an end. Dunmore claimed all the laurels of the war, but his unfair schemes were completely frustrated by the out * Roosevelt, vol. i., pp. 208-209; Ford's ed. of Jefferson's Writings, vol. iii., p. 162 et seq. Shortly after this, July 11, 1774, William Johnson died and Guy Johnson was appointed his successor. See Buell, Sir William Johnson, p. 270. 290 LOGAN'S SPEECH; EMIGRATION. break of the Revolution, soon after which he himself was expelled from Virginia.* In this connection Logan's speech was pathetic. He had refused He had refused to join the peace conference, and, on being specially summoned to Pittsburg by Dunmore, sent the following reply: "I appeal to any white man to say if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed him not. During the course of the last long and bloody war, Logan remained idle in his cabin an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed and said, 'Logan is the friend of white men.' I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Captain Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not even sparing my women and children. There runs not a During this whole period all of the colonies had received great number of emigrants from Europe. It was estimated that during 1771 and 1772 the number of emigrants who came to America from the North of Ireland alone amounted to 17,350, a great majority of whom had been employed in the linen manufacture or were farmers possessed of some little property, thus constituting a valuable acquisition to America. Within the first two weeks of August, 1773, more than 3,500 emigrants arrived at Philadelphia from Ireland, and it also appears that vessels continually arrived containing emigrants from Holland, Germany, drop of my blood in the veins of any living Scotland, etc. In the autumn of 1773, creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed many. I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace; but do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one!" † * Charles Whittlesey, Discourse Relating to the Expedition of Dunmore (Cleveland, 1842); Winsor, The Westward Movement, chap. v.; Roosevelt, The Winning of the West, vol. i., chaps. viii.-ix.; Moore, The Northwest under Three Flags, pp. 185194; Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, vol. vi., pp. 707-715; Caleb Atwater, History of Ohio, pp. 110-125; Cooke, Virginia, pp. 422-426; King, Ohio, pp. 109-111; Monette, History of the Mississippi Valley, vol. i., pp. 368-385; Grahame, History of the United States, vol. ii., pp. 481-482; Hildreth, vol. iii., p. 49 et seq.; Bancroft, vol. iv., pp. 79-89; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 281-285; Jacob's Life of Cresap. Moore, The Northwest under Three Flags, p. 191; Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, reprinted in Ford's ed. of. Jefferson's Writings, vol. iii., pp. 156-157. Cresap, however, according to the latest belief, was not responsible for the death of Logan's family. See Brantz Mayer, Logan the Indian and Cresap the Pioneer, in Maryland Historical Society Publications for 1857, and New about 700 Irish settlers went to the Carolinas, and in the course of the same season, no fewer than ten vessels with Scottish Highlanders sailed from English ports for various colonies in America. Most of these emigrants settled along the borders, thus forming a bulwark between the eastern settlements and the tribes of warlike Indians to the West. They formed also the nucleus of that body of pioneers who later aided in driving out the British forces that wrought such havoc among the southern settlers. York Colonial Documents, vol. viii., pp. 459-477. On the genuineness of Logan's speech see Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. i., App. F., no. iii., pp. 347-352; Jefferson's letter of December 31, 1797, to Governor John Henry of Maryland, in Ford's ed. of Jefferson's Writings, vol. iii., pp. 157 et seq., 165, also letters in vol. vii., pp. 137, 185, 186, 223, 249, 381, 410. See also Madison's Works (Congress ed.), vol. i., pp. 19-20. RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS. Religious conditions were about the same as they had been for a number of years past, even though war and politics had engrossed the attention of the colonists from the time of the "Great Revival." In 1770 Whitefield passed away in Massachusetts, and the views which he had so zealously advocated largely influenced the conduct of religious affairs throughout the colonies. The Wesleyan branch The Wesleyan branch of the Methodists, however, had not as yet attained great strength in America, chiefly because of the fact that in the main its members were warm loyalists. About this time the Universalists took their rise in America, and the mind, the strong 291 "The spread of their tenets effected a re- CHAPTER VI. 1774-1775. THE CRISIS APPROACHES: THE COLONIES UNITE. - The king's message to Parliament - The Boston Port Bill Bill for regulating the government of Massachusetts Bay Bill for administering justice The Quartering Act The Quebec Act - Arrival of GageCircular letter of Massachusetts to other colonies - Quincy's Observations on the Boston Port Bill-Action of the Virginia House of Burgesses A General Congress urged Washington's part in the proceedings Letter of instructions to Virginia delegation in Congress - The Other Colonies support Massachusetts Delegation appointed to Congress - Conditions in Boston after the closing of port The "Solemn League and Covenant"- Supplies sent to Boston-Troops sent to Massachusetts-Gage attempts to fortify Boston Neck-The meeting in Suffolk County - The First Continental Congress convenes - Its proceedings-Washington's share in them The Pamphlets dealing with these proceedings. Appendix to Chapter VI. I Quebec Act II. Association of the Virginia House of Burgesses. III. Address to the People of Great Britain. IV. Memorial to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies. V. Petition of Congress to the king. The news of the action of the Bostonians reached England early in March and greatly excited the ministry, who thereupon concluded that it would be necessary to force the colonists to submit to the dictates of Par liament. The first measure for subjecting the colonies was to punish * Hildreth, History of the United States, vol. ii., p. 579. † Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 110 et seq. 292 THE BOSTON PORT BILL. Boston, as it was thought this example would be sufficient warning to others and act as a deterrent to any similar resistance to imperial authority. On March 7, 1774, the king's message to Parliament was presented by Lord North.* In this message the king said that," in consequence of the unwarrantable practices carried on in North America, and particularly of the violent and outrageous proceedings at the town and port of Boston, with a view of obstructing the commerce of this kingdom, and upon grounds and pretences immediately subversive of its constitution, it was thought fit to lay the whole matter before Parliament, recommending it to their serious consideration, what further regulations or permanent provisions might be necessary to be established, for securing the execution of the laws, and the just dependence of the colonies upon the crown and Parliament of Great Britain." When Lord North presented the message, he remarked "that the utmost lenity on the part of the governor, perhaps too much, had been already shown; and that this town, by its late proceedings, had left government perfectly at liberty to adopt any measures they should think convenient, not only for redressing the wrong sustained by the East India Company, but for inflicting such punishment as their factious and criminal conduct merited; and that the aid of Parliament would be resorted to for * Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 165. this purpose, and for vindicating the honor of the crown, so daringly and wantonly attacked and contemned." In reply to the king's message, the House voted "that an address of thanks should be presented to the king, assuring his majesty that they would not fail to exert every means in their power of effectually providing for the due execution of the laws, and securing the dependence of the colonies upon the crown and Parliament of Great Britain." In pursuance of this policy a bill was introduced on March 14" for the immediate removal of the officers concerned in the collection of his majesty's customs from the town of Boston, and to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading and shipping of goods, wares, and merchandise, at the said town, or within the harbor thereof." This bill also constituted Marblehead, a port of entry, and Salem, the seat of government. This bill encountered but little opposition, as even the warmest advocates of the colonies were unable to justify the actions of the Boston people in destroying the tea, and, consequently, both Barré and Conway could not but vote in favor of the passage of the bill. Burke, however, at its final reading, opposed the passage of the bill, but it was passed by a great majority, nevertheless. In the House of Lords, a few of the peers opposed the measure, but it was immediately * *Fiske, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 95; Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. i., p. 166. |