217
[Council Min. Voi. VII.]
At a Council held at Albany the 7 th day of August 1696.
Present. Has Excellency Benjamin Fletcher &c.
Coll. Nich. Bayard of the Council Coll. Rich*! Ingoldesby
Maj r Peter Schuyler of the Council Capt James Weems
Matth: Clarkson Sec? Capt William Hyde
L* Coll. Charles Lodwick Capt. Peter Matthews
Mr. Dellius the Minister to the Indians Evert Banker Esq r
Dirck Wessells, Esq.
His Excell the Governor said:—
Gentl. As soon as I had certaine notice from you that the enemy were marched into the Coun-trey of our Indian friends, and by the number of their forces did seeme to threaten this place &Schenectady , I made all the haste I could to yc assistance, loosing no more time but while I wrott toConnecticutt & the Jerseys for such supplys of men as I conceived necessary upon this occasion bythis letter which I received at the same time (with those from Albany ) from the Lords of His Ma-tyes Council in England, you will see that I could not reasonably draw forces from New Yorke norbe well spared from that place myself; yet by advice of his Ma t)cs Council there I am come up witlia part of my own Company and desire yo r advice what is most proper to be done for the King’s ser-vice and y r own safetyes and for the secureing the Indians in their iidelity and renewing the covenantchain: this we are to consider, that time may not be lost and the Countrey not burthened by an un-necessary charge.
His Excell , further proposed sending thirty men of his own Company now brought up with himwith a detachment of twenty out of each of the three Companyes here, into the Indian Countrey tocover the retreate of our Indians and secure them from their fears.
The Council were of opinion the French being retreated it would be an unnecessary charge. Andoffered their advice that the Sacheni3 of the Oneydes should be sent for (who are here) and theirlosse condoled, which was accordingly done.
The Council are of opinion that the members of Council present with the officers of the Compa-nyes and principle inhabitants of this place should meet & consult with the chiefe Indians now intown about the propperest methods for bringing back those Indians that are fledd, and settling themfirm again in the covenant chain, and make report what they have done therein to His Excellency.Which His Excell , did approve of & order accordingly
In obedience to yo r Excell, order of the 7 th instant we underwritten have mett & consideredabout the properest methods for bringing both those Indian Nations viz 1 the Onondages and Oneydesthat are fled, and renewing with them and the rest of the Five Nations the Covenant Chain, andhaving thereupon sounded the opinions of the Sachims of the Maquaes and Oneydos Nations andseverall of their chiefe men now at Albany , do humbly offer as our opinions that since we are in-formed that it is now twelve dayes ago the French army left the Indian Countrey and that theSenekesand Cayouges are still undisturbed in their own country that the Onnondage Nation upon the ap-proach of the enemy have set their own Castle on fire and all fledd to be out of the enemy’s reach,that the Oneydes Nation have in like manner left their Castle and great part of them already arecome in here to Albany for reliefe in their wants of provision and ammunicon &c. and that the Ma-quaes Nation or great part of them are in the like manner come in hither, We cannot perceive that
|Vol. I.] 28