The provincials have been indefatigable in throwing up works and securing the most exposed parts of their lines, with strong redoubts, covered with artillery. They had strangely neglected fortifying the passage from the Neck to the post of Roxbury, and even the post itself: but since the Breed's Hill battle they have compensated for the defect; and to make their defence the more perfect have pulled down a very good house (on a point where the road coming from Boston divides) which was built by governor Dudley, and to whose false politics many are ready to ascribe the early origin of those designs which the ininistry are now endeavoring to accomplish.. The ministerial army abound in military stores and artillery, and are not sparing in throwing sheils and supporting a great cannonade upon the provincial works, especially at Roxbury. It was terrifying at first to raw troops, who, not being accustomed to, expected to suffer greatly by it.. Some damage has been done among the houses in the street, one or two have been burnt, and a man or two killed.. But the provincials stationed there have found by experience, that tho' the noise is great, the damage is trifling, and therefore despiseit. They are so hardened by repeated firing, that a cannonading is no more minded than a common thunder shower.

arms.

Breed's Hill engagement excited fresh desires in the inhabitants of Boston to leave the town. The select men had given repeated assurances to general Gage, that they had delivered up their arms according to agreement. In order to justify his de taining them [June 19.] he issued a proclamation, in which he declared, that he had full proof of the contrary, and that many had been perfidious in that respect, and had secreted great numbers. Some few might secrete their sporting guns, or curious No doubt however is to be made, but that the greatest part, or nearly all the training arms were delivered up. The impartial world will scarcely acquit him of having been guilty of a notorious breach of faith, even admitting his own plea. If individuals had not complied with the proposal of delivering up their arms, yet as the community had done it, the innocent were entitled to all the benefits of the agreement. Numbers were afterward allowed to quit the town, but not to take their effects, tho that was stipulated in the beginning; the allowance, however, was thought to be owing to a desire of reducing the consump tion of provisions, when a scarcity was approaching.

The day the proclamation appeared, the chiefs and warriors of the Oneida tribe of Indians, directed the following speech to governor Trumbull, to be communicated by him to the four New-England provinces:

"As

"As my younger brothers of the New-England Indians, who have settled in the vicinity, are now going down to visit their friends, and to move up parts of their families that were left behind-with this belt, by them, I open the road wide, clearing it of all obstacles, that they may visit their friends and return to their settlements here in peace.

"We Oneidas are induced to this measure on account of the disagreeable situation of affairs that way; and we hope by the help of God, they may return in peace. We earnestly recommend them to your charity through their long journey.

"Now we more immediately address you our brother, the governor, and the chiefs of New-England.

"Brothers!-We have heard of the unhappy differences and great contention between you and Old England. We wonder greatly, and are troubled in our minds.

"Brothers! Possess your minds in peace respecting us Indians. We cannot intermeddle in this dispute between two brothers.-The quarrel seems to be unnatural.-You are two brothers of one blood.-We are unwilling to join on either side in such a contest, for we bear an equal affection to both you Old and New-England.-Should the great king of England apply to us for aid-we shall deny him.-If the colonies apply-we will refuse. The present situation of you two brothers, is new and strange to us. We Indians cannot find, nor recollect in the traditions of our ancestors, the like case, or a similar instance. "Brothers!-For these reasons possess your minds in peace, and take no umbrage that we Indians refuse joining in the contest. We are for peace.

"Brothers!-Was it an alien, a foreign nation, who had struck you, we should look into the matter.-We hope through the wise government and good pleasure of God, your distresses may be soon removed, and the dark clouds be dispersed.

Brothers!-As we have declared for peace, we desire you will not apply to our Indian brethren in New-England for assistance. Let us Indians be all of one mind, and live with one another; and you white people settle your own disputes betwixt yourselves.

"Brothers-We have now declared our minds-please to write to us, that we may know yours. We the sachems and warriors, and female governesses of Oneida, send our love to you, brother governor, and all the other chiefs in New-England."

Signed by William Sunoghsis, Nicklasha Watshaleagh, William Kanaghquaesea, Peter Thayeheare, Jimmy Tekayaheare Nickhis Aghsenhare, i, e. garter; Thomas Yoghtanowea, i. e. spreading

the

the dew; Adam Ohonwano, Quedellis Agwerondongwas, i. e. breaking of the twigs; Handereheks Tegahsweahdyen, i. e. a belt (of wampum) extended; Johnko Skeanendo, Thomas Teondeatha, i. e. a fallen tree. Above a hundred years back, a sachem of a family which was becoming extinct, adopted a numerous family, and to commemorate their own decay and extinction, called the adopted Teondeatha, which name is perpetuated, as are several of their family names.

The speech was dated from Kononwarohare, i. e. a head erected on a pole.

My friend the Rev. Mr. Samuel Kirkland, a missionary among the Oneidas, and who understands the language, interpreted and wrote the above. He tells me, that the Indian names of men, rivers and places, have often special meanings, alluding to events or qualities, as is much the case in the Hebrew language. The Indians are very deliberate in their speeches, often pausing, to engage a closer attention to what they deliver. They have a prevailing species of politeness, frequently wanting in the conversation of civilized Europeans, too apt to pronounce them savages and barbarians. They give close attention to the person addressing them. They do not interrupt him while speaking, but wait till he has finished; and consider it as great rudeness to be interrupted. In their councils every one is heard with patience in all that he has to say; profound silence reigns among the audience, to the exclusion of all disturbance, and there are no private confabulations.

The above Indian speech seems to refer to one which had been delivered to the provincial congress eleven days before, by the Stockbridge delegate, being the answer of the Indians dwelling there, to a message of the former congress. This answer was-"Brothers! we have heard you speak by your letter-we thank you for it-we now make answer. Brothers! you remember when you first came over the great waters I was great and you was little, very small. I then took you in for a friend, and kept you under my arms, so that no one might injure you; since that time we have ever been true friends; there has never been any quarrel between us. But now our conditions are changed. You are become great and tall. You reach to the clouds. You are seen all round the world. I am become small, very little. I am not so high as your heel. Now you take care of me, and I look to you for protection. Brothers! I am sorry to hear of this great quarrel between you and Old England. It appears that blood soon must be shed to end this quarrel. We never till this day understood the foundation of this quarrel between you and the country you came from. Brothers! Whenever L VOL. I.

Z z

see

sce your blood running, you will soon find me about you to revenge my brother's blood. Although I am low and very small, I will gripe hold of your enemy's heel, that he cannot run so fast and so light as if he had nothing at his heels.

"Brothers! You know I am not so wise as you are, therefore I ask your advice in what I am now going to say-I have been thinking before you come to action, to take a run to the westward, and feel the mind of my Indian brethren the six nations, and know how they stand, whether they are on your side or for your enemies. If I find they are against you, I will try to turn their minds. I think they will listen to me, for they have always looked this way for advice concerning all important news. that comes from the rising of the sun. If they hearken to me, you will not be afraid of any danger from behind you. However their minds are affected, you shall soon know by me.Now I think I can do you more service in this way, than by marching off immediately to Boston, and staying there; it may be a great while before blood runs. Now as I said, you are wi ser than I, I leave this for your consideration, whether I come down immediately or wait till I hear some blood is spilled.

"Brothers! I would not have you think by this that we are falling back from our engagements. We are ready to do any thing for your relief, and shall be guided by your counsel.

"Brothers! One thing I ask of you, if you send for me to fight, that you will let me fight in my own Indian way. I am not used to fight English fashion, therefore you must not expect I can train like your men. Only point out to me where your enemies keep, and that is all I shall want to know."

This speech was delivered the eleventh of April, 1775, by the chief sachem of the Moheakounuck tribe of Indians, residing at Stockbridge, after sitting near two days in council. The provincial congress ordered the following reply on the eighth of June, viz.

"Brothers! We this day, by the delegate from Stockbridge, first heard of your friendly answer to our speech to you by captain William Goodrich, which answer we are told you made to us immediately by a letter, which we have not yet received. We now reply.

"Brothers! You say that you was once great, but that you are now little; and that we were once little, but are now great. The supreme spirit orders these things. Whether we are little or great, let us keep the path of friendship clear which our fathers made, and in which we have both travelled to this time. The friends of the wicked counsellors of our king, fell upon us, and shed some blood soon after we spake to you last by our letter.

But

But we, with a small twig, killed so many, and frightened them so much, that they have shut themselves up in our great town called Boston, which they have made strong. We have now made our hatchets, and all our instruments of war sharp and bright. All the chief counsellors who live on this side the great water, are sitting in the grand council-house in Philadelphia; when they give the word, we shall all as one man fall on, and drive our enemies out of their strong fort, and follow them till they shall take their hand out of our pouches, and let us sit in our council-house, as we used to do, and as our father's did in old times.

"Brothers! Though you are small, yet you are wise. Use your wisdom to help us. If you think it best, go and smoke your pipe with your Indian brothers toward the setting of the sun, and tell them of all you hear and all you see; and let us know what their wise men say. If some of your young men should have a mind to see what we are doing here, let then come down and tarry among our warriors. We will provide for them while they are here.

"Brothers! When you have any trouble, come and tell it to us, and we will help you."

To captain Solomon Ahhaunnauwaumut, chief sachem of the Moheakounuck Indians.

[June 20-] the Massachusetts congress wrote to the several towns, that the continental congress resolved on the 9th instant, "that no obedience being due to the act of parliament for altering the charter of the colony, &c." and directed them to elect one or more freeholders to represent them in a great and general court, to be held upon the 19th of July, at Watertown: They also chose colonel Heath major-general, in the place of the late general Warren.

[June 22.] Before general Washington left Philadelphia; the continental congress chose by ballot, eight brigadier-generals-Seth Pomeroy, esq. of the Massachusetts colony, the first: Richard Montgomery, esq. of New-York, the second; David Wooster, esq. of Connecticut, the third; William Heath, esq. of the Massachusetts, the fourth; Joseph Spencer, esq. of Connecticut, the fifth; John Thomas, esq. of the Massachusetts, the sixth; John Sullivan, esq. of Hampshire, the seventh; and Nathaniel Greene, esq. of Rhode-Island, the eighth; and resolved, that the officers in the army should receive their new commissions through the hands of the general.

The same day they resolved, "That a sum not exceeding 2,000,000 of Spanish milled dollars, be emitted by the congress, in bills of credit, for the defence of America; and that THE

TWELVE