ed to her rendezvous, then opened in Philadelphia, and voluntarily entered with lieutenant Cassin, on the 3d July, 1811, to serve the United States of America honestly and faithfully for the term of two years, unless sooner discharged. At the time I shipped, I declare that I was perfectly sober, and that as soon as I had received my three months advance I went on board the gun-boat then lying off the navy yard, for the purpose of receiving the men shipped for the Hornet, accompanied by the officer commanding her, and the landlord of the rendezvous; and I solemnly declare that no force whatever was used to compel me to enter the service, or to get me on board the gun boat.

Witnesses

WILLIAM HELBY.

JOSEPH SMOOT, Midshipman United States Navy.
JACOB M. JACOBS, Captain's Clerk.

1

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS, RELATIVE TO EXCITEMENTS, ON THE PART OF BRITISH SUBJECTS, OF THE INDIANS, TO COMMIT HOSTILITY AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE EVIDENCE OF SUCH HOSTILITY PRIOR TO THE LATE CAMPAIGN ON THE WABASH. JUNE 13, 1812.

REPORT.

THE Committee, to whom was referred so much of the President's message as relates to Indian affairs, report: That the attention of the committee has been directed to the following inquiries:

1st. Whether any, and what agency the subjects of the British government may have had in exciting the Indians on the western frontier, to hostilities against the United States.

2d. The evidence of such hostility, on the part of the Indian tribes, prior to the late campaign on the

Wabash.

3d. The orders by which the campaign was authorized and carried on.

The committee have obtained all the evidence within their power relative to these several inquiries. The documents accompanying the President's message to Congress, of the 11th instant, contain all and some additional evidence to what had been obtained by the committee, in relation to the first inquiry. Those documents afford evidence as conclusive as the nature of the case can well be supposed to admit of, that the supply of Indian goods furnished at fort Malden, and distributed during the last year by the British agents, in Upper Canada, to the Indian tribes, were more abundant than usual; and it is difficult to account for this extraordinary liberality, on any other ground than that of an intention to attach the Indians to the British cause, in the event of a war with the United States.

That the Indian tribes should put to hazard the large annuities which they have been so long in the habit of receiving from the United States; that they should relinquish supplies so necessary to their comfort, if not to their existence, by a hostile conduct, in the absence of all other evidence, is not the least convincing proof that some agency has been employed to stimulate the savages to hostilities; and having pursued a course of conduct which must. lead to a forfeiture of those advantages, renders it at least probable that they had assurances of receiving an equivalent elsewhere.

Additional presents, consisting of arms and ammunition, given at a time when there is evidence that the British were apprized of the hostile disposition of the Indians, accompanied with the speeches addressed to them, exciting disaffection, are of too decisive a character to leave doubt on the subject.

With regard to the second subject of inquiry, the committee are of opinion that the evidence accompanying this report, together with the official communication made to the Executive, by the British government, affords such evidence of the hostile views and intentions of the Indians, as to render it the duty of the President of the United States to use the necessary means of protecting the frontiers from the attack with which they were threatened. Accordingly, in pursuance of the provisions of the act of Congress, entitled "An act for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections,

and repel invasions," the Executive ordered the fourth regiment of infantry, with one company of riflemen, under the command of colonel Boyd, from Pittsburgh to Vincennes, subject to the farther orders of governour Harrison, who was authorized, with this force and such additional number of companies from the militia as should be deemed necessary, to establish a new post on the Wabash, and to march against and disperse the armed combination under the prophet.

These considerations, together with the documents, are respectfully submitted.

War Department, Dec. 19, 1811.

SIR,-In answer to the call of the honourable committee of the House of Representatives, contained in your letter of the 25th ultimo, for "all evidence tending to show what agency the subjects of his Britannick majesty may have had in exciting the Indians on the western frontier to hostility with the United States; the evidence of hostility towards the United States on the part of the Shawanee prophet and his tribe, and which it is presumed gave rise to the expedition under the command of governour Harrison; and the orders or authority vested in governour Harrison by the government of the United States, under which the expedition is carried on ;"

I have the honour to state, that the information received by this department, relative to the subjects of inquiry, is contained in the correspondence of the governours of the Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois territories, and of other officers and agents of government, on the northern and western frontier, extracts from which, embracing the objects of inquiry of the honourable committee, together with the memorials of the inhabitants of the Indiana and Illinois territories, are herewith transmitted.

On the information and representation of facts therein contained, the fourth regiment of infantry, with one company of riflemen, under the command of colonel Boyd, were ordered from Pittsburgh to Vincennes, subject to the further orders of governour Harrison, who was authorized, with this force and such additional number of companies from the militia as should be deemed necessary, to estab

lish a new post on the Wabash, and to march against, and
disperse, the armed combination under the prophet.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Hon. Samuel McKee,

W. EUSTIS.

Chairman of a Committee H. of Representatives.

INDEX

TO THE EXTRACTS OF LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE WAR

DEPARTMENT.

Michilimackinac, 24 May, 1807, captain Dunham, of the

Ditto,
Jeffersonville,
Falls of Ohio,
Vincennes,
St. Louis,
Fort Wayne,
St. Louis,

U. S. army.

30 Aug. 1807, Dunham and others.

14 April, 1808, governour Harrison.
19 May, 1808, ditto.

5 April, 1809, general Clark.
8 April, 1809, W. Wells.

30 April, 1809, general Clark, with an
enclosure from Boilvin.
3 May, 1809, governour Harrison.
7 June, 1809, S. Tupper.

16 June, 1809, governour Hull.

Vincennes,

Sandusky,
Detroit,

Vincennes,

14 June, 1810,

Harrison.

Illinois territory, 27 June, 1811, governour Edwards.

Michilimackinac, May 24, 1807.

THERE appears to be a very general and extensive movement among the savages in this quarter. Belts of wampum are rapidly circulating from one tribe to another, and a spirit is prevailing by no means pacifick. The enclosed talk, which has been industriously spread among them, needs no comment.

There is certainly mischief at the bottom, and there can be no doubt, in my mind, but that the object and intention of this great Maniton, or second Adam, under the pretence of restoring to the aborigines their former independence, and to the savage character its ancient energies, is, in reality, to induce a general effort to rally, and to strike somewhere, a desperate blow. Extract from a talk delivered at Le Maiouitinong, entrance of lake Michigan, by the Indian chief Le Maiquois, or the Trout, May 4th, 1807, as coming from the first man whom God created; said to be now in the Shawanese country, addressed to all the Indian tribes (referred to above.) "I am the father of