The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle Domestic News October 7, 1763

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. ?.

Extract of a Letter from Michilimachinac.

A party of Chippeway Indians came to the fort and played at ball, as is usual for Indians to do, and as they had done for 3 or 4 days before, till they got the officers out of the fort to look at them. Immediately they seized them prisoners, and fell on the soldiers with tomahawks and knives, killed 14 soldiers, Lieut. Famett, and Mr. Tracey, a merchant from D'Troit; the rest of the soldiers and English hid themselves. They first plundered the commanding officer's house, then fell on ours, and so on to the rest of the English, all but Mr. Oakes who lost nothing, neither was there a French house in the fort touched. Bostwick hid in the garret under some bags of corn till they carried all the goods off, then they took the corn which hid him, so he fell into their hands. He took hold of one of the men, and begged for his life; in the mean time another lifted his tomahawk and made a stroke at him, which he fended off with his arm till the other saved him: He was carried to their cabin about half a mile, they stripped him immediately, and dressed him to their own liking with paint and feathers, and carried him to another cabin to see the captain and lieutenant. After counselling a while, they agreed to let them come to the fort, on condition they delivered up all the soldiers that were hid. On their way to the fort they were separated, and the captain taken back till the soldiers were sent to relieve him. All being done they were put into a French house and threatened every minute with their lives by those who were drunk. In the mean time was sent for the nation of the Ottaways, who are our friends, and live about 20 leagues from the fort; they arrived in 3 days after the fort was taken, and marched into the fort with the Calumets of peace, all armed; and they took possession of the fort, and relieved them that were prisoners from the other nation. They begun a council between the two nations, to reconcile matters, which held ten days, and the result was that the Ottaways should take them to their village, and not permit them to stay in the fort. Mr. Bezzo the Grecian arrived the same day and was taken with them to the Ottaways.

The cruelties of the day of the unhappy massacre are hardly credible; though there were not many murdered, yet those who were, it was terrible to see. Lieut. Famett was knocked down, had upwards of 20 stabs in his body by tomahawks and knives, then his head cut off, and his body quartered. Mr. Tracy likewise was stabbed in many places; all the soldiers were barbarously murdered, one of them cut in quarters and eaten. Mr. Solomon and Mr. Henry were taken in a canoe by the same savages who murdered Mr. Famett, with an intention to be murdered, and they expected every moment would be their last; and to aggravate the thing and make death appear more horrid, the villains shewed them the bloody knives and hands that had murdered Mr. Famett with, and cut bread with the knives and gave it them, and obliged them to eat thereof; and because they thought there was not a sufficient quantity of blood to make it appear more horrid to them, they spit upon the handkerchiefs and every other part where it was dried on, and put it upon his bread. Henry and Solomon were rescued from the villains who intended to murder them, by several Ottaways, who brought them back to the fort.

On our approaching the shore at Michilimachinac, we were immediately pulled out of our canoe, and made prisoners. Mr. Oakes was taken into the fort, Mr. Levy to one cabin and myself to another: In their drawing me to the cabin, they attempted to murder me, and struck me with a knife five times, which I watched and averted every blow with my arm: Once the top of the knife touched my head, and scratched it so as to draw a little blood, and it wanted but a trifle to have given me my quietus, and rescued me from a life which seems to promise me nothing but discontent and misery.

Our loss is very considerable. I am separated from Oakes and Levy; they two and Mr. Henry are together with the Chippeway Indians, and I am confined in the fort; their lives are safe, but mine depends on the news we shall receive from D'Troit. The savages have given us a report that there are many officers who were taken at Niagara, arrived at the Illinois, and have with them at that place an army of 2000 regulars, and that there are in the river Mississippi 10,000 regulars more, who are making all the haste they possibly can, to come forward for this place; that they have great plenty of Brandy at Illinois.

We have likewise had news by the savages, that the garrisons La Baye and St. Joseph's are cut off, and that the greater part of the people who were there were murdered: we don't much rely upon it, and we hope it is all false; a few days more will determine if it is so. We have but very little prospect of escaping, for they have stopped up the way both for Montreal and for D'Troit; as for that in regard to the Illinois and the French army, we are not concerned about, knowing that it must be false, but for the other two garrisons being cut off, we have too much reason to fear.

The savages say they are sorry that they have done this; but as they have begun, that they shall be obliged to go through with it, and therefore have blocked up the way to continue their plunder. I have this moment heard from Oakes, Levy, and Henry, and they are all well, which is as much as can be expected. I shall not fail to write by every opportunity; it is out of the power of pen to paint to you our distresses. I shall keep a journal as long as I have permission.