Governor Robert Dinwiddie to the Catawba and Cherokee Indians, August 22, 1755
extracted from
The Official Records of Robert Dinwiddie, Volume I, R. A. Brock, editor
(Richmond: Virginia Historical Society, 1883), pages 168-169.
Gove[r]nor Dinwiddie's Message to the Catawba and Cherokee Indian.
R. D., &c., to the King, Sachems and Warriors of the Catawbas, King of Chote, Old Hop, Little Carpenter, and to the Emperor, the Sachems and the Warriors of the great Nat'n of the Cherokees, Wishing them Health and Happiness:
Loving Brothers:
As the Fr. and their Ind's from Canada have by Force of Arms Invaded the King's Lands and 'r Hunt'g Grounds on the River Ohio, Y'r Father the K'g of G. B., hav'g a sincere Love for You and a Regard for his Subjects in these Colonies, sent some of his Army to drive the Fr. and Ind's from His Lands on the Ohio. But unluckily the foreign Fr. Indians waylaid our Forces, killed some of them, and the Remainder came back to our Fort at Will's Creek. If we had had some of Y'r Warriors to fight the Ind's in their own Manner we sh'd have demolish'd them, and You some Time ago gave me Hopes of a Number of Y'r Warriors to our Assistance. Lately many of the Fr. Ind's have come among our Inhabit'ts, robb'd and murder'd many of them, and I am convinc'd You will join with me in Concern for these Barbarities on our Brethren. I have tho't proper to send our five Companies of Rangers to scower the Woods and drive off these Murderers. I am to desire if any of Y'r People come into y's Gov't y't You w'd send a white Person before You to acquaint the Rangers of Y'r Coming, as they being Strangers to the Ind's may take You for some of their Enemies, and may probably be attended with some bad Consequences, w'ch w'd give me great Concern. I wish You w'd contrive some Mark of Distinct'n to know You from our Enemies. The Love and F'dship y't has always subsisted between Y'r Nat'ns and Y'r Bro's, the English, I hope will continue as long as the Sun and Moon gives Light. You may always be assur'd of my sincere F'dship. I think we cannot quietly allow the Fr. to sit down and build Forts on the Ohio, and I therefore desire to know if we sh'd make a Push next Spring to drive them of[f] y't River [and] whether You will assist us with some of Y'r Warriors, who I shall endeav'r thereto supply with Powder and Lead. The Six Nat's have agreed to our Assistance and declare their detestat'n of the Fr. Perfidy and the Cruelties comitted ag'st their Brethren, the English. There are some Women and Children taken Prisoners by the Ind's, from Augusta Co'ty. I wish You c'd get them redeem'd, and I w'd willingly pay some Th'g for their being ret'd to their Families. Given under my Hand, &c., Aug. 22d, 1755.
P. S. - The Bearer, Mr. Dan'l Carroll, is a Person of Credit, and You may believe what he says.