June 14, 1776: Frontier Diplomacy
This day in the American Revolution, Congress orders General Philip Schuyler to confer with the Six Nations—Mohawk, Oneida, Tuscarora, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca—and "engage them in our interest upon the best terms that can be procured" and to proceed to erect a fortification at Fort Stanwix in upstate New York.
Upon receiving his orders, Philip Schulyer replied to George Washington:
I am happy That I have anticipated Your Excellency’s Advice to Convene the Indians, of which I informed Your Excellency in mine of the 11th instant & in that of the 15th which You will receive by this Conveyance enclosing the Resolutions of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs of the 13th instant. Mr Douw & Mr Edwards have requested Me to prepare a Speech, Part of which I have drafted and as soon as Compleated which I hope will be in a Day or two, I shall do Myself the Honor to forward It to You; I am quite in Sentiment with Your Excellency that It will be proper to omit saying Any Thing about the Time of taking Post at Fort Stanwix, But we are under a Necessity of informing the Indians that We intend doing It.
No Post that we can possess between the German Flatts & Fort Stanwix can prevent the Enemy from intercepting any Convoys going to the latter, Unless they are sufficiently strong to make Effectual Resistance but to Guard against this Evil I purpose to send immediately a sufficient Supply of Provisions for some Months & have already procured fourty Seven Batteaus for that Purpose.
The German Flatts is so respectable a Settlement and the Country about the Caxnajoharie falls below It, Now so well inhabited, That I do not apprehend any Attempts will be made to intercept our Provisions &c. at that Place, It will be proper however to have a small Picket Fort on the Western Part of the German Flatts, as a Place of Rendezvous for the Militia in Case Any Attempt should be made on the Fort intended to be built near to where Fort Stanwix formerly stood. The Oneida’s who live only twenty four Miles from that Place and I believe are very sincerely attached to Us, Will I doubt not give Us the most Early Intelligence of the Motions of the Enemy in that Quarter, and a Body of Militia may be sent up whenever there may be Occasion…
Source: Founders Online
