Old Mackinaw; Or, The Fortress of the Lakes and its Surroundings

by W. P. Strickland

"Our father, the King of France, employed our young men to make war upon your nation. In this warfare many of them have been killed, and it is our custom to retaliate until such time as the spirits of the slain are satisfied. But the spirits of the slain are to be satisfied in one of two ways; the first is by the spilling the blood of the nation by which they fell, the other by covering the bodies of the dead, and thus allaying the resentment of their relations. This is done by making presents. Your king has never sent us any presents, nor entered into any treaty with us, wherefore he and we are still at war, and until he does these things we must consider that we have no other father or friend among the white men than the King of France. But for you, we have taken into consideration that you have ventured among us in the expectation that we would not molest you. You do not come around with the intention to make war. You come in peace to trade with us, and supply us with necessaries, of which we are in much need. We shall regard you, therefore, as a brother, and you may sleep tranquilly without fear of the Chippewas. As a token of friendship we present you with this pipe to smoke."

Henry was afterwards visited by a party of two hundred Ottawa warriors from L'Arbre Croche, about seventy miles southwest of Mackinaw. One of the Chiefs addressed him thus:—

"Englishmen: We, the Ottawas, were some time since informed of your arrival in this country, and of your having brought with you the goods we so much need. At this news we were greatly pleased, believing that, through your assistance, our wives and children would be able to pass another winter; but, what was our surprise, when a few days ago we were informed the goods which we had expected were intended for us were on the eve of departure for distant countries, some of which are inhabited by our enemies. These accounts being spread, our wives and children came to us crying, and desiring that we should go to the Fort to learn with our ears the truth or falsehood. We accordingly embarked, almost naked as you see, and on our arrival here we have inquired into the accounts, and found them true. We see your canoes ready to depart, and find your men engaged for the Mississippi and other distant regions. Under these circumstances we have considered the affair, and you are now sent for that you may hear our determination, which is, that you shall give each of our men, young and old, merchandise and ammunition to the amount of fifty beaver skins on credit, and for which I have no doubt of their paying you in the summer, on their return from their wintering."

The demands of the Indians upon the English, and their dissatisfaction arising therefrom, had the effect to rouse the different tribes, and they were noticed assembling from the surrounding country in great numbers, and gathering in the vicinity of Mackinaw. One night four hundred Indians lay around the Fort, evidently plotting mischief. A Chippewa chief apprised Henry of the impending danger; but when the suspicions were communicated to the Commandant of the Fort, Major Etherington, he took no notice of it, supposing that the Indians only resorted to this for the purpose of intimidation. The next day being the King's birthday, the Indians proposed to celebrate it by a game of baggatiway. It was played with bat and ball, and the contestants were the Chippewas and Sacs. Major Etherington was present at the game, and bet largely on the side of the Chippewas. In the midst of the game, when all were in a high state of excitement, a warrior struck the ball and sent it whizzing over the palisade into the Fort. Instantly the Indian war yell was heard, and the savages rushed within the gate, not however for the ball, but to tomahawk and scalp every Englishman within the Fort. The French stood by as silent spectators of the bloody scene, and were not attacked.

Henry witnessed the dreadful slaughter from his window, and being unarmed he hastened out, and springing over a low fence which divided his house from that of M. Langlade, the French Interpreter, entered the latter, and requested some one to direct him to a place of safety. Langlade hearing the request, replied that he could do nothing for him. At that moment a slave belonging to Langlade, of the Pawnee tribe of Indians, took him to a door which she opened, and informed him that it led to the garret where he might conceal himself. She then locked the door and took away the key. Through a hole in the wall Henry could have a complete view of the Fort. He beheld the heaps of the slain, and heard the savage yells, until the last victim was dispatched. Having finished the work of death in the Fort, the Indians went out to search the houses. Some Indians entered Langlade's house and asked if there were any Englishmen concealed in it. He replied that he did not know, they might search for themselves. At length they opened the garret door and ascended the stairs, but Henry had concealed himself among a heap of birch-bark vessels, which had been used in making maple sugar, and thus escaped. Fatigued and exhausted, he lay down on a mat and went to sleep, and while in this condition he was surprised by the wife of Langlade, who remarked that the Indians had killed all the English, but she hoped he might escape. Fearing, however, that she would fall a prey to their vengeance if it was found that an Englishman was concealed in her house, she at length revealed the place of Henry's concealment, giving as a reason therefor, that if he should be found her children would be destroyed. Unlocking the door, she was followed by several Indians, who were led by Wenniway, a noted chief. At sight of him the chief seized him with one hand, and brandishing a large carving knife, was about to plunge it into his heart, when he dropped his arm, saying, "I won't kill you. My brother, Musinigon, was slain by the English, and you shall take his place and be called after him." He was carried to L'Arbre Croche as a prisoner, where he was rescued by a band of three hundred Ottawas, by whom he was returned to Mackinaw, and finally ransomed by his Indian friend Wawatam. At the capture of the place only one trader, M. Tracy, lost his life. Captain Etherington was carried away by some Indians from the scene of slaughter. Seventy of the English troops were slain. An Englishman, by the name of Solomon, saved himself by hiding under a heap of corn, and his boy was saved by creeping up a chimney, where he remained two days. A number of canoes, filled with English traders, arriving soon after the massacre, they were seized, and the traders, dragged through the water, were beaten and marched by the Indians to the prison lodge. After they had completed the work of destruction, the Indians, about four hundred in number, entertaining apprehensions that they would be attacked by the English, and the Indians who had joined them, took refuge on the Island of Mackinac, Wawatam fearing that Henry would be butchered by the savages in their drunken revels, took him out to a cave, where he lay concealed for one night on a heap of human bones. As the Fort was not destroyed, it was subsequently reoccupied by British soldiers, and the removal to the Island did not take place until about the year 1780.

Old Mackinaw, the theatre of so many thrilling scenes and tragic incidents, has a history as a white settlement, reaching back to 1620, the year of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. W. M. Johnson, Esq., of Mackinac Island, in describing its history, says: "Mackinaw City," for such has become the name of this wonderful point, "with its coasts and the islands before it, has been the theatre of some of the most exciting and interesting events in Indian history, previous to the arrival of the 'white man.' It was the metropolis of a portion of the Ojibwa and Ottawa nations. It was there that their Congresses met, to adopt a policy which terminated in the conquest of the country south of it; it was there that the tramping feet of thousands of plumed and painted warriors shook Pe-quod-e-nonge—the Indian name—while dancing their war dances, it was from thence that the startling sound of the war yell of these thousands was wafted to the adjacent coast and islands, making the peaceful welkin ring with their unearthly shouts of victory or death.

"How remarkable, in reflecting upon the early and sound judgment of the Indians in seizing upon the points commanding all the natural avenues and passes of the Lakes, when it is considered that there selections must necessarily have been the result of an intimate knowledge with the geographical features of the country! This has been yearly proved by the re-occupation of posts and places long neglected, but the importance of which has become evident in proportion as we have set a just value upon the Indian's judgment, with the natural advantages of the country. Perhaps in no instance, is this more strikingly exemplified than in Mackinaw City, the commanding position of which, although always known to the Indians, Traders, and Missionaries, and lately confirmed by Military Scientific Europeans; but as yet not perceived by our Government. It is the only point which can control the passage of the Straits of Mackinaw, and also the Indians living in numerous villages south of the Straits. The Island of Mackinac was merely occupied by the English to escape a second massacre as in 1763; and which occupancy our Government has blindly followed, believing it, as an evidence of English military skill and judgment in the selection of commanding posts, while they at that period did not make this selection with any reference to a future hostile maritime power who might wish to pass, or force a passage through the Straits.

Sugar Loaf—Mackinac.