"Manufactured History": Re-Fighting the Battle of Point Pleasant
Volume 56 (1997), pp. 76-87
www.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh56-5.htmlPlease read down the page at the state link to where the Greatgrandson of General Lewis had to say about it.
Hon. Virgil A. Lewis, the State Historian
With deep respect, May we condole these tragedies. It is not good to speak of the dead, but please remember as you write your book that there are descendants of these.
Mad Ann Baily is our valley's beloved heroine. These brave Virginia Militia was the father of our Virginia and West Virginia National Gaurd, with appreciation in respect. And, Cornstalk tried to keep the peace among bitterness. Captain John Logan was a Fur Trade Porter-Scout and Connolly was the Ohio Company Doctor.
[Note 1: 1 The Shawanese then delivered the following Answer to the Condolence Speeches and Message sent them: --
"Brothers: (Captain Connolly, Mr. McKee, and Mr. Croghan,) We have received your Speeches by White Eyes, and as to what Mr. Croghan and Mr. McKee says, we look upon it all to be lies, and perhaps what you say may be lies also, but as it is the first time you have spoke to us we listen to you, and expect that what we may hear from you will be more confined to truth than what we usually hear from the white people. It is you who are frequently passing up and down the Ohio, and making settlements upon it, and as you have informed as that your wise people have met together to consult upon this matter, we desire you to be strong and consider it well. Brethren: We see you speak to us at the head of your warriors, who you have collected together at sundry places upon this river, where we understand they are building forts, and as you have requested us to listen to you, we will do it, but in the same manner that you appear to speak to us. Our people at the Lower Towns have no Chiefs among them, but are all warriors, and are also preparing themselves to be in readiness, that they may be better able to hear what you have to say.
"You tell us not to take any notice of what your people have done to us; we desire you likewise not to take any notice of what our young men may now be doing, and as no doubt you can command your warriors when you desire them to listen to you, we have reason to expect that ours will take the same advice when we require it, that is, when we have heard from the Governour of Virginia."--American Archives, Fourth Series, Vol. 1. p. 479.]
(Doc's cousins and relatives, of old Conestoga Manor, were recorded as at Shirtee Creek, but, tradition simply has it as Allegheny. Also, Doc was referring to the Maykujay Warriors in particular in another of his reports to his commander Col George Washington.)
The French had provided carpenters and teachers earlier to the centers and helped them set up thier industry loosely shown here. This might help put the comment about "Lower Towns" into a perspective and what the chief was meaning. Local Tradition and Legends has the late Shawnee (Lower Shawnoes) consisted mainly of five areas:
CHALAHGAWTHA Sept of south centarl Ohio,
The counsil holders and trade center.
THAWEGILA Sept of north of Chalagawtha,
The religious and medical skills.
PECKEWE Sept of central Ohio,
Mostly agriculture and craft-wares.
KISPOKOTHA Sept of western Ohio & Indiana,
Makers of hunting and warring skills.
MAYKUJAY Sept of southern Ohio.
Warriors and hunters.
There was an Era that the Delaware was asked to be the "Mother People" which during that Era, they were the ones that all of the other Ohio-Indiana tribes of the various dialects would have settle their disputes. In return, these would protect the Delaware. But, those folks know these things far better than me.
The Ohio Company (est 1748) was fallen apart as several different prominent groups were considering 'Vandalia' of Virginians and 'Pittsylvania' of Pennsylvanians for the 14th Colony and settlement with border questions of which the Treaty of Fort Pitt was also concerned. And then there was the Otswega for the Mohawk mix Colony and sell of the eastern portions to pay New York investors for financing it.
Doc treated both settlers and Indians, employees or not, especially of the Northern Panhandle of (West) Virginia, at Kaskasia and Falls of Ohio.
Doc Connolly was Deputy Indian Agent George Croghan's nephew by Mohawk-Conestoga marriage. He was very fluent in Iroquois and some of the Algonquan dialects of the various Shawnoes and some little of the Sauvanoes, althogh he was not related to these Algonquan groups. Doc's dad was a western Virginian of the earliest British Patrols.