3933. INDIANS, The Revolution and.—
At the commencement of the war[of the Revolution],
the United States laid it down as a
rule of their conduct, to engage the Indian tribes
within their neighborhood to remain strictly
neutral. They accordingly strongly pressed it
on them, urging that it was a family quarrel
with which they had nothing to do, and in
which we wished them to take no part; and
we strengthened these recommendations by
doing them every act of friendship and good
neighborhood, which circumstances left in our
power. With some, these solicitations prevailed;
but the greater part of them suffered
themselves to be drawn into the war against us.
They waged it in their usual cruel manner,
murdering and scalping men, women and children,
indiscriminately, burning their houses, and
desolating the country. They put us to vast
expense, as well by the constant force we were
obliged to keep up in that quarter, as by the
expeditions of considerable magnitude which
we were under the necessity of sending into
their country from time to time.—
To Carmichael and Short. Washington ed. iv, 9.
Ford ed., vi, 331.
(Pa.,
1793)
