6th instant. There was a meeting of those Indians, and several other tribes, at Caughnawaga, some of whom agreed to deliver up the hatchet received from Governour Carleton last year, and remain neutral in the present dispute. On the 7th they came to Montreal, when, after the usual speeches and ceremonies, they (the St. François, Caughnawagas and Canassadagas) gave up the hatchet. The Oswegatchies pretended they had no authority for doing it; to whom I observed, we were ready to receive them as friends; but if they preferred war to peace, we were ready to meet them as enemies; that we had it in our power to destroy them whenever we pleased, which they would soon be convinced of if they did not lay down the hatchet. The Oneidas received the presents you desired, except the blankets and clouts, which could not be procured in town, having all been sent to Chambly. I gave them an order on the Quartermaster there, but find since that they went directly to St. Johns, and did not receive them.

General Thompson left the Sorel three days since, with two thousand men, for Three Rivers, where are about three or four hundred of the enemy intrenching. One frigate and brigantine and eight sloops and schooners are above Richelieu. I expect every moment to hear of an action between General Thompson and the enemy. A number of Indians and some regular troops are above this place, waiting, as is said, for a reinforcement from above, and for Governour Carleton to advance, when I expect we shall have an opportunity of seeing them here.

I have received your instructions respecting the Tories and their effects; most of the former had absconded; great part of the latter is secured. I have sent to St. Johns a quantity of goods for the use of the Army—some bought and some seized. I am in hopes of fixing on some method in a day or two to have them made up, as they are much wanted.

I am, very respectfully, dear General, your obedient, humble servant,

B. ARNOLD.

To the Hon. Major-General Schuyler.

[Extract.]

St. Johns, June 12, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Yesterday Mr. McCarty arrived from Sorel, and brings us an agreeable piece of news, that General Thompson, with two thousand two hundred men, had, last Friday, attacked the enemy, consisting of about four thousand, (I cannot say he attacked with two thousand two hundred, because five or six hundred of his men were on the opposite shore, and never engaged,) and, by the vast havock our fire made, (which was reserved until we got almost within bayonet reach of the enemy,) they must have lost not less, in three different attacks, than three hundred men; our loss not exceeding twenty. An active officer on horseback, who was continually riding backwards and forwards in the regular Army, supposed to be Maclean, was certainly killed. A minister (one of the chaplains) that stood by and viewed the whole scene, says he never beheld such slaughter as our people made when they fired, resembling much the Bunker-Hill affair. By all accounts I suppose we will have General Sullivan’s express to-day; he was to go down from Sorel immediately. A great number of Canadians are joining him, by virtue of a Proclamation; and it is thought not less than two thousand will reinforce him. Butler and Sir John are certainly at the Cedars, with a large body of Indians, and, we have been informed, are intending a visit here, by way of a river that empties itself from thence somewhere into the Lake Champlain, near Point-au-Fer.

I am, &c.,

SAMUEL STRINGER.

To General Schuyler.

At a meeting of thirteen Oneida Indians, upon their return from Canada, on the 19th day of June, 1776, at the house of Samuel Thompson, in the City of Albany :

Present the Honourable Philip Schuyler, Volkert P. Douw, Esq., Commissioners, John T. Bunker, Interpreter.

General Schuyler opened the Conference by saying:

“Brothers: We are glad to see you safe returned, and that the report of so many of the Caughnawaga Brothers being killed, you have found not to be true.”

Whereupon, Cornelius, one of their number, said:

“Brothers: After we arrived in Caughnawaga, we proceeded to Montreal, where we met with four other Nations. Three of those Nations, to wit: the Scawenedees, Arondax, and Annogongas, brought with them the bloody axe which Guy Johnson gave them last year, and there buried it.

“Brothers: General Arnold thereupon returned them thanks, and promised that he would render them every service in his power, and he hoped they would attend to his advice, and that if they received any injury, he engaged to protect them as far as it laid in his power.

“To which the Caughnawagas replied, that he might be assured they would use their utmost endeavours with such other Indians as had the axe yet in their hands, to cause them to bury it.

“Brothers: We are in a critical situation; our troubles are great; we have engaged ourselves by treaty with you to observe a neutrality in the present dispute; but the Indians are daily successfully urged to take up arms for the King.

“Brother Schuyler : You told us at Lake George, on our way to Canada, that we should be well used, and want for nothing. The officer who accompanied us as far as Ticonderoga used us well; but the officer who went with us from there to St. Johns used us very indifferently, for when we arrived there he left us, without being able to find him again until the next day, when we discovered him at some distance from the place in a house.

“In Canada General Arnold told us that he could not (by reason of other business) bestow much attention on us. Besides, it appeared that he was suspicious of our designs, especially when an officer came into the room, who told him in English (which one of us understood) that we would cut their throats as soon as an opportunity offered, and that we were not to be trusted. We were, however, taken care of by an officer.

“Brother: We expected, according to your promise, that we should have got some necessaries there, instead whereof we have only received two shirts, a pair of stockings, and each of us a hat.”

To this General Schuyler replied:

“Brothers of the Oneida Nation: We thank you for the long journey you have taken on our account, and we are pleased that three of the four Nations in Canada have given up the bloody hatchet, and we doubt not but that the Caughnawagas will prevail upon the other Nations to follow their example. We have no reason to doubt that our enemies are daily inducing some of the Indians to take up the hatchet. There are wicked persons in every nation, and with such the enemy can easily succeed in their designs.

“Brothers: Such we have among ourselves. The conduct of the officer who said you were all rascals and not to be trusted, when you were with General Arnold, is a plain proof of it. But I shall take care (if he belongs to the army) to have him confined and severely punished.

“Brothers: I am sorry that you have not been treated in Canada according to my orders, and as I had reason to expect. By the letter I have now in my hands from General Arnold, he informs me that he could not readily get the necessaries you wanted; that when he got them you were gone, and that he has sent them after you. These are his reasons; but to convince you that we esteem you above all other nations, we shall make you a present as a small recompense for your services.

“Brothers: The officer under whose care you went from Ticonderoga to St. Johns, I shall send for and give him a severe reprimand for his ill-conduct.

“Brothers: Mr. Deane lately returned from Oneida; your friends there are all well. I had sent him up to your Nation with a belt, inviting them and the other Nations to a Conference on the 1st of next month, at the German Flats. Your Nation have accepted of the invitation, and sent the belt on to the rest of the Six Nations. I would have had the Council here, but was afraid that the small-pox might spread among you.

“Brothers: I also instructed Mr. Deane to inform your Nation that I intended to send some powder and ball to them. This morning it was to be sent up; but hearing of your arrival, I propose to send it under your care. The wagon will be ready whenever you go, and I desire, Brothers,