George Washington Papers, 1741-1799
To King Blount, Capt Jack and the rest of the Tuscarora
Chiefs.
Brothers and Friends. This will be delivered you
by our brother Tom, a warrior of the Nottoways who with others
of that nation have distinguished themselves in our service this
summer against our great and perfidious enemies.
The intent of this is to assure you of our real
friendship and love and to confirm and strengthen that chain of
friendship which has subsisted between us for so many years
past….a chain like ours founded on sincere love and friendship
must be strong and lasting and will I hope endure while the sun
and stars give light.
Brothers you can be no strangers to the many murders
and cruelties committed on our countrymen and friends by that
false and faithless people the French who are constantly
endeavoring to corrupt the minds of our friendly Indians and Lord have
stirred up the Shawnee and Delaware with several other
nations to take up the hatchet against us and at the head of
many of their Indians have invaded our country, laid waste our
lands, plundered our plantations, murdered defenseless women and
children, burnt and destroyed wherever they came….which has
enraged friends the Six Nations, Cherokees, Nottoways,
Cattawbas, and all our Indian allies and prompted them to take
up the hatchet in our defense against these disturbances of the
common peace.
I hope Brothers you will likewise take up the hatchet
against the French and their Indians as our other friends have
done and send us some of your young men to protect our frontiers
and go to war with us against our notiss and ambitious Frenchmen and
to encourage your warriors, I promise to furnish them with arms,
ammunition, clothes, provision and ever necessary for war…and
the sooner you send them to our assistance the greater ___ will
give us of your friendship and the better shall we be enabled to
take just revenge on the cruelties.
May you live a happy prosperous people and may we act
with sincere love and friendship and while rivers run and trees
grow is the sincere wish of your friend and Brother.
Signed with George Washington’s signature
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