Capt. Pittman Refutes... Global Warming????

       Well, it’s still cold and there’s still snow on the ground here!  But spring is right around the corner and with the warmer weather comes the opportunity to do some camping, trekking and living history events.  Today I figured we could take another look at Capt. Philip Pittman’s evaluation of the Illinois country during his stay there in the late 1760’s.  Here are some more excerpts from his account.

OF THE COUNTRY OF THE ILLINOIS

       The country of the Illinois is bounded by the Missisippi [sic] on the west, by the river Illinois on the north, by the rivers Ouabache [Wabash] and Miamis on the east, and the Ohio on the south.

       The air in general is pure, and the sky serene, except in the month of March and the latter end of September, when there are heavy rains and hard gales of wind. The months of May, June, July, and August, are excessive hot, and subject to sudden and violent storms; January and February are extremely cold; the other months of the year are moderate.  The principal Indian nations in this country are, the Cascasquias [Kaskaskias], Kaoquias [Cahokias], Mitchigamias, and Peoryas; these four tribes are generally called the Illinois Indians: except in the hunting seasons, they reside near the English settlements in this country, where they have built their huts.  They are a poor, debauched, and dastardly people.  They count about three hundred and fifty warriors.  The Peanquichas [Piankashaws], Mascoutins, Miamis, Kickapous, and Pyatonons [Wea], though not very numerous, are a brave and warlike people.  The soil of this country in general is very rich and luxuriant; it produces all sorts of European grains, hops, hemp, flax, cotton, and tobacco, and European fruits come to great perfection.  The inhabitants make wine of the wild grapes, which is very inebriating, and is, in colour and taste, very like the red wine of Provence.  The country abounds with buffalo, deer, and wild-fowl, particularly ducks, geese, swans, turkies, and pheasants. The rivers and lakes afford plenty of fish.

       In the late wars, New Orleans and the lower parts of Louisiana were supplied with flour, beer, wines, hams, and other provisions from this country: at present its commerce is mostly confined to the peltry and furs, which are got in traffic from the Indians; for which are received in return such European commodities as are necessary to carry on that commerce and the support of the inhabitants. ¹

       I just had to chuckle when I read Pittman’s description of the climate of the Illinois country.  Not much has changed in the last 240 years, in spite of Al Gore’s alarms!  It is typical Illinois weather: hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and if the Lord tarries His coming, it will continue to be the same.  The natural provisions of this country haven’t changed much either.  God has certainly blessed this region with some of the best soil anywhere and wildlife is still very abundant.  In more recent years there has been an increase in the number of local vineyards and wineries.  The two things that have changed dramatically from Pittman’s time to now are the absence of the buffalo and the Indian tribes.

OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY OF ILLINOIS

When belonging to the FRENCH.

       This country, when in possession of the French, was governed by a military officer, called the major-commandant, who was appointed by the governor of New Orleans;  he was always a man connected with the governor by interest or relationship; he was absolute in his authority, except in matters of life and death; capital offences were tried by the council at New Orleans: the whole Indian trade was so much in the power of the commandant, that nobody was permitted to be concerned in it, but  on condition of giving him part of the profits. Whenever he made presents to the Indians, in the name of his king, he received peltry and furs in return; as the presents he gave were to be considered as marks of his favour and love for them, so the returns they made were to be regarded as proofs of their attachment to him. Speeches accompanied by presents were called paroles de valeur; any Indians who came to a French port were subsisted at the expence [sic] of the king during their stay, and the swelling this account was no inconsiderable emolument.

       As every business the commandant had with the Indians was attended with certain profit, it is not surprising that he spared no pains to gain their affections; and he made it equally the interest of the officers under him to please them, by permitting them to trade, and making them his agents in the Indian countries.  If any person brought goods within the limits of his jurisdiction, without his particular licence [sic], he would oblige them to sell their merchandise, at a very moderate profit, to the commissary, on the king's account, calling it an emergency of government, and employ the same goods in his own private commerce: it may easily be supposed, from what has been before said, that a complaint to the governor of New Orleans would meet with very little redress.  It may be asked, if the inhabitants were not offended at this monopoly of trade and arbitrary proceedings? The commandant could bestow many favours on them, such as giving contracts for furnishing provisions, or performing publick works; by employing them in his trade, or by making their children cadets, who were allowed pay and provisions, and could when they were grown up recommend them for commissions. They were happy if by the most servile and submissive behaviour they could gain his confidence and favour.  Every person capable of bearing arms was enrolled in the militia, and a captain of militia and officers were appointed to each parish; the captain of militia regulated corvees and other personal service.  From this military form of government the authority of the commandant was almost universal. The commissary was a mere cypher, and rather kept for form than for any real use; he was always a person of low dependence, and never dared counteract the will of the commandant.

OF THE INHABITANTS.

       The first white inhabitants of the Illinois came from Canada; some brought wives and families with them, others married Indian women in those countries; there is still a continual intercourse between them and the Canadians.  The men of these countries are very superstitious and ignorant; they are in general active and well made; they are as good hunters, can bear as much fatigue, and are as well acquainted with the woods, as the Indians; most of them have some knowledge of the dialects of the neighbouring Indians and much affect their manners.  The price of labour in general is very high, as most of the young men rather chuse [sic] to hunt and trade amongst the Indians, than apply to agriculture or become handicrafts.  At the Illinois a man may be boarded and lodged the year round on condition of his working two months, one month in ploughing [sic] the land and sowing the corn, and one month in the harvest.  The only trades they have amongst them are carpenters, smiths, masons, taylors, and mill-wrights.  The number of white inhabitants in this country, exclusive of the troops, are about two thousand, of all ages and sexes; in this number are included those who live at Fort St. Vincent's on the Ouabache.  Thirty French soldiers were withdrawn from thence in the latter end of the year 1764.  The   inhabitants at this post live much at their ease, having every thing necessary for their subsistence of their own production.  Their commerce is the same as that of the other inhabitants of this country. ²

       Lord willing we will take a look at the 18^th century in my next post.

Christ, not man, is King!

Dale

1)      Capt. Philip Pittman, The Present State of the European Settlements on the Missisippi (London: J. Nourse, 1770), p. 51-2. 
2)      Ibid., p.53-5.

Capt. Pittman's View of the French Country in Illinois

       It’s been a while since my last post.  Perhaps all this cold and snow is beginning to get to me!  I was excited last week, however, when I received my application for the “Les Pays des Illinois Colonial Trade Faire & Musket and Rifle Frolic,” which is held annually around the first weekend of April at Ft. de Chartres.  I always love getting the opportunity to spend time with friends at the “fort.”  This got me to thinking about how some of the early observers of the Illinois country perceived the locales surrounding Ft. de Chartres.  Here are some excerpts from the account of Captain Philip Pittman, an engineer with the British forces who had just recently began to take possession of these lands in the late 1760’s.

CASCASQUIAS

       The village of Notre Dame de Cascasquias [Kaskaskia] is by far the most considerable settlement in the country of the Illinois, as well from its number of inhabitants, as from its advantageous situation;  it stands on the side of a small river, which is about eighty yards across;  its source lies north-east, about sixty leagues from the village, and fifteen leagues east of the remarkable rock of Peorya, and it empties itself with a gentle current into the Missisippi [sic], near two leagues below the village.  This river is a secure port for large batteaux, which can lie so close to its bank as to load and unload without the least trouble; and at all seasons of the year there is water enough for them to come up.  It must be observed here, that it is extremely dangerous for batteaux or boats to remain in the Missisippi [sic], on account of the bank falling in, and the vast number of logs and trees which are sent down, with a violent force, by the rapidity of the current, as also on account of the heavy gales of wind to which this climate is subject.    Another great advantage that Cascasquias receives from its river is the facility with which mills for corn and planks may be erected on it: Mons. Paget was the first who introduced water-mills in this country, and he constructed a very fine one on the river Cascasquias, which was both for grinding corn and sawing boards;  it lies about one mile from the village.  The mill proved fatal to him, being killed as he was working in it, with two negroes, by a party of the Cherokees, in the year 1764.  The principal buildings are, the church and jesuits house, which has a small chapel adjoining to it; these, as well as some other houses in the village, are built of stone, and, considering this part of the world, make a very good appearance. The jesuits plantation consisted of two hundred and forty arpens  of cultivated land, a very good stock of cattle, and a brewery; which was sold by the French commandant after the country was ceded to the English, for the crown, in consequence of the suppression of the order.  Mons. Beauvais was the purchaser, who is the richest of the English subjects in this country; he keeps eighty slaves; he furnished eighty-six thousand weight of flour to the king's magazine, which was only a part of the harvest he reaped in one year.  Sixty-five families reside in this village, besides merchants, other casual people, and slaves.  The fort, which was burnt down in October 1766, stood on the summit of a high rock opposite the village, and on the other side of the river; it was an oblongular [sic] quadrangle, of which the exterior polygon measured two hundred and ninety by two hundred and fifty-one feet; it was built of very thick squared timber, and dove-tailed at the angles. An officer and twenty soldiers are quartered in the village.  The officer governs the inhabitants, under the direction of the commandant at fort Chartres.    Here are also two companies of militia.

LA PRAIRE DE ROCHES

       La Prairie De Roches [Prairie du Rocher] is about seventeen miles from Cascasquias; it is a small village, consisting of twelve dwelling-houses, all which are inhabited by as many families; here is a little chapel, formerly a chapel of ease to the church at Fort de Chartres.  The inhabitants here are very industrious, and raise a great deal of corn and every kind of stock.  This village is two miles from Fort Chartres; it takes its name from its situation, being built under a rock that runs parallel with the river Missisippi at a league distance, for forty leagues up.  Here is a company of militia, the captain of which regulates the police of the village.

FORT CHARTRES

       Fort Chartres when it belonged to France was the seat of government of the Illinois; the head quarters of the English commanding officer is now here, who is, in fact, the arbitrary governor of this country.  The fort is an irregular quadrangle, the sides of the exterior polygon are four hundred and ninety feet; it is built of stone and plaistered [sic] over, and is only designed as a defence against the Indians, the walls being two feet two inches thick, and pierced with loop-holes at regular  distances, and with two port-holes for cannon in the faces, and two in the flanks of each bastion; the ditch has never been finished; the entrance to the fort is through a very handsome rustic gate: within the wall is a small banquette, raised three feet, for the men to stand on when they fire through the loop-holes.  The buildings within the fort are, the commandant's and commissary's houses, the magazine of stores, corps de garde, and two barracks; these occupy the square.  Within the gorges of the bastions are, a powder magazine, a bakehouse, a prison, in the lower floor of which are four dungeons, and in the upper two rooms, and an out-house belonging to the commandant.  The commandant's house is thirty-two yards long, and ten broad; it contains a kitchen, a dining-room, a bed-chamber, one small room, five closets for servants, and a cellar.  The commissary's house (now occupied by officers) is built in the same line as this, its proportions and distribution of apartments are the same.  Opposite these are the store-house and guard-house, they are each thirty yards long and eight broad; the former consists of two large store-rooms (under which is a large vaulted cellar) and a large room, a bed-chamber, and a closet for the store-keeper; the latter, of a soldier's and officer's guard-rooms, a chapel, a bed-chamber and closet for the chaplain, and an artillery store-room.  The lines of barracks have never been finished; they at present consist of two rooms each, for officers, and three rooms for soldiers; they are good spacious rooms of twenty-two feet square, and have betwixt them a small passage.  There are fine spacious lofts over each building which reach from end to end; these are made use of to lodge regimental stores, working and intrenching [sic] tools, &c.  It is generally allowed that this is the mod commodious and best built fort in North America.  The bank of the Missisippi, next the fort, is continually falling in, being worn away by the current, which has been turned from  its course by a sand-bank, now encreased [sic] to a considerable island covered with willows: many experiments have been tried to stop this growing evil, but to no purpose.  When the fort was began in the, year 1756, it was a good half mile from the water-side; in the year 1766 it was but eighty paces; eight years ago the river was fordable to the island, the channel is now forty feet deep.  In the year 1764 there were about forty families in the village near the fort, and a parish church, served by a Franciscan friar, dedicated to St. Anne.  In the following year, when the English took possession of the country, they abandoned their houses, except three or four poor families, and settled at the villages on the west side of the Missisippi, chusing [sic] to  continue under the French government.

SAINT  PHILIPPE

       Saint Philippe is a small village about five miles from Fort Chartres, in the road to Kaoquias [Cahokia]; there are about sixteen houses and a small church standing; all the inhabitants, except the captain of militia, deserted it in 1765, and went to the French side: the captain of militia has about twenty slaves, a good stock of cattle, and a water-mill for corn and planks. This village stands in a very fine meadow, about one mile from the Missisippi.

KAOQIAS

       The village of Sainte Famille de Kaoquias [Cahokia] is generally reckoned fifteen leagues from Fort Chartres, and six leagues below the mouth of the river Missoury [Missouri]; it stands near the side of the Missisippi, and is masked from the river by an island of two leagues long; the village is opposite the center of this island; it is long and straggling, being three quarters of a mile from one end to the other; it contains forty-five dwelling-houses, and a church near its center.  The situation is not well chosen, as in the floods it is generally overflowed two or three feet.  This was the first settlement on the river Missisippi.  The land was purchased of the savages by a few Canadians, some of whom married women of the Kaoquias nation, and others brought wives from Canada, and then resided there, leaving their children to succeed them.  The inhabitants of this place depend more on hunting, and their Indian trade, than on agriculture, as they scarcely raise corn enough for their own consumption: they have a great deal of poultry and good stocks of horned cattle.  The mission of St. Sulpice had a very fine plantation here, and an excellent house built on it; they sold this estate, and a very good mill for corn and planks, to a Frenchman who chose to remain under the English government.  They also disposed of thirty negroes and a good stock of cattle to different people in the country, and returned to France in the year 1764. What is called the fort is a small house standing in the center of the village; it differs in nothing from the other houses except in being one of the poorest; it was formerly enclosed with high pallisades, but these were torn down and burnt.  Indeed a fort at this place could be of but little use. ¹

       Lord willing we will take a look at more of the things of yore in my next post.

Christ, not man, is King!

Dale

1)      Capt. Philip Pittman, The Present State of the European Settlements on the Missisippi (London: J. Nourse, 1770), p. 42-8.