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Subject Area: History
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO ANDREW MONTOUR. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. I (1748-1757) [1889]

Edition used:

The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1889-1893). Vol. I (1748-1757).

Part of: The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


TO ANDREW MONTOUR.

Winchester, 10 October, 1755.

Dear Montour,

I wrote, some Time ago, a Letter of Invitation from Fort Cumberland, desiring yourself, your Family, and Friendly Indians, to come and reside among Us, but that Letter not coming to Hand, I am induced to send a second Express, with the Same Invitation, being pleased that I have it in my Power to do something for You on a better Footing than ever it has been done. I was greatly enraptur’d when I heard you were at the Head of 300 Indians on a March toward Venango, being satisfied that your hearty attachment to our glorious Cause, your Courage, of which I have had very great Proofs, and your Presence among the Indians, would animate their just Indignation to do something Noble, something worthy themselves, and honourable to you. I hope you will use your Interest (as I know you have much) in bringing our Brothers once more to our service; assure them, as you truly may, that nothing which I can do shall be wanting to make them happy; assure them, also, that as I have the chief Command, I am invested with Power to treat them as Brethren and Allies, which, I am sorry to say, they have not been of late. Recommend me kindly to our good Friend, Monocatoocha, and others; tell them how happy it would make Conotocaurius to have an opportunity of taking them by the hand at Fort Cumberland, and how glad he would be to treat them as Brothers of our great King beyond the waters. Flattering myself that you will come, I doubt not but you’l bring as many of them with you as possible, as that will afford Me what alone I want; that is, an opportunity of doing something equal to your Wishes.

I am, Dear Montour, your real friend and Assured H’ble Servt.

N. B. I doubt not but you have heard of the Ravages committed on our Frontiers by the French Indians, and I suppose [by the] French themselves. I am now on my March against them, and hope to give them Cause of repenting their Rashness.1

[1 ]Washington instructed Gist to visit Montour and use his personal influence in inducing him to bring Indians into camp. “I will promise if he brings many to do something handsome for him. You had better be silent on this head, though, least where you are, measures may be taken by the Pennsylvanians to prevent him from bringing any Indians.”—To Gist, 11 Oct., 1755.