Oct 10, 2002 - Sale 1946

Sale 1946 - Lot 335

Price Realized: $ 3,450
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 3,000 - $ 4,000
MANUSCRIPT SPEECH OF TEN ONEIDA WARRIORS (REVOLUTION.) Two manuscript items concerning James Clinton's expedition in the Sullivan campaign and the relationship with Oneida warriors. Including an Autograph Letter Signed by James Clinton to George Clinton, sending him the "Last Speech confession and dying words of His Excellency Genl. Haldimand to the Oneidas" [not present], asking him to forward it to George Washington, informing him of the status of his expedition, and that soon he will move the troops and supplies to Lake Otsego to "wait Genl. Sullivan's orders for embarkation." 1 page, single folio sheet; folds, light toning. The other a contemporary manuscript copy of a speech by 10 Oneida warriors to Clinton, declining to join the expedition because of threats by the Six Nations, requesting that American soldiers protect them, and with news that 300 Indians and Tories have marched from Cauga. 1 1/2 pages, single 4to sheet; a bit ragged along the left edge. "Camp Connosohani Creek", 27 June 1779; Lake Otsego, 5 July 1779
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The speech of the 10 Oneida Warriors: "Brother, We suppose you Imagin we have Come here in order to Attend you upon your Expedition, but we are Sorry to Inform you that Our situation is such as will not admit it. Bro, From Intelligence which we may depend upon, we have reason to belive that the Six Nations, mean to embrace the opportunity of our Absence in order to destroy our Castels, these Accounts we have by Spys from among them, and we know that a Considerable body of them are now Collected at Cauga . . . "
Although most of the Iroquois sided with the British, the Oneida swore loyalty to the Americans and offered to fight with them in Sullivan's Expedition. However, just a few days before joining Clinton's forces at Lake Otsego, the Oneida changed their decision. "A sudden revolution, however, was wrought in their determination by an address to the Oneidas from General Haldimand, received at Fort Schuyler on the 22d. This document was transmitted to them in their own language; and its tenor was so alarming, as to induce them suddenly to change their purpose-judging, very correctly, from the threats of Haldimand, that their presence was necessary at home for the defence of their own castles" (William Stone. Life of Joseph Brant. New York, 1838). The speech of Haldiman referred to in this James Clinton letter and the Speech by the Oneida warriors refusing to help the Americans are both quoted in full in Stone's Life of Joseph Brant (volume 2, pages 8-11).<