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Osage Tribe
Capt. Lewis's Exploration of Louisianna and the Visit of the Osage Indian Nation
to Washington
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
May 23, 1805
We are informed by a Kentucky printer of the 30th ult. that a council of war, consisting of about 500 Indians,
has lately been held at the mouth of the Wabash river. This convocation is said to consist of deputies from all
the Northern Tribes: The object of their meeting is, to deliberate on the subject of going to war against the Osage
Indians up the Missouri, a nation with whom they have long been at enmity. It was remarked by a gentleman present
at the convocation, to a chief, that as Mr. Jefferson was of a pacific temper and averse to the effusion of blood,
he would very probably
use his exertions to prevent hostilities. But the Indians appeared to think that the President had no right to
interfere in the matter that peculiarly related to their own sovereignity.The results of their deliberations had
not been learnt at Lexington the
beginning of May.
August 15, 1805
Lexington, July 12
Some time during the last spring, it was announced, that a combination of the Indian tribes east of the Mississippi,
had been formed against the Osage, or Washasah, up the Missouri . Since that period, the account of this expedition
has been doubted. We have now to inform our readers, that the intellegence has recently been confirmed by a Chickkasah
Indian, who, with his companion, was in Lexington a few weeks past. He says that not only his own nation have actually
sent forward their warriors, but that the Cherakee, Chocktah and all the other tribes to the north have started
on the
expedition.
December 12, 1805
Extract of a letter from a gentleman at St. Louis, to his friend in
Vincennes, dated the 23rd inst.
I saw Governor Harrison on Sunday, on his way by water to Vincennes, a treaty of peace has been patched up between
the Osages and the different other tribes, no one however expects it will be long attended to by either, for authentic
information has just been received that Spain has agents among the Indians of the Missouri, and upper parts of
the Mississippi, persuading them to war against the United States, and that in consequence, two men have been killed.
This confirms the numerous accounts received of the hostile disposition of Spain towards the United States.
February 26 1806
Carlisle, Pennsylvania February 11
By a gentleman who left St. Louis (Upper Louisiana) on the 31st December last, we are informed that a party of
the Sock Indians took the opportunity when the Osages were out hunting, came in on their towns, killed about 100
consisting of old men, women and children, and took about as many prisoners. A number of the Osage Chiefs came
down to St. Louis and demanded protection from the United States, upon which Gen. Wilkinsen send a Lieut. Hughes,
with a detachment of thirty men, to demand the prisoners.
We are also informed by the same gentleman, that a few days previous to his leaving St. Louis, an Indian Chief
sent down by Captain Lewis, from about 1500 miles up the Missouri, had set out from St. Louis for the city of Washington,
attended by Lieutenant Climpson and an interpreter, he is of the Ricquora nation, of a dark complexion, and remarkably
corpulent.
At the time of our informant’s leaving that place they had received no account of the destruction of Captain Lewis
and his party. It is therefore to be hoped that the report which has been in circulation of their being cut off,
is without foundation, as we have reason to suppose, had such an event taken place, they would there have received
the earliest intelligence. The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
Submitted by Nancy Piper
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