Saint Croix Courier, St. Stephen, NB
January 12, 1893
GLIMPSES OF THE PAST
Contributions to the History of Charlotte County and the Border Towns.
L – EVENTS OF THE WAR-Continued.
Before leaving St. Andrews, Allan sent the following letter to the Indians at the Passamaquoddy post, (probably at Indian Island,) under date of July 10, 1778:-
Friends and Brothers:
If any vessels comes into any of the Harbours in this District, you are to go on Board (if not arrived) and Examine their papers, and if they Belong to Nova Scotia, Newport, New York, or any other of the Enemy’s Ports, or are any way connected with them, you must Secure and send them to Machias. You must acquaint all Torys that if they send any intelligence to St. Johns, speak hurtfull and threaten the Subjects of America, that you will take them immediately up and send them to Machias. The Captains are to command the young men for war when they take any prisoners they are to deliver them to Ambroise as Chief Councillor and he is to send them to Machias. You will not allow any of your young men to have any connection whatever with any of the people of Great Britain. Keep by yourselves and keep good Council.
On July 22, the Indians succeeded in capturing a Nova Scotia schooner which was at Passamaquoddy for boards. They used their prisoners well. The vessel was confiscated; but her master, Capt. Haliburton, ‘was Tolerated to go on Parole.’
In a report dated at Machias, Aug. 17, 1778, Allan says:
I am Extremely Sorry Privateers are so Encouraged this way. Their horrid Crimes is too Notorious to pass unnoticed. . . . . Such proceeding the Honble Board may Depend upon, will occasion more Torys than 100 Such Expeditions Will make good.
This opposition to the licensed marauders sent out by the revolutionary authorities, and the general conduct of the Indians while under Allan’s control, certainly show his character in a favorable light.
On the 13th of November, Allan complains that a small tender from the British ship Albany is ‘continually cruizing about Passamaquoddy, intercepting everything doing for the states.’ Ambroise had his canoe taken away, with a number of things, among the rest some expresses and belts of wampum, which he was sending to the St. Johns and the Micmacs.
In a letter written at Machias, July 16, 1779, Allan states that after the capture of Penobscot by the British most of the inhabitants there submitted and took the oath of allegiance to the king. He blames severely the many persons living more eastward than Penobscot who had gone a distance to acknowledge themselves subjects. At Union River, Naskeag, and Deer Island, most if not all the people, and two or three from Frenchman’s bay and Goldsborough, had taken the oath. Others were clamorous for trade with Nova Scotia, so that they could find a market for their lumber in that direction; and Allan complains to the Massachusetts authorities of an illicit trade carried on with Nova Scotia.
In addition to frequent conferences with the Indians at St. Andrews point, mention is made of a conference on the ‘Macadavick,’ with the object of getting the Indians to assist in an attack on the British post at ‘Majorbaguaduce’ (Castine.) It would seem that the encampments at this period were for the most part along the shores and on the rivers of Charlotte county.
The following summer witnessed the decline of Allan’s influence with the Maliseets. The inclination to go to St. John is apparent in a letter from Capt. Preble to Col. Allan;1 which is too interesting to be omitted:-
Head Quarters at
Odcobbahommuck, May 9th 1780
Dear Sir
Nuel Wallis dident acquaint me he was bound to machias or I Should have Wrote you.
The Barrer Joseph Pislot has teasd me this two day to go by him acquaint you. Nothing material has hapned Since I Wrote: acquamobbish has been gone three days for St. Johns. I ordered him to gitt all the Intelligence Possible & if he could find out where them Indians that was at St. Johns is Gone & what their design is.
Newlar, John Nule & others is Gone in to the Country to Bring what they left in a fright at the mohawks. John Francis Gave the Allarm at Wauwague by Saying he had seen four. Expresses was Sent through the Indians and they all precippitately Retreated to lateet taking some Boats to transport em.
Peer Newlar was to have set of yesterday to call the Indians in at the time you sot to Confer with them but hurt his Eye with a stick which prevents his going yet. They count every hour of time you are to meet them & Expect to live well they say while Waiting for you. They had a Council the other day & warm Arguments arose for Part of them to go to St. Johns. Peer Tomma did him self Honour in Stopping them & they mutially Exchanged Wampom to tarry and see you. Their minds has been Verry Flucttuating. I hope the Vessels will git in Safe & that you wont fail of the time sot to meet them.
While I was gone after Bowen they took the Corn & Lead left with Chaney & had it all divided on my Return.
Newlar desires you will Send down Some provition which they will pay for, what I Brought wont last them a Week, they do nothing but Eate I think; I argue with them till I am tired to use occonemy but to no Effect. I have stopd all persons from going to St. Johns to Return back for feare of the Small pox.
I called at Mr. Currys for Littlefield Boy, at my landing Suppose he run of for I could find no thing of him altho just before he was at Work; somebody has advisd him to this. I shall catch the young dog & send him up.
I live at Newlars Crmp for the most part of the time, we all live verry agreable.
Ambrois is not come in yett the Indians are doubt full somthing has hapned to him. With my Complements to your Good lady & all the Gentlemen Officers
Remain Sir
Your devoted Humble Sert.
JOHN PREBLE
P.S. Some powder will be wanting before you Come please to Send me some paper this is the last I have.
The foregoing letter is addressed
“On Public Service
To
Colo. John Allan
att
Machias”
and is endorsed
“May 9th
Recd 11th
’80”
On June 1, two British armed schooners, the Buckram, of 8 guns, and a transport, of 6 guns, arrived at Passamaquoddy. Allan particularly requested none of the Indians to go on board. Pierre Toma, however, and Louis Neptune, called Col. Lewis, the pretended chief of Passamaquoddy, went on board and received presents.
Allan writes, June 11, from ‘Harbour Lateet, Passamaquoddy,’ where he expects the Penobscots in six days for the purpose of holding a grand council ‘on the Invitation from Canada.’ He returned to Machias on the 22nd, and again went to Passamaquoddy and held a conference on the 31st. The arrival of messengers from Major Studholme and Father Bourg, with offers of pardon, protection and presents, gave to this conference an unexpected turn, most of Allan’s Indian allies leaving him and joining the British at St. John.
From this period Allan was apparently unable to do much that was aggressive, and the records given by Kidder are of no importance as regards Passamaquoddy.
1This letter was printed in the N. E. Hist. & Gen. Register, July, 1876. The site of Odcobbahommuck is a matter of some interest. It could not, I think, have been far from St. Andrew’s Point.-W. O. Raymond.
Correction: Article LIII contains the following correction to this one: "In Capt. Preble’s letter, eighth line above signature, ‘Crmp’ should be ‘Camp.’ Erase the last two sentences of the foot-note to this article, and substitute, ‘Odcobbahommuck was Pendleton’s Island, which Mr. Ganong say the Indians still call Un-kup-a-hum’k."