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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the Virginia Governor's Council [Extracts]
Virginia. Council
October 08, 1711 - October 15, 1711
Volume 01, Pages 808-810

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[B. P. R. O. B. T. Virginia. Vol. 58.—Extracts.]
JOURNAL OF VA. COUNCIL.


8. October 1711.

Whereas some of the Towns of the Tuscaruro and other Indians on the Frontier of North Carolina did on the 22d of last month committ a barbarous massacre on Her Majesty's subjects of that Province and still continue to make war against that Government. To the end therefore that the said Indians may be deprived of the means to prosecute their barbaritys upon Her Majesty's subjects The Governor with the advice of Her Majesty's Council doth hereby strictly prohibite and forbid all persons within this Colony to trade or traffique with the said Tuscaruro or any other Indians for any sort of Commodity untill further order Certifying such as shall act contrary hereunto that they shall be prosecuted with the utmost severity. And the sherifs of the several Countys are required forthwith to signify this order to the respective Indian Traders, and to publish the same at the Courthouse and in all Churches and Chappells in their said Countys.

Resolved and accordingly ordered

That for the better securing the Peace and tranquility of this Government and preventing the further incursion of the Indians Mr Peter Poythres be forthwith dispatched to such of the Tuscaruro Towns as refused to join with the rest of their Nation in the late massacre requiring them to send Deputys to meet the Governor at the Nottoway Town on the 17th of this month to treat of a peace with Her Majesty's subjects of this and the neighbouring Colonys and plantations : and for the better inducing them to this Treaty that the said Mr Poythres acquaint them that no Trade will be allowed them from hence till the said Peace be concluded And that he also assure them of a safe conduct for their coming in and returning and for that purpose a guard shall be sent to meet them at the Saponie town. That forasmuch as the Baron de Graffenried Chief of the Swiss and Palatine settlement in Carolina did unfortunately fall into the hands of the Indians some days before the Massacre is detained a prisoner and his life in imminent danger It is ordered that a Message be also sent to the Town where he is to demand that he and any other of the Inhabitants of Carolina prisoners among them be delivered up to this Government as Her Majesty's subjects and to threaten them that if any violence be offered to the said prisoners this Government will revenge it upon the whole Town or nation that shall be found guilty.

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That since the making a shew of some part of the strength and force of this Colony may be very necessary to awe the said Tuscaruro Indians not only to continue in peace with us, but also to join with us in the destruction of those Assassins It is ordered that the whole Militia of the Countys of the Isle of Wight, Surry and Prince George be drawn together under arms at the Nottoway Town with six days provisions against the time the said Tuscaruros are expected there.

Pursuant to the above Resolutions the Messages to the Tuscaruro Indians to be sent by Mr Poythres and also the orders to the commanding Officers of the Militia were prepared and signed by the Governor in Council.


15 October 1711.

The proceedings of the last Council held at Major Nathaniel Harrison's were this day read at the Board and approved as the best means to answer the ends proposed therein for obtaining satisfaction for the late Massacre committed in Carolina. This Board taking into consideration what terms may be most proper to be insisted on at the Conference with the Tuscaruro Indians in order to obtain a just satisfaction for the murders committed by some of their Nation and other Indians in the Province of Carolina came to the following resolutions.

That the engaging the said Tuscaruros to carry on a war by themselves against the Nations concerned in the late Massacre will be most for the ease of Her Majesty's subjects of this Colony and that therefore all possible endeavours be used for that purpose by promising them such suitable rewards as the Governor can presuade them to accept for the head of each man of the Indian Enemy which they shall kill and bring in and also for each woman and child taken prisoner and delivered here. And for the better attaining this and that the Governor enter into an Alliance with them both offensive and defensive if they desire it, not doubting but the general Assembly will enable the Government to make good all such engagements.

That if the said Indians shall not be willing to carry on a war by themselves, that then it is necessary to insist on their acting in conjunction with this Government and Carolina in the prosecution of the said War, and that Hostages be demanded of them for their Fidelity.

That if the said Indians shall not agree to either of the terms above proposed, but pretend to stand neuter the like Hostages be forthwith demanded of them to be delivered with all possible speed.

That in case the said Tuscaruros shall fail to come in according to the Governor's appointment such a detachment of the Militia of the nearest

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adjacent Countys as the Governor shall think fitt to be forthwith sent to the Tuscaruro Towns to require them immediately to attend the Governor and to bring with them Hostages for their Fidelity in case they continue in peace with this Governmt

For the better protection of the Inhabitants of this Colony against the incursions of Indians it is ordered that ten men and an officer out of each of the Frontier Countys be appointed to range three days in a week above the Inhabitants, and that the said party be from time to time relieved by a like number with power to the Commanding Officer of the Militia of the said respective Countys to augment the number of the said Rangers, as the cause of Danger shall require