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YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

tAlt UNIVEBSITY
APR 11 WU
LIBRARY,

Society of Colonial Wars
IN the State ofNew York.

Daniel Claus' Narrative

OF

His Relations with Sir William Johnson

AND

Experiences in the Lake George Fight.

Lake George Celebration
Executive Committee Report.

NATIVE TROOPS IN OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
Major LOUIS LIVINGSTON SEAMAN, M.D,

Printed by Order of the Society
June, 1904.

Society of Colonial Wars
m THE State of New York.

Daniel Claus' Narrative
OF
His Relations with Sir William Johnson
AND
Experiences in the Lake George Fight.

Lake George Celebration
Executive Committee Report.

NATIVE TROOPS IN OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
Major LOUIS LIVINGSTON SEAMAN, M.D.

Printed by Order of tlie Society
June, 1904.

NOTE.
The Claus Manuscript and the Lake George
Celebration Committee's Report are printed in
accordance with a resolution adopted by the
Society at the Annual Meeting, on Saturday,
December igth, 1903.
The Secretary, in preparing the Claus Man
uscript for the printer, has thought.it preferable
to preserve as nearly as possible the spelling,
capitalization and punctuation of the original.
Dr. Seaman's Paper was read at a meeting
of the Society held March 21st, 1904, and is
printed in accordance with a resolution adopted
by the Society at that meeting.
Arthur S. 'Walcott,
Secretary.

THE CLAUS MANUSCRIPT.
Daniel Claus Esqr. was born the 13th Septr. 1727 at Bennig-
ham a Town near the Imperial Free City, Heilbron the property
of Count "Wadian of Menz. The place is protestant Lutheran over
which his deceased- Father Adam Frederick was prefect, he was
descended from an Antient Family in Transylvania who were said
to be the founders of  * one of the principal Towns of
that principality, but the Reformation early spreading to that
Country they adopted Doctor Luther's Tenets and a Persecution
agst. its Adherents soon after taking place, together wth. ye savage
"Wars of the Turks in those parts they suffered so much under
these circumstances that they were obliged to quit their landed
Estate wch. was considerable and afterward confiscated and took
Refuge in the Imperial free city Ulm "Where Protestantism was
more tolerated and their Descendants still were esteemed and
countenanced at the Imperial Court and employed both in Civil
and Military Stations, as appears by the  * Diploma
granted them not long after, with much Town Distinction honor
ing them to carry the Imperial Insigns of the Lion and Eagle
"Wings together wth.the or & sable (yellow & black) colors. The
Imperial uniform wch. Diploma Mr. Qaus's Father had in pos
session as the surviving elder Male Branch of sd. Family together
with a Geneaological Tree of the Family the latter he left in Ger
many among his Relations, taking a copy of the Diploma authenti
cated by an Imperial notary public copied and translated it himself
Upon parchmt. & had the Arms done as nearly after the Copy
of the Original as he could in this Country untill it may be better
executed in London & inregistered in the Herald's Office.
Mr. Claus's coming to America in Autumn 1749 was occasioned
by a person making his appearance in the part of the Country
where he lived & arriving from America to visit his Relations, he
being a Clergyman's Son in the Dukedom of 'Wirtemberg, Mr.
'Illegible in original manuscript.

Claus became acquainted with him found him in all outward ap
pearance a genteel clever & sensible Man who could tell his story
extraordinary well of being concerned with a respectable House in
"Virginia who wanted to establish a House upon the Rhine & in
Holland for the Silk & Tobaco Trade, having these Commodities
brought from Ama. and manufactured in that part of Germany
on accnt. of the Cheapness of Labour; And in short convinced
people unacquainted with those Matters of the most plausible pros
pect of Success and Advantage, offering Mr. Claus a share; &
at the same time buying up Quantities of Hock and Rhinish
wines and agreeing for the Building of Silk Manufactories enticing
even a rich German Nobleman to carry on said Buildings to whom
he engaged the Chief Management of Carrying on the work in
Germany and Mr. Claus was to go with him to America as being
of proper Age to acquire the English Language & get acquainted
with that Trade, Accordingly arriving in Philadia. in Autumn 1749
he to his disagreable surprize found himself convinced of what he
suspected all along on the passage at Sea of being quite deceived
& imposed upon by that person & luckily secured as much cash
as to bring him back to Germany again, but as there were no
"Vessels going for England in Spring 1750 Mr. Claus proposed &
partly agreed for a passage in a Fall Ship in the mean while
accidentally meeting with a Col. Weiser, Indian Agent for the
provinces of Pennsilvia, Maryland & "Virginia to the Six Nations
who was going that Spring to meet Deputies of the 6 Nations at
Onondago abt. some Land and other Matters concerning said
provinces, Mr. Weiser offered to Take Mr. Claus as a Companion
and introduce him to the Natives of America and show him the
Curiosities &c. of this Country wch. he was well acquainted with.
And Mr. Claus readily accepted the Offer and sat out with Col
"Weiser from His House in Berks County, in May 1750 and pro
ceeding by the settlement of Bethlehem & Nazareth in pennsylvia
to the Menissings & Esopus then crossing Hudson's River to
Reinbeck Camp Livingstons Mannor to Albany from thence to
Schohairee where Mr. "Weiser first lived & learned the 6 Natn.
Language his father havg. been one of the first settlers sent over
by Queen Ann. From thence he proceeded to Fort Hunter "Where
Mr. Qaus saw the first large settlement of Indns. the Mohawks
Country themselves 250 or 300 "Warrs. from thence to Colo, after-

wards Sr. "Wm. Johnson's house who was then finishing his Seat
on the Mohk. River of a large Stone House with two Wings after
wards in the "War 1755 called Fort Johnson having been joined
with stone walls by way of Ramparts & made defensible agst. small
arms &c. From thence they proceded to Stonearabia, Canajee,
 ¦  * Flatts. The old Inhabitants of which places were
Acquaintances & Relatives of Col. "Weisers being descendants of
those Germans sent to America by Her late Majy. Queen Ann and
showed the Travellers every Friendship & Kindness in their power.
At the last Settlement they hired a Man & horse to carry some
Refreshments thro' the Indn. Country but Col. 'Weiser according to
Indian Hospitality wch. he was no stranger to, always shared with
the people of the House he put up at, whenever he took a meal.
On their arrival at Onondago, a poor barren place, they found the
Indians in great Mourning & Grief on acct. of their Head Sachem
Canaghsadigo being dead a fews days before by Poison which was
suspected to have been conveyed into his Victuals by some french
Emissaries that then resided at Onandago Lake under the Disguise
of Traders debauching the 6 Nations to the french Interest and
inviting them to Suergachy wch. Settlement the Abbe Picquet was
then forming after the peace of 1740, in order to draw over the
6 nations by large presents & fine Speeches and rather succeeded
too well on acco. of the Lethargy & Carelessness of the Indian
Commissioner at Albany who entirely neglected those Matters in
that Time of peace Notwithstanding wch. this good Indian Chief
Canaghsadigo kept firm to the British Interest rejecting every
Artifice by presents etc. from Abbe Picquet and wch. the Indians
suspected occasioned his Death, for these french Emissaries had
been tampering with him to no purpose a few days before his
Death. This disagreeable circumstance detained them much longer
than they expected Mr. 'Weiser being oblidged to go thro a formal
Ceremony of Condolence before he could proceed upon his other
Businiss and their Stores were consumed before the Buss, was half
finished and they oblidged to depend upon an Indian Diet of Indn.
Com, Squashes, Entrails of Deer &c. which altho no Hardship for
Mr. "Weiser who experienced the life before, was a great one
for Mr. Claus who never saw such eatables made use of before
by Mankind, and was pretty well pinched with Hunger before he

'Illegible in original manuscript.

could persuade himself to taste them; during their stay at Onan
dago wch. was abt. 3 weeks he collected a vocabulary of Indian
Words joining it to his Journal wch. he regularly kept. On their
Return to pensylvania wch. was so late that all the Ships for
Europe were sailed so that Mr. Qaus was disappointed going
home that fall ; In the mean while Colo. "Weiser introducing Mr.
Claus to the then Governor of Pennsylva. who was James Hamilton,
Esq, who showed himself very friendly and kind to Mr. Claus
asking him frequently to his House, and during the Course of
Winter & Spring 175 1 prevailed upon Mr. Claus to take a Tour
to the Mohawk Town at Fort Hunter & endeavour to improve in
& acquire the Iroquois Language as much as he could offering
every Encouragement & Advantage in behalf of his Province &
his Interest with the neighboring Provinces ; One of Colo. "Weisers
Sons was also to be sent to accompany Mr. Claus, and a Credit was
given him from the provce. to Mr. James Stevenson Mercht. at
Alby. to answer any Sums of Cash Mr. Claus might draw upon him
for, towards fixing themselves at one Brant's an old friend of
Colo. "Weisers and Chief of the Mohawks of Fort Hunter. Ac
cordingly in Spring 1752 they proceeded in Compny. with the
Commissioners from pensylvia. consisting of Mr. Peters the Secre
tary of the province Colo. "Weiser* & others to Albany where a
Genl. Congress was to be held with Commissioners from every
province on the Continent & the Six Nations & their Confederates,
relative to the Safety of the Frontiers in case of another "War and
to prevent the French Emissaries to debauch & inveigle the 6 Nats.
to their Interest, they having then in view to draw all indn. Nations
in their power over to them & build a chain of Forts from Canada
to Louisiana thro the Indn. Country beginingat Presqe. Isle in Lake
Erie & so on to Fort du Quesne now Fort Pitt & down the River
Ohio. A few days after they were settled at Brants that Chief in
troduced him to Sr. "Wm. Johnson who received them very friendly
offering any assistance in his power & gave them an Invitation to
his House. Young "Weiser did not like his Situation & without
acquainting his parents returned to Pennsylvania, and Mr. Qaus
continued his Studies ; about that time an Alteration happened in
Sr. "Williams Family and one Mr. Robt. Adams his Store Book-

*[Mr. Franklin now Govr. of New Jersey & Wm. Alexander now a Lord Stark who
were depy. secries. to the Comsers, o£ York & Penna.]

keeper tteing dismissed and one Mr. James "Wilson from Albany
employed, who was an entire stranger to the Indians and their
Language, Sr. "Wm. proposed to Mr. Claus to stay at his house
where he could improve as much in the Indn. Language as at
Brants there being always 6 Natn. Indians about the house to which
Mr. Claus consented and made himself as usefull as his Capacity
would allow, but it coming to the ears of the Govr. of Pennsylvia.
that Mr. Claus resided at Sr. "Wms. then Colo. Johnsons it created
a Jealousy & Dissatisfaction and he was directed to put himself
under the Tuition of King Henry at Canajoharee with which Mr.
Claus complied and fixed himself at that Chiefs house who was
very proud of it and did everything in the world to make his
Situation agreable to him, instructing & entertaining him with the
Traditions of his Ancestors their Customs, "Wars with their Indn.
Enemies & Mr. Claus took Memorandums of it & then began to
improve in writing the Indn. Language by getting his Indn. Tutor
to dictate him Speeches, Messages, and other Forms and Customs
used by the Indns. in Councils, Ceremonies of Condolence &c.&c.
In 1752 a Congress of the 6 Nations being assembled in Albany,
a Society of New England people from Connecticut at the head
of wch. was one Colo. Tyer obtained clandestinely by the means
of one Jno. Lydius an Indian Deed for a Tract of Land upon' Sus
quehanna a River called the Great Meadows alias "Wayoming at
Skahandowane within the Limits of the Provce. of Pennsylvia.
upon the strength of wch. unjust Indn. Deed and underhand Action
the Connecticut people begun to take possession of Land & pre
pared to settle it. The Provce. of Pennsylvia. alarmed at that
 * Claus Letters of Invitation in Summer of 1754 to King
Henry from that Government requesting him to take a Journey
to Philadelphia with some of his Counsellors of Canajoharee &
Mr. Claus to conduct them there, accordingly he with Difficulty
prevailed upon him (Indians being even suspicious & cautious to
go among white people even to Albany & Philadia. being so much
further)  * undertake the Journy. being 12 in Number
including Mr. Br. by the way of Esopus & the Mississings and as
great the Mistrust & Apprehension of the Indns. was to venture
so far among the whites, as great was also the Curiosity of the
Inhabitants to see King Henry and his Attendants, none of the

"Illegible in original manuscript.

Six Natns. having ever passt thro that part of the Country. And
on coming into the Skirts of the Provce. of Pennsylia. & Bethle
hem the Moravian Settlemt. some men of the Anabaptists wth. long
Beards made their appearance to have a view of the Indns. at which
they were so terrified (having never seen long bearded Man be
fore) that they fled from them like frightened children, putting
themselves under Mr. Claus's protection. The News of the Indians
Approach soon reached Philadia. and a little Distance from yt.
Town some of the Govrs. Council and other Gentlemen met the
Indns. with the Govrs. Compliments desiring they would halt a
little & then proceed slow thro the Town as the Citizens intended
to receive them in a complimentary Manner. Accordingly enter
ing Second Street coming from Germantown the Town Militia was
drawn up on both sides & a numerous populace assembled & fol
lowing with Acclamations of Huzza for King Henry untill he
entered the State House where the Governor & Council rec'd and
complimtd. him and every imaginable respect to Friendship was
shown him by every one that had an opportunity of having his
Company. He stayed abt. Ten days during wch. Time he repeatedly
assured the Governor in Council that the Connecticut purchase was
made clandestinely by Mr Lydius at Albany with a few drunken
Oneida Indns. without the Knowledge & Consent of the Six Na
tions in Council and the Signers of the Indn. Deed had not the
least Right or Claim to the Lands they sold. And that on his
Return he would acquaint the Body of the Confederacy with it
and have the purchase made null & void by a public Decree of the
whole Body, & ascertain and publish the just Claim & Property of
the Lands to the Proprietors of Pennsylvania. Mr. Claus returned
with K. Henery by Esopus & Albany where Capt.  * fell
in Love wth. Ms. Mary Brant who was then pretty likely not
havg. had the small pox. In Spring 1755 the war with France
broke out on acct. of their Encroachment upon the Kings Terri
tories on the Ohio. In Autumn 1754 Genl. Braddock was sent to
"Virginia wth. the 44th & 40th Regts. in Spring 1755 he informed
the respective Govrs. of the Colonies and Sr. "Wm. then Colo. John
son to Alexandria in "Virga. to lay before them His Majs. Instruc
tions relative to the ensuing Campaign & what part & share they
were to act & beare in it. Govr. Shirley as a Colonel & Maj. Gen. in
?Illegible in original manuscript.

the Army was to act as second in Command & was to carry on the
Operations to the N. "West in forming Expeditions to Niagara &
Crown Point, the former Gen. Shirley was to command in person
& the latter Sr. Wm. Johnson was appointed with the provincial
Rank of Major General and sole agent & Superintdt. of the North-
em District of British America excluding the Governors of the
respective provinces to interfere for the future in Indian Matters ;
which order of the Kings in appearance discharged Mr. Qaus
from his intended services for the Governor of Pennsylvia. and Sr.
"Wm. Johnson sensible of his influence with the Mohawk Indns.
particularly the Canajoharees offered him a Commission of a Lieu
tenancy in the Indn. service wch. Mr. Claus accepted and at the
same time was employed as Depy. Secretary for Indn. Affrs. under
Capt. "Wraxall. Preparations were made for the Campaign and
Sr. 'Wm. went to Albany to forward his Expedition to Crown Point
and General Shirley proceeded up the Mohawk River while get
ting Battoes etc. ready at Schenectady. Mr. Claus passt that on
his return from Sr. 'Wm. at Albany when he happened to meet
Mr. 'William Alexander now Lord Sterling Secretary to General
Shirley who as an acquaintance of Mr. Claus's since the Congress
of 1752 at Albany proposed to make the Campaign with General
Shirley that he was empowered from His Excelly. to offer him
a Kings Commission for a Lieuty. in his Regt. exclusive of an
allowce. for Indn. Service. He replied that as he had accepted of
a Lieutcy. altho not in a Standing Corps he should not choose to
retract his Engagement wth. Sr. 'Wm. Johnson and therefore hbly.
thanked His Excelly. for his kind Offer, he used many Argu
ments how easy he could disengage himself wth. Sr. Wm. but to
no purpose to his Mortification & so left Mr. Claus. This con
versation happened at the house of Jno. B. "Vaulps who kept the
Ferry at Schenecty. General Shirley proceeded a few days after
up the Mohawk River on his March to Oswego, Sr. "Wm. John
son being then at Albany preparing Matters for his Expedn. agst.
Crown Point. And altho an equal Distribution had been made in
a Genl. Congress of the six Nats, held at Fort Johnson of the Num
ber of the Indns. that were to go with each Expedition & those near
est to Oswego & Niagara to join Genl. Shirley and the lower ones
Genl. Johnson ; yet General Shirley brought from. Albany one Col.
Jno. Lydius and a number of Albany & Schenectady Indn. Traders

to whom he gave Commissions as Indian Officers who on their
arrival at the first or lower Mohawk Town fr. wch. Indns. were
destined for Sr. "Wm. as best acquainted with the Country & Rout
he was to take, they most ungenerously & unfairly in Sr. "Wms.
absence endeavored to inveigle & entise by Bribes in Money* and
promises as many of the Lower Mohawks as in their power, how
ever they met with so little Success that they got no more than
15 or 20 and those Relations to Col. Lydius. Mr. Claus had the
Rest of Sr. "Wm. Indn. Ofiicers then upon the Spot watched the
Motions of these people & reminded the Indians of the arrange
ment made by the six Nations at Fort Johnson. General Shirley
passing by Fort Hunter without stopping proceeded towards Cana
joharee the upper Mohawk Town to which Indians Mr. Claus was
appointed Lieut, and he, suspecting that the same Intrigues would
be carried on as was at the Lower Mohk. Town proceeded wth. all
Expedition to Canajoharee and arriving at King Henrys House
where he lodged found that Genl. Shirley had already had a Coun
sel with the Indns. & Plenry & his two Brothers Abraham & Nicklas
just come from it after his arrival & Henry immediately communi
cated every particular to Mr. Claus; the Chief purpose of the
Meeting was that General Shirley after loading Henery & his
Brothers (who had the whole village at his nod as well as the 6
Nations) with cash & presents, giving Henery a Captns. Commissn.
'& his Brothers Lieuts. & their wives a Number of Spanish Dollars,
He in the strongest manner invited them to accompany him, well
knowing the rest of the Indns. must follow many of whom were
likewise bribed, telling them that He was an older Acquaintance
of theirs having had Interviews with them at Albany before Colo.
Johnson came to America, & hoped they would not set aside their
old Friendship but share his Fate the ensuing Expedition against
Niagara etc. &c. K. Henery showed Mr. Claus the belt of "Wam
pum & the pargament Commissions that were given on the occa
sion and asked his Opinion & Advice how to act in the Affair &
whether Colo, or Sr. "Wm. Johnson would allow him his Captns. pay
to support his family during his Absence, the same Question was
put by his Brothers Abraham & Nicklas. Upon wch. Mr. Claus
made them Answer that he was surprised to hear all they said
*[The first instance Indns. became acquainted mth the value ot money a precedent
of the Consequent vast Indn. Expenses to Government.]

after the solemn Arrangements the whole Confederacy of the 6
Nations had entered into at Fort Johnson not long ago in making
an equal Division of their 'Warriors between Genls. Shirley and
Johnson and that he always heard that the Six Nations were firm
& strict in keeping anything settled & fixed upon in Council and
that they must be sensible these unfair Advantages were taken in
their Friend & Bror. Genl. Johnsons Absence & upon his March
towards the Enemys Country, expecting daily to be joined by his
Friends the Indians that solemnly promised to accompany him in
his Expedition, that promises between Friends & Brothers were
by all Nations looked upon as sacred and he knew them Men of
a better Character & principles than to break thro theirs ; and with
regard to Genl. Johnsons, indemnifying them in Money Matters
he was pretty well convinced & they knew him so well that he
would not suffer them to be losers by him &c. &c. That he con
sidered Genl. Shirleys private & clandestine Council very unfair
and unbecoming in the absence of a Person he depreciated and
undermined behind his back that his opinion was that Genl. Shir
ley only made Tools of them by Bribery & fair promises while
he stood in need of them after wch. they perhaps would never see
him again, when Genl. Johnson was among them and in all prob
ability would live and die among them and have it in his power
to show them many Favors & Services &c. This Talk had its
Effect & these Chiefs called a private Council in which it was
agreed that a running Messenger should be sent to the 6 Nations
Country with a large Belt of "Wampum to apprize them of Genl.
Shirley's approach with his Suit of Indn. Officers whom the six
Nations were strictly enjoined not to notice or give Ear to if
called together or regard any of their words, as their Design &
Insinuations were bad and proceeded from a bad Heart at the In
stigation of ye D  ^1, to annule the Resolutions they had agreed
upon in full Council abt. the Distribution of their "Warrs. & thereby
occasion Confusion & Disagreement. That they the Mohawks to
a Man were determined to join Genl. Johnson and as they were
the Seniors of the Confederacy they expected they would listen
to their advice and follow their example. Accordingly a Runner
dispatched wth. a large Belt of 'Wampum, the Result of wch. was
that the Six Nations in general accepted the Message and prom
ised to follow Sr. "Wm. Johnson and Genl. Shirley had not 50 In-

dians with him, the Mr. Ludius, Fisher from Scheny. and other
Indn. Traders as above mentioned declared they would have all
the 5 Natns. Indns. to a Man. All this while Sr. "Wm. Johnsn. was
on his March to Fort Edward. The Indians being assembled at
Fort Johnson to the Number of upwards 400 King Henry led the
van wth. Mr. Qaus and passing thro the Country everybody al
lowed that Body of Indns. the finest Sight they ever saw. After
their Arrival at Fort Edward, a Body of provincials were pre
pared to March in Conjunction with the Indians to take possession
of Lac St. Sacrement now Lake George. Accordingly on the 4th
of Sept. 1755 they marched off to the Number of 11 to 1200 ex
clusive of Indians with two Field pieces in the front and an Iron
Mortar, having been threatened by the French Indns. with an at
tack at half way Brook, but they Marched cautiously on and ar
rived without Interruption at the Lake the Borders of it being
a thick "Wood, Sr. "Wm. ordered the "Woods to be cleared from the
South End of the Lake towards Fort Edward where there is a
Swamp on the right and left & he pitched his Tent on a rising
rocky Ground. The men were employed in clearing the woods &
the Indians scouring the woods toward Crown Point & South bay
where the Enemy were expected from. On Sunday Momg. the
7th Septr. a Scout of Mohawks came in, the Chief of them a trusty
Indn. that went by the name of thick Lawrence, entering Sr. "Wms.
tent he said he was rejoiced to see him safe, that he discovered a
large Body of the Enemy coming from South bay and seemingly
directing their March towards Fort Edward and they Marched in
three Columns the Impression each Column made in the ground
he guessed to be between 6 or 700. A Council of W^ar was then
called & the first thing considered upon was to get an Express
to the Commandg. Officer at Fort Edward who was Brigr. Genl.
Lyman before the place was invested. No one of the New England
Troops would undertake the Task, till one Jacob Adams of the
New Yorkers offered himself, he was equipped with Sr. "Wm. John
son's horse & Furniture, when he came within 2 short Miles of
Fort Edward he found himself in the Midst of the french Army
& was called to stop, but he depending on the Swiftness of his
horse thought he would force his way thro but soon was fired at,
knocked off the horse & the Dispatches found upon him, by which
Brigr. Lyman was acquainted with the approach of ye enemy and

encouraged to defend himself to the last, that he should be sup
ported from Lake George, early the next Morning, this happened
late on Sunday afternoon & as Baron Dieskau who commanded
the French Army afterwards owned made him alter his plan of
attacking Fort Edward, being told by the Indn. Officers, that In
dians disliked attacking a Fort and preferred going to the Lake
being convinced that part of our Army was surrounded with
"Woods & still exposed, & without lines. And it was then resolved
to March that Night within a short distance of our Camp and at
tack early next Morning. In the Mean while Sr. "Wm. Johnson
summoned a Council of "War in which it was agreed that as the
Enemy came from South bay they must have left their Boats with
Stores &c. there, to send 500 Men up the Lake when there was a
short rout thro the woods to South bay to secure their Boats, while
another Body of 500 men were to March to the relief of Fort Ed
ward, & what could be spared from those gone to South bay to
advance & endeavor to get the Enemy between two Fires. Sr. 'Wm.
Johnson communicated this decision to King Henry & some of
his Indn. Chiefs, who immediately replied that if he was to divide
his small Force so as not to be able to cooperate he would be un
done and his Indns. would leave the Army, but if he would keep
his Army together & send a sufficient Body towards Fort Edward
to reconnoiter the Enemy & if near the Fort & if advisable to make
an attack when doubtless the Fort would sally & the Enemy, be
beat off & if that was not the Case, they to March with all his Force
& attack the Enemy. However the taking the Dispatches from
the Express occasioned a Council of War to be called by the
french General & the Indians hearing of, & apprehending that Fort
Edward was well fortified declined attacking that Fort as above
mentioned. On Monday Morning the Sth Sept. 1755 between
7 & 8, whites & Indians marched from Camp. King Henry com
manded the Indians & Marched in Front & a Col. "Williams from
New England commanded ye Provincials, they had not marched
4 Miles before the Indians were challenged in ye Iroquois Tongue
who they were; upon which Henery replied, "We are the six con
federate Indn. Nations the Heads & Superiors of all Indn. nations
of the Continent of America, whereupon the French Indian an
swered, we are the 7 confederate Indn. Nations of Canada & we
come in conjunction with our Father the King of France's Troops
13

to fight his Enemies the English without the least Intention to
quarrel or trespass against any Indn. Nation. "We therefor desire
you will keep out of the way lest we transgress & involve ourselves
in a "War among ourselves, whereupon K. Henery answered that
they, the 6 Nations, came to assist their Brethn. the English agst.
the French who were encroaching upon the Territories of the Eng
lish as well as Indians on the Ohio, And it was their place rather
to join them, or at least follow their advice & keep out of Harm's
way &c. Upon which one of Henery's young "Warriors fired upon
the french Indian that spoke behind the Bushes, as were all the
rest of Indns. & French laying on both sides of the High road in
Ambush, and the English & their Indns. stood exposed in the open
Road, & by the Enemy's Fire found themselves in a Manner sur
rounded & overpowered by triple the Number. A hot running
fight then began, Colo. "Williams took possession of a rising Ground,
with some of his Men & defended it for a good while till He &
party were killed whereby the french & their Indians suffered
much. Henery being on Horseback lit off his horse & being
heavy old Man as grey headed as Silver was soon left in the rear
& attempting to gain the Camp on the left where he thought would
meet with no Enemy, unluckily, not far from Camp fell in with
the french Indns. Baggage Gard of young Lads & women who
having no fire Arms sta'd him in the Back with a Spear or Bayo
net, some pretend to say it was committed by a Squaw, the Lads
being too young to attempt it, & by the Manner of his being scalped
it is probable a woman did it, as the scalp being taken off not larger
than an English Crown. The French did not continue their pur
suit all the way to the Camp but halted within ^ Mile upon a
Hight to collect their Men & refresh them for the Assault of our
Camp & while the French General was planning & making his
Disposition for the Attack with the respective Corps of his a Monsr.
St. Pierre Superintendt. of the Canada Indns. came & told the Gen
eral in private, that the Indians were not for a second Attack as they
did not expect so many Indians of the Six Nations with the Eng
lish, with whom they were not at "War & did not choose or incline
to begin a quarrel with them, besides it was not a Custom with
Indns. after having had an Action & made their Enemy give way,
to make a second Attack, but immediately return home with their
Spoil & Trophies & Monsr. St. Pierre at the same time observed
14

that the Canadians in general regulated themselves by the Conduct
of the Indns. when upon "War parties with them. At which Dis
course the french General was greatly vexed & chagrined and re
plied Monsr. St. Pierre that he was determined at all Events to
pursue his Blow with a Saying that as "the Liquor was drawn it
must be drank" And so marched off with his Troops. The Cana
dians were to flank his right & the Indians his left & make a brisk
Assault forcing their way into our Camp however both flanks
moved very slow & the General seeing himself not supported as
he expected & his Troops too few to make a formidable Assault
when within a Musket Shot of the Camp ordered them to file to
the right and left of the Main Road into the Woods, which were
very open & commence a Platoon firing upon the Camp, the Cana
dians & Indians making very little Effort he gave up the Assault
entirely, & his troops beginning to be much gall'd & picked off from
the Camp saw his hopes of Success frustrated & himself having
received a Ball in the Knee, ordered a retreat which was abt. 6
p. m. & was done without much confusion & himself being in
much pain on acct. of his wounded knee lay at the foot of a Tree &
would not suffer himself to be carried off for mere Chagrene. At
the same time the force of the French Canadians & Indns. being
so much superior to ours Genl. Johnson thought it not pradent for
fear a feint to order a pursuit, but kept his Men under Arms at
the Breastwork which consisted chiefly of a Number of Albany
provision Waggons, which Capt. Wraxall General Johnson's aid-
du-Camp & Secretary ordered Mr. Claus before the action to see
ranged in a Line along the Breastwork wch. consisted of some
Trees cut down in a hurry at the front of the Camp in some places
not above a foot & half high & which waggons were the principal
Shelter of our people being shot to a Ridle & completed a few
Minutes before the Attack. Notwithstanding the Orders against
a pursuit, some New Eng. Men for the sake of Plunder went to
the field of action, & one happening to come up to the french Gen
eral laying at the foot of a Tree, the General presented him the
Hilt of his Sword, at which the ignorant wretch was so frightened
that he stept back & fired the whole charge of his Musket consist
ing of a brace of Balls thro the General's Loins, General Johnson
having it reported to him that the french General lay wounded in
the field of Action, ordered a party to bring him to his Marquis
15

(Tent) he was followed by a Monstrous Crowd of whites and
Indns. Mr. Claus was ordered to endeavor to keep off the Indns.
who were very vindictive & troublesome on acct. of the Losses of
their Friends in the Morning Skirmish but Mr. Claus placed him
self at the Tent door telling them, the General was dying. They
then demanded his Watch, Buckles &c. as Trophies, they were
told they could not be come at till he was dead, in short it was
with much Difficulty they were kept off as they did not regard the
provincl. Sentries, The General after taking some weak Drink
wanted much to express his Gratitude, seeing Mr. Qaus so inde
fatigable in defending him agst. the savages. Mr. Claus then spoke
but very little french when the General observed he spoke the
french wth. a german Accent, he spoke the german to him which
surprized Mr. Claus & gave mutual satisfaction, & the Inds. having
at last dropd. their Intrusion & Impatience, General Johnson still
keeping the Troops at the Breastwork Baron Dieskau in a broken
"Voice & full of pain told Mr. Claus he wished the fellow to whom
he offered himself prisoner after the Action had dispatched him
at once, he had received a bad wound in the Knee during the
Action & finding the day lost determined to surrender himself prisr.
to Genl. Johnson but a Provl. Soldier coming up he presented him
his Sword when the fellow drew back aimed at him & drove his
whole charge thro his Loins, which must only bring on a very
painfull lingering Death, and then lamented the Occasion of that
Day's Disaster, laying all the Blame on his Indians & Canadians,
who disobeyed his orders in the Attack of the Morning, for he had
our party entirely surrounded, but when his Indns. saw such a
number of ours & knowing King Henry who led them on, on horse
back, they seemingly were pannic struck & instead of attacking &
demanding our people to surrender (as it would have been Mad
ness in them to refuse) they began to parley with Henery who
seemingly & as above mentioned answered them in such manner
as to damp their & the Canadians' ardor & courage & began the
attack himself, which turned out in a scattered Skirmish & our
men allowed to retreat ; his troops not acquainted with Wood fight
ing, the whole turned out a confused drawn affair, whereas had
his orders been obeyed, he must inevitably have taken the whole
party prisoners & with a Victorious Body abt. 2,000 Men sur
prised us in our open Camp with very little difficulty completed

16

the "Victory ytday having been perfectly acquainted by Prisrs. he
took the Night before, of our whole Strength & Situation, ex
claiming agst. his Indians & Canadians & praising ours, then re
peated their Behaviour & Disobedience, before the Attack of the
Camp, as above mentioned saying if even then they had Acted
a proper part he was pretty sure of Success, being sensible of the
Pannick & Terror our retreating party must have occasioned in
our Camp wch. he knew was defenceless, however he said the Line
of Waggons surprised him. It was now late & Genl. Johnson
came in from the lines to see how the french Genl. did & pleased
to find that he was left quiet & could converse wth Mr. Claus &
the latter expressed his Thanks in having put him under so care-
full a person requesting Mr. Claus' Company as often as it could
be spared wch. Genl. Johnson promised should be complied with.
Next Morning early he was removed to another Tent as Genl.
Johnson's Marquis was the whole Day surrounded with Indns. &
Mr. Claus was ordered to keep as much as possible abt. him ; that
Morning Capt. Bernier his Aid-du-Camp delivered himself up be
ing afeard of the Indns. to come in the Evening before. Baron Dies-
kua seeing himself removed out of the Run of Indns. was now pes
tered with the reproaches of Genl. Lyman who charged his Troops
with firing poisoned Balls the day before as few of his Men that
were wounded in the Morning would recover expostulating very
much with the General, who assured him by Mr. Qaus that upon
his word and honour, he knew no farther than that he gave an
order for such a Quantity of Ball to be delivered out the Kings'
Magazeen, but to no purpose & not withstanding Capt. Bemier's
& Mr. Claus' Entreaties to forbear giving Uneasiness to a Gentn.
in such Pain & Agonies, for he came every day for several days
parading with two large Musquateer Cartridge Boxes slung across
his Body & a french Musket on his Shoulder. And Baron Dieskau
lamenting the different & disagreeable Situation he found himself
in, when two days before he expected to be upon his March to
wards New York, being perfectly acquainted with the distressed
& defenceless Circumstances of all the Colonies and only General
Shirley & his handfull of Troops whom he considered as provin
cials to encounter & even would not mind him but send a suffi
cient party to waylay & secure him. And in case of Success he
was pretty sure of all the Indns. in the British Interest & that

17

himself & all his Troops would march thro the heart of the Coun
try and all the Canadians & Indians who would have readily fol
lowed him from Canada to harass the Country on his Flanks &
provide provisions. The Troops & Indians from Louisburgh St
John's & environs to surprize Boston, those from Fort DuQuesne
with all the Western Indns. (then our enemies) to invade the
middle Southern provinces & they from the Misipi Georgia & the
Carolinas, and a powerful Fleet & Army to join him as soon as
possible at New York. All which he said could not have failed
him to put in Execution chiefly that Fall or in the Course of the
Winter, & France thereby obtained a glorious place, he seemed
to express himself with Emotion & Force, then reclined on his
pillow quite feeble & exhausted pining & complaining of his
wounds, he was for some days kept in Camp until he gathered a
little Strength to be conveyed to Fort Edward in a Litter & from
thence he was to be taken by water, brought to Albany to Sir Wm.
Johnson's house & a few days after in a Sloop to New York. Af
ter having thus luckily got rid & defeated the Designs of the french
agst. the Colonies it was found upon reconnoitering, that the
Strength of the french Army Baron Dieskau left, establishing a
post at Tiyondarogo was by far too formidable to make an at
tempt against, with our sikly & fatigued Army, & it was resolved
in a Council of War to secure what was gained that Campaign,
by establishing a post at Lake George, & a Fort was laid out by
Capn. Eyre of the 44th Regt. Engineer to our Expedn., sent from
Genl. Braddock's Army in July, upon the most defensive Spot of
Ground he could pitch upon near the Lake by the Name of Fort
Wm. Henry. The works were carried on wth. spirit & Activity
so as to make it tenable for the ensuing Winter. Mr. Claus made
different Scouts down the Lake, to reconnoitre the french & their
Operations at Tiyondorogo & Crownpoint who carried on their
Works likewise very briskly, but saw no Appearance of a second
Attack as was often reported, The Camp near Fort Wm. Henry,
broke up the latter End of November and sometime in December
Mr. Claus accompanied General Johnson to New York where
General Shirley was, having some time before arrived there from
Oswego after his fruitless Expedition agst. Niagara, & he lived in
obscurity in a Manner at New York; & on General Johnson's
arrival there, he was received with Acclamations of Joy & Con-

18

gratulation thro every Street he passt; the Shipping firing their
Guns & the greater part of the Town was illuminated; General
Johnson on being conducted by his Friends to his Lodging, partly
in Carriages partly on horseback, his most intimate friends at
tended him to his Room, such as Govr. Pownall of the Jerseys,
Colo. Oliver De Lancey, Mr. Watts, Mr. Secretary Banyar of the
Provce. & Capt. Wraxall.
After saluting & seating themselves Govr. Pownall told Genl.
Johnson in confidence that altho he had been so well rec'd just
now (he made so successful a campn.) that General Shirley &
party were his declared Enemies and going to make serious &
heavy Complaints to the King & Ministry against him laying the
whole Blame upon Him for not having done anything on their
Expdn. on Acct. of his having sent a Belt of Wampum to the Six
Nations clandestinely that not a Man of them would join General
Shirley's Expedn. ; which accordingly was the Case & he had no
Indians & without whom he could not pretend to go on with his
Troops & that he Genl. Johnson had diametrically acted contrary
to his orders & Instructions of which he should officially acquaint
the King's Ministers &c. Genl. Johnson assured the Gentlemn.
present upon his Word & Honor that he was an entire Stranger
to what they were saying & he was very easy in his conscience at
the Affair. The Gentlemn. replied that Genl. Shirley had the very
Belt of Wampum in possession by wch. the 6 Nats, were desired to
follow Gen. Johnson & that it was sent while he was at Albany pre
paring himself for sd. Expedn. ; that Genl. Shirley had good Friends
at Court who would make his Story appear plausible & it might
greatly lessen the Merit of his Success with the King. Gen. John
son persisted positively of having sent no Message by a Belt to
ye 6 Nats, after the Meeting at Fort Johnson where the Number
of Indns. was settled that were to join each Expedn. & that to the
mutual Satisfaction of Genl. Shirley & himself.
Mr. Claus being all the while present during the Altercation &
having never had an Opporty. of acquainting Genl. Johnson of
what passt with Genl.' Shirley & his Affairs while he was at
Albany and how King Henry was likely to be inveigled by Genl.
Shirley at a Council he held in K. H.'s "Village and how Mr. Qaus
prevented his agreeing to G. Shirley's proposal & great Offers &
Henery being convinced of Gl. Shirley's ungenerous & unfair
19

Action towards Gl. Johnson in his absence made Henry take the
Step of sending a Runner with a Belt to the 6 Nats, with an acct. of
G. Shirley's Attempt of oversetting their Arrangement agreed
upon by the united 6 Natn. Chiefs ; positively enjoining the 6 Nats.
not a Man to join G. Shirley on his Expedn. to Niagara but follow
G. Johnson &c., which orders were accordingly obeyed & very few
joined Genl. Shirley. The Company present in G. Johnson's Lodg
ing were astonished at Mr. Claus's Accot. & at once agreed that
must be the clearing up & unfolding of Gl. Shirley's Story &
Complaint and the Gentn. judged it necessary that Mr. Claus Acct.
of the Affair should be distinctly put down in writing and he to
make Affidavit, to inclose sd. Affidt. in his General Report then not
yet made of his Campaign to the Ministry & assign the Reason of
inclosing such an Affidavit, wch. must annull Gl. Shirley's Accusa
tion undubitably ; And wch. accordingly was done. Govr. Pownall
(who expected to succeed & after wards did succeed Gl. Shirley
in his Government), of wch. wth. that & some other Accots. Abt.
Indn. Matters & a Description of Lake George Mr. Claus gave
Govr. Pownall he was so friendly & oblidging as to procure Mr.
Claus a Lieuts. Commissn. after his Arrival in London in the then
raising 6oth or Royl. Regimt. wch. he accordingly obtained in
Deer. 1756 from' Lord L  .* Genl. Johnson in Spring 1756
recvd. a most gracious Answer from His Majy. upon his Report
of the successful Campn. of 1755 with a Diploma & Title of Baro
net & a present of £5000 Sterl. wth. a Superintt's Commission.
Capt. Wraxall Secrry. to Genl. Johnson & the Indn. Deputy was the
Messenger & Bearer of these agreable Dispatches who delivered
them to Him in his Bed Room at Fort Johnson. After reading
the Letters &c. Mr. Claus was called in ye Room and when Genl.
Johnson in ye presence of Ct. Wraxall told him that the Services
he rendered him hitherto and particularly the zealous conduct he
showed in his Absence wth. Regard to frustrating the Designs of
Genl. Shirley's endeavoring to draw all the Six Nations after him,
were of such an interesting Nature as Matters Turned out both
to the interest of the public as in particular his own, that he
desired Mr. Claus to ask of him any thing whatsoever he had in
his power to give and take some time to consider about it. Mr.
Claus made a Bow, thanking Sir William for the Compliment &
•Illegible in original manuscript.

would consider about it and leaving the Room his Mind was so
agitated and surprized upon the Occasion that he retired to his
Room to sit down at a Loss what to say or do.
The first Object that presented itself to his Mind was a certain
young Lady he paid his Addresses to for some time past who
seemd. not to be averse to them & Mr. Claus flattered himself that
Sir Wms. Consent was only wanting to complete the Matter, made
that the first Object of his request from Sr. Wm. & proposed the
Matter first to her. She told Mr. Qaus that all the objection she
had was that she thought it rather too early to change her Condi
tion particularly at a Time of War wch. was uncertain how it
might turn out, desiring Mr. Claus to put it off to a more con
venient & quiet time He was quite satisfied with her Discourse
upon the Occasion and dropd. thoughts of saying anything then
to Sr. Wm. sometime after Sr. Wm. asked him to take a Ride to
Canajoharee and on his Return asked him whether he had thought
of the Offer he made him before Captn. Wraxall. he said he had
not. He then said he would propose a thing to him if agreable that
as he had a Lieutenancy in the 6oth Regt., he was ready to advance
him the purchase Money of a Company asking the then regulated
price of the Army. Mr. Claus answered it was ^1500 sterl. And
Sr. Wm. told him to give in his Name for a purchase and that
he might draw upon him for that Sum whenever he pleased or
lodge it in some safe hand. Mr. Qaus accepted his Offer most
gratefully and said the Money was in safe hand with him untill
a purchase offered. And accordingly gave in his Name to Baron
de Munster Majr. of 4th Battn. 60th or Royl. American Regt.
And no Company offering to be purchased in Mr. Claus's Turn
till Spring 1761 when Capt. Willyamor of sd. Battn. obtained
Leave of selling his Compy. Sr. Jeffery Amherst then Commander
in Chief permitted Mr. Claus to purchase and he drew upon Sr.
Wm. Johnson for £800 Sterl. : in part of the Offer leaving the
remaining £700 in Sr. Wms. hands wch. he does not doubt Sr.
Wms. Estate will honorably discharge.

N B : "Vide the Continuation of these Memoirs in the Explana
tion of Mr. Claus' Services to be given to tlie Commissioners ap
pointed by Parliament to enquire into Loyalists' past Services car
ried on from 1755 to 1782.

Report of the
Lake George Memorial Executive
Committee.
Your Excellency, the Governor, and Gentlemen of the Society of
Colonial Wars :
I have the honor to present, for your favorable consideration,
the report of the Committee on Lake George Celebration. The
work of this committee commenced with the signing of the con
tract for the pedestal of the monument to be erected at Lake
George, in commemoration of the Battle of Lake George, won
September Sth, 1755.
An Executive Committee was appointed, consisting of Howland
Pell, chairman ; Morris P. Ferris, secretary ; Lansdale Boardman,
treasurer, and Clarence Storm. Owing to the severe illness of Mr.
Boardman, and his subsequent death, Mr. Storm was appointed
treasurer. Sub-committees as follows were appointed : Committee on Mili
tary Affairs, Major General Charles F. Roe, chairman ; Committee
on Transportation, Morris P. Ferris, chairman ; Local Committee,
Henry W. Hayden, chairman ; Reception Committee, James Will
iam Beekman, chairman ; Citizens' Auxiliary Committee, Colonel
J. L. Cunningham, chairman. Each committee promptly took up
the work assigned to it, and with their active co-operation the
success of the celebration was assured.
Invitations to participate in the ceremonies with their troops
were sent to the Governors of New York, Connecticut, Massa
chusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and "Vermont, and to
prominent individuals interested in the affair. The invitations
were accepted by the States of New York, Connecticut, Massa
chusetts and "Vermont, which were represented by their Govern
ors and troops.
The program for the celebration was carried out in every detail.
Through the courtesy of the Honorable William Cary Sanger,

Acting Secretary of War, the participation of United States troops
in the ceremonies was secured. An order was issued by Major
General Qiaffee, ordering the attendance of artillery, cavalry and
infantry. The Local Committee, under Mr. Hayden, prepared the grounds
for the celebration by clearing off the underbrush and debris, and
converted what was practically a desolate waste into an open
space, and erected thereon a suitable stand. They also prepared
the camp ground on the west side of the lake, clearing the land
and installing a complete supply of water for the troops.
The exercises began on Saturday, September the 5th, by the
arrival of Company K, Second Regiment, from Glens Falls, who
established the camp, which was named Camp Williams by General
Roe, in honor of Colonel Ephraira Williams, who was killed in the
battle. The Executive Committee also arrived on that date and
found many members of the Society already located there.
Sunday, September the 6th, Companies B and G from the
Seventy-first Regiment, New York City, and a section of artillery
from 'the First Battery arrived early in the morning and were
followed, a few hours later, by Troop I, Second U. S. Cavalry,
from Fort Ethan Allen, "Vermont. During the morning the troops
went into camp. Many of the members attended special services in
the churches in the village, held in commemoration of the event.
The hotels and many buildings were elaborately decorated with
flags and bunting, and the streets filled with visitors. In the after
noon a steamboat excursion up Lake George was given to the
members of the Society and the troops.
Monday, September the 7th, a Company of U. S. Infantry
from Plattsburg Barracks, New York ; Company F, Second Mas
sachusetts, from Pittsfield, and the First and Second Companies,
Governor's Foot Guard of Connecticut, arrived in the morning by
special trains. The Governor of New York and his staff arrived
at ten A. M. on a special train, and he was received at the station
by the Executive Committee and was escorted to the hotel by
Troop I, Second U. S. Cavalry, where he was received by Mr.
Beekman and Mr. De Peyster, of the Reception Committee. A
few minutes later, Govemor Chamberlain, of Connecticut, and staff
also arrived in a special train and were escorted to the hotel by
Troop I and the Governor's Foot Guard, where he was received
23

by Govemor Odell and the Reception Committee. Lieutenant
Governor Guild and staff, of Massachusetts, arrived about four
o'clock in a special train, and he was received at the station by
the Executive Committee and escorted to the hotel by Troop I and
the Massachusetts troops, where he was received by Governor
Odell and the Reception Committee. Governor McCullough, of
Vermont, and his staff, with members of the Vermont Society of
Colonial Wars, arrived by the afternoon boat and were received
at the wharf by the Executive Committee and escorted to the
hotel by Troop I, where he was received by Governor Odell and
the Reception Committee.
In the evening a brilliant reception was held by the four Gov
ernors and their staffs, and a ball was given afterwards, tendered
to the members of the society and their guests. The beautiful
costumes of the ladies, the brilliant uniforms of the officers and
the scarlet coats of the Foot Guards presented a scene which will
long be remembered by those fortunate enough to be present.
Tuesday, September Sth, a review of all the troops present
was tendered by General Roe to the visiting Governors. The
Albany Burgesses Corps and their band, with Senator Depew,
arrived about ii a. m. The Senator was received and escorted
to the hotel by Troop I. Proper salutes were fired on the arrival
of each Governor and Senator Depew by the detail from the
First Battery.
The society gave a lunch to the visiting guests at twelve
o'clock, and at one o'clock the line of march for the site of the
monument was taken up. The procession was headed by Major
General Roe and Troop I, Second United States Cavalry, under
Captain Stevens. The officers of the New York Society, the Exec
utive Committee, and the officers of the General Society were in
the leading carriages with the society flags, borne by sergeants
of the Seventy-first Regiment, acting as escort to their guests.
The Governors followed in open carriages in order of precedence,
Senator Depew with Governor Odell, with their State colors
displayed by orderlies. Each Governor's carriage was followed
by carriages containing the especially invited guests, the presi
dent of Williams College and a committee from the faculty,
officers of the General Society and State societies of the Colonial
Wars and delegations from the Society of the Cincinnati, Sons

24

of the Revolution, Saint Nicholas, Historical and other societies.
Then followed a column of infantry and members of the society.
Sons of the Revolution with their banners, and citizens.
On reaching the site of the monument the program was car
ried out as arranged, on a covered stand from which were dis
played the national flag and flag of the New York Society of
Colonial Wars. In front of the stand was a roped-in inclosure
containing five hundred chairs for the members and guests.
The monument was unveiled by the four Governors. The
ceremonies were over at a little after five o'clock, and the pro
cession returned to the hotel in the same order in which it arrived,
and the most successful function that this society has ever carried
out was at an end.
The thanks of the society are especially due to Major General
Charles F. Roe for the successful manner in which the military
manoeuvres were carried out, and to all the troops who partici-
pated-in the celebration, but especially to Troop I, Second United
States Cavalry, for their services as escorts and for orderly
duty in connection with the parade, and to the detachment from
the First Battery, under Lieutenant Schmidt, for firing the
salutes, and also to the companies of the Seventy-first Regiment,
which came from New York at their own expense.
Much of the success of the celebration was due to the fine
weather with which we were favored and to the excellent railroad
arrangement. It is estimated that there were about 10,000 per
sons, including 700 troops and about 200 members of the society,
present. There was no disorder of any kind, nor were any acci
dents reported, but all those present gave earnest attention to the
speeches and signified their approval by applause and cheers.
The committee had a commemorative medal struck off in
bronze and white metal, which was presented to the members
of the society and their guests. A bronze medal was given to
each officer and a white metal medal to each soldier as a souvenir
of the occasion.
The chairman begs to present this report, and takes this oppor
tunity of extending his thanks to the chairmen of the sub-com
mittees. The success of the celebration is entirely due to their
interest and earnest work in carrying out all the details, which
will be presented in their reports. 25

Too much credit cannot be given to Mr. Albert Weinert, the
sculptor; Mr. Hayden, Mr. Ferris and Mr. Storm for the skilful
manner in which they performed their duties in connection with
this event, and the society is to be congratulated on having a
most artistic monument and a magnificent celebration which will
always be remembered in the historic region of Lake George.
Respectfully submitted, Howland Pell, Chairman.
New York, December 19th, 1903.

26

NATIVE TROOPS
IN OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
Paper read by Major Louis Livingston Seaman, M. D., before
a court of the society, March 21st, 1904:
Governor Beekman and Fellow-Members of the Society of
Colonial Wars : Over five years have now elapsed since the
Islands of Porto Rico, the Philippines group and those of the Sulu
archipelago came into the possession of the United States. As
the policy of our Government to permanently retain these lands
seems now to be established — that where the flag floats there it
shall remain — the time has arrived for the authorities of our
country to decide a military question of the gravest importance,
namely, whether our island possessions in the tropics shall be
garrisoned by troops sent from this country, or whether native
troops shall be recruited for this purpose. Involved in this ques
tion are considerations of climate and subsistence; of vast ex
penses for transportation of men and food; of expenditures for
wages and future pensions ; of intricate hospital arrangements
involving elaborate establishments, mutually dependent, but thou
sands of miles apart. For the solution of a similar problem in
China the experiences of Great Britain at Wei Hai Wei are
luminous in purpose and results and most timely for immediate
application to this country's needs, especially in the Philippines.
It is worth while to study with the utmost care what England
has done with her native battalion at Wei Hai Wei.
Forty miles to the eastward of Chefoo, where in the year 1895,
with the guns of the Russian fleet clearing for action, the treaty
of Shimonoseki was ratified by China and Japan, lies the harbor
of Wei Hai Wei. It is a bay formed by a sharp break in the
rugged coast line, and is protected at its entrance by the Island
of Liu Kung Toa. Nature has been liberal to China in the mat
ter of shelters to commerce, robbing the eastern shores of the
27

Pacific that she might furnish the western with magnificent
har'Dors and bays. Of these Wei Hai Wei takes easily primary
rank, with its capacious, deep, mud-bottomed harbor and its nat
ural defenses.
Wei Hai Wei (pronounced as though it were written Way
High Way) was founded in the reign of the Emperor Hung
Wu, of the last (Ming) dynasty, about A. D. 1399. The third
syllable — for there are three syllables rather than three words —
means a walled military post; the first, though homophonous,
means to awe, or, as we would say, to overawe ; the middle mem
ber of the name is the word for sea. Thus Wei Hai Wei is the
"Terror of the Sea," so called because it was used as a base from
which to subdue the pirates that infested the neighboring seas.
From present indications it seems highly probable it will continue
its interest for some time, and for the same reason.
It is on these historic shores that the experiment of transform
ing the Chinaman into a modern fighting machine has been suc-
cessfulh' made by the newcomers, while the military experts of
the world are watching the results with increasing interest. And
since our policy to retain permanent possession of our new insular
colonies now seems fixed, we, too, should be especially interested
in the experiment from a military as well as an economic point
of view. Wherever the flag of England floats there you will find
her defenses maintained by native guardians. The flower of her
army is not consumed in colonial garrisons. In India the Gurkhas
and Sikhs, officered by Englishmen, form her defenders. In
Egypt the Baggaras, transformed by the skill of Kitchener, rout
the forces of the Mahdi. In the Windward and Leeward Islands
and Jamaica native regiments (blacks) are employed exclusively ;
so, too, in Australia and Canada her soldiers are mostly native
born, and in South Africa, until the outbreak of the Transvaal
war, Zulus, supplemented by a small contingent of English troops,
maintained her defenses and security. Where, indeed, would
England be to-day were it not for these native forces, who pro
tected her colonial empire when her own soldiers were engaged
in the Transvaal hostilities? Quick in her perception of this
great advantage, she no sooner got possession of her new sphere
in China than she at once set about organizing a means of defense
by utilizing the material at hand, knowing that if successful she
28

could at once eliminate two of the greatest problems besetting
an army on a foreign shore — ^that of acclimatization and of sub
sistence, with the attendant dangers of climatic and epidemic dis
eases. It was my good fortune to visit Wei Hai Wei in 1899 and to
meet Colonel C. H. Bower, R. A. — to whose genius had been
intrusted the serious experiment of transforming native Chinese
from mild-mannered coolies to modern soldiers — ^to witness many
of their drills, and to get from Colonel Bower's own lips his
account of the work. He approached the task with many mis
givings, but after six months of patient work his views changed
radically. The First Battalion, Chinese Regiment, recruited dur
ing that year, numbered at the time of my visit 360 men, all from
the Shan Tung Province, where the finest specimens of physical
development of China are to be found. These men were enlisted
for three years, under the regular provisions of the British army
act, for service in any part of the world. Their average height
is five feet eight inches, with a chest development of thirty-eight
inches — a standard higher than that of the regular British army
to-day. Three companies of 120 men each were well advanced
in training. The organization of the company in detail is similar
to that in the United States Army. All the commissioned officers
are British, but the non-commissioned staff, with the exception
of one sergeant major, one color sergeant, one orderly room clerk
and one armor sergeant, are Chinese.
It is certainly wonderful what a few months' hard work accom
plished in "licking these 'rookies' into shape." Colonel Bower
assured me that while originally he was far from being impressed
with the idea of making soldiers of the Chinese — indeed, he was
decidedly prejudiced against even such an attempt — experience
had convinced him of his error, and that he was now becoming an
optimist. The initial processes of drilling were tedious and
required much patience on the part of the drill master; but the
men soon learned to respect their superiors and became attached
personally to them ; and the officers, having once gained the con
fidence of the men, could do almost anything with them. Dis-
cipHne was maintained with but little use of the guardroom, and
drunkenness was unknown. Even a Chinese coolie and a Filipino
have a contempt for a drunkard. 29

These Chinese recruits are remarkably respectful, orderly, docile
and learn their tactics well; but the greatest patience has to be
exercised with them until they fully understand their positions
and are brought to a realization of their responsibilities, of which
in their early days they seem to have no understanding. For
more than six thousand years the Chinaman has followed his
own method, and it is difficult to make him realize the importance
of precision in military affairs. For instance, when a leave of
seventy-two hours is given him he will return perhaps in ninety-
six, thinking it is all right. What's the difference? He cannot
be made to see it. "Came back all right ; three days all the same
four, so long as he did come back." But when put in the guard
room for a week and made to do extra labor his sleeping sense
of duty is awakened and he does not repeat the offense. Not
withstanding that the drills at Wei Hai Wei have been very
severe, desertions were unknown, although opportunity could be
found easily, as the British concession of sphere of influence
¦extends only ten miles inland. The uniform of the troops is
rather picturesque — straw hats in the extreme heat of summer,
to be replaced by turbans in winter; khaki blouses and breeches
for the summer, to be exchanged for rough Irish frieze in winter ;
red cummerbunds, and putties instead of leggins, with the regu
lar artillery boot of the British army.
Colonel Bower was especially enthusiastic over the results of
his men's musketry practice at the rifle butts. At the time of
my visit they had been trained for short range work only, one,
two and three hundred yards; but their scores had been exceed
ingly gratifying, better even than those of the average British
soldier after an equal amount of practice, to the great astonish
ment of all the officers of the regiment.
The cost of these troops to the British Government is another
surprise. Their ration consists of one catty of rice (1.33 pounds),
one-third catty of flour daily, and one pound of meat once a week.
The cost of this to the British Govenment is $2.15 (Mexican) a
month; the soldier's pay is $8.09 (Mexican) a month, making
the entire cost to the Government for the soldier and subsistence
$10.24 (Mexican), or $5.00 gold a month. All vegetables and
luxuries are purchased by the soldier at his own expense. The
Tiealth of the men was excellent. Since the organization of the
30

regiment there had not been one death, or a serious case of intes
tinal disease, although the period included the most inclement
season of the year. Colonel Bower was convinced that with a
year or two more of training his men would be equal to any
soldiers in the world.
At the time of my visit the battalion had its first experience in
fighting fire. A conflagration occurred in the old city. On such
occasions it is the custom of the natives to sit by supinely, watch
ing the progress of the flames, even though a whole city may
be in a blaze, or to indulge in looting. But the English officers
were on the scene quickly with the Chinese battalion, a fire brigade
was organized promptly, water was passed up in buckets and the
fire put under control, while the populace stood by and marveled.
Within a year of their enlistment these troops successfully
stood the crucial test of leading a charge. In a sharp action with
a vastly superior force of Boxers — the same who a year later
menaced the safety of the Chinese Empire in the Provinces of
Shan Tung and Pi Chi Li, and about Tien-Tsin and the imperial
city, Peking — the Chinese battalion, with their British officers,
quickly routed the enemy, killing sixty and capturing a large
quantity of arms. Their own casualties amounted to only two,
both British officers, who were wounded. The further develop
ment of the Boxer rebellion, resulting in the occupation of Taku,
Tien-Tsin and Peking by the allied armies of Europe and America
in 1900, afforded a rare opportunity for attesting the allegiance
of the Chinese Battalion. Let it not be forgotten that Liu Kung
Tao, Lau Chau and the old city of Wei Hai Wei, where the Chi
nese Battalion was recruited, are located in the Shan Tung Prov
ince, which was the very hotbed of the Boxer uprising. The fol
lowing is an extract from my journal of a conversation with
Colonel Bower in Tien-Tsin on the 7th day of March, 1901.
Colonel Bower was at that time the Imperial Commissioner repre
senting Great Britain in the government in Tien-Tsin. Replying
to my question regarding the battalion, he said :
"No, there are practically no desertions from the battalion,
although the men were subjected to terrible temptations. You
know in China parental love, Fung Shui, and ancestral worship
are held as sacred tenets. When the Boxer movement was in
its incipiency the families, priests and friends of my men resorted
31

to every persuasion and threat to induce them to desert, but with
out success. Finally they organized an attack and placed the
fathers of my men in their front ranks, so that, should the men
shoot, they would become parricides — guilty of the most heinous
crime known in the Orient. But in the fight that followed they
cut their way through the two thousand attacking Boxer rabble,
killed many and routed the remainder to the hills. Encouraged
by this evidence of loyalty, I took two of my three companies
to Taku and joined General Seymour's column in its advance
on Tien-Tsin. In the fighting that followed from June 20th to
July 14th the men did excellent work, losing in action twenty-six
killed and fifty-six wounded. One ofl[icer was killed and two
severely wounded. Fearing trouble, I ordered roll call every
hour after reaching Tien-Tsin. Two men were supposed to have
deserted, but later investigations showed that one had been taken
prisoner and the other killed. The most remarkable thing that
happened was with the company left at Wei Hai Wei. These
men were so chagrined and disappointed at being left behind, and
so determined to participate in the fighting, that almost the entire
command deserted and fought their way through nearly fifty
miles of hostile country to join their companions at Tien-Tsin,
where I kept them until active hostilities ceased. On returning
to Wei Hai Wei I shall renew recruiting, and expect to largely
increase the number of our Chinese force."
Hitherto we have been accustomed to laugh at the soldiery of
China ; but the fact that her soldiery is a laughing stock on account
of lack of training and bad generalship proves nothing against
the Chinaman's courage. Fortunately, there can be no question
of his innate bravery. For a consideration, or when convinced
that he is right, he puts the fear of death entirely out of his mind.
Like the negro, the Egyptian or the Malay, all the Chinaman
wants is the inspiration and leadership of resolute white officers.
Conspicuous examples of their personal bravery are not lacking
in the official reports of our own officers in the Philippines, nota
ble those of Lieutenant Batson, of Major Bell, of Captain Saw-
telle of General McArthur's staff, of Colonel Powell and Captain
Durfee of the Seventeenth Infantry, and of Major Shields, Surgeon
of the California Volunteers. My own observations on the firing
line confirm these opinions. The Chinese drivers or litter bearers
32

were as absolutely unconcerned under fire as though out in a
snow-storm, and they obeyed their orders implicitly.
An incident illustrating the bravery of the coolie occurred at
the battle of Malolas, in Luzon. An American soldier had fallen
at the front; two coolies had rushed forward with their litter,
consisting of a little hammock swung from a pole, and were bring
ing the man back to the dressing station, when a bullet pierced
the thigh of one of the litter-bearers. He continued on, however,
as though nothing had happened, until he deposited his charge
beside the improvised operating table. Not until some time later
was it found that the coolie was wounded severely and suffering
intense pain. He endured it all with the patience and stoicism of
his race, and expressed surprise that attention should be bestowed
upon him at all ; he had expected to be left by the wayside.
That the yellow and black races make excellent fighting material
when properly officered by whites has been proved conclusively
in innumerable instances. In our own army at San Juan Hill,
the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth United States Infantry and
Tenth Cavalry, negro troops, led by their gallant white American
officers, did as effective work as any men, regulars or volunteers,
in the field. Nor did their heroism cease there. Later, when that
more dreaded enemy, yellow fever, appeared in every camp, and
when volunteers were called for to nurse the sick and dying and
to bury the dead, it was these men of the negro regiments who
responded to the call, notwithstanding that their numbers had
been terribly reduced in the battle only a few days before, and
the fatal pestilence was raging in their own ranks. One hundred
and twelve of these martyrs succumbed to the disease, but they
quavered not in the hour of danger.
Nor is this record for fearlessness in the so-called inferior races
confined to our own army. What did Kitchener do with the
Egyptian peasants who for centuries had been regarded as menials
and cowards ? By tactics similar to those now being followed by
Colonel Bower with the Chinese at Wei Hai Wei, he transformed
them into cavalrymen, who not only successfully resisted, but
charged and broke the bloodthirsty followers of the Mahdi and
defeated them with terrible slaughter. Fifteen years ago the idea
of making a soldier of an Egyptian would have been ridiculed
as a practical joke by military men. Training and the inspiration
33

of leadership won the victtwias,. and the Egyptian soldier of to
day has his place in history.
The experience of "Chinese" Gordon at the taking of Taku
forts in i860 is eloquent in its showing of the individual bravery
of the Chinaman. Large numbers of coolies were pressed into
his service as cooks, litter-bearers and for transportation purposes.
Arriving at the moats surrounding the forts, these slaves of duty
seized the scaling ladders, rushed into the water neariy neck-deep,
and in the face of a galling rifle and artillery fire placed the lad
ders on their shoulders from man to man, thus forming a con
tinuous bridge supported by human pillars, and let the British
army walk over their heads to the other side of the moat. Then,
rushing from the. water with their ladders, they ran to the walls
of the fortress, and were the first to scale their ramparts. Thus
was courage inspired, and thus did it become contagious, even
as panic and disaster would have resulted had the leadership failed.
Nor has Spain been without experience in the use of native
troops in her colonies, in the very place where this urgent military
question must be met and solved by the United States, namely,
in the Philippines. Spain placed strong reliance in her native
Filipino troops, of whom, when Manila fell, she had about five
thousand. They were among her best disciplined and bravest
troops, familiar with the country, its warfare, its dangers and its
ambuscades, in excellent health and thoroughly acclimated, speak
ing the language of the country, free from danger of tropical dis
eases, and subsisting on native foods. Our failure to secure them
for service under the American flag was promptly taken advan
tage of by the wily Aguinaldo, who, upon condition of their swear
ing fealty to him and entering his army, promised them immunity
from their countrymen and reward for their service. It was only
a short time before the entire force was under his control, almost
every soldier being made an officer in the Filipino ranks. It was
in this way that Aguinaldo was enabled to create the disciplined
array that was destined to cope with our army of over fifty thou-
and men.
In view of our failure to secure the trained Spanish-Filipino
soldiers, and considering the suspicion that exists, and will prob
ably continue to exist, toward us among the natives of these isl
ands, the experiment of Great Britain with the Chinese Battalion

34

at Wei Hai Wei is of signal concern to the United States. In
our Philippine possessions there are already more than one hundred
thousand Chinese, who form by far the most industrious class
of the inhabitants. The Chinese mestizo (half Chinese and half
Filipino) is acknowledged to be superior to the Eurasian, or to
the mestizos of the Oriental cross, Japanese, Hindoo, or Bornese.
Many of them are wealthy bankers or merchants. Others are
engaged as compradors and clerks, banking houses employing
them almost to the exclusion of other nationalities, on account of
their quick wit, sterling honesty, industry and individual merit.
As in the Hawaiian Islands, they form the most valuable element
of the population. The Chinese-Hawaiian half-caste is the keenest
business man and the most industrious citizen to be found in those
islands. The exclusion of the Chinese laborer in that land will
do inestimable damage in retarding industrial and commercial de
velopment. Despite his fanaticism when directed by ignorant rul
ers, he has shown his superiority over other Orientals in his un
tiring industry, his domesticity, and his honesty.
In the large foreign hongs of China and Japan he is the trusted
employee in places requiring responsibility. When put in compe
tition with the Bornese, the Filipino, the Singalese, the Hawaiian,
the Japanese or the Indian, he invariably wins, as may be seen
by his rise from poverty to wealth and influence, in the cities of
Singapore, Calcutta, Sandakan, Manila, Honolulu or Yokohama.
It is time the world recognized that in the great race of civiliza
tion, and the greater race for the survival of the fittest, the nation
that has preserved the integrity of its government for over six
thousand yea.rs, that has witnessed the rise and fall of the civiliza
tion of Chaldea, Egypt, Greece and Rome ; that can claim the dis
covery of the compass, of gunpowder, the game of chess, and the
printing press, is more to be feared for its virtues than its vices.
The presence of the Chinaman in the Philippines, as in the Ha
waiian Islands, will do more to promote the industrial develop
ment of these colonies than any other single factor. His exclu
sion was a diplomatic blunder, to be rated with our failure to
secure the army of Filipinos trained by Spain, and the discharge
of the Civil Guard of Manila, five hundred strong, all of whom
immediately entered the service of Aguinaldo ; and the irrational
rationing of our troops, which did, and is still doing, so much to
35

invalid and decimate our army. Our new possessions are tropical.
To attribute to climate the diseases of the islands is an error due
to ignorance and custom. The vast majority of ailments credited
to climate have their origin in the use of improper foods, over
feeding, or the abuse of stimulants.
In 1898 and 1899 it was my misfortune to see two great armies
— one in our own southern country, Cuba and Porto Rico, and one
in the Philippine Islands— largely invalided, through culpable ig
norance or neglect, by improperly subsisting the troops. To the
eternal disgrace of our medical and commissary departments it will
be remembered that, when entire regiments were suffering from
stomach and intestinal catarrhs, from diarrhoea and other intes
tinal ailments (and I have seen more than seventy-five per cent.
of an entire command in this condition at one time), they were
subsisted on a ration of rich meats, pork and beans, tomatoes and
other foods that aggravated the diseases, crowded the hospital
tents, and left men weak and emaciated, so that their return to
health was a prolonged struggle. Taps and the last volley were
often the only reward many a poor soldier received for his patriot
ism. Dr. John Ordonaux, Emeritus Professor of Medical Jurispru
dence in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, served with dis
tinction forty years ago in our War of the Rebellion as a volun
teer surgeon. It was at that time that the famous saying, "Beans
killed more than bullets," arose. In round numbers the mortality
from bullets, directly and indirectly, was one hundred thousand,
while that from disease was five hundred thousand or five to one.
Commenting on this fact thirty-seven years ago, that "the ration
served our troops in the South was the same in winter as in sum
mer," Dr. Ordonaux said:
"By proper disposition of his diet, man lives as healthfully under
the Equator as under the Pole. The East Indian with his rice and
yams, and the Esquimo with his seal blubber and putrid fish, are
both healthy enough in their respective climates, but let them once
change residences without changing their diet, and what would
be the consequence ? The Esquimo would be attacked with putrid
fever, and the East Indian would die of inanition.
"We perceive from this the absolute necessity of modifying all
forms of diet in such a way as to accommodate them to the physi-
36

ological requirements of varying seasons. For habit is not ac
quired as against laws of chemical combination, and no man can
become habituated to doing that with impunity which, being a
violation of the physiological laws of his system, is, by its frequent
admonitions of pain, notifying him of the evils about to overtake
him. "As the ration bill now stands, it presents us with too concen
trated a form of diet for continued use. It abounds in fibrine,
gluten, and fat, without, however, a sufficiency in starch, mucilage,
gelatin, and acids. Aromatic herbs and spices, without which
health cannot for any length of time be preserved, particularly in
hot climate or seasons, are entirely omitted, while fat pork, an
article contra-indicated in summer both by the state of the appe
tite and the physiological necessities of the system, stands as a
sheet anchor of its animal food."
And of what avail was this prophetic warning? The ration
table of the United States Army in the Spanish-American War
was substantially the same as that during the Rebellion.
From the dawn of history experience has shown that, in time
of war, disease is a far more deadly foe to an army than the bullets
of an enemy. In the war of the Crimea the French lost in killed
21,000, and from disease 100,000, or about one from bullets and
wounds to five from disease. The English losses in that dreadful
campaign ran a little higher, the proportion between fatalities from
bullets and wounds, and that from disease, being one to six.
In our Civil War, about the same proportions were maintained
— one to five. In round numbers, 100,000 men fell on the field
or died from wounds, and 500,000 perished in hospital wards from
the more fatal enemy — disease.
But it has been reserved for the Spanish- American War to cause
a blush of shame and indignation at the apathy and stupidity
which have permitted preventable diseases to play such havoc with
the army. In the campaign, the actual hostilities of which lasted
from July i to August 12, about six weeks, the mortality from
bullets and wounds amounted to 268, while that from disease
reached the appalling number of 3,862, or about fourteen to one.
With proper subsistence and sanitation these proportions, for such
a short service, should have been reversed.

37

With the prospect of an indefinite military occupation of our
insular colonies, and the decimating policy of irrationally subsist
ing the troops still in force, it behooves the United States to follow
the example of England and to resort to the only reasonable course
left open for the maintenance of our army in the Orient, namely,
the utilization of native troops. Most authorities agree that it
will require a garrison of at least twenty (20) thousand men to
maintain order in the Philippines. In the opinion of others it will
require more than that number to bring order out of chaos, to
establish law in the various provinces and to maintain its su
premacy. The United States now has eighteen regiments in the Philip
pines, whose term of service expires at various times. Many of
the enlisted men will wish to return home at the expiration of that
time; some will be willing to re-enlist. The commissioned offi
cers retain their places permanently. I would suggest that such
of the enlisted men, not exceeding one-third, as desire their dis
charge on account of sickness or for other causes be allowed to
leave the service. Then, from the third battalions of each regi
ment, all the enlisted men, excepting a few non-commissioned of
ficers in each company, be transferred to the other two battalions,
thus filling them to their full strength. Enlist one battalion of
Chinese, or of native friendly Filipinos (Macabees or Ilocanos) to
each regiment, making the composition of each regiment two bat
talions of white and one battalion of native troops, with white
officers throughout, and a certain proportion of white non-com
missioned officers in each native company. At such time as the
authorities deem advisable, transform a second battalion of white
to native troops in a similar manner. Then, when the proper time
arrives and the success of the move is demonstrated, transform the
third battalion of each regiment, and, as circumstances may justify,
replace such of the white non-commissioned officers as may seem
best for the interests of the service by native non-commissioned
officers, but keep white commissioned officers, first, last and all
the time.
Published statistics recently furnished by Congress state that
the cost of the army in the Philippines is about $100,000,000 per
year. It is easily within reason to declare that each fighting man
costs the Government over $500 gold a year, for pay, subsistence,
38

cost of transportation service and medical attendance, without any
calculation for his future pension claim. The pay of the American
soldier in the Philippines is sixteen dollars, gold, a month. His
ration costs far more, when the enormous wastage and cost of
transportation are calculated. It is no uncommon incident for entire
cargoes of beef to be lost in transportation across the Pacific. I
know of three such instances that came under my personal obser
vation. And in calculating the cost of the American soldier no
mention has been made of the expenses of hospitals with their
medical staffs, nurses, orderlies, helpers, etc., all of which add
enormously to the expenditure.
The native Chinaman or Filipino can be enlisted in unlimited
numbers for ten dollars a month, Mexican, and can be subsisted
for four dollars more. Additional expenditures for transportation,
etc., might cost two dollars more, making a total of less than
fourteen dollars a month, or not more than $i68, gold, a year, or
about one-third of our present expenditure, and with no danger
from an everlasting pension claim in the future.
All the troops employed by Great Britain in the China Relief
Expedition were Indian, most of them Gurkas, Sikhs, Belucfiis,
and Royal Bengal Lancers. Colonel Shone, who has long been
an officer of the Royal Engineers in the Imperial Army of India,
said to me :
"It would be quite impossible to maintain order in India without
the employment of natives who can endure conditions in the tropics
which would soon annihilate white troops. England has found it
advisable to keep an army of 75,000 British troops, with 150,000
natives for her protection there. Too many of one tribe should
not be employed in one locality ; at least one-third should be white
troops. Had this precaution been observed there never would have
been a Sepoy rebellion or an Indian mutiny."
In an interview with Li Hung Chang, at his palace in Peking,
some months prior to the outbreak of the Boxer uprising in 1900,
he assured me that China would interpose no objection to the
enlistment of her subjects in the American army. But if, in the
present crisis, such recruits are not considered desirable, there are
many friendly Filipinos to be substituted. Great Britain recruits
her ranks from various tribes or castes in India, and tribal hatreds
are often utilized in the pacification of outbreaks among the na-
39

fives. The same policy can be advantageously followed by us in
the Philippines, where the friendly tribes of Ilocanos and Macabees
are the implacable foes of the rebellious Tagals and Moros.
England has a great advantage over the United States in colo
nial government and in colonial military aft'airs, in that there is
not always a home party in opposition, wanting to apply the Con
stitution to the natives, telling the discontents that as soon as their
party gets control all complaints and wrongs will be rectified. The
Home Government acts as a unit and with a consistency that chal
lenges the admiration of the world.
It remains to be seen whether by the liberal utilization of native
troops we shall save the flower of our army for service at home,
and preserve it from degrading conditions and diseases that too
often are brought to this country by returning troops.
Fifty-seven thousand, seven hundred and ninety-nine invalid
applications, and 8,445 "widows' applications had been filed in the
Pension Bureau at Washington, up to June 20, 1903, on account
of service in the war with Spain and the insurrection in the Philip
pine Islands.
As the figures given in the Adjutant-General's report show that
in the Philippines about five men die from disease for one who
falls in battle, and that the casualties there, in 1901, amounted to
3,493, to say nothing of the enormous number invalided home to
swell the pension rolls, it also remains to be seen how much longer
the American people will submit to this unnecessary waste of our
home material, when, for a large percentage of the loss, colonial
forces can be equally well substituted.

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