Scalp Act

Thursday was spent tying up some loose ends and arranging some trips for the weekend. Then had lunch with Peter Onuf - The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Professor at UVA. Mr 18th Century Guy from a radio programme he does. Told him about how I had based my talk on his video link I had gone to where he kept talking about context and the so what? factor - so I explained about the context of the rise and fall of the tobacco lords and the so what? as to the Virginia Ratification Convention.
I was talking about the Donalds in America and said "we" which he immediately picked up on as veneration of our ancestors, and said that it was normally Americans who go to Europe to do this - not the other way around. I explained my obvious paranoia that I wasn't just doing genealogical  research, but hoped the picture of Alexander Donald I was building up was a good enough story to interest people out with the Donald clan, and should I change my name to Jamie Douglas or even Jamie Duncan, both of which Andrew at the centre keeps calling me funnily enough, just to stop that? He was very polite and said it was and then gave me some other contacts.
When we left lunch met another history professor with his son so I explained that my children were coming out and asked him what the Trick or Treating was like in the main green of the university. He said it was a bit of a bun fight and his children were traumatised from last year, so he has very kindly asked us to join his family in their neighbourhood, which I am very pleased about.
Then had a phone call from the owner's son from Fancy Farm - and he has invited me down to the house over the weekend, which is great. He is very excited about hearing about the Donald connection to the house and has details of Benjamin Andrew Donald (BAD) who lived there. Apparently there is a huge grave and memorial to BAD so I am going to see that - he died about the same time as CDD1 and they seemed to have had similar careers - both pillars of society etc. There is a portrait of the BAD with his dog, done at Fancy Farm, which the owners would love to track down, so going to see what I can do to help if anything. They have a copy of it, which I can't wait to see - our great cousin Benjamin. Ah, watch out, veneration of our ancestors again!
I had been very tempted to read this quote out to Peter Onuf when talking about looking at the past:
"The antiquarian of the old school collected a heterogeneous group of articles together and valued them, simply because they were old. Now, the mere fact of an article, say a table, a watch, or a sword, being old, gives it no more interest than the mere fact of its being new. What does give it interest is, that the way in which it is fashioned, and the manner in which it was used, throw light on the way of life of the men who used it, and in it we see the germs of similar articles of a later growth. If this be true of a chair or a sword, it is true of a building and truer still of a custom, a trait of manners, or a phase of belief. In studying them, we see ourselves in the making, and unite ourselves to the far-off ages by the magic cord of sympathy." 
I think it is a great quote - especially the last line - and does explain a bit about the study of history to me - but then I realised I couldn't read it out was written by another ancestor Colin Dunlop Donald II funnily enough - in 1894. Surely an excuse to have a picture of the great man in here? 

Looking every bit the young dashing 22 year old he was when this picture was taken. Who said old fogey? How dare you, that's my ancestor! Will not have a word said against him. I can't say anything about him without praising him, no really, so I shall leave off - in terms of generations of family - he is the half way house between me and Thomas Donald, Alexander's brother. 
So came back to Kenwood and decided to do a bit of mud raking to prove this wasn't all about praising ancestors past, but was in a bid to build up a serious picture of how people lived in the 18th century America and how they earned their money. One of the first things I ever found, before I even knew of the existence of Alexander Donald as Donalds past had slightly forgotten about him, was a letter from George Washington to Governor Dinwiddie from 1757 - it is long, but I think it is an amazing record: 

To Governor Dinwiddie Honble Sir,

[Fort Loudoun] May 30th 1757

The Indians are so dissatisfied at Mr Atkins’ delay, that I am obliged to send this Express to beg the favor of your Honor to hurry him up immediately, or to give Orders in what manner the Present shou’d be disposed of, which arrived here two days ago from Mr Donald. If one or the other of these is not done, and in a very short time too; it will not be in my power to prevent their going off full of resentment!

They complain in very opprobious language of the treatment they have received; of there being referred from one to another for the Presents, which ought, according to promise, to have been ready before they left their nation: And, in short, recapitulate a great number of grievances which they say have arisen from the perfidy of our promises.

It is disagreeable to me to repeat this subject to your Honor; but it is necessary you shou’d be informed of the disposition of these people: and it is for this reason only that I mention it in the terms they express themselves to me.

The Indians not being under one direction, is the cause of great expence to the Country; & has other pernicious tendencies. For, as we are strangers to the only proper method of managing them; and all of us being desirous of pleasing them, as knowing their importance—they have been very much indulged, to little purpose. which will ever be the case while they are left to the management of different people.

I therefore beg leave to recommend (not from an inclination to dictate, much less from a disposition to intermeddle, but with due submission) that some person of good sense and probity, with a tolerable share of the knowledge of their customs, be appointed to transact, under your Honors direction, or that of the southern agent, the Indian Affairs of this Colony, of every kind whatever—That a Stock of Goods, suitably chosen, be put into his hand; and that he may have power to reward them occasionally as their services require: Pay them for scalps; provide them with Provisions, arms, clothing, &c.

It appears in a very clear light to me Sir, that, unless something of this sort is done, the Country will be involved in insuperable expence, immense difficulties, and no advantage meanwhile will accrue from the Indians. An Indian will never forget a promise made to him: They are naturally suspicious, and, if they meet with delays, or disappointment, in their expectations; will scarcely ever be reconciled. For which reason, nothing ought ever to be promised but what is performed; and one only person be empowered to do either. If your Honor shou’d think this an advisable measure, and be inclined to carry it into execution, I wou’d beg leave to recommend Mr Gist as the most proper person I am acquainted with to conduct the Business. He knows but little of their language it is true; but is well acquainted with their manners and customs—especially of the southern indians. And, for his honesty & zeal I think I dare vouch.

Now - apart from the obvious interest that Robert Donald - for it was he - was providing goods for this to be given out to the Indians as presents - this letter was written during the Seven Years War, or as it is known here, the French and Indian Wars. This letter was written when France as on the up and was fighting with the Indians against the British. It was a very tense time. I do love the language of Washington - opprobious language, perfidy of our promises, pernicious tendencies, disposition to intermeddle - who can get those expressions into a sentence today? I think I probably have a huge disposition of intermeddle. 

One of the things which had caused the problems had been an expedition against the Indians. In April 1756 Governor Robert Hunter Morris of Pennsylvania (different Robert Morris to Alexander's business associate) declared war on the Delaware and Shawnee Indians - and included in his war declaration was a Scalp Act - which put a bounty on the scalps of Indian men above the age of 12 ($130) and women ($50). The rewards were payable to both friendly Indians - the Iroquois - and to whites. 

Virginia sent out a party under Captain John Smith (not the Capt John Smith, he and Pocahontas were long dead) to fight the Shawnee, or "Shawnese" as they spelt it. Guess who put in an invoice to the House of Burgesses, the ruling house of Virginia at the time, for kitting out this expedition? From their records from Tuesday 4 May 1756: 

Resolved - that is appears to the committee that the said Robert Donald, by order of his honour the Governor [Virginia - so this was Dinwiddie], did supply Capt John Smith with sundry good to the value of £80 2s 6d for the use of the men who marched under the said Captain Smith's command on the Expedition against the Shawnese and that the said Robert Donald did pay to John Pearce, the sum of £9 7s 6d for fifteen days hire of his cart and oxen, to transport the said goods towards Fort Frederick.

Seems a lot of money to me - Oxen hire about the same as car hire in the US now. I see that Fort Frederick is still up and running and has a ghost walk on 23 October "take a walk through the haunted forest, fort and barracks". 

Anyway, from what I can tell, it didn't end up a success. John Smith was captured, a son was killed in front of him and he was eventually taken as a prisoner to France, where he was then sent to England - and apparently helped Pitt by telling him a lot of information about the Indian positions. All a bit confusing as there are so many different reports - one has his son being burnt in front of him, one has him dying on the journey - so I am not sure which one is right, and all of this is not helped by there being another Captain John Smith who was obviously more famous. I will find out just to prove it is not just to Donalds that I pay my respects.