Early Diplomacy at Fort Pitt

On July 9^th 1775, James Wood, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, arrived at Fort Pitt (the fort at that time had been renamed Fort Dunmore for the Royal Governor of Virginia, John Murray, 4^th Earl of Dunmore, as part of Virginia’s claim to the region). Wood was one of six Virginia commissioners newly appointed by the House of Burgesses to negotiate with Native American nations living in the Ohio country, including the Shawnee, Delaware, Wyandot, and Seneca. 

John Murray, 4^th Earl of Dunmore (1765)

James Wood was born in 1741 at what would become the town of Winchester, Virginia, which his father James Wood Sr. founded in 1744. At the age of 19, in 1760, Wood was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Frederick County Court and later represented Frederick County in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1766 to 1776. During what is known as Dunmore’s War, he served as a captain of Virginia troops and in October 1774 he fought against Shawnee warriors at the Battle of Point Pleasant on the Ohio River. He also served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, rising to the rank of Colonel and commanding the 12^th Virginia regiment, which later was renumbered to the 8^th Virginia. After the war he continued in politics, eventually being elected Governor of Virginia and serving from 1796 to 1799.

James Wood (1798) 

 

Arriving at Fort Pitt in July 1775, Wood was on his way into the Ohio country to invite Native American leaders to meet with the Virginia commissioners at Fort Pitt later that year in September. The purpose of the meeting was twofold: first was to “ratify and confirm” the Treaty of Camp Charlotte, which was negotiated by Governor Dunmore following the Battle of Point Pleasant.  However, Wood learned when he reached Fort Pitt that Dunmore’s representative and Commandant of the Pittsburgh Militia, Major John Connolly, recently had completed negotiations with representatives from the Delaware and Six Nations in late June and early July.  Regardless, Wood proceeded with his effort to organize a more inclusive meeting between all of the Ohio nations and the Virginia commissioners.

The second purpose of the meeting was for the Virginia commissioners to secure neutrality of the Ohio nations in the looming war between the American colonies and England. The Virginians were concerned that Connolly may try to incite the Ohio nations into a war against American patriots on the frontier, given his influence with the native nations and close ties to Lord Dunmore.  Dunmore recently had fled Williamsburg, the capital of Virginia, in early June seeking refuge on a British warship in the nearby York River.

The Continental Congress, meanwhile, was also working to ensure friendly relations with Native American nations. On July 12th 1775, Congress created three Indian departments (Northern, Middle, and Southern) for “securing and preserving the friendship of the Indian Nations.”   The Middle Indian Department was headquartered at Fort Pitt and was responsible for conferring with the nations west of the Alleghenies. Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and James Wilson as the initial commissioners of the Middle Department.  Lewis Morris was later named to replace Franklin and Dr. Thomas Walker (who had double duty also serving as a Virginia commissioner) to replace Henry. The Congressional Commissioners selected Richard Butler, a prominent fur trader in Pittsburgh, as the agent for the Middle Indian Department.  

Richard Butler was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1743 and immigrated to the American colonies with his family in 1748. They initially settled in Lancaster, PA, but by 1760 had moved to Carlisle, PA.  His father, Thomas Butler, was a gunsmith and manufactured Pennsylvania long rifles with his sons. By the 1770s, Richard and his brother William had established a trading business at Fort Pitt. Richard and his four brothers would all serve in the Continental Army, with Richard initially commissioned as Major of the 8^th Pennsylvania Regiment (raised in Westmoreland and Bedford counties) later being promoted to Lt. Colonel of the 8^th PA. In the summer of 1777, he was detailed to Daniel Morgan’s Rifle Corps and served as Morgan’s second in command during the Battles of Saratoga. He was promoted to Colonel and commanded the 9^th, 5^th, and 3^rd Pennsylvania Regiments at various times until the end of the war.

Richard Butler (1790)

As the agent for the Middle Indian Department, Butler set out on August 22nd 1775 from Fort Pitt on a mission similar to Wood’s expedition - to invite leaders of the Ohio nations to meet with the Congressional commissioners at Fort Pitt.

More to come about Wood’s and Butler’s trips into the Ohio country, the meetings at Pittsburgh in the fall of 1775, and the resulting treaty.

For more information: 

https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/fort-pitt-museum-lord-dunmores-war/

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/8802

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wood_(governor)#  

https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/122