René Auguste Chouteau

“ During the winter of 1764 to 1765, the Savages in the north of this country found out that the English were gathering munitions at New Orleans to take possession of the different nations of the Illinois country.
These savages, wanting to oppose them, went to Fort de Chartres, 400 men strong, with the famous Pontiac of the Outarrois nation at their head, who had absolute power over all these tribes, for having commanded them in many takings of forts occupied by the English, against whom he fought a cruel war since the peace of 1762. ”

“ A good Father speaks to you. Reflect well on what he has told you, give him your answer this evening. I do not think I can give you a longer deadline because I must go to Fort de Chartres."
That evening the whole Nation, men, women and children found M. de Laclède and told him that they had opened their ears to his discourse and that they followed all his advice, and asked him to take pity on the women and children and give them some provisions and some gunpowder and bullets for the men so that they could hunt while going up the Missouri and to defend themselves in case of attack. ”

“ The Canadian officers, who had come from Canada with M. Bellerive and a detachment of Whites and of Savages to join M. Prudhomme, agreed with M. Bellerive's plan. And the officers from France, who had come up from New orleans with M. Prudhomme, were of the same mind. After many words exchanged between them, M. Prudhomme spoke to M. de Bellerive and said to him, proudly and haughtily: "Sir, when one is afraid of the wolf, one does not go to the woods." ”

“ You, Missouris, you will not be eaten by eagles, but men have been at war with you for some time, and there are many against you, who are few. They will kill your warriors because they will wish to defend themselves, and will turn your women and children into slaves. This shall come to pass for following, as you say, in the steps of the ducks and the bustards instead of those of men who know how to think. ”

“ I will answer your discourse with few words, and I shall tell you that if you follow the way of the ducks and the bustards to find yourselves a place, you follow bad guides with lack of foresight, because if they had any, they would not settle down onto clear waters, because the eagles, all the carnivorous birds would find them easily, which they would not be able to do if they were hidden away and covered with underbrush. ”

“ Open your ears and remind yourselves that it is Pontiac who is speaking to you." After that moment, the Illinois seemed to join the others, I think because they could not do otherwise.
After diverse talks, Pontiac went to see M. de St Ange, taking the braves with him, and while looking at him, said: "my Father, I and my warriors have long wanted to take your hand and smoke the peace pipe together, while speaking of all the campaigns that we have led together. From this meeting and these words served against the Savages and these English dogs." ”

“ Page 5 "If you men insist on settling here, I warn you, as a good Father that there are 6 or 7 hundred soldiers at Fort de Chartres, there to fight the English, who are keeping them busy at the moment, because they also remain on the alert all around the fort, in the rooms from which they wait for the English. ”

“ He found Ste. Genevieve unacceptable because of its distance from the Missouri river, and unsanitary location. Consequently he left Fort de Chartres in December, taking along a trusted young man, and surveyed all the land from Fort de Chartres to the Missouri river.
Page 2 He was enchanted to see the location where St. Louis presently stands. He did not hesitate a moment to found the settlement he planned. In addition to the beauty of the site, it had all the advantages one could wish for in a place which might become very important in the future. ”

“ And in the following days, the whole Missouri village left to go back up the Missouri to their old village.
Page 6 After having stayed here 15 days, during which I had the basement of the house dug and then built by the women and the children. I paid them in Alêne vermillion, and in copper. They did most of the digging, hauling out the earth in large wooden plates and in baskets they balanced on their heads. M. de Laclède left for the Fort de Chartres a few days after the savages, after having left instructions he deemed necessary to the work on his settlement. ”

“ And you will start clearing the land and building a great hangar in which to store the provisions and the tools, and small cabins to lodge the men, and you shall give to your trustiest men, who will be able to help you the most. ”