Turtleheart
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Turtleheart (Turtle's Heart or Tortle's Heart, his
unami The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) was formed on 14 August 2003 by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1500 at the request of the Iraqi government to support national development efforts. UNAMI's mandate includes ...
name was ''Tahkoxitèh'') was a Delaware (
Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...
) principal warrior and chief who lived during the
French and Indian Wars The French and Indian Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in North America between 1688 and 1763, some of which indirectly were related to the European dynastic wars. The title ''French and Indian War'' in the singular is used in the U ...
, and
Pontiac's War Pontiac's War (also known as Pontiac's Conspiracy or Pontiac's Rebellion) was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of Native Americans dissatisfied with British rule in the Great Lakes region following the French and Indian War (1754–176 ...
. He and Lenape Chief Killbuck represented the
Delaware Nation Delaware Nation ( del, Èhëliwsikakw Lënapeyok), also known as the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma and sometimes called the Absentee or Western Delaware, based in Anadarko, OklahomaTreaty of Fort Stanwix The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was a treaty signed between representatives from the Iroquois and Great Britain (accompanied by negotiators from New Jersey, Virginia and Pennsylvania) in 1768 at Fort Stanwix. It was negotiated between Sir William J ...
in 1768.


Early life and family

Little is known about the exact date of his birth or death. Apparently, Turtleheart was possibly the brother of Wolf Clan Chief
Custaloga Custaloga, also known as Packanke, was a chief of the Delaware (Lenape) tribe in the mid-18th century. He was a member of the Wolf Clan through his mother. Captain Pipe was his nephew and succeeded him as chief. Life Little is known of the early ...
(Packanke) and perhaps the father or uncle of
Captain Pipe Captain Pipe (c. 1725? – c. 1818?) ( Lenape), called Konieschquanoheel and also known as Hopocan in Lenape, was an 18th-century Head Peace chief of the Algonquian-speaking Lenape (Delaware) and War Chief 1778+. He succeeded his maternal u ...
called Konieschquanoheel and also known as Hopocan. In 1763 he lived in the Indian Town of Shaningo. located on a tributary of Big Beaver Creek. In the Journal of James Kenny, operator of the Trading Post at Fort Pitt, he writes, "This morning soon came over ye Allegheny Custologas' Brother & Son James Mocasin ye Tortles Heart & another Ind'n from Shenangoe."


Pontiac's War

A.E. Ewing, descendant of Indian captive John Ewing, writes that "the new moon or 'Pontiac moon' of May, (13) 1763, had blood on it. The
Algonquin Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to: Languages and peoples *Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia **Algonquin la ...
chieftains, in secret council near Detroit, summoned by king Pontiac April 27, 1763, agreed to attack all the English posts recently surrendered by the French. A certain phase of the moon in May was to be the signal for a concerted attack. This was the beginning of Pontiac's War." Thomas Hutchins, Assistant Engineer and Map maker wrote in a letter to
George Croghan George Croghan (c. 1718 – August 31, 1782) was an Irish-born fur trader in the Ohio Country of North America (current United States) who became a key early figure in the region. In 1746 he was appointed to the Onondaga Council, the governin ...
"N.B. The Chief of the Musquetons spoke in behalf of their and the Pyankishaw Nations to the same Effect that the Ouitanons had done. Confirming what they said by giving. . some wampum 'a Council Pipe.' Late in the spring of 1763, nearly all the Western Indians, with the Senecas, rose against the English posts on the Lakes, the Allegheny, the Maumee, and the Wabash, killed or captured most of the garrisons." The commencement wasn't concerned with just killing the garrisons at the Forts - but the extermination of some one hundred traders between Fort Loyall Hannon ( Ligonier) and Fort Du Troit (
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
). Indian Captive, John McCullough, after witnessing the shooting, tomahawking and stabbing of trader, Tom Green, wrote, "All the Indians in the Town immediately collected together, and started off to the Salt Licks, where the rest of the Traders were, and murdered the whole of them, and divided their goods amongst them, and likewise their horses. My adopted brother took two horse loads of beaver-skin and set off with them to Tus-ca-law-ways uscarawas where a number of Traders resided, and sold the fur to them." Of those traders, upon receiving payment, McCullough continues "However, as I heard, they went on safe until they got to Ksack-hoong auconk an old Indian Town at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio, where they came to an Indian camp unawares. Probably the Indians had discovered them before they reached the camp, as they were ready for them. As soon as they made their appearance, the Indians fired on them. The whole of them fell excepting old Daniel and one
homas In the Vedic Hinduism, a homa (Sanskrit: होम) also known as havan, is a fire ritual performed on special occasions by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner (" grihastha": one possessing a home). The grihasth keeps different kinds of fire ...
Calhoon nd three of his men who made his escape into Pittsburg." On Day of May 27 James Kenny continues: "I went to ye Shore to meet them & invited 'em to our House to Deal, so most of them came; we Delt about 80 Pounds worth before Dinner; they were in an unusual hurry, bot a Good deal of Powd'r & Lead & want'd more Powd'r but we had it not well to Spair; they seemed in no bad humour but rather in fear & haste, ye Tortle's Heart did not cross ye river with ye rest but went to Allex'r McKee & asked him when he tho't to go down in ye Country, McKee answer'd in Ten Days; ye Indian desired he would go that Day or in four Days at furthest or else he should not expect to see him alive more & Signified as if ye Indians was just ready to Strike us." In the report to Colonel Henry Bouquet by Captain Simeon Ecuyer, Turtleheart was responsible, at "Beaver Creek", for killing traders "John Calhoon" and "Tho's Coplin".


Siege of Fort Pitt

Indians attacked Fort Pitt on June 22, 1763. Too strong to be taken by force, the British-held fort was kept under siege throughout July. William Trent's Journal entry states that On June 24, "The Turtles Heart a principal Warrior of the Delawares and Mamaltee a Chief came within a small distance of the Fort Mr. McKee went out to them and they made a Speech letting us know that all our OSTSas Ligonier was destroyed, that great numbers of Indians ere coming andthat out of regard to us, they had prevailed on 6 Nations ot toattack us but give us time to go down the Country and they desired we would set of immediately. The Commanding Officer thanked them, let them know that we had everything we wanted, that we could defend it against all the Indians in the Woods, that we had three large Armys marching to Chastise those Indians that had struck us, told them to take care of their Women and Children, but not to tell any other Natives, they said they would go and speak to their Chiefs and come and tell us what they said, they returned and said they would hold fast of the Chain of friendship. Out of our regard to them we gave them two Blankets and an Handkerchief out of the Small Pox Hospital. I hope it will have the desired effect. They then told us that Ligonier had been attacked, but that the Enemy were beat of."


Biological warfare involving smallpox

The siege of Fort Pitt is well known for documented instances of biological warfare. Colonel
Henry Bouquet Henry Bouquet (born Henri Louis Bouquet; 1719 – 2 September 1765) was a Swiss mercenary who rose to prominence in British service during the French and Indian War and Pontiac's War. He is best known for his victory over a Native American ...
, who led a successful expedition to lift the siege, discussed infecting the besieging Native Americans with his superior, Sir Jeffrey Amherst, who wrote to Bouquet stating: "Could it not be contrived to send the small pox among the disaffected tribes of Indians? We must on this occasion use every stratagem in our power to reduce them." Bouquet agreed with the proposal, writing back that "I will try to inocculate the Indians by means of Blankets that may fall in their hands".Dixon, David
Never Come to Peace Again: Pontiac's Uprising and the Fate of the British Empire in North America
(pg. 152-155); University of Oklahoma Press; 2005;
In this instance, as recorded in his journal by sundries trader and militia captain
William Trent William Trent (February 13, 1715–1787) was an American fur trader and merchant based in colonial Pennsylvania. He was commissioned as a captain of the Virginia Regiment in the early stages of the French and Indian War, when he served on the wes ...
on June 24, 1763, dignitaries from the Delaware tribe met with Fort Pitt officials, warned them of "great numbers of Indians" coming to attack the fort, and pleaded with them to leave the fort while there was still time. The commander of the fort, Simeon Ecuyer, refused to abandon the fort. Instead, Ecuyer gave as gifts two blankets, one silk handkerchief and one linen from the smallpox hospital,Fenn, Elizabeth A
Biological Warfare in Eighteenth-Century North America: Beyond Jeffery Amherst
; The Journal of American History, Vol. 86, No. 4, March, 2000
to two Delaware delegates after the parley, a principal warrior named Turtleheart, and Maumaultee, a Chief. The tainted gifts were, according to their inventory accounts, given to the Indian dignitaries "to Convey the Smallpox to the Indians".''Pontiac and the Indian Uprising''; Peckham, Howard H.; University of Chicago Press; 1947; Pgs. 170, 226-7''Crucible of War: The Seven Years’ War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766''; Anderson, Fred; New York: Knopf; 2000; Pgs. 541-2, 809n11; ''A Country Between: The Upper Ohio Valley and Its Peoples, 1724-1774''; Michael N. McConnell; University of Nebraska Press; 1992; Pgs. 190-6 Captain Ecuyer later certified that the items "were had for the uses above mentioned," in the inventory reimbursement request, and
General Thomas Gage General (United Kingdom), General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/192 April 1787) was a British Army general officer and Colonialism, colonial official best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as British Comman ...
would later approve that invoice for payment, endorsing it with a comment and his signature. A devastating smallpox epidemic plagued Native American tribes in the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes area through 1763 and 1764, but the effectiveness of individual instances of biological warfare remains unknown. After extensive review of surviving documentary evidence, historian
Francis Jennings Francis "Fritz" Jennings (1918November 17, 2000) was an American historian, best known for his works on the colonial history of the United States. He taught at Cedar Crest College from 1968 to 1976, and at the Moore College of Art from 1966 to 1 ...
concluded the attempt at biological warfare was "unquestionably effective at Fort Pitt"; Barbara Mann deduced "it is important to note that the smallpox distribution worked"; Howard Peckham noted the resulting fatal epidemic "certainly affected their vigorous prosecution of the war."


Treaty of Fort Stanwix

Turtleheart and Killbuck would represent the Delaware Nation at the
Treaty of Fort Stanwix The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was a treaty signed between representatives from the Iroquois and Great Britain (accompanied by negotiators from New Jersey, Virginia and Pennsylvania) in 1768 at Fort Stanwix. It was negotiated between Sir William J ...
in 1768.Proceedings of Sir William Johnson with the Indians at Fort Stanwix to settle a Boundary Line. 1768
/ref> The Treaty of
Fort Stanwix Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction commenced on August 26, 1758, under the direction of British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The bastion fort was built ...
was held by Sir William Johnson, Baronet, with the Six Nations: Shawanese,
Delawares The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...
,
Senecas The Seneca () ( see, Onödowáʼga:, "Great Hill People") are a group of Indigenous Iroquoian-speaking people who historically lived south of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes in North America. Their nation was the farthest to the west w ...
of Ohio and other dependant Tribes, at Fort Stanwix in the months of October & November 1768, for the settlement of a Boundary Line between the Colonies and Indians, pursuant to the orders of King George I. While Turtleheart signed, he did not make a presentation at the Treaty.


References

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Turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
Indigenous people of the French and Indian War Native American leaders Lenape people