Declaration of War

April 14, 1756

By the Honourable ROBERT HUNTER MORRIS, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the province of Pennsylvania, and counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware:

 A PROCLAMATION.

      Whereas, the Delaware tribe of Indians, and others in Confederacy with them, have for some Time past, without the least Provocation, and contrary to their most Solemn Treaties, fallen upon this Province and in a most cruel, savage, and prefidious Manner, killed and butchered great Numbers of the Inhabitants, and carried others into barbarous Captivity; burning and destroying their Habitations, and laying waste the Country. 

      And Whereas, notwithstanding the friendly Remonstrances made to them by this Government, and the Interposition and positive Orders of our faithful Friends and allies the Six Nations, to whom they owe Obedience and Subjection, requiring and commanding them to desist from any further Acts of Hostility against us, and to return to their Allegiance, the said Indians do still continue their cruel Murders and Ravages, sparing neither age nor Sex; I have, therefore, by and with the Advice and consent of the Council, thought fit to issue the Proclamation; and do hereby declare the said Delaware Indians, and all others who, in conjunction with them, have committed hostilities against His Majesty’s Subjects within the Province, to be Enemies, Rebels, and Traitors to His Most Sacred Majesty; And I do hereby require all his Majesty’s Subjects of this Province, and earnestly invite those of the neighbouring Provinces to embrace all Opportunities of pursuing, taking, killing, and destroying the said Delaware Indians and all others confederated with them in committing Hostilities, Incursions, Murders, or Ravages upon this province. 

      And Whereas, sundry of our good Friends and Allies the Six Nations, and other friendly Indians, are seated upon and do inhabit the country to the Northward of the Mouth of a River falling into the Sasquehannah, called Cayuga Branch, and those of the six nations now in Town have desired that our Hostilities against the said Enemy Indians might not, therefore, be carried on more Northerly than a Line extending from the Mouth of the said Cayuga Branch, at an Indian Town called Diahoga, or Tohiccon, to the Station Point between the provinces of New York and Jersey, at the Indian Town called Cashetunk, upon Delaware; the said Indians promising us their hearty and best Assistance.  I do, therefore, hereby declare that the Indians living and being to the Northward of a Line drawn from the Mouth of the said Cayuga Branch to the said Station point are not included in this Declaration of War.

      And Whereas, many Delaware and other Indians abhorring the ungrateful, cruel, and perfidious Behaviour of that Part of the Delaware Tribe and others that have been concerned in the late inhuman Ravages, have removed into the settled and inhabited Parts of the Country, put themselves under the protection of this and the neighbouring Governments, and live in a peaceable Manner with the King’s Subjects; I do therefore declare, that the said friendly Indians that have so separated themselves from our said Enemies, and all others who shall join or act with us in the Prosecution of this just and necessary War, are expressly excepted out of this Declaration, and it is recommended t all Officers and others to afford them protection and Assistance. 

      And Whereas, the Commissioners appointed with me to dispose of the Sixty Thousand Pounds lately granted by Act of general Assembly for His Majesty’s use, have, by their Letter to me of the Tenth Instant, agreed to pay out of the same the several Rewards for Prisoners and Scalps herein after specified; and, therefore, as a further Inducement and Encouragement to all his majesty’s Liege People, and to all the several Tribes of Indians who continue in Friendship and Alliance with us, to exert and use their utmost Endeavour to pursue, attack, take, and destroy our Said Enemy Indians, and to release, redeem, and recover such of his Majesty’s Subjects as have been taken and made Prisoners by the same Enemies; I do herby declare and promise, that there shall be paid out of the said Sixty Thousand pounds to all and every Person and Persons, as well Indians as Christians not in the Pay of the Province, the several respective Premiums and Bounties following, that is to say: 

For every Male Indian Enemy above Twelve Years Old who shall be taken Prisoner and deliver’d at any Forts garrisoned by the Troops in the Pay of this Province, or at any of the County Towns to the Keepers of the common Jails there, the Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Spanish Dollars or Pieces of Eight;

For the Scalp of every Male Indian Enemy above the age of Twelve Years, produced as Evidence of their being killed, the Sum of One Hundred and Thirty Pieces of Eight;

For every Female Indian taken Prisoner and brought in as aforesaid, and for every male Indian prisoner under the Age of Twelve Years taken and brought in as aforesaid, One Hundred and Thirty pieces of Eight;

For the Scalp of every Indian Woman, produced as Evidence of their being killed, the sum of Fifty Pieces of Eight;

And for every English Subject that has been taken and carried from this Province into Captivity that shall be recovered and brought in and delivered at the City of Philadelphia to the Governor of this Province, the Sum of one Hundred and Fifty Pieces of Eight, but nothing for their Scalps;

And that there shall be paid to every Officer or Soldier as are or shall be in the Pay of this province who shall redeem and deliver any English Subject carried into Captivity as aforesaid, or shall take, bring in, and produce any Enemy Prisoner, or Scalp as aforesaid, one-half of the said several and respective premiums and Bounties.

      Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the Province, at Philadelphia, the Fourteenth Day of April, in the Twenty-Ninth Year of His Majesty’s Reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty-Six.

ROB^T. H. MORRIS.

By His Honour’s Command,

      Richard peters, Secretary.

               GOD SAVE THE KING.