Return of Captives
On November 9th, the Delaware chiefs Beaver and Custaloga had brought in all but twelve of their prisoners, but Col. Bouquet refused to shake hands with them or have the least talk with them while a single captive remained among them. This firmness impressed these chiefs that they must use sterner measures among their people to secure the return of the captives, who were as unwilling often to be restored as the Indians were to give them up. On November 24th, Custaloga and the Senecas delivered the last three of their prisoners. December 1st of this year Col. Bouquet wrote to the Governor of Pennsylvania that he had sent under care of Lieutenant Col. Clayton all the captives belonging to Pennsylvania and had delivered several others to their parents and relatives.[footnote]20 There were, however, a few prisoners that could not be brought to the authorities because they were at a distance, and on account of the severity of the winter which had set in.
The remaining captives were brought to the authorities the following spring, so that Sir William Johnson signed with the Delaware Indians, May 8th, 1765, a treaty of peace, after they had delivered to Col. Bouquet all the prisoners in their possession.[footnote]21
[Footnote] 20: Pa. Archives, Vol. 4, p. 208.
[Footnote] 21: Col. Records, Vol. 9, pp. 277-80.
Taken from p. 44 of Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler, by Rev. Harvey Hostetler, D.D., 1912. This portion was prepared by William F. Hochstetler.
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