The Final Act of the French and Indian War, Reported by British Commander-in-Chief Jeffrey Amherst

"…Amongst the Children lately sent from Canada, that had been in the hands of the Indians…"

The importance of the French and Indian War to the history of the United States cannot be overestimated. At its start, the French were the dominant power in North America, holding virtually all of populated Canada and the enormous lands in the present United States west of the Appalachian Mountains, from north of the Great Lakes all the way down to the southern tip of Louisiana. This war was part of the Seven Years' War, which was also taking place in India, Africa and Europe, with the British and French and their respective allies and sympathizers contending for world supremacy. When the French and Indian War ended, the British held almost the entirety of Canada, plus all former French territory in the U.S. out to the Mississippi River. Had their mortal enemy the French retained Canada and the western lands, recognition of American independence would have meant giving up all claims to North America, something to which it is unlikely the British would have agreed.

The American colonies fought for the British, as did very many colonists (such as George Washington). At first the war went poorly for the British, but then things turned. In 1758, Gen. Jeffrey Amherst and a British fleet arrived off the French key base of Louisbourg, which was considered the gateway to Canada. Amherst and his men, led by Gen. James Wolfe, fought their away ashore; and on July 26, after series of fights, Louisbourg surrendered. Later that year Amherst was named commander-in-chief of British forces in North America. Amherst created a plan to make multiple strikes against Canada in 1759. Wolfe would attack up the St. Lawrence River and take Quebec, while Amherst would head to Lake Champlain, capture Fort Ticonderoga, and then move against either Montreal or Quebec. Pushing forward, Amherst succeeded in taking the fort on June 27 and occupied Fort Saint-Frédéric (Crown Point) in early August. Learning of French ships at the northern end of the lake, he paused to build a squadron of his own. Resuming his advance in October, he learned of Wolfe's great victory at the Battle of Quebec, Wolfe's death in the battle, and of the city's capture. The British suffered fewer than 700 casualties at Quebec and won most of a continent. Concerned that the entirety of the French army in Canada would be concentrated at Montreal, he returned to Crown Point for the winter. The British now controlled Lake Champlain and therefore the Hudson River corridor. For the 1760 campaign, Amherst determined to mount a three-pronged attack against Montreal. While troops advanced up the river from Quebec, a column would push north over Lake Champlain. The main force, led by Amherst, would move to Oswego, then cross Lake Ontario and attack the city from the west. Successfully overcoming French resistance in August, he arrived outside Montreal on September 5. Outnumbered and short on supplies, the French opened surrender negotiations during which Amherst stated, "I have come to take Canada and I will take nothing less." After brief talks, Montreal surrendered on September 8, along with all of New France. Though the Seven Years' War continued until 1763, this surrender ended the French and Indian War, the North American component of it.

As for the Native American tribes, the vast majority of them supported the French, as the French were for the most part more respectful of their culture, and Native American had become an important component in the economic life of New France. Beyond the major set battles and sieges, the French and Indian War was a guerrilla war of small skirmishes and surprise attacks. Colonial militia like Rogers Rangers conducted raids and special operations, executed ambushes, and gathered intelligence. Native American forces raided colonial settlements (more than 70 in New England alone), killed settlers, burned homes and crops, and took captives with them, many of which captives were children. The taking of captives played an important cultural role in many Native American tribes, and was sometimes a purpose of a raid, as young captives were often adopted into Native American families to take the place of deceased relatives (especially sons killed by the enemy in wars). They could also be sold to the French for a profit.

In 1761, with the protecting French presence gone, the Native Americans understood that they would be compelled to deal with the British and colonial governments, and some sought to establish better relations with the colonies by returning captives. These captives were delivered to senior British officials by the Native Americans, and the officials notified Amherst. By 1761 there were very few captives that the captors intended to release and who wanted to be repatriated, that remained to be returned. The Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania record that: "On the 29th of May, 1761, the Indian Telinemut delivered to the Governor [Pennsylvania colonial governor James Hamilton] two prisoners, Amy Brennan, aged 18 Years, and Elizabeth Carr, a very young girl, and informed him that more would have been sent, but they were delivered to Sir William Johnson by the Indians who sent them." Johnson was a New Yorker who commanded colonial militia forces during the war. Next the Minutes state that "A Letter from his Excellency General Amherst, with a return of the English prisoners inclosed in the said Letter were read…". The letter contained what appears to have been the final accounting of released prisoners, and thus perhaps the final act of the French and Indian War.

Letter Signed, Albany, 15th June, 1761, to Governor Hamilton. "Sir: Amongst the Children lately sent from Canada, that had been in the hands of the Indians, & some that had been secreted by the Canadians, I find there are six that were taken in the Government of Pennsylvania and two in Virginia, all whom I now send you, with the inclosed return [not present] which contains all the intelligence I can give you of them. And I beg you will be pleased to deliver them to their parents or relations, and forward the two belonging to Virginia with a proper passport, that they may be restored to their parents.

"The person whom I have sent with these Children, has received provisions for them during their passage, and has my orders on his arrival at Amboy, to provide them with what they may want and proceed with them to Philadelphia. I enclose you paragraphs of a Letter I have received from [Connecticut] Governor Fitch, in answer to the one I acquainted you. I intended to write him in relation to the encroachments making by the Connecticut people in the Government of Pennsylvania, and hope that affair will be amicably settled for the mutual advantage of both Provinces." With its reference to Pennsylvania and Virginia, it is possible that similar letters on captives were sent to other colonial governors, but if so they are not apparent from research. Perhaps just these few remained. The controversy in the final paragraph relates to Connecticut's territorial claim in Pennsylvania based on the settlement there of some Connecticut citizens. In the end, Connecticut dropped the claim.

This letter was originally sold at auction by Henkel's in 1892 as part of the Washington-Madison sale of papers preserved by James Madison, sold by the estate of J.C. McGuire who purchased them from Dolley Madison. The legendary autograph dealer Walter Benjamin helped curate the sale. It last made its appearance on the market many decades ago.