Spread of English-Speaking Peoples 239 



taking part in them, were the occasions, not the 

 causes, of the war; and though they cast a dark 

 shade on the conduct of the whites, they do not re- 

 lieve the red men from the charges of having com- 

 mitted earlier, more cruel, and quite as wanton out- 

 rages. 



Conolly, an irritable but irresolute man, was ap- 

 palled by the storm he had helped raise. He meanly 

 disclaimed all responsibility for Cresap's action, 34 

 and deposed him from his command of rangers ; to 

 which, however, he was soon restored by Lord 

 Dunmore. Both the earl and his lieutenant, how- 

 ever, united in censuring severely Greathouse's 

 deed. 35 Conolly, throughout May, held a series of 

 councils with the Delawares and Iroquois, in which 

 he disclaimed and regretted the outrages, and 

 sought for peace. 36 To one of these councils the 

 Delaware chief, Killbuck, with other warriors, sent 

 a "talk" or "speech in writing" 37 disavowing the 

 deeds of one of their own parties of young braves, 

 who had gone on the warpath; and another Dela- 

 ware chief made a very sensible speech, saying that 

 it was unfortunately inevitable that bad men on 

 both sides should commit wrongs, and that the 

 cooler heads should not be led away by acts due to 

 the rashness and folly of a few. But the Shawnees 

 showed no such spirit. On the contrary they de- 

 clared for war outright, and sent a bold defiance to 

 the Virginians, at the same time telling Conolly 



34 "Am. Archives," IV, Vol. I, p. 475. 



35 Do., p. 1015. 36 Do., p. 475. 37 Do., p. 418. 



