Captain Simeon Ecuyer, a Swiss mercenary who was in command of Fort Pitt at the outbreak of Pontiac's War, organized the townsmen of Pittsburgh into a company of militia and placed William Trent (1715-87) in command. Trent had served with distinction in New York during King George's War and thereafter had become an Indian trader in western Pennsylvania. During the French and Indian War he had served Virginia and Pennsylvania in turn and had been a guide in Forbes's army. Trent's journal, which he kept during the siege of Fort Pitt, is the most detailed contemporary account of the anxious days and nights in the beleaguered stronghold. The journal was edited by A. T. Volwiler and printed in the Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 11:390-413 (1924). The same journal, ascribed to Captain Ecuyer, was edited by Mary C. Darlington in Fort Pitt and Letters from the Frontier, 84-110 (Pittsburgh, 1892). Some blanks in the Volwiler version of the journal have been supplied from the Darlington version, and in the following excerpt these insertions are printed in small capitals.
[May] 24th  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 [POSTS] as Ligonier was destroyed, that great numbers of Indians [were coming and] that out of regard to us, they had prevailed on 6 Nations [not to] attack 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