Native Americans in the Revolutionary War

In May 1778, about 40 Oneida warriors walked into Valley Forge. Valley Forge was the American army's camp. The Oneida had walked more than 200 miles from New York. A soldier wrote that they came to scout near the British lines. Oneida stories say a woman named Polly Cooper came too. The stories say she brought corn and showed the soldiers how to cook it. No army record names her.

A War on Native Land

The British and the colonists fought on Native land. Native nations had lived there for thousands of years. In 1763 the king made a rule. Colonists could not settle west of the mountains. Colonists broke the rule. When the war came, each nation had to choose. It could help the British. It could help the Americans. Or it could stay neutral. Neutral means not taking a side. In 1775 Congress asked the Six Nations to stay out. It called the war "a family quarrel." Most nations that fought picked the British side.

The Six Nations Split

Six nations in New York had worked together for hundreds of years. They were the Iroquois Confederacy. A confederacy is a group of nations that act as one group. Now they split. The Mohawk, Seneca, and Cayuga mostly helped the British. Most Oneida helped the Americans. In 1777 Mohawk warriors and Loyalists burned the Oneida town of Oriska.

Burned Towns

In 1779 Washington sent General John Sullivan into Iroquois country. His army burned about 40 towns. It burned the corn fields too. About 5,000 people fled to a British fort for the winter. In March 1782, Pennsylvania militia killed 96 Christian Indians in Ohio. Militia were part-time soldiers. The people they killed were mostly Lenape. They had no weapons.

The Peace Treaty

The war ended in 1783 with a treaty. A treaty is a written deal between nations. Britain gave the United States the land west to the Mississippi River. The treaty did not name any Native nation. The Oneida had helped the Americans. They lost land too. In 1785 and 1788 New York made deals with the Oneida. The Oneida gave up most of their land.

In May 1778, about 40 Oneida warriors arrived at Valley Forge, the Continental Army's camp in Pennsylvania. They had walked more than 200 miles from their town in New York. A soldier wrote that they had come "to scout near the lines." Oneida tradition says a woman named Polly Cooper came with them. She carried white corn and taught the soldiers how to cook it. No colonial record names her.

A War on Native Land

The British and the colonists fought their war on Native land. Native nations had lived there for thousands of years. In 1763 the king had ordered colonists not to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists ignored the order. When the war began, each nation had to choose. It could help the British, help the Americans, or stay neutral, which means taking no side. In July 1775 the Continental Congress asked the Six Nations to stay out. It called the war "a family quarrel between us and Old England." Most nations that fought chose Britain. The British had at least tried to keep settlers off their land.

The Six Nations Split

The Iroquois Confederacy was a league of six nations in New York. They had acted together for hundreds of years. Now the league split. The Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, and later the Onondaga mostly sided with Britain. Most Oneida and many Tuscarora sided with the Americans. In September 1777, Loyalists and Mohawk warriors led by Joseph Brant destroyed the Oneida town of Oriska. The Lenape, or Delaware, lived in the Ohio Country. They tried to stay neutral, but both sides pulled them in.

Burned Towns

In 1779 Washington sent General John Sullivan into Iroquois country. His army burned about 40 towns and their fields of corn. About 5,000 people fled to the British fort at Niagara for the winter. On March 8, 1782, Pennsylvania militia killed 96 unarmed Christian Indians at Gnadenhutten in the Ohio Country. Most of them were Lenape.

The Peace Treaty

On September 3, 1783, Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, the written agreement that ended the war. Britain gave up its claim to the land west to the Mississippi River. The treaty did not mention Native nations. Even the Oneida lost land, though they had helped the Americans. In 1784 the United States promised to protect their land. Then New York State made treaties with the Oneida in 1785 and 1788 that took most of it.

In May 1778, a party of about 40 Oneida warriors arrived at Valley Forge, the Continental Army's winter camp in Pennsylvania. They had walked more than 200 miles from their town of Kanonwalohale in New York. A soldier wrote in his journal that the Oneida had come "to scout near the lines." A few days later they fought beside Lafayette's men at Barren Hill. Oneida tradition says that a woman named Polly Cooper came with them, carrying white corn, and taught the soldiers how to cook it. No colonial record names her.

A War on Native Land

The British and the colonists fought their war on land where Native nations had lived for thousands of years. After the Seven Years' War, the Royal Proclamation of 1763 had barred colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists ignored it and kept moving west. When the war began, each nation had to choose: ally with Britain, ally with the Americans, or stay neutral, taking no side.

In July 1775 the Continental Congress sent an address to the Six Nations asking them to stay out. "This is a family quarrel between us and Old England," it said. "You Indians are not concerned in it." Most nations that fought chose Britain, because the Crown had at least tried to keep settlers off their land, and the colonists were the settlers.

The Six Nations Split

The Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy, was a league of six nations in New York: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. It had kept peace among its members for hundreds of years. The war split it. The Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, and after 1779 the Onondaga mostly sided with Britain. Most Oneida and many Tuscarora sided with the Americans, and both of those nations were divided inside. In August 1777 Oneida warriors fought on the American side at Oriskany against Mohawk and Seneca warriors, and in September, Loyalists and Mohawk led by Joseph Brant destroyed the Oneida town of Oriska. The Lenape, or Delaware, in the Ohio Country tried to stay neutral, but neither side let them.

Burned Towns

In 1779 Washington ordered General John Sullivan to march into Iroquois country. Sullivan's army of about 4,000 men burned about 40 towns and their fields of corn, beans, and squash. About 5,000 Haudenosaunee fled to the British fort at Niagara for the winter. On March 8, 1782, Pennsylvania militia under David Williamson killed 96 unarmed Christian Indians, most of them Lenape, at the Moravian mission town of Gnadenhutten in the Ohio Country.

The Peace Treaty

On September 3, 1783, Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, the agreement that ended the war. Britain gave up its claim to the land between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. The treaty did not mention Native nations. Even the Oneida, who had fought for the Americans, lost their land. In the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1784, the United States promised that the Oneida would keep the land they had held before the war. New York State then signed treaties with the Oneida in 1785 and 1788 that took most of it.

In May 1778, a party of about 40 Oneida warriors arrived at Valley Forge, the Continental Army's winter camp in Pennsylvania. They had left their town of Kanonwalohale in New York on April 25 and walked more than 200 miles. A soldier wrote in his journal that "40 Indians, of the Oneida nation, arrived at our camp" and had come "to scout near the lines." On May 20 they fought beside Lafayette's men at Barren Hill. Oneida tradition says that a woman named Polly Cooper came with the party, carrying baskets of white corn, and stayed in camp to teach the soldiers how to cook it. The tradition also says she was given a shawl in thanks, and her descendants still hold it. No colonial record names her.

A War on Native Land

The British and the colonists fought their war on land where Native nations had lived for thousands of years. After the Seven Years' War ended in 1763, King George III issued a proclamation that barred colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains and reserved that land for Native nations. Colonists ignored it, and by 1775 settlers had crossed the mountains into Kentucky and the Ohio Valley. When the war began, each nation had to choose: ally with Britain, ally with the Americans, or stay neutral, taking no side.

In July 1775 the Continental Congress sent an address to the Six Nations asking them to stay out. "This is a family quarrel between us and Old England," it said. "You Indians are not concerned in it. We don't wish you to take up the hatchet against the king's troops." British agents asked the same nations to fight. Most nations that took up arms chose Britain, because the Crown had at least tried to keep settlers off their land, and the colonists were the settlers.

The Six Nations Split

The Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy, was a league of six nations in New York: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. Its council at Onondaga had kept peace among its members for hundreds of years, and in 1777 the council covered its fire, which meant that each nation would decide for itself. The Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, and after 1779 the Onondaga mostly sided with Britain. The Mohawk leader Joseph Brant, who had been educated at an English school in Connecticut and had visited London in 1776, led Mohawk and Loyalist raids across the New York frontier. Most Oneida and many Tuscarora sided with the Americans, and both of those nations were divided inside.

The split turned into war between the nations. On August 6, 1777, Oneida warriors fought beside American militia at Oriskany against Mohawk and Seneca warriors fighting for the British. In September, Loyalists and Mohawk led by Brant destroyed the Oneida town of Oriska. The Lenape, or Delaware, in the Ohio Country signed a treaty with the United States in 1778 and tried to stay neutral, but neither side let them.

Burned Towns

In 1779 Washington ordered General John Sullivan to march into Iroquois country and destroy it. Sullivan's army of about 4,000 men defeated a smaller British and Haudenosaunee force at Newtown on August 29, then burned about 40 towns and their fields of corn, beans, and squash, and cut down their orchards. About 5,000 Haudenosaunee fled to the British fort at Niagara, where many died of hunger and cold that winter. The expedition did not end the raids. Haudenosaunee and Loyalist war parties struck the New York frontier again in 1780 and 1781.

In the Ohio Country, the war fell on people who had not fought. On March 8, 1782, Pennsylvania militia under David Williamson entered the Moravian mission town of Gnadenhutten, where Christian Indians, most of them Lenape, were gathering corn. The militia accused them of raiding, voted to kill them, and killed 96 unarmed men, women, and children.

The Peace Treaty

On September 3, 1783, Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, the agreement that ended the war. Britain gave up its claim to the land between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. The treaty did not mention Native nations, including the ones that had fought for Britain. Britain gave the Mohawk who had followed Brant a tract of land on the Grand River in what is now Ontario in 1784.

Even the Oneida, who had fought for the Americans, lost their land. In the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1784, the United States promised that the Oneida and Tuscarora would keep the land they had held before the war. New York State then signed treaties with the Oneida in 1785 and 1788 that took most of it. In 1794 a treaty with the United States called the Oneida "faithful friends" who had lost their homes in the war, and promised them payment. By 1820 the Oneida held only a small part of their former land, and in the years after, many moved west to Wisconsin.