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For hundreds of years, central and western New York had been inhabited by the member nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, made up of six major American Indian Tribes. During the colonial period its strategic location, along an important and prosperous trade route running east to the Atlantic Ocean and west to the Great Lakes, and its rich agricultural fields were coveted by the French, the Dutch and the British. By the time of the American Revolutionary War Dutch, German, Irish, Scotch and British settlers had created lucrative trading relations and a "feudal" system of large family estates and prosperous farms.¹ The whole area was characterized by centuries-old prejudices and hatred.

For 500 years the 6 Indian Nations, the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora, that formed the Iroquois Confederacy, mutually supported and protected one another. As the colonists settled in New York, they encroached on the Confederacy's territory. To resolve the growing tensions, a Boundary Line Treaty was negotiated in 1768 at the site of old Fort Stanwix. In this treaty, delegates from the Iroquois Confederacy, and the Delaware and Shawnee Nations ceded land to the British King to create a clear line beyond which the colonists could not settle. However, this boundary line never resolved the tensions, and some people of the Confederacy started to ally themselves with the British.

The tensions which existed between the people of central New York prior to and during the French and Indian War were often written about. These accounts provide an intriguing view of the people in New York. While Swedish scientist Peter Kalm was on a botanical expedition in 1749-1750 he made the following observation about the relationship between the English and Dutch colonists:

"The hatred which the English bear against the people at Albany is very great, but that of the Albanians against the English is carried to a ten times higher degree. This hatred has subsisted ever since the English conquered this section, and is not yet extinguished, though they could never have gotten larger advantages under the Dutch government than they have obtained under that of the English. For, in a manner, their privileges are greater than those of Englishmen themselves ... They are so to speak permeated with hatred toward the English, whom they ridicule and slander at every opportunity. This hatred is said to date back to the time when the English took this country away from the Dutch."²

In later years, these same observations were made by others who lived in central New York. In a letter to Sir William Johnson, the Indian Superintendent, Horatio Gates wrote:

"I can no longer avoid acquainting you of the extreme ill behavior of Justice Herkimer, his family & relations who are not only perpetually making the indians drunk with Rum, which they sell in most unreasonable quantities but are taking all opportunities to create an animosity between the Officers, Soldiers & the Indians. Of this, I have most authentic proofs as this scandalous & perverse conduct of these people may & will, if persisted in, produce the worst of consequences. I thought it my duty to aquaint you of it, & desire you will exert your magisterial authority to stop this growing ill, which will save me the disagreeable office o doing that by force of arms which ought to be done by the powers of governments - As there is at this time a quantity of Rum in the houses of Herkimer & his daughter to prevent future mischief I think it should be seized which I did not care to do without first having your opinion thereon. When Herkimer meets with any thing he does not like, he threatens to complain to Bradstreet, but this does not deter any one for doing any thing consistent with Honor, & reason." ³

And less than one year later, Thomas Butler wrote to Sir William Johnson:

"I have often Said and do Yet That if any Troubles Shou'd arise between the Six Nations & us it will in Great Manner Or intirely be owing to bad ignorant people of a difrant Extraction from the English that makes themselves too busey in telling idle Stories. I fear we have too many of those who Speak the Indian Tongue More or less and dont Consider the Consequence of Saying we are Dutch & they are English that they had a fight Together last winter in Schenectady. the Dutch there beat the English. The quarrell was because they wou'd not allow the English To be Masters & take from them all they had. that the English wanted to drive them about like dogs, this Story I imagin proceeded from a small dispute between the battoe Men and Soldars last fall, and the English are Severe on the people at albany taking from them what they pleas breaking open their doors when they will, had forced Capt. Herkemer out of his House. That Such has been Said appears To me to be too true for that the Indians cou'd not invent the like Stories."⁴

Sir William Johnson was aware of these tensions when he wrote to James Abercromby:

"I believe Sir I have the Honour of your Concurrance in Opinion that for the present at least, it will be both Politick and prudent not to indulge the Indians with a Trade at the German Flats. In a Message I have just sent to the Six Nations, part of which is on this Subject, I have told them that you do not incline, to trust the Lives and properties of His Majestys Subjects to the Assurances of those, who late Experience shows are either not able or not willing to fulfill them, and that at Albany and Schenectady they are welcome to come and trade.

"I have many Reasons to believe, and many Informations to strengthen, that some Germans are interfering with the Indians in a way that will be very prejudicial, and may perhaps be fatal to His Majestys Service. And I wish Sir, if there should appear no objections in it to You, that you would write a Sharp Letter in a General Way upon the Subject of Old Harkemer*, and order him to communicate it to all the Germans. The Officer at Canajoharee can deliver it." ⁵

These ethnic and economic rivalries would continue after the French and Indian War. After the French and Indian War had ended, Great Britain sought to gain stronger control of the colonies and started to impose taxes on the colonists to reduce Britain's enormous national debt created while fighting the war. The decades old rivalries started to align themselves again along Tory lines which supported Great Britain's authority and Rebel lines which supported colonial and later American self government.

Just prior to the Revolutionary War, the tensions between everyone in central New York grew. There was nowhere to hide. Due to political, economic and family pressures, people could not stay neutral. When the Revolutionary War started, the tensions had become black powder and only a spark was needed for New York to explode.

When the American Revolutionary War started, people were choosing Tory and Rebel sides. Sir John Johnson, son of Sir William Johnson and founder of the Royal or Johnson's Greens, inherited his father's estate of 200,000 acres and his Indian Superintendent commission in 1774 upon his father's death. Sir John Johnson chose the Tory cause and started to raise a militia and gathered ammunition. In 1776, upon hearing this, Generals Philip Schuyler and Nicholas Herkimer with supporting Rebel militia forced Johnson to disband the Tory militia and turn over the ammunition. Afterward, Sir John Johnson fled with others to Canada after hearing that he was going to be arrested for being a Tory.

Joseph Brant was a relative of Sir John Johnson. His sister Mary (Molly) Brant had married Sir William Johnson after John's mother died. Joseph Brant would also support the Tory cause. A recipient of a British education, Joseph Brant would become a Mohawk spokesman and Christian Missionary. During the Revolutionary War, Joseph would receive a British Officer's commission as a captain.

The Herkimer and Johnson families were constantly at odds with one another. Nicholas Herkimer, a wealthy trader and owner of 2,000 acres, chose to defend the Rebel cause. In 1776 Nicholas Herkimer was made a Brigadier General in the New York State militia and charged with defending the state against Torys and Indians. Ironically, his brother chose the Tory cause and became a Captain in the Indian Department. Just 37 days before the Battle of Oriskany, General Herkimer and Rebel militia troops went to investigate claims that Joseph Brant was attempting to raise Tory troops for an impending attack on the Mohawk Valley. On June 29 and 30, 1777 Herkimer met with Brant and attempted to convince Brant and his warriors to stay neutral during the war. Brant refused, and in later recollections stated that if he had more troops he would have fought Herkimer there.

At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War the Iroquois Confederacy was faced with a dilemma. The 500 years of unity which existed in the confederacy was coming to an end.

We have lost out of their Town by Death ninty out of which are three principle Sachems; We the remaining part of the Onondauguas Do now inform our Brother that there is no longer a Council Fire at the Capital of Six Nations. However we are determined to use our feeble Endeavors to support peace through the Confederate Nations But let this be kept in Mind that the Central Council fire is extinguished ... and can no longer burn.⁶

The Onondaga Nation was the keeper of the Central Council Fire. This fire was a symbolic representation of the unity of the Iroquois Confederacy. With the Central Council Fire extinguished the unity was broken and the 6 Iroquois Nations could choose to support who they wanted. With this done, British, Tory and Rebel diplomats courted the favor of the nations to either support their side or to remain neutral. The Oneida and Tuscarora Nations chose to remain neutral in the war, and the Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca Nations leaned toward supporting the Torys and Great Britain. By July 1777, the Oneida and Tuscarora Nations would give their support to the Rebels. The lines drawn here are not as clear as they seem. Many individuals of the 6 nations did not choose to follow their nations as a whole. Thus, there were Oneida and Tuscarora Torys, and Mohawk, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca Rebels.

By August 1777, sides had been chosen, and the stage was set for the first major battle between Torys and Rebels. But, for many individuals these sides were not set in concrete, because people would repeatedly change sides for various reasons.

Questions for Reading 1

Complete Reading 1 and develop a chart to track key people discussed in the reading. Across the top of the chart the names of Nicholas Herkimer, Sir. John Johnson, and Joseph Brant will be listed. Down the side of the chart write notes about events and incidents which may have affected these individual's decision prior to and during the American Revolutionary War.

Answer the following questions:

1. What natural features made central New York a strategic area for both the European- and Iroquois-Americans? How did New York State's physical position/location in the 13 colonies make it a colony that both sides wanted/needed to control?

2. Why was it important for European-Americans to maintain good relations with the Iroquois Confederacy?

3. What were the tensions that developed between the various people who lived in central New York? Between the European-Americans? The Iroquois-Americans? And, between the European- and Iroquois-Americans?

4. What was the impact of trade and travel through the area on the people in central New York?

5. Why do you think the people decided to support the sides they did?

6.What impacts do you believe these decisions had on their lives, and the lives of those around them? How was the Iroquois Confederacy impacted by these decisions?

7.Was Fort Stanwix a strategic frontier post? Why?