The Role that
The Role that the Indians Actually Played in the War.
In the summer of 1776, the Indian's help was formally asked for.
The Iroquois, the most powerful Indian nation in the North, was just starting to become involved. The Iroquois had a peace alliance with six tribes total, but only four (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga and Mohawk) wanted to fight. Oneida and Tuscarora refused. This battle agreement not only broke up the peace alliance, but later it caused the tribes to fight aganist each other. Because Britain promised to keep the Indians' land solely for them, the four tribes became part of the British army. The Oneida and Tuscarora tribes decided to join the American fight, later down the road. At the Battle of Oriskany, on August 6, 1777, General Nicholas Herkimer led the colonists, killing 33 Indians and injuring 29. The tribes of the Iroquois were forced to fight one another, brother aganist brother. Just three days before, at Fort Schuyler, General Herkimer fought aganist British Colonel St. Leger, who had 800 men. The colonist army had 700, including Indian warriors. 130 of them died.
In the South, Indian powers included 14,000 warriors-- 3,000 Cherokees, 3,000 Creeks, 3,000 Choctaws and 5,000 Chickasaws. The American milita traveled throughout the South, striking and burning Indian villiages, specifically Cherokee. The Cherokee Indians stayed out of their way, refusing to fight back. In order to keep the Indians happy, €75,000 sterling were delivered to the Southern Indians.
The Iroquois, the most powerful Indian nation in the North, was just starting to become involved. The Iroquois had a peace alliance with six tribes total, but only four (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga and Mohawk) wanted to fight. Oneida and Tuscarora refused. This battle agreement not only broke up the peace alliance, but later it caused the tribes to fight aganist each other. Because Britain promised to keep the Indians' land solely for them, the four tribes became part of the British army. The Oneida and Tuscarora tribes decided to join the American fight, later down the road. At the Battle of Oriskany, on August 6, 1777, General Nicholas Herkimer led the colonists, killing 33 Indians and injuring 29. The tribes of the Iroquois were forced to fight one another, brother aganist brother. Just three days before, at Fort Schuyler, General Herkimer fought aganist British Colonel St. Leger, who had 800 men. The colonist army had 700, including Indian warriors. 130 of them died.
In the South, Indian powers included 14,000 warriors-- 3,000 Cherokees, 3,000 Creeks, 3,000 Choctaws and 5,000 Chickasaws. The American milita traveled throughout the South, striking and burning Indian villiages, specifically Cherokee. The Cherokee Indians stayed out of their way, refusing to fight back. In order to keep the Indians happy, €75,000 sterling were delivered to the Southern Indians.