Land Where the Partridge Drums a History of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation

Page 8 Indian Time November 29, 1993 Land Where The Partridge Drums A History of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation Akwesasne and the American Revolution Written and Illustrated by Darren Bonaparte 1 r As we have seen in tne first part of this Joseph Brant also present when the French were defeated 1853:182-197) work, the influences of the French and at Quebec. English in the colonial period proved too With Sir William Johnson as his mentor, An account from the 185U's describes the divisive to the Mohawk Nation; for Joseph Brant was educated by the English Cook's anti-British sentiments may have man as his survivers knew him: reasons that were both economic and and became the Crown's biggest advocate motivated him and a small faction of religious, many of our people migrated to among the Haudenosaunee. Prior to Sir Kahnawake Mohawks to join the American "Colonel Louis was tall and athletic, villages at the northeast frontier of our William's death he served as his interpreter side on the eve of the Revolution. He broad shouldered and strongly built, territory, Kahnawake (or Caughnawaga), in many of the conferences the British held earned a commission as lieutenant-colonel with a very dark complexion, and Kanesatake (Lake of Two Mountains), and with the Confederacy. He was entertained in the rebel forces, the highest rank of any somewhat curly hair, which in old later Akwesasne (St. Regis). Although by the British King in London and returned "native" involved in the conflict. He is age became gray. many non-native historians believe that home to urge his people to support the mentioned in the papers of George these "praying Indians" severed their ties Crown when the land-hungry Americans Washington, who is said to have given He was very reserved in speech, and to their Mohawk Valley relatives, this was began to speak of revolution. Brant led Cook a silver pipe during a meeting with by most people would be called usually only during times of war; there is war parties into battle himself, brazenly him. taciturn. He seldom spoke without ample evidence that the northern Mohawk defying the neutrality that the having something to say, and what maintained close relations with their Haudenosaunee chiefs'sought to maintain, The following is taken from Sparks' he said, was received with deference, southern kin and shared in their hunting and his exploits earned him the nickname Washington's Life and Writings, Vol. Ill, p. for it always had a meaning, and in territory, the Adirondack Mountains 'of "the Monster Brant" by American settlers 53, as cited by Franklin B. Hough in A all his deportment he strongly eastern New York. The oral tradition that were the target of his raids. "History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties evinced possession of prudence, maintains that Mohawks from the Mohawk (1853), pp. 184-185: discretion and sense, and when once Valley joined the Kahnawake Mohawks Branf s efforts eventually broke the unity of enlisted in any pursuit, he followed when a permanent village was established the ancient league, left their villages open to "On the first instant, a chief of the it with a constantcy and in the hunting territory of Akwesasne military conquest in the infamous Sullivan Caughnawaga tribe, who lives about perseverence seldom equalled in the sometime around 1755. Campaign, and led to the eventual six miles from Montreal, came in Indian character. He was prompt dispersion of some of the pro-British here, accompanied by a Colonel and generally correct in arriving at It will also be remembered that within years Haudenosaunee to Canada following the - - Bayley, of Coos. His accounts of the conclusions, and his judgement was of this convergence, Great Britain achieved war. (Graymont 1988:87-89) temper and disposition of the relied upon, and his opinions sought victory over her long-time rival France and Indians are very favorable.' He says, by the officers of the army, with assumed control over her territory in they have been strongly solicited, by whome he was associated, with Canada by conquering her St. Lawrence Akwesasne's Role in the War Governor Carlton, to engage against much confidence , and he possessed settlements of Montreal and Quebec City. us, but his nation is totally averse: in a high degree the control of the To encourage their "neutrality" in the final Most of the Mohawks from the Christian that threats as well as entreaties affairs of his tribe, by whom he was days of this conflict, France's native allies missions at Kahnawake, Akwesasne, and have been used, without effect; that beloved, respected, and obeyed." in the Seven Nations of Canada were Kanesatake chose to remain neutral in the the Canadians are well disposed to promised by the British that they had conflict. However, a number of Mohawks the English colonies, and if any nothing to fear from their new "father" and from Kahnawake acted on their own and expedition is meditated against Thomas Williams that our lands and territories would be- met with GeneraLGeorge Washington in Canada, the Indians in that quarter respected. Another result of the French 1776. (Hough 1853:187-191) These men will give^ll their assistance. I have Thomas Williams, or Tehorakwaneken, was and Indian War, or the Great War For volunteered to fight with the American endeavored to cherish that another controversial figure from this era Empire, was the arrival in Akwesasne of rebels against Britain for ideological favorable disposition, and have_ who was closely associated with Cook. He refugees from other Seven Nations such the reasons, stemming perhaps from their anti- recommended him to cultivate them was the grandson of Eunice Williams, the Abenaki of Odanak (St. Francis) and the English stance in the previous war. Some in return. What I have said, I have "unredeemed captive" from Deerheld. He Oneida, Onondaga, and Cayuga of Mohawks of the Mohawk Valley served as enforced with a present, which I was born in Kahnawake sometime around Oswegatchie (La Presentation). With the scouts for the Americans, and Oneidas and understood would be agreeable to 1758 or 1759. One account of his life states dissolution of Oswegatchie, Akwesasne Tuscaroras fed George Washington's him; and he is represented as being that he became a chief at Kahnawake in assumed her "nation fire" in the Seven starving army at Valley Forge. IFadden a man of weight and consequence in 1777, then joined the American forces Nations of Canada and inherited the 1948:15-16) his own tribe. I flatter myself, his under General Burgoyne, seeing action at Oswegatchie territory. visit will have a good effect. His Ticonderoga, New York and Royalton, Although the Revolutionary War was a account of General Carlton's force Vermont, among others. He and his family Within decades of these important changes, turning point in the history of the and situation of St. Johns, frequently visited his relatives in however, the distant rumbling of war Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Akwesasne's correspond with "what we have had Massachusetts and Vermont after the war altered the political landscape once again. involvement was not quite as prominent. from that quarter." and spent a great deal of time hunting in the The American colonies rebelled against the One historian, writing in 1853, claims that J^ke George area where he had a hunting British Empire and unleashed the a considerable force from Akwesasne fought During the Revolutionary War Cook led a camp. (Hough 1853:200-203) Revolutionary War. Taking inspiration for the British while others chose to small outfit of Oneidas into battle at from the League of the Iroquois, the support the American rebels. The only Schenectady, and acted as a courier and American rebels joined forces to nd direct involvement appears to be an scout throughout the conflict. It is _ William Gray themselves of the tyranny of the Crown instance where Akwesasne Mohawks gave interesting to note that Louis Cook was a and to establish a democratic republic. like provisions to Sir John Johnson and his contemporary of Joseph Brant, both being Another man closely associated with Cook the other conflicts that took place in our party during their escape to Montreal in born (according to some sources) in 1740, was a white man named William Gray, part of North America, our people were 1776. (Hough 1853:122-123^ They made and they shared a number of things in who was born around 1760 in Cambridge, drawn into this one as well. The following their way northward via the Raquette common. Both saw action at a young age New York. As a teenager he joined the part of this work will chronicle our River, which empties into the St. Lawrence (albeit on different sides of the same American forces during the-Revolutionary involvement in that war and the tragic in Akwesasne. conflict) and continued their adversarial War; he was taken prisoner by the British results of that participation. relationship through the American and held in Quebec for the rest of the Revolution and beyond. Both were conflict. When he was released he moved Colonel Louis Cook technically ineligible to be chiefs but were to Kahnawake for a time, then relocated to The American Revolution recognized as such by non-native (and Akwesasne where he married a Mohawk One of the "Mohawks" who spied and sometimes native) authorities. Although woman and raised a family. He learned the The Haudenosaunee Confederacy's fought for the Americans was Louis Cook, Brant has been the most famous of the two language so well that he became the involvement in the American Revolution is also known by his Indian name of by far, Cook's role in the Akwesasne saga interpreter for the chiefs.

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