Native American Fighting Tactics Needed, in the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolution

Part 10 of the series Are Native Americans Relevant?

The early history of the North American continent is filled with the wars of different groups of people struggling to gain control of areas to obtain access to more land and more fur.  The fur trade and the wars over it depended on Native Americans.  In order to obtain more furs each Native group had to move deeper into the continent, thus creating more warfare.  European countries made alliances with Native tribes to obtain more furs.  They also used their Native allies to persuade other Native tribes to do what they want.  Failing this, the people of the rebellious tribes were either killed or captured to be enslaved. 

The French government used Native American warriors in their territorial conquest before the British government.  The Europeans learned they needed Native scouts and guides to avoid Native traps.  After defeat of Fort Duquesne 9 Jul 1755 British realized they had to change.  British parliament authorized establishment of rangers, including Rogers’ Rangers which was active in northern New York. 

Major Robert Rogers, with Mohican warriors in the background to his right.

The American colonists realized that guerrilla style warfare was crucial to enable the thirteen colonies of 3 million people to defeat the largest and best armed empire currently in the world.  Natives stressed strategy and technique instead of technology.  The American troops used guerrilla tactics when not enough men to fight the British in the traditional European manner.  Famous guerrilla fighters of the American Revolution were Francis Marion of South Carolina and Ethan and Ira Allen and their Green Mountain Boys of Vermont.  Indeed, the Green Mountain Boys had three Mohican men in their ranks:  Henry, John and Jonathan Van Gilder.  The Mohicans, the related Wappingers and one band of Oneidas were the primary Native Americans to freely fight on the Patriot side.  

Drawing of a Mohican man in the uniform of his regiment, artist a Hessian officer.

Henry & Hudson & The Mohican Indians

Recently I attended Henry & Hudson: The Namesake Celebration at Hudson, New York. New York State and the residents of the Hudson River Valley are currently celebrating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s encounter of the river that now bears his name and its original inhabitants. In the Hudson area they were the Mohican Indians, who called the river the Muheconnetuk, the river that flows both ways.

The celebration was held at the new Henry Hudson River Park, created where once six large oil tanks stood. It is a lovely little park, a good reuse of the land. From there you can see the Athens Lighthouse and the Middle Ground Flats, now an island in the river between the cities of Athens and Hudson. To the south despite a hazy sky you could see the Catskill Mountains. The Mohicans called these the Blue Mountains.

Also present for the day was the replica ship of the Halve Maen, the Dutch ship that Henry Hudson sailed to the New World for the Dutch East India Company. Captain William Reynolds said there were long lines of people waiting to go on board since 9 a.m. that day. When I left at 4 p.m., there was still a long line. While people waited, they could view a display of native artifacts and antique navigational instruments, and listen to Dutch songs performed by Nanne & Ankie.









My friend Steve Comer and I had been invited to represent the Mohican people. Steve had a display on the Mohican Nation and its history. I prepared a binder with information on my father’s paternal family descended from Mohican and Wappinger people. I also brought my finger-weaving with me, giving people a brief insight into native technology.

It was a very pleasant day. The rain stayed away for most of it. I’ve always loved being by a body of water, whether a river, lake or ocean. I enjoyed talking to the people who came by. While waiting in line to board the Halve Maen (that unfortunately I didn’t do), I had an enjoyable conversation with a very nice Naval commander from downstate and his brother, who brought his family. They surprised me greatly by asking how to get to the bank of the “lake” in Philmont. They definitely asked the right person since I lived for 19 years in a house on the bank of the Philmont reservoir. I think it was the best view in town