9/28/2026

 

Samuel Clifford

 

Relationship with Adirondack Tribes and the French

 

In chapter one of the book “The History Of The Five Nations: Depending On The Province Of New York In America” by Cadwallader Colden, he describes the relationship the Haudenosaunee had with the Adirondack tribes that neighbored them and how it developed over time. It should be noted that much of this information cannot be corroborated by other written accounts due to the oral tradition of the Native Americans. However, currently there is no reason to discount the account that will be discussed.

 

The Haudenosaunee were known for cultivating corn and they often traded this commodity for the wild game hunted by the Adirondack tribes. This formed a mutual relationship between the two nations for many years it seemed to remain solid. Yet, according to accounts, one year the game was scarce among the Adirondacks and so they invited members of the Haudenosaunee tribe to hunt with them so that they could cover more area. The Haudenosaunee agreed to going on these excursions in the hope that their members may gain proficient skills in hunting. The nations split into parties with members of both nations mixing in these parties. One party had six members of the Adirondacks and six members of the Haudenosaunee and this group supposedly marched farther than other groups in the hope to find better sport. The group became exceedingly hungry after failing to hunt for a while and eventually the groups split off into a Haudenosaunee group and an Adirondack group with an agreed spot for both parties to return to. The Adirondack group was unlucky and returned with no food. The Haudenosaunee had not returned when the Adirondacks arrived; therefore the Adirondacks believed that the Haudenosaunee party likely died from starvation. Yet, according to Colden, the Haudenosaunee members became more dextrous with their bows and had many other advantages such as less fatigue and more patience. These qualities led the Haudenosaunee to successfully hunt wild cows which they returned to camp with. 

 

Originally, the Adirondacks congratulated the party with their success, but that positivity lasted a short while. The Adirondack group became exceedingly jealous of the success of the Haudeonsaunee and killed the six members, burying them in a somewhat shallow grave. The group returned to their nation, but the absence of the Haudenosaunee group to return caused the nation to become worried about their members. The Adirondacks stated that the Haudenosaunee group left to return to their nation and was the last they saw of them. This did not suffice the curiosities of the Haudenosaunee though and therefore they sent out groups to investigate and hopefully find the missing members. According to accounts, wild animals uncovered the remains of the six murdered members and it was discovered by the Haudenosaunee who realized the immoral act that had been committed by the Adirondacks. 

 

The Haudenosaunee parties returned to their lands to speak to their nation about the acts of the Adirondacks. They decided to no longer trust the Adirondacks and end their mutual relationship with them. Yet, according to Colden the Adirondacks attempted to make the Haudenosaunee submit by arms. The Haudenosaunee were able to defend themselves early on and even pushed the Adirondacks into the region of Quebec. Yet, this area is where a new contender, that allied itself with the Adirondacks, entered. 

 

The French aided the Adirondacks in their battles and assisted with weapons the Haudenosaunee had not yet encountered. It is recorded that during a battle near Lake Champaign, the French with Adirondacks fired on the Haudenosaunee and caused them to retreat. The Haudenosaunee had not yet seen these weapons and did not know the manner in how their chiefs died. Despite this defeat, the Haudenosaunee were able to adapt to the change the French brought to this continent's warfare and they transformed themselves into a formidable military power. Over time they recovered setbacks and were able to challenge the Adirondacks.

 

The written account by Cadwallader Colden seems to have been intended to explain the origins of a long-standing hostility between the Haudenosaunee and Adirondacks. While certain specific details cannot be independently verified due to the oral traditions of the Native American cultures, the narrative remains as a colonial account of the early history of the Haudenosaunee and their neighbors.

 

Relationship with British Colonies

 

In order to understand the relationship between the Haudenosaunee and the British colonies one must understand the covenant chain. It was an ongoing set of councils and treaties between the Haudenosaunee and the British colonies that covered matters such as trade, settlement, and violence between the peoples. It gradually dissolved in the late eighteenth century due to colonial expansion and the disruptions of the American Revolution. Although, there were already disruptions in the chain prior to the American Revolution when the Mohawks claimed the chain had been broken in 1753. 

 

The American Revolution became a point of contention between many colonists and the Haudenosaunee as different nations allied with either the British or the American colonists. The Oneida and Tuscarora generally supported the Americans while the Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, and Onondaga largely sided with the British. This split even weakened the Confederacy itself. In 1779 General Sullivan led a military campaign that destroyed Haudenosaunee crops and villages and shattered the political alliance that existed. 

 

The new United States government viewed many of the Haudenosaunee nations as defeated enemies since they supported the British. In the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784) the Haudenosaunee were forced to cede large amounts of land in present-day New York, Pennsylvania, as well as the Ohio region. Over the next several years other treaties and land sales reduced the Haudenosaunee territory even more and that left only small reservations for them in New York.