The Iroquois in the War of 1812

by Carl Benn

Until now, the story of Iroquois participation in the War of 1812 has not received detailed examination, and there have consequently been major gaps in our understanding of the Iroquois, their relations with Euroamerican society, and the course of the war itself. The Iroquois in the War of 1812 proves that, in fact, the Six Nations' involvement was 'too significant to ignore.'

Benn explores this involvement by focusing on Iroquois diplomatic, military, and cultural history during the conflict. He looks at the Iroquois' attempts to stay out of the war, their entry into hostilities, their modes of warfare, the roles they played in different campaigns, their relationships with their allies, and the effects that the war had on their society. He also details the military and diplomatic strength of the Iroquois during the conflict, despite the serious tensions that plagued their communities.

This account reveals how the British benefited more than the Americans from the contributions of their Iroquois allies, and underscores how important the Six Nations were to the successful defence of Canada. It will appeal to general readers in both Canada and the United States and will have relevance for students and scholars of military, colonial, and Native history.

272 pages, ebook

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Dr Carl Benn has been a member of the Department of History at Ryerson University in Toronto since 2008, where he teaches native-newcomer relations, material culture, and museum studies. Previously, he worked in the museum field for 34 years, latterly as Chief Curator of the City of Toronto Museums and Heritage Services, where he fulfilled senior curatorial and managerial duties, restored historical properties, curated exhibits, and produced other public resources. During that time he also taught part-time at the University of Toronto in undergraduate History and graduate Museum Studies. His books include: Historic Fort York (1993); The Iroquois in the War of 1812 (1998); The War of 1812 (2002); Mohawks on the Nile (2008); Native Memoirs from the War of 1812: Black Hawk and William Apess (2014), and the forthcoming A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812: John Norton – Teyoninhokarawen (2018). His currently is undertaking research for a book on the history of the Royal Ontario Museum. He also has published extensively in journals, online, and in other venues, and has provided historical and curatorial consulting services to First Nations communities, governmental agencies, and other clients in Canada and the United States.