Primary Source Excerpts
American Revolution: wartime experiences in military, civil, and Indian societies
Indians
--neutrality
+Samson Occom wished whites "would let the poor Indians alone, what have they to do with
your Quarrels"
+2nd Continental Congress, 1775 message to several Indian nations: described the war as "a
family quarrel between us and Old England", asked them to "not join on either side...you Indians
are not concerned in it"
+Paya Mataha, Chickasaw, talks to John Stuart, explaining Chickasaw reluctance (which US
government saw as a sign they would side with the British): "In the course of my conversations
with the chief I found that it was with the utmost difficulty he could place in the light of enemies
those men whom from his earliest infancy he had been taught to consider as his dearest friends,
whom he had assisted and defended upon many occasions at the risk of his life...and that he
shuddered at the apprehensions of committing some fatal blunder by killing the King's friends
instead of his enemies."
--sides
+Seneca chief Sayengeraghta, to Hurons, at 1779 council at Ft. Niagara: "It is also your Business
Brothers to exert yourselves in the Defense of this Road by which the King, our Father, so fully
supplied our Wants. If this is once stopt we must be a miserable People, and be left exposed to
the Resentment of the Rebels, who, notwithstanding their fair Speeches, wish for nothing more,
than to extirpate us from the Earth, that they may possess our Lands, the Desire of attaining
which we are convinced is the Cause of the present War between the King and his disobedient
Children."
+Chickasaw message to Congress, 1783: "The Spaniards are sending talks amongst us, and
inviting our young Men to trade with them. We also receive talks from Georgia to the same
effect--We have had speeches from the Illinois inviting us to a Trade and Intercourse with them-Our Brothers, the Virginians Call upon us to a Treaty, and want part of our land, and we expect
our Neighbors who live on Cumberland River, will in a Little time Demand, if not forcibly take
part of it from us...we are daily receiving Talks from one Place or other, and from People we
Know nothing about. We know not who to mind or who to neglect."
+Taylor, p 85 [Colonel John Butler, former deputy to Sir William Johnson, Indian agent, took
post at Fort Niagara in 1775, had lots of presents/gifts to give Iroq while meeting with them]:
(referring to Am Peter Schuyler) "He was born but yesterday; just now, as it were, [he] started up
out of the ground and tomorrow will return into the earth, whence he came. It will not be the
space of a month before you hear him cry. He has no men, guns, cannon and ammunition, or
clothing; and should he survive the summer, he must perish by the cold next winter for want of
blankets. But the King wants neither men nor money; there is no computing his numbers...What
a wretched situation must you be in when the King...comes in earnest to sweep off the
Americans if he finds you supporting the Americans!"
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--individual decisions
+Delawares, Munsees, Mahicans, warning PA, MD, VA in 1771: "Unless you can fall upon
some method of governing your people who live between the Great Mountains and the Ohio
River and who are now very numerous, it will be out of the Indians power to govern their young
men, for we assure you that the black clouds begin to gather fast in this country."
+Tenhoghskweaghta, Onondada chief, 1778: "Times are altered with us Indians. Formerly the
Warriors were governed by the wisdom of their uncles the Sachems but now they take their own
way & dispose of themselves without consulting their uncles the Sachems--while we wish for
peace and they for war."
--impacts
+British Indian Superintendent John Stuart, 1772, working with Choctaws: "The competition and
anxiety of the candidats for medals and commissions was as great as can be imagined and
equalled the struggles of the most aspiring and ambitious for honours and preferment in great
states. I took every step to be informed of characters and filled the vacancies with the most
worthy and likely to answer the purposes of maintaining order and the attachment of this nation
to the British interest."
+Gen William Christian, describing a group of Cherokees on their way to Richmond in 1782:
"The miseries of those people from what I see and hear seem to exceed description; here are
men, women & children almost naked; I see very little to cover either sex but some old bear
skins, and we are told that the bulk of the nation are in the same naked situation. But this is not
the greatest of their evils; their crops this year have been worse than ever was known, so that
their corn & potatoes, it is supposed will be all done before April; and many are already out,
particularly widows and fatherless children, who have no men nearly connected with them."
--------------Africans and African Americans
--Massachusetts petition: "we have been deprived of Injoying the [Proceeds] of our Labouer...as
white people do...and yet...we have been & now are Taxed...yet many of our Colour...have
Cheerfully entered the field of Battle in the defence of the Common Cause...against a similar
Exertion of Power in regard to taxation"
---------------
Women
--First newspaper item reporting on Deborah Sampson, New York Gazette
An extraordinary instance of virtue in a female soldier, has occurred lately in the
American army, in the Massachusetts line viz, a lively comely young nymph, 19 years old,
dressed in man's apparal has been discovered; and what redounds to her honor, she has served in
the character of a soldier for near three years undiscovered; during which time she displayed
herself with activity, alertness, chastity and valour, having been in several skirmishes with the
enemy, and receiving two wounds; a small shot remaining in her to this day; she was a
remarkably vigilant soldier on her post, and always gained the admiration and applause of her
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officers; was never found in liquor, and always kept company with the most upright and
temperate soldiers.
For several months this galantress served with credit as a waiter in a General officer's
family; a violent illness (when the troops were at Philadelphia) led to the discovery of her sex;
she has since been honorably discharged from the army with a reward, and sent to her
connexions who it appears live to the Eastward of Boston, at a place called Munduncook.
The cause of her personating a man, it is said, proceeded from the rigour of her parents,
who exercised their prerogative, to induce her marriage with a young man she had conceived a
great antipathy for, together with her being a remarkable heroine, and being warmly attached to
her country, in the service of which, it must be acknowledged, she gained reputation; and no
doubt will be noticed by the compilers of the history of our grand revolution. She passed by the
name of Robert Shurtlieff, while in the army, and was borne on the rolls of the regiment as such:
For particular reasons, her real name is withheld, but the facts aforementioned are
unquestionable and unembellished.
--Verse that ran in several newspapers, almanacs, etc, though with some variation:
First, then, throw aside your topknots of pride,
Wear none but your own country linen;
Of economy boast, let your pride be the most
To show clothes of your own make and spinning.
--In 1778 in Massachusetts, Abigail Adams recorded this incident: "An eminent, wealthy,
stingy merchant (also a bachelor) had a hogshead of coffee in his store, which he refused to
sell...under six shillings per Pound. A number of Females, some say a hundred, some say more,
assembled with a cart and trunks, marched down to the Whare House and demanded the keys
which he refused to deliver. Upon which one of them seizd him by his Neck and tossed him into
the cart. Upon his finding no quarter, he delivered the keys when they tipped up the cart and
discharged him; then opened the Warehouse, hoisted out the Coffee themselves, put it into the
trunks and drove off...A large concourse of men stood amazed silent Spectators."
---------------------Economy
selections from The Continental Association, October 20, 1774
To obtain redress of these grievances [specified in a preamble], which threaten destruction to the
lives, liberty, and property of his majesty's subjects, in North America, we are of opinion, that a
non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation agreement, faithfully adhered to, will
prove the most speedy, effectual, and peaceable measure: and, therefore, we do, for ourselves,
and the inhabitants of the several colonies, whom we represent, firmly agree and associate, under
the sacred ties of virtue, honour and love of our country, as follows:
1. That from and after the first day of December next, we will not import, into British
America, from Great-Britain or Ireland, any goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever, or
from any other place, any such goods, wares, or merchandise, as shall have been exported
from Great-Britain or Ireland; nor will we, after that day, import any East-India tea from
any part of the world; nor any molasses, syrups, paneles [brown unpurified sugar], coffee,
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or pimento, from the British plantations or from Dominica; nor wines from Madeira, or
the Western Islands; nor foreign indigo.
2. We will neither import nor purchase, any slave imported after the first day of December
next; after which time, we will wholly discontinue the slave trade, and will neither be
concerned in it ourselves, nor will we hire our vessels, nor sell our commodities or
manufactures to those who are concerned in it.
3. As a non-consumption agreement, strictly adhered to, will be an effectual security for the
observation of the non-importation, we, as above, solemnly agree and associate, that,
from this day, we will not purchase or use any tea, imported on account of the East-India
company, or any on which a duty hath been or shall be paid; and from and after the first
day of March next, we will not purchase or use any East-India tea whatever; nor will we,
nor shall any person for or under us, purchase or use any of those goods, wares, or
merchandise, we have agreed not to import, which we shall know, or have cause to
suspect, were imported after the first day of December, except such as come under the
rules and directions of the tenth article hereafter mentioned.
5. Such as are merchants, and use the British and Irish trade, will give orders, as soon as
possible, to their factors, agents and correspondents, in Great-Britain and Ireland, not to
ship any goods to them, on any pretence whatsoever, as they cannot be received in
America; and if any merchant, residing in Great-Britain or Ireland, shall directly or
indirectly ship any goods, wares or merchandise, for America, in order to break the said
non-importation agreement, or in any manner contravene the same, on such unworthy
conduct being well attested, it ought to be made public; and, on the same being so done,
we will not, from thenceforth, have any commercial connexion with such merchant.
6. That such as are owners of vessels will give positive orders to their captains, or masters, not
to receive on board their vessels any goods prohibited by the said non-importation
agreement, on pain of immediate dismission from their service.
8. We will, in our several stations, encourage frugality, economy, and industry, and promote
agriculture, arts and the manufactures of this country, especially that of wool; and will
discountenance and discourage every species of extravagance and dissipation, especially
all horse-racing, and all kinds of gaming, cock-fighting, exhibitions of shews, plays, and
other expensive diversions and entertainments; and on the death of any relation or friend,
none of us, or any of our families, will go into any further mourning-dress, than a black
crape or ribbon on the arm or hat, for gentlemen, and a black ribbon and necklace for
ladies, and we will discontinue the giving of gloves and scarves at funerals.
9. Such as are venders of goods or merchandise will not take advantage of the scarcity of
goods, that may be occasioned by this association, but will sell the same at the rates we
have been respectively accustomed to do, for twelve months last past.--And if any vender
of goods or merchandise shall sell any such goods on higher terms, or shall, in any
manner, or by any device whatsoever violate or depart from this agreement, no person
ought, nor will any of us deal with any such person, or his or her factor or agent, at any
time thereafter, for any commodity whatever.
13. That all manufactures of this country be sold at reasonable prices, so that no undue
advantage be taken of a future scarcity of goods.
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