Books: Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians

E >> Elias Johnson >> Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians

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The Tuscaroras again evinced their friendship for the United States in
the war of 1812, when they were asked to guard the Niagara river at
Lewiston and down the river, against the British crossing it.

Here again we hear of the Tuscarora sachem, Solomon Longboard, with about
thirty-five Tuscarora volunteers, stationed at Lewiston on guard. I have
recorded some of the names of these volunteers, which I was able to
obtain from some of the old people that were yet living in the year 1878,
which are as follows, to-wit: The two sons of Solomon Longboard, Jacob
Taylor, Joseph Cusick, John Cusick, David Cusick, John Black Nose and his
brother, Samuel Thompson, John Obediah, Aaron Pempleton, James Pempleton,
John Mt. Pleasant, Harry Patterson, John Green, Isaac Allen, Capt.
Williams, Gau-ya-re-na-twa, Wm. Printup, better known as little Billy,
Black Chief, John Printup, Isaac Green, Surgin Green, George Printup.
There were but few of these that drew pension, as it was alleged that
they were not enrolled upon the army roll.

On the night of December 19th, 1813, the British army and British Indians
crossed the Niagara River near Calvin Hotchkis' place, about two miles
below Lewiston. They noticed at first there were lights going across the
river during the night, and at the dawn of day were despatched, Jacob
Taylor (better known as Colonel Jacobs), and another Indian to accompany
him--both being Tuscaroras. On their return they reported that the
British Indians had crossed the river in great numbers. The news was
circulated in the village of Lewiston and the neighboring country, that
they might evacuate their places and go east, which they did, taking the
Ridge road. The Tuscarora volunteers took the rear of the train as they
moved eastward, commanded by their Sachem, Solomon Longboard.

The British Indians went on the pursuit. After they had gone about two
miles from the village of Lewiston, where the Tuscarora Indians branched
off on a road leading to their reservation, known as the Indian hill, or
Mountain road. As they had advanced part way up the mountain they
observed a Canada Indian on horseback, who headed off some of the train,
and among the rest was also Bates Cooke, of Lewiston. One of his legs
had, a little previous to that time, been amputated, and the main Canada
force were about half a mile in the rear on pursuit. The commander of the
Tuscarora force ordered that the Indian heading off the train be shot,
which was done by John Obediah. The Indian tumbled off the horse and fell
to the ground, and then got up and ran down the little hill into the
wood, where it is said he died from the wound he received.

When the report of the gun was heard by the Canadian force and they saw
the effect it had on their comrade, they halted. Their commander, Mr.
Longboard, of the Tuscaroras which numbered at that time twenty-six, from
them selected three men and instructed them to get upon and to go along
the top of the mountain and to blow a horn occasionally, which they had
in their possession, and to keep nearly opposite the Canada Indians. The
object was to serve as a scare-crow, to make them believe that there was
a force also on the mountain in the act of flanking them. But the
remaining force of Mr. Longboard rushed down the mountain with their war
whoops as if legion were coming down, and pursued the Canada Indians,
while the train of white people had gone on in their flight. The Canada
Indians retreated about one mile and a half, near to where the main force
were. Then one of their men halted and aimed his gun at one of our men,
John Obediah, and the latter also aimed to his opponent, while Samuel
Thompson got behind a large elm tree. In the meantime, John Obediah spoke
to the stranger in all the different six languages of the Iroquois, but
did not get an answer. These were the only two men in pursuit at this
time, as the rest of them had halted some ways back. Finally the British
Indian retreated backwards, keeping aim as he went, and all at once gave
a spring and ran off. The three men that were on the mountain kept
occasionally blowing the horn as they went, as the road is parallel with
the mountain.

By this time the train of white people had gone quite a good ways in
their flight: it is evident that the timely intervention of the Tuscarora
Indians, saved great slaughter of men, women and children among the white
people.

The Tuscaroras then went back and kept in the rear of the white people in
their flight. The British Indians perceiving that it was the Tuscarora
Indians that killed one of their number and repulsed them, made their way
to their reservation, (the nation had already deserted their homes), and
began to burn their houses indiscriminately, and also a meeting-house
which was built by them, except eight dollars, a convenient chapel where
the early christian Tuscaroras such as Sacaresa and Solomon Longboard,
both sachems, with many others, delighted to worship the Almighty in the
simplicity of their faith. And after they had finished their destruction
they went down in pursuit of the fleeing train of white people on the
ridge road: by this time the Tuscaroras had stationed themselves at a log
house, eight or ten miles from Lewiston, near Nathan Peterson's, which
was used as an armory; when the Tuscaroras first came, there were a few
white men there breaking open the powder kegs in this log house, making
it ready to set on fire but the chief, Mr. Longboard, remonstrated in
having it burned, and was interpreted to them by Colonel Jacobs, so they
consented not to destroy the powder.

When the British Indians came in sight, Mr. Longboard instructed his men
to keep moving back and forth from the log house or armory, to a thicket
in the rear of the house, for the purpose of making the enemy believe
that there was a large force stationed there; the enemy halted and
finally went back, and thus the armory was saved. The manouvre of the
Tuscarora Indians in these two cases above, was done with but very little
sacrifice on their part, but the beneficence was great; but then, who
cares anything about that, it was nothing but an Indian affair anyhow;
this will probably be the thought of those who peruse my little pages.

When the Tuscaroras evacuated their reservation they went to Oneida
Castle and remained there during the war. In about the last part of June,
1814, there was a company of volunteers composed of about thirty
Tuscaroras and a number of Oneida Indians, that started from Oneida
Castle to Sackett's Harbor, to join themselves to an army that was
commanded by General Brown; on their way there, when they arrived at
Tonawanda. an officer came to them and asked where they were going; they
answered, "to Sackett's Harbor, to join General Brown's army." The
officer said, "that is right;" he then asked them if they lacked
anything, and they said, "nothing more than being short of victuals, but
we can get along with what game we can procure on the way." The officer
then gave them one dollar each and told them to go and buy some bread.

They then went on, and on the 3rd or 4th of July they crossed the river
from Sackett's Harbor, and on the 4th, they, with General Brown and his
army approached an intrenchment of General Riall's, which was in a strong
position. Brown told the Tuscaroras that he with his army would attack
the enemy direct, "but," said he, "you must go around and attack the
enemy on their flank."

It is acceded by all American nations, that the characteristic of the
Indians in their war battles, is to fight in scouting and to attack by
surprise: consequently, it seems that General Riall instructed the
British Indians, which numbered several hundred, that when he was
attacked, they the Indians, should move and attack their enemy also
on the flank; it seems that they moved in the shape of a V with the two
points foremost. On the 5th occurred the battle of Chippewa; the contest
was obstinate and bloody; the Tuscarora Indians in moving on the flank of
Brown's army, they entered in the enemy's moving V of British Indians,
and when they arrived at the fork, and not until then, did the Tuscaroras
know where they were; but, nevertheless, they all made the war-whoop,
fired and made a desperate charge at one point and broke through the
ranks of the enemy. Strange as it may seem, there was but one wounded and
that slightly on the cheek, and not one killed; it was a very close
contest, we getting away with the loss of but a few guns and coats, for
when the enemy took hold of their coats they would only pull off and run.
It was then that the enemy's V closed in on the rear of the Tuscaroras
and the bloody scene began; the enemy fired against themselves, and not
until they had completely destroyed themselves did they discover in what
frenzy they were; but at length the Americans were victorious. These same
Tuscaroras were present at the memorable battle at Bridgewater near
Niagara Falls, where a desperate engagement, it is said, ensued,
commencing about sunset and lasting until midnight, where Generals Brown
and Scott were wounded.

In every instance when the United States were in trouble, the Tuscaroras
were ever ready to sacrifice their blood upon the American altar, which
they again fully evinced in the war of the rebellion, when twenty-three
of the Tuscarora Indian warriors enlisted as volunteers in the United
States army, some of whom died in the service of the country; but some
were spared by the good Providence, and were permitted yet to share the
sweets of home; some inherited diseases which they will probably carry
down to their graves.

In the year 1862 Cornelius C. Cusick, a grandson of Nicholas Cusick,
the revolutionist, was commissioned to the office of Second Lieutenant.
There were four other Tuscaroras mustered in with him in the 3d N. Y.
Volunteers, 132d Reg't, Co. D, to-wit: Jeremiah Peters, John Peters,
Hulett Jacobs, George Garlow, and there are others who enlisted
afterwards at different times during the war, to wit:

Twelfth N. Y. Vol's, Cav., Co. M.--Ozias Chew, John Pempleton, Charles
Pempleton, Nichodemus Thompssn.

Bat. K, 1st N. Y. Light Art.--Samuel Bearfoot (Ely Patterson), Wm. Joseph
(Lewis Patterson), Alexander John (Davis Miller), Zhacariah Johnson
(Elijah Johnson), Wm. Anderson (Samuel Jack).

Clinton Mt. Pleasant, 3Oth, transferred to 31st N. J. Vol's. Inv. colored
brigade.

Wilson Jacobs, 1st N. Y., Vet. Cav., Co. M.

Edward Spencer (Edward Anderson), Inv. sway. Co. A. 17th Corps.

Alvis D. Hewett, 151st N. Y. Vol's.

Thomas Cornelius, Co. K, 2d N. Y. Mounted Rifles.

Charles Green, 120th N. Y. Vol's, Co. K.

John Longboard, Samuel Mt. Pleasant.

During the war, Cornelius C. Cusick was promoted to First Lieutenant, and
at the close of the war he was promoted to Captain. He was some time
afterwards commissioned into the regular army of the United States as
First Lieutenant.

Antique Rock Citadel of Kienuka;

OR, GAU-STRAU-YEA.

There has been much said by different writers of aboriginal forts, and
fort builders of western New York, in availing themselves of steeps,
gulfs, defiles, and other marked localities, in establishing works for
security or defense. This trait is, however, in no case more strikingly
exemplified than in the curious antique work of Kienuka. The term
"Kienuka," means the stronghold or fort; but the original name of this
fort is Gau-strau-yea, which means bark laid down; this has a
metaphorical meaning, in the similitude of a freshly peeled slippery elm
bark, the size of the fort and laid at the bottom as a flooring, so that
if any person or persons go in they must be circumspect, and act
according to the laws of the fort, or else they will slip and fall down
to their own destruction.

The citadel of Kienuka is situated about four miles eastward of the inlet
of Niagara gorge at Lewiston, on a natural escarpment of the ridge on the
Tuscarora reservation, known at present by the name of the Old Saw Mill.

There is quite an interesting tradition connected with the antique fort
Gau-strau-yea. At the formation of the confederacy of the Iroquois, there
was a virgin selected from a nation which was called Squawkihaws (a
remote branch of the Seneca nation), and was ordained a Queen or
Peacemaker, who was stationed at this fort to execute her office of
peace, her official name was Ge-keah-saw-sa.

The fort was built by the Senecas aided by the Squawkihaws, on an
eminence on the north side of a steep of perpendicular rocks, which was
about eight or ten feet down; and on the east, south and west sides they
dug a trench four or five feet deep, and in this trench were placed
timbers which were put up perpendicularly and jointed as close as
possible, they projected above the ground ten or twelve feet, inclosing a
place of about twenty by fifty rods. The house for the Queen was in the
center of this inclosure or fort, and adjacent houses were built in two
rows, with a trail or path between them directing towards the Queen's
house; on each end and inside of the fort, which ran lengthwise east and
west, was an entrance corresponding with the trail prepared leading to
the house of the Queen.

Then a suitable number of warriors were selected from the Squawkihaws'
nation, the ablest bodied, the swiftest runners and the most expert in
the arts of war, which were stationed at this fort (and made their
dwelling in the adjacent houses), to keep it in order and execute its
regulations and laws; they were to be supported with subsistance and all
other necessaries of life, and furnished with suitable implements of war
by the Iroquois.

In order more fully to understand the laws and regulations of the fort or
place of peace, it must be observed that at this period there were
contentions, strife and wars between all the different known nations of
the continent; nation against nation, like fishes of the waters, the
larger ones eating the smaller. The warrior who can report in his
rehearsal in the war-dance of having obtained the greatest number of
scalps from the enemy, was the most honored and had the most laurels in
his crown; consequently, they were constantly forming companies for an
expedition to some nation in quest of honor and the applause of their
nation. At this time the confederacy of the Iroquois was formed, and this
place of peace was ordained for the purpose, it may be, to alleviate the
distress and commotion of the nations of the forest.

The laws were that there shall be no nation or nations of the Iroquois
make war against any nation or nations of the same league, under any
circumstances; and the Iroquois must not make war with any alien nation
without the consent of the Queen. This fort must ever be held sacred, as
it is a place of peace, by never allowing the shedding of blood within
the inclosure. All executions decreed by the Queen should be made outside
of the fort. And any person or persons, aside from the keepers of the
fort, should, on entering, never go any faster than a walk. And the Queen
must always have meals ready at every hour of the day and night--
allegorically speaking, it is called a kettle of hominy hanging, for all
fugitives and pursuers from any nation on the continent to partake. All
fugitives, irrespective of their nationalities, fleeing for life, from
their enemy, when once their feet touch the threshold of the fort, their
life is safe; then the Queen conducts him or them into one end of her
house, which is lengthwise east and west, with a door at each end and a
partition in the center of the room by a curtain made of deer skin, and
when the pursuer comes, she also conducts him or them to the other end of
the room. She then gives to each of these parties, which are enemies to
each other, sustenance to eat; when, this being done, she rolls away the
curtain, so that each party can see the other; when they have done eating
they pass out and go home to their respective nations in peace. It is
contrary to law after a fugitive arrives at this fort and has gone out,
for the enemy to execute their death scheme without the consent of the
Queen; and if this be violated, then the Iroquois demand the trespasser
from the nation to which he or they belong. If this is acceded to, 'tis
well; then the trespassers are executed, of which the penalty is death.
But should the nation harbor the trespasser, then the nation must suffer
the devastations of war at the hands of the Iroquois.

I would here say a few words in relation to the question often asked,
"Who were the Squawkihows, Kah-Kwahs, and the Eries?" There has been much
controversy on the question. These three named tribes were of one
language and of one nation--a remote branch of the Seneca nation--and
spoke the same language as the Senecas, varying but very little in a few
words. These three tribes originally were called Squawkihows. In time
they became very numerous and powerful. They had their settlement from
the chores of Lake Ontario and along the Niagara River, and up Lake Erie
as far as a place now called Erie, and as far east as to the Genesee
river. This was their domain, within these limits.

A settlement of this nation in the neighborhood of, now, North Evans,
south of Buffalo, a place called by them Kah-kwah-ka, and the Squawkihows
living in this vicinity were called Kah-kwahs; and the Squawkihows living
further on along the shores of Lake Erie were called cats or Eries, a
name that originated from the name of the lake. By this explanation you
will better understand my story.

There was a time when the Kah-kwahs' branch of that nation made a
challenge to the Seneca nation, another very powerful nation having their
settlement on the east side of the Genesee river, to play a game of ball,
which the Senecas readily accepted and a day was appointed; accordingly,
the combat ensued, and was a hotly contested game; but the Senecas
finally came out victorious. The Kah-kwahs immediately made another
challenge, that of having a foot race, which the Senecas also accepted.
Each nation chose their swiftest runners, then the flyers went which and
tucker for a ways, but the Senecas finally came out glorious. The Kah-
kwahs being mortified by the defeat of the two contests made the third
challenge, that of wrestling, with the understanding that an umpire must
be chosen from each nation and both to have a war club in hand, and the
one that is defeated should suffer death by having his head struck with
the war club while down, by the umpire opponent to the one defeated and
should be best two in three.

Even in this the Senecas accepted the challenge, and in this remarkable
contest they were also victorious. With this the assemblage dispersed.

The defeats of the Kah-kwahs considerably alieniated the Squawkihows from
the Senecas; the report, of course, reached the ears of the Queen, which
also alienated her feelings from the Senecas, she being by birth a
Squawkihow, but the office to which she was ordained was by the Iroquois.

After this in one of the scouting tours of the Senecas across the Niagara
river, among the Masassauka Indians, on their return at night to the
"place of peace" or Gau-strau-yea, they were pursued by a number of the
Masassaukas; when both parties had arrived and had their repast, they all
lodged there to rest in peace for the night, as they were wont to do. But
in the slumber and stillness of the midnight hour, was tested the
treachery of the Queen, by the Masassaukas, in asking her consent to
massacre the Senecas in their unsuspecting slumber; her feelings having
been previously somewhat alienated from the Senecas, she was induced to
give her consent, whereupon they were massacred; their number I have not
been able to obtain. They were buried southwest from the Queen's house,
the mound of which was perceptible until a few years ago, when it was
cultivated.

This breach of the law of that fort by the Queen giving consent in the
shedding of blood in that sacred place, grated the conscience of the
Squawkikows, and being alienated by the defeat they experienced a short
time previous by the matches they had with the Senecas.

This affair was kept secret for a while. At the same time the Squawkihows
urged the consent of the Queen for them to exterminate the Seneca nation
and to take them on surprise, for, they said when they hear of the
massacre, they will at once wage war against us. They finally prevailed
on her, so she condemned the Seneca nation to be exterminated.

At this time there was one warrior of the Senecas who had married into
the Squawkihows' nation and lived among them. When he heard that the
Queen had given up the Seneca nation into the hands of the Squawkihows,
to be exterminated, he resolved to go to a place called Tah-nyh-yea,
among the Senecas--east side of Genesee river, on the Seneca river--where
dwelled the head Sachem of the Seneca nation, by the name of Onea-gah-re-
tah-wa, and make his report to that venerable Sachem, the decision of the
Queen, which was final. To accomplish this, without exciting the
suspicion of his family and neighbors, he went under the pretense of
going away to hunt on the lake shore of Ontario, and would not be
expected home in two or three days. Early one fine morning this warrior
started on his high mission from his house, which was located near the
fort (Gau-strau-yea). He went northerly and touched Lake Ontario, where
he had a canoe for the purpose of hunting and fishing, in which he
embarked and rowed eastward to the mouth of the Oswego river, and up the
river as far as the Seneca river: then up that river to the settlement of
the Senecas. He there left his canoe and made for Tah-nyh-yea, and went
directly to the Sachem, (Onea-gah-re-tah-wa's) wigwam in the dead of
night, and called him out doors. He there related to the Sachem the
decree of the Queen, concerning the Seneca nation and the massacre, and
requested him to keep secret the way he had received the message. The
warrior immediately returned home in the same way that he came.

In the morning the venerable Sachem went out early and gave the war cry,
which denoted that they were massacred, that war was inevitable, and for
the warriors to rally and prepare for war. The nation soon gathered. He
then related the message he had received during the night, and said he
had heard that some of their warriors were massacred at the fort (Gau-
strau-yea), and that the Queen had decreed their extermination at the
hand of the Squawkihows. He then appointed four warriors of the best
runners to go and spy the fort and the settlement if there was any
indication of preparation for war, with instructions that with the very
first indication of a preparation for war that they should at once
dispatch one of their number home to make his report, and the others to
go on and to observe the progress of the preparation and make their
reports accordingly.

The four gallant warriors now made their way to the settlement at Gau-
strau-yea. When they arrived, they saw only the eldest people, from about
upwards of sixty-five years of age, and the younger children, from about
fourteen years of age and under. While they were traveling they saw two
boys picking up sticks for firewood. One of them asked the smaller boy
where his father was. The bright little fellow spoke promptly and said,
"Gone to war." Before the older boy could divert his attention by
touching him, the little fellow finished his answer. This they took to be
news, and immediately dispatched one of their number home to make the
report. When this one made his report to Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, he at once
dispatched runners to the other nations of the league to inform them of
what had happened to their father, the Seneca nation, and the desecration
of their fort. The three that were left after the one was dispatched
home, went onto a settlement of the same nation at Gill Creek, above
Niagara Falls, where they found the people the same as at Gau-straw-yea.
The elders and the youngers only were at home. They also asked a boy
there where his father was. He aswered: "At Kah-kwah-ka," which is south
of Buffalo. These three spies took pains to get at Kah-kwah-ka in the
night. When they got there they fouud a great multitude gathered, and
engaged in the war dance. The spies went right among the multitude
without being suspected, because their language was the same as the
Squawkihows, and took part in the dances. They saw the warriors in their
dance have a head of a bear, tossing it about and striking it with the
war club, and at the same time exclaiming: "We will have the head of
Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, (the Seneca Sachem) and strike it thus" at the same
time hitting it with their club. And the war chief said that they
would start in the morning and on the third day they would have the head
of Onea-gah-re-tah-wa strung up on a pole. With that the spies dispatched
home the second one to make his report of what they saw and heard, and
this one retired from the crowd privately some little time before
daybreak. The two still remained with the crowd, talking and chatting
with them as if they were one of their nation.

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