"Only a scholar with Hauptman’s knowledge of Iroquois history, his grasp of widely scattered source materials, and his credibility within Iroquois communities today could have written so authoritatively about this two-front war. Excellent maps, charts, and illustrations help make this book a worthy addition to Hauptman’s other two volumes on Iroquois history."—American Historical Review
"This is a very perceptive study of the effects of the Civil War on the Iroquois Tribes in New York, Wisconsin, and the West. Through the use of personal accounts, Hauptman follows several Iroquois through their military careers to demonstrate how they were integrated into the army as ordinary cavalrymen and common foot soldiers."—Library Journal
"Hauptman has synthesized a large story into a relatively few pages. He not only documents well the wartime record of Iroquois soldiers, but also clearly defines the Civil War’s impact on the Native American homefront."—Choice
"Laurence Hauptman’s contribution to the history of the Iroquois in the Civil War is a major step toward ending the lack of substantial scholarship on this topic. . . . [He] over-looked little, if anything, in his search for documentation to support his fascinating narrative. In sum, the book is a superlative and long-overdue treatment of a heretofore neglected topic."—Civil War History
Description
Despite the perennial interest in the American Civil War, historians have not examined sufficiently how Native American communities were affected by this watershed event in U.S. history. This ground-breaking book by one of
the foremost Iroquois historians significantly adds to our understanding of this subject by providing the first intimate look at the Iroquois’ involvement in the American Civil War and its devastating impact on Iroquois communities.
Both fascinating and fast-moving, The Iroquois in the Civil War exposes many myths about Native American soldiers. To correct old stereotypes about American Indians, Hauptman discusses the Iroquois’ distinguished war service as commissioned and noncommissioned officers as well as ordinary cavalrymen and common foot soldiers.
Drawing upon archival records and personal wartime letters and diaries never before used by ethnohistorians, Hauptman portrays the dilemma the Iroquois experienced during this era. He assesses the Iroquois’ military volunteerism, their loyalty to the Union, and their concurrent effort to maintain their lands, sovereignty, and cultural identity just at a time when new pressures for tribal dissolution were increasing. He not only provides us with a remarkable glimpse into the hearts and minds of Iroquois Indians on the battlefield but also adds significantly to our understanding about the conflict affecting the women and children remaining on the reservations.
About the Author
Laurence M. Hauptman, professor of history at the State University of New York at New Paltz, is the author and editor of twelve books and articles in Native American studies. He has worked for the Wisconsin Oneidas, the Mashantucket Pequots, and the Seneca Nation of Indians as a historical consultant. ln 1997 he received an award of commendation from the Seneca Nation for his expert testimony before both houses of Congress that contributed to congressional legislation in the Seneca-Salamanca lease debate.
Related Interest
Series: The Iroquois and Their Neighbors
5.81 x 8.83, 230 pages, 18 black and white illustrations, 9 maps
October 1999