A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812 presents the story of John Norton, or Teyoninhokarawen, an important war chief and political figure among the Grand River Haudenosaunee (or Iroquois) in Upper Canada. Norton saw more action during the conflict than almost anyone else, being present at the fall of Detroit; the capture of Fort Niagara; the battles of Queenston Heights, Fort George, Stoney Creek, Chippawa, and Lundy’s Lane; the blockades of Fort George and Fort Erie; and a large number of skirmishes and front-line patrols. His memoir describes the fighting, the stresses suffered by indigenous peoples, and the complex relationships between the Haudenosaunee and both their British allies and other First Nations communities.
Norton’s account, written in 1815 and 1816, provides nearly one-third of the book’s content, with the remainder consisting of Carl Benn’s introductions and annotations, which enable readers to understand Norton’s fascinating autobiography within its historical contexts. With the assistance of modern scholarship, A Mohawk Memoir presents an exceptional opportunity to explore the War of 1812 and native-newcomer issues not only through Teyoninhokarawen’s Mohawk perspective but in his own words.
Author(s): Carl Benn
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Year: 2019
Language: English
Commentary: Introduced, annotated, and edited by Carl Benn
Pages: xii, 351
City: Toronto
Tags: Norton, John, -- 1770-1827; Iroquois Indians--Wars; Iroquois Indians--Canada--History--18th century; Canada -- History -- 1763-1867 -- Personal narratives; Canada -- History -- War of 1812 -- Personal narratives; United States -- History -- War of 1812; United States--History--War of 1812--Participation, Indian; United States--History--War of 1812--Personal narratives; History--War of 1812
Abbreviations ix
Map: The Iroquois/Haudenosaunee Lower Great Lakes, 1812−15 xi
Map: Six Nations Iroquois/Haudenosaunee Grand River Lands, 1812−15 xii
Introduction
John Norton’s Memoir 3
Editorial Decisions, Terminology, and Numbers 9
The Haudenosaunee to the 1790s 13
John Norton’s Early Life and Transformation into Mohawk Leader Teyoninhokarawen 24
Teyoninhokarawen’s Service to the Six Nations of the Grand River and Views on Haudenosaunee Society and Independence 39
A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812
BY JOHN NORTON – TEYONINHOKARAWEN
1 Uncertainties, Diplomacy, and the Outbreak of War, 1811–12 75
2 Opening Moves, Disunion, and the Capture Of Detroit, 1812 97
3 Niagara and Victory at Queenston Heights, 1812 115
4 Ambiguity and Frustration on the Detroit Front, 1813 141
5 The Fall of Fort George, Desperate Moments, and the Battle of Stoney Creek, 1813 165
6 The Blockade of Fort George, Intrigue, and the Capture of Fort Niagara, 1813 181
7 Quebec, Burlington, and the Battle of Chippawa, 1814 222
8 Discredit, Battles at Lundy’s Lane and Fort Erie, Murders, and the Defence of Grand River, 1814 240
Epilogue
John Norton in Upper Canada and Great Britain 275
Final Years 292
Appendix A: The Six Nations Population on the Grand River, 1811 and 1814 299
Appendix B: John Norton’s Spelling of Native Names Where It Differed from Current Practice 302
Acknowledgments 305
Image Credits 309
Bibliography 313
Index 329
Colour plates follow page 180
