A little food for thought on a dreary ( so far ) Sunday morning.
Less than two years after the winter at Valley Forge, Washington issued the following orders:
The expedition you are appointed to command is directed against the hostile tribes of the Six Nations of Indians, with their associates and adherents. The immediate objects are the total destruction and devastation of their settlements and the capture of as many prisoners of every age and sex as possible. It will be essential to ruin their crops now in the ground and preventing their planting more...Should Niagara fall into yourhands in the manner I have mentioned you will do everything in your power for preserving and maintaining it by establishing a chain of posts in such a manner as shall appear to you most safe and effectual and tending as little to reduce our general forces as possible....
- Washington’s orders to Gen. John Sullivan, 31 May 1779
In case you're wondering, the Oneida were one of the Six Nations.
No comments:
Post a Comment