A Mohawk Memoir from the War of 1812: John Norton - Teyoninhokarawen

Review

"Native voices are seldom well preserved in the history of North America, and those that are tend to be in the form of speeches and other official statements that have passed through the mouths and hands of translators, clerks, and various Euro-American officials. By bringing John Norton’s story to a modern audience and by expertly putting Norton’s words and actions in the context of the ebb and flow of the fighting, Carl Benn has given students and other interested readers the opportunity to better understand the military, political, and social forces that motivated Norton and his brother warriors." -- Brian Leigh Dunnigan, Associate Director & Curator of Maps, William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan

"The name of the Mohawk leader John Norton is not unknown to Canadians, but all scholars of early-nineteenth-century North America should welcome Carl Benn’s new edition of Norton’s 1816 memoir. Scrupulously annotated by virtue of deeply impressive research in a wide variety of transatlantic sources and brilliantly contextualized by essays on the internal history of the Iroquois confederacy and the military history of the War of 1812, Benn’s edition is an outstanding feat of historical scholarship. This volume is essential reading for all interested in its subject matter." -- J.C.A Stagg, College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, University of Virginia

"This new edition of Mohawk leader John Norton’s War of 1812 diary by the leading student of the Iroquois is a tour de force. Adorned by a richly-textured introduction and supported by extensive documentation, it will be a welcome addition to the literature on the role of indigenous people in the Anglo-American war." -- Don Hickey, Department of History, Wayne State College

"Teyoninhokarawen or John Norton, a war chief of the Mohawk nation, left an erudite and lengthy memoir of his experiences during the War of 1812. Certainly the best account of the conflict from an indigenous participant and possibly the best from the British side, it has been known to historians for decades. This new version edited by Carl Benn places Teyoninhokarawen in the proper context of his time, place, and chosen people. The result is a masterwork of scholarship that will appeal to both the specialist and general reader alike." -- Donald E. Graves, author of the "Forgotten Soldiers: The War of 1812 in the North" trilogy (Field of Glory, Where Right and Glory Lead, and And All Their Glory Past)


Product Description

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.

Review

"Native voices are seldom well preserved in the history of North America, and those that are tend to be in the form of speeches and other official statements that have passed through the mouths and hands of translators, clerks, and various Euro-Americ