Blacksnake (war chief)
Blacksnake, also known as Chain Breaker or Governor, was a prominent chief of the Seneca tribe and a respected war chief during significant conflicts in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although he was not one of the fifty sachems of the Iroquois Confederacy, Blacksnake is noted for his leadership and combat experience, having participated as a warrior on the side of the English during the battle of Oriskany in 1777 and later in the War of 1812. His life spanned almost a century, and he is particularly recognized for his autobiographical accounts dictated at the age of ninety-six, which provide valuable insights into Native American perspectives during the American Revolution.
Blacksnake's narratives reflect on critical events, such as the Wyoming and Cherry Valley "massacres" of 1778, as well as the Sullivan-Clinton campaign against the Iroquois in 1779. His unique position within Seneca society allowed him to engage in numerous council meetings, treaty negotiations, and battles, offering a rich recounting of historical events from an Indigenous viewpoint. He is also noted for his connections to influential figures like Joseph Brant and Handsome Lake, along with interactions with American leaders such as George Washington. Through his experiences, Blacksnake illustrates a complex story of warfare, alliances, and the pursuit of peace, marking him as a critical observer of his time.
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Blacksnake (war chief)
- Born: c. 1760
- Birthplace: Cattaraugus, New York
- Died: December 26, 1859
- Place of death: Cold Spring, New York
Category: War chief
Tribal affiliation: Seneca
Significance: Blacksnake was present at, and later recalled in memoirs, many significant events involving the Iroquois between 1775 and 1850
A principal chief of the Seneca, Chain Breaker, or Governor Blacksnake, was an honored warrior and leader in combat, but he was not one of the fifty sachems of the confederacy. The exact date of his birth is not known, but he is thought to have lived almost a hundred years. He was present on the English side at the battle of Oriskany, New York, in 1777, and his memoirs discuss the Wyoming and Cherry Valley, Pennsylvania, “massacres” of 1778 and the Sullivan-Clinton campaign against the Iroquois in 1779. He fought on the American side in the War of 1812. Blacksnake’s autobiographical account of his war experiences, dictated at age ninety-six and told to a Seneca native with limited English, contains unique insights into Indian character and thought during the American Revolution. His opinions of Joseph Brant, Old Smoke, Cornplanter, Handsome Lake, Red Jacket, and well-known British loyalists are especially perspicacious. Blacksnake was present when the prophet Handsome Lake fell into the trance that provided the visions for the Longhouse religion, and his perspective tempers the force of those revelations. Among the Americans Blacksnake met were George Washington and possibly Thomas Jefferson. Some of Blacksnake’s war accounts are quite lurid and graphic; in other cases he sets the record straight, especially regarding the “massacre” at Cherry Valley.
Because Cornplanter, Handsome Lake, and Red Jacket were related to him through his mother (an important relationship in a matrilineal society), Blacksnake was allowed to be present at nearly every council meeting, treaty negotiation, and battle undertaken by the Seneca during his active years. Blacksnake was in a central position to relate the historical events of the time from the Indian perspective. His story is one of violence and war, of military alliances, and finally of building peace. Fortunately, Blacksnake was often in the right place at the right time, and he was a careful observer.
Bibliography
Ables, Thomas, ed. Chainbreaker: The Revolutionary War Memoirs of Governor Blacksnake as told to Benjamin Williams. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1989.
Caswell, Harriet. Our Life Among the Iroquois. Chicago: Congregational Sunday School and Publishing Society, 1892.
Graymont, Barbara. The Iroquois in the American Revolution. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1972.
Hodges, F. W., ed. Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico. New York: Pageant Books, 1959.
Stone, William L. The Life of Joseph Brant—Thayendanega. 2 vols. 1838. Reprint. St. Clair Shores, Mich.: Scholarly Press, 1970.