Seeds of Empire: The American Revolutionary Conquest of the Iroquois (World of War) [Hardcover]

Max Mintz (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0814756220 | ISBN-13: 978-0814756225 | Publication Date: May 1, 1999

Seeds of Empire recreates the events surrounding General John Sullivan's scorched-earth campaign against the Six Nations of the American Indians of New York and the Eastern territories in 1779, following the surrender of General John Burgoyne's British army at the Battle of Saratoga. Mintz's meticulous historical research and renowned storytelling ability give life to this arresting narrative as it probes the mechanisms of the American Revolution and the structure and function of the Iroquois Six Nations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Max Mintz, in sparkling prose, reminds us that war on the frontier of Revolutionary America was vitally important and that the Iroquois side of the story demands further investigation."

-Don Higginbotham,University of North Carolina

"Max Mintz's fascinating account is packed with colorful details. A lively narrative that succinctly traces the twists and turns of the wilderness warfare that raged on the northwestern frontier of the Confederation. A wonderful, fast paced read about an important dimension of the revolutionary struggle that has finally received the attention it deserves."

-Richard Buel Jr.,Wesleyan University

"In an unsparing and meticulously researched narrative, Mintz confronts the hard facts of a seamy side of the Revolution, a warfare in which both sides aimed at desolation and succeeded."

-Edmund S. Morgan,Yale University

"Mintz's extensive knowledge of Revolutionary War figures and his gift to make them live illuminates descriptions of Gen. John Sullivan, Mohawk Joseph Brant, and others."

-Library Journal,

"Packed with juicy nuggets of detail and clearly the result of prodigious research in primary sources."

-William and Mary Quarterly,

About the Author

Max M. Mintz is Professor Emeritus of History at Southern Connecticut State University and author of Gouverneur Morris and the American Revolution and The Generals of Saratoga: John Burgoyne and Horatio Gates.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814756220
• ISBN-13: 978-0814756225
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,030,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars History of Sullivan's Expedition Against the Iroquois, February 3, 2003

By 

Matthew S. Schweitzer "zohoe" (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Seeds of Empire - The American Revolutionary Conquest of the Iroquois (Paperback)

"Seeds of Empire" is an account of the war for control of the New York frontier and particularly of General John Sullivan's campaign against the Iroquois during the Revolutionary War.

The book gives an excellent overview of the history of the conflict with the Indians in the upstate New York region during the war and gives a particularly good account of St. Leger's expedition against Fort Stanwix and the bloody action at Oriskany in 1777.

In 1779, George Washington, trying to cope with the British on the East Coast, was desperate to find a solution to the "Indian Problem" that had been plauging the frontier settlements in the western country of New York and Pennsylvania. Washtington realized that the best way to deal with marauding British-allied Iroquois Indians was to attack and destory their villages, crops, and supply bases. Thus, he ordered Gen. John Sullivan with a large force of troops, supported by a smaller expedition under the command of Col. Daniel Brodhead further west from Fort Pitt, to march north into Indian territory in western New York. Washinton's orders were very specific that "the immediate objects are the total destruction and devastation of their settlements." Sullivan managed to engage the Indians in battle and drive them away, laying waste to many villages and fields full of crops ready to be harvested. As a result of this example of devastating total war, the Iroquois were reduced to poverty and starvation and effectively taken out of the war. Washington's orders were fulfilled, but at a high price to the Indians. There has been much controversy regarding Sullivan and Washinton's action during this campaign as it was essentially seen as a war of extermination. There are many arguments for and against Washington's decision to subjuagate the Indians with such brutal tactics, but the historical truth is nonetheless that the once-proud and powerful Iroquois League was smashed and would never recover.

This book is an excellent history of these important events that are too often ignored by many popular and scholarly histories of the Revolutionary War. It is often forgotten that the War was fought not only on the great battlefields of the East, but on the frontier, where some of the bloodiest fighting of the war took place.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Contribution to Historiography, February 13, 2003

By 

Rook Andalus (Venice, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Seeds of Empire - The American Revolutionary Conquest of the Iroquois (Paperback)

This book details the events that led up to General Sullivan's scorched-Earth campaign against the Tribes of the Six Nations. The first 6 chapters deal with a "White" perspective and does not shy from Native American atrocities committed against European settlers on their land. However, the second half of the book puts these events in perspective and details the equally atrocious events carried out against Native Americans.

The scorched-Earth campaigns led against the Native Americans is remeniscent of tactics used by ancient armies in southwest Asia. Both points of view are given, but without a doubt the book makes clear who was in the wrong from day one. The title should be a give-away to this fact.

The book assumes the reader has a fairly good knowledge of the American Revolutionary War. There are some points in the book where the author makes mention of some individual or incident indirectly related to a current situation assuming the reader is aware of the name or event being referred to and can see the irony or paradox in the current situation in light of the reference made. For readers with strong knowledge in American history, these nuggets will prove most interesting and thoughtful, but to others they will pass without provoking much thought... although they may intrigue the reader to learn more.

To the lay reader, fine details in the book will read ad nauseum, but to most they are priceless. These are the only reasons I give the book 4 rather than 5 stars. The author does not hold back when describing some of the gruesome details of battles between two armies, but rest assured that he does attempt to lighten the load by using phrases such as, "...dispatched him with a blow from his tomahawk."...

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the wrongs done towards the Iroquois by narrow-minded, racist, land-stealing settlers.