Now it is, of course, an established fact that both the British
and the American armies used Indians in the War of Independence,
even as both together had used them against the French and the
Spanish and their allied Indians. It was inevitable that the
Indians should participate in any severe conflict between the
whites. They were a numerous and a warlike people and, from their
point of view, they had more at stake than the alien whites who
were contesting for control of the red man's continent. Both
British and Americans have been blamed for "half-hearted attempts
to keep the Indians neutral." The truth is that each side strove
to enlist the Indians--to be used, if needed later, as warriors.
Massacre was no part of this policy, though it may have been
countenanced by individual officers in both camps. But it is
obvious that, once the Indians took the warpath, they were to be
restrained by no power and, no matter under whose nominal
command, they would carry on warfare by their own methods.*
* "There is little doubt that either side, British or Americans,
stood ready to enlist the Indians. Already before Boston the
Americans had had the help of the Stockbridge tribe. Washington
found the service committed to the practise when he arrived at
Cambridge early in July.
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