Betrayals: Fort William Henry and the "Massacre" - Hardcover

Steele, Ian K.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195058933 ISBN 13: 9780195058932

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1990

Synopsis

This tragic history, which inspired James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans, was an explosive mixture of the contending martial values of Indians, colonials, and European regulars. The conquest of Fort William Henry and the subsequent massacre of English prisoners by Indians, while under French command, is considered by historians to be a turning point in the Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War in the United States). Victims of tomahawk, cannibalism, or captivity, whose identities are carefully recovered from new sources, helped create a powerful racist American folk memory. In assembling and analysing the full story for the first time from original sources, Betrayals is a compelling narrative.

About this title

Review:

[A] detailed and elegant history....Steele is an historian who takes great pains to discover, assemble, and present historical data; he is also a fine stylist. He writes in a straightforward way that captivates the reader by its deceptive simplicity. (The Canadian review of American Studies)

Extremely well documented from research on both sides of the Atlantic...Steele treats Europeans and American Indians fairly and is unafraid of presenting either side's warts and blemishes....This study, as with any good history, is multidimesional and thought provoking in its most positive sense. It is a superbly crafted, well-researched study of mid-eighteenth century North American military culture. (American Historical Review)

Until now no one has written a careful, full-length study of a military engagement from a multicultural perspective. Ian K. Steele's Betrayals attempts to clarify the circumstances that made alliances between Indians and Europeans fragile and unpredictable....In many ways, the author succeeds admirably in his aims....Valuable reading for anyone interested in intercultural alliances in warfare; Steele has broken new ground with this book. (American Indian Quarterly)

A model case study of meticulous research....This well-written microcosm study opens a wide window on the times and is less military than cultural history. So it can be highly recommended for a variety of experts, average readers, and students alike. (Canadian Journal of History)

About the Author:

Ian K. Steelei is Professor of History at the University of Western Ontario. He has written widely on early North American history and his books include Politics of Colonial Policy and the award-winning The English Atlantic, 16751740: An Exploration of Communication and Community, both published by Oxford.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0195058933
• ISBN 13: 9780195058932
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 264