"How did warfare between the colonists and Native Americans, influence
the colonists' wars against fellow Europeans, notably the French?"
In the 16th century the European powers extended their colonial,
economic and military conflicts to N. America. Among other things,
seeking a Northwest Passage to Asia was a particular interest. Setting
up colonial outposts was a byproduct. A smal scale trade in furs for
European goods occured on the Atlantic seaboard from Canada to the
Gulf of Mexico among French, English and Spanish traders. By the 17th
century, outright warfare became a means to control regions. Alliances
between various Native American tribes was a common tactic. The
methods of warfare used by local Indian tribes was more like guerilla
warfare than the traditional European model of highly structured set
piece battles. Hit and run battles in heavy wilderness was more
common. Attacks on civilian colonies was as well.
The early American author James Fennimore Cooper wrote a popular
series of novels in the 1820's and '30's that took place during the
French & Indian Wars called "The Leather-Stocking Tales". The best
known novel in the series is "The Last of the Mohicans". They featured
the life story of a savvy warrior named Natty
Bumppo/Hawkeye/Pathfinder/Deerslayer. The novels featured realistic
depictions of brutal battles, cruel captures, narrow escapes,
betrayals and grisly revenge.
Numerous military leaders that played important roles in the founding
of the nation, such as George Washington, lived through and fought in
these early wars. The American colonists had a decided advantage using
non-traditional warfare, learned during the earlier colonial wars.
English and French colonial outposts became permanent in "British N.
America", later Canada. The French and Spanish also remained dominant
in the South and Southwest, during the early years of the Republic. |
