Bibliography
Allen, Robert S. His Majesty’s Allies: British Indian
Policy in the Defense of Canada, 1774–1815.
Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1992; Benn, Carl. The Iro-
quois in the War of 1812.Toronto: University of
Toronto Press, 1998; Benn, Carl, ed. Memoirs of a
Mohawk War Chief: John Norton: Teyonin-
hokarawen.Toronto: Natural Heritage, 1998; Cal-
loway, Colin G.Crown and Calumet: British In-
dian Relations, 1783–1815.Norman: University of
Oklahoma Press, 1987; Johnston, C. M. “William
Claus and John Norton: A Struggle for Power in Old
Ontario.” Ontario History57, no. 2 (1965): 101–108;
Klinck, Carl F., and James J. Talman, eds. The Jour-
nal of Major John Norton, 1816.Toronto: Cham-
plain Society, 1970.OCONOSTOTA
Oconostota
(ca. 1710–1783)
Cherokee War Chief
O
conostota, who held the rank of Great
Warrior within the Cherokee nation,
was a formidable fighter who de-
feated the English and colonials on several
hard-fought occasions. When war could no
longer serve the best interests of his people,
the old chief became an advocate of peaceful
relations.
Oconostota (Groundhog Sausage) was
born in Chota (now Monroe County, Ten-
nessee) around 1710. The Cherokee nation to
which he belonged was among the most nu-
merous and powerful Indian tribes of North
America. Strategically situated in central Ten-
nessee and northern Georgia, they exerted
great influence over Creek Indians to the
south, white colonials to the east, and even
the mighty Iroquois confederacy to the north.
Nothing is known about Oconostota’s youth,
but he grew up into a tall, physically com-
manding youth with the bravery, guile, and dis-
cretion of an accomplished warrior. He first
appears in the historical records in 1736 as
part of a pro-French faction within the Chero-
kee nation. Within two years Oconostota rose
to become the Great Warrior, or war chief, of
the Overhill Cherokee towns dotting the Little
Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers. As an indica-
tion of his political astuteness, Oconostota by
1753 managed to expand his military authority
to cover the entire Cherokee nation.
The Cherokee’s trust in Oconostota was
well-founded, for he proved himself a relent-
less, farsighted strategist. In time he gradually
sided with the British and conducted several
forays against the Choctaw Indians, then al-
lied to France. In 1755, he led 500 braves in a
decisive victory over the Creeks at Taliwa,
Georgia. Following the onset of the French
and Indian War in 1756, Oconostota promptly
attacked Fort Toulouse in the Alabama coun-
try, taking several prisoners. Expeditions
against French settlements on the lower Ohio
River and Illinois River country followed,
again with good results.
Despite Oconostota’s full-fledged support
of Great Britain, English colonials regarded
the mighty Cherokees with mistrust and suspi-
cion. In 1759, a fight broke out between Indi-
ans and backwoods settlers in South Carolina,
which occasioned some loss of life. Eager to
head off trouble, Oconostota assembled a
large party of chiefs and accompanied them to
Charleston for a peace conference. However,
Governor William Lyttelton promptly arrested
and imprisoned the entire group, demanding
that Cherokees turn over those Indians re-
sponsible for the recent murders. Oconostota
refused and remained captive until the Chero-
kee peace chief, Attakullakuula, arranged his
release. Angered by such treatment, Oconos-
tota returned home and made plans to secure