In 1765 the famous warrior married the daughter of an Oneida chief and settled at Canajoharie on the Mohawk River, the middle town of three Mohawk settlements and the home of his childhood. Here he had a comfortable house with all the needed furniture. In 1771 his wife died of consumption, and after this he came to live at Fort Hunter, some thirty miles below Canajoharie. He also joined the Church of England, married his first wife's half-sister, and was living a peaceful and quiet existence when the storm of the American Revolution broke over the rural settlements of the Mohawk.
There the white settlers were not all friendly to the American Colonists. Believing that they were harshly used by Great Britain, and seeing that they were taxed without representation, they desired to cast off the yoke of the mother country. Those who did not desire a Revolution were called Tories. Those who were for the American cause were known as Whigs. Sir William Johnson was wealthy; he was not affected by the English tax on tea; he had received great favors from the mother country, and he, therefore, threw his influence in behalf of King George: the burly English Sovereign who was fully determined to whip the Americans into submission. Joseph Brant was now one of the most powerful and influential of the Iroquois and Mohawk Chiefs. His close allegiance to the hospitable Baronet naturally made him favor the same cause which his sister's husband espoused. But before the Whigs were sure which side the Indian warrior would champion, they asked his old schoolmaster in Connecticut to write him upon the subject, and to find out whether or no this now powerful Indian would take up the tomahawk against them.
When Joseph Brant received the epistle from good old Wheelock, he answered it with characteristic wit. "I remember," said he, "many happy hours that I spent under your roof, dear Doctor, and I especially remember the family prayers. There you used to pray on bended knee and ask that we all might be able to live as good subjects; to fear God and to honor the King. How is it, then, that you now no longer wish to honor the very man for whom you used to pray?" To this the now aged schoolmaster made no reply, nor could he have done so.
"When I joined the English at the beginning of this war," said Brant, some years afterwards, "it was purely on account of my forefathers' engagements with the King. I always looked upon these covenants between the King and the Indian nations as a sacred thing; therefore, I was not to be frightened by the threats of rebels at the time!" Thus the English gained the allegiance, not only of this able warrior, but also of all the fighting men whom he controlled. "I will lead three thousand braves to battle for the cause of England," cried Brant in London, where he was now sent by Sir William Johnson, "and with our assistance, there can be but one end of the war—England will conquer."
No wonder he was popular at the English Capital. When he appeared at court he wore a gorgeous Indian costume; tall plumes adorned his headdress; silver bands were around his sinewy arms, his dress was of the richest texture, and copper pendants hung from his clothing. In his belt of blue, red and white beads, a long glittering tomahawk was fastened upon which was engraved, "J. Thay-en-da-negea." He was the lion of the London season. His portrait was twice painted; jewelled ladies sought an audience with him; while the famous Boswell wrote much about this eminent redskin in the papers of the period. But in spite of all this flattery, he seems to have been undismayed by what he saw and to have had the good sense to buy a gold ring, upon which was engraved his full name, so that he could be identified if slain in battle. And of war he was soon to see enough to satisfy the martial spirit of any Indian warrior.
The people of New York were waiting to capture this prominent brave when he returned to his own land, but he was too shrewd for them and escaped the clutches of those who would do him harm. Landing near the city of New York in a small boat, he carefully hid himself by day, and journeying by night, soon had reached a less populated country. Finally he came to Canada, was received most cordially by the British officers, and soon had collected a large band of Indians which he put at the disposal of Sir Guy Carleton, then commander of the British troops on Canadian soil. He was ordered to join forces with a company of regulars, with six hundred Iroquois, and to dislodge some American troops from a point of land about forty miles above Montreal, known as the Cedars.
JOSEPH BRANT, OR THAY-EN-DA-NEGEA.
The Americans were unable to hold their own against the superior numbers of their enemies. They capitulated, and, although a number of troops—under General Arnold—came to their assistance, these were defeated by Brant and his Iroquois with great loss. The savages murdered many of the prisoners before they could be prevented, although Brant endeavored to stop them. He did succeed in saving the life of Captain McKinstry, who was badly wounded, and who had been selected by the Indians to be roasted alive. By making up a purse among the officers an ox was purchased for the bloodthirsty braves, which they roasted instead of the officer, and, as the latter was treated with great kindness by Brant, he became a firm friend of the young Mohawk Chieftain. In after years, when the war was over, Brant never passed down the Hudson without visiting the gallant captain at his home, a visit which the American greatly appreciated as can well be imagined.