Real TOMAHAWK Combat!..from historical accounts

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Looking at real historical period accounts of combat involving tomahawks, both Native American and European. Featured tomahawks and axes from Ravensbeak Forge, Condor and Thor's Forge.
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[@scholagladiatoria]

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[@mkgods6661]

Scholagladiatoria You Are A "1" Of A Kind, Glad To Have You In My Life.

[@haroldchase1881]

Treed means to Corner a person. It’s kind of like treeing a mountain Line etc. As for loading a musket on the run I can do it with both fling lock and Percussion lock . If I can do it I’m certain they could . Mother Necessity being the mother of all Creation 😂

[@victorwaddell6530]

I'm from South Carolina , with some Cherokee and Seminole ancestry , and a US Navy veteran . So this video was very interesting to me . I carry a tomahawk daily in my pickup truck . My second ship was a Guided Missile Cruiser armed with several Tomahawk missiles , which is the military aircraft alluded to . On a note about the cultural aspect of the tomahawk , The US Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves wear a tomahawk as their logo , their fans chant in a Native American style and perform a movement called the Tomahawk Chop . Many amateur baseball teams around Georgia and in the Southeastern states model themselves after the Atlanta Georgia Braves . The Atlanta Braves also won this year's World Series . Let's Go Brave's Nation in 2022 !

[@MarkusMahlberg]

Hey Matt, just to let you know: link sends me to the Google Play Store - on an IOS device.

[@billdehappy1]

just for claerify you saiid van as back shouldent it be front? as for vanguard or had the meaning change as still use raregurad? im not native english speaker although fluent in majority of it

[@fetmar]

Native American here. You're fine. I'm Cayuga from Six Nations and we always called ourselves indians. I don't really care what you call me. I know who I am. Awesome video, dude :D thanks for the attention on something historically relevant to me and my family!

[@bensullivan9478]

good to see people not get strung out on such things ❤ "i know who i am" 💪

[@John-mf6ky]

You know who you are, at the end of the day, it's all that matters ✌️

[@davidb7262]

Simon Kenton was famous for loading his long rifle while in flight. The Indians knew him as "The man who's gun is never empty" for his skill of running and reloading his flintlock at the same time. He was a main factor in the settlement of Kentucky.

[@mattjack3983]

It's definitely not very far-fetched at all. Whether it's a fist fight, a gunfight, sword fight, or an all out melee with lots of combatants with cutting, bludgeoning, and shooting weapons of all kinds, moving around and keeping yourself mobile is pretty important. Moving targets are harder to hit and harder to capture. Its stands to reason that there would have been people during that time who had gotten good at reloading their muzzle loaders while running. And it's not difficult to imagine the kind of advantage that would give a person who was good at reloading his rifle in flight, while his enemies had to stop and take cover in order to reload.

[@michaelamend3637]

Absolutely. Running a loading was also tought in the millitary at the time. They were absolutely running and gunning

[@darthkek1953]

So, basically, the Tomahawk was basically the American equivalent of the Bollock Dagger; "does everything, everyone has one, some are nicer than others"

[@tando6266]

I think "take to the tree" might mean to seek cover behind a tree (remember in this time you were meant to stand your ground in the open) much like "took to ground" means to hide in the low points of the ground in this time.

[@texasbeast239]

Fleeing animals often instinctively run up tree trunks into the branches in order to attain the high ground, to avoid the teeth and claws of other predatory animals. Treeing someone probably meant chasing him until he climbed up a tree just like a frightened animal. The problem with this is that predatory humans have longer-reach weapons than wild animals, so humans can continue the attack even against someone up in a tree.

[@michaelfitzell2741]

Exactly! that way the person had cover, could watch the enemy, and reload at the same time.

[@aaronsanborn4291]

Taking to the trees simply meant running into the woods either taking cover or continuing to run to escape the pursuers

[@nirfz]

😂 I have seen the term "took to a tree" before, but it was not in any fighting scenario, and as a non antive english speaker i did think it means somehting different until the usage in this video... More in the way of reducing "bodily waste pressure". 🤭

[@nexviper]

Via the power of internet search it seems it has been used for both climbing or seeking cover behind a tree, at least when people are involved. With animals it seems to always mean actually climbing the tree. "[H]e ran for a short distance, then stumbled over a low fence. He then started firing with his six-shooter at the marshal. There were two large trees between John Tiger and Grant Johnson, and each one took to a tree for protection. While fighting, the bullets could be heard hitting the trees." -J.S. “Shorty” Brown in a 1938 interview about a gunfight in 1900

[@JosephKerr27]

The British and Cherokee have an interesting historical relationship. There was conflict as in the first account, but they also fought for the Crown during the American Revolution. That's when my family's diaspora originated. The land where my Cherokee ancestors lived was ceded to the fledgling US during the Chickamauga Wars. Rather than move with fellow Cherokee, they stayed and assimilated. I am not an enrolled member of any of the 3 Cherokee bands, but I study the language and culture to honor those ancestors. I'm thrilled to hear Matt discuss tomahawks, and urge him to go further into warclubs. I have some resources that may help, if desired.

[@Raven-qj8xk]

Yes! His Shillelagh clubs and walking sticks episode was excellent!

[@athelwulfgalland]

My wife is Cherokee as well but doesn't know a lot about her own heritage unfortunately. Her mother was primarily raised in foster care so there wasn't much of an opportunity for that. I wasn't even aware of the three separate bands. I just know that her ancestors & even present day family live in Indiana. (Loosely in the Terre Haute region.)

[@JosephKerr27]

@@athelwulfgalland Residential schools and foster care have a history of separating people from their cultures... Sorry to hear your wife and her mother experienced it, but there's time to reclaim that culture if desired. Two bands are in Oklahoma: Cherokee Nation and United Keetoowah Band, the former is a result of the Trail of Tears while the latter moved west before removal. The Eastern Band is in present-day North Carolina, residing in the Qualla Boundary. Cherokee hid in the hills to avoid removal and later purchased land in the 1870s. It's one of few indigenous communities that was never a reservation. Here are resources to learn Cherokee: from the Cherokee Nation https:/ / language . cherokee . org/ from the Eastern Band ebci . com/services/departments/department-of-education/kpep-and-kituwah/ a page to help with the syllabary www. translitteration. com/transliteration/en/cherokee/sequoyah/ Links are broken to prevent flagging. As a linguist, I'll caution that ᏣᎳᎩ is one of the most difficult languages to learn because the verbs are so complicated, with prefixes, infixes, and suffixes. It's easier to find English resources discussing Cherokee culture, but beware of nonsense.

[@athelwulfgalland]

@@JosephKerr27 Thanks Joseph, I'll pass the link along to the missus to see if it draws her interest. I don't know how her ancestry fits into that puzzle & yes I certainly understand what you mean about institutions ruining the cultural integrity of a people. Apparently in her mother's case it was a very dysfunctional household with significant child abuse & willful neglect. My wife's childhood was also anything but rosy. One parent was a Vietnam vet struggling with PTSD & anxiety. The other was a chronic alcoholic. There were instances of spousal abuse, infidelity on both sides, etc. Then when they finally divorced for some reason her father left her in the custody of her alcoholic mother who went to live with her sister & husband. This in turn led to my wife, her sister & mother suffering over a year of sexual abuse. That landed my wife in foster care for a time until her father fought to regain custody. Things improved in some ways but got worse in others afterwards. Today she has only a few episodic memories pertaining to her childhood remaining. I assume it to be some form of PTSD induced amnesia. Her chronological memories only begin essentially when we met. We'll have been married 25 years in 6 days.

[@lancastercarmon1380]

I would also love to see a video on "war clubs". I make tomahawks and war clubs as a hobby and are fascinated with the subject.

[@bobnesler4271]

Just want to confirm that, during my decade or so as a Boy Scout adult leader, I taught Scouts how to throw the tomahawk. The lightest belt hawks are, indeed, very accurate to fifteen yards and the heavier hawks to twenty yards. With practice, sticking every throw into a target the size of a paper plate is normal. (Yes, this is true, although most tomahawk throwing is probably best done at ten to fifteen yards with all sizes.) The body of most forged hawks is iron with an angled, forged edge of hard steel, generally sharpened to a fine edge. Throwing at closer range is done with the edge forward, but at greater range with the edge facing backward. Twenty yard throws will generally require a double-rotation throw with the edge once again toward the target. The technique is more sophisticated than one might at first imagine.

[@brianmincher716]

Ritualistic torture of captured enemies was a very real thing, and why wouldn’t people be terrified of it? Aren’t you? I certainly am.

[@mangalores-x_x]

The point is more that Europeans had no problem with torture, it was even enshrined in the judicial processes. So yes, it would literally be market Sunday for a European to see someone being punished via torture or being executed after torture.

[@zebradun7407]

Current woke in the land of the Native American is The land before the White man was an Idyllic paradise where none went hungry there was no war and torture along with human sacrifice and cannibalisms did not exist. To say other wise is to become a racist White supremacist.

[@ericferguson9989]

It still is. Especially with North American troops. The Germans in WW1 had a particular fear of Canadian troops. There are even stories as recent as the GWOT of Canadians taking ears of Afghans as trophies. I'm from Canada and I wouldn't want to be taken captive by Canadian troops.

[@MandalorV7]

@@ericferguson9989 Which is odd to me. Here in the states we tend to view Canadians as a lot more chill and polite.

[@ericferguson9989]

@@MandalorV7 We are. Scratch the veneer and it gets ugly, though. Humans are capable of some gnarly stuff. Religion is about the only thing that keeps us civilized.

[@vadimflaks7795]

Going for a proper scholarly beard, I see. Noice.

[@hic_tus]

please santa easton for christmas please please please please! we all want swords, obvs.

[@texasbeast239]

Scholabarba

[@Manco65]

Nope, he's read all this North American wilderness stuff and he's going for the Mountain Man look.

[@buttheyreinvestmentsdear3132]

A missed opportunity for Matt to show us how an axe can be sharpened and used to shave.

[@jamesdobson2251]

Hatchet job lol

[@johnmcgarvey4758]

Taking to a tree usually meant using one for cover. The trunks could be quite large. It was still mostly old growth forest with little undergrowth.

[@KurNorock]

That's not true. At that time there would not have been a lot of "old growth" forest. When the pilgrims were first coming to the Americas, they found that the forests were almost entirely gone. The Indians cut most of them down for use as firewood and for building. It wasn't until disease killed off a large percentage of the Indian population that the forests began to come back. And even though these stories are over 100 years after that, it takes several hundred years for forests to become "old growth".

[@Cocarat206]

Colonial history studies guy from the Midwest America here. You did a good job pronouncing "Potawatomi" and I am certain they fought from trees, which were very abundant and very large prior to the eastward expansion of large populations of American settlers. It's mentioned pretty frequently in frontier sources. Great video!

[@pavementsailor]

I concur. I lived near Potawatomi Bayou in Michigan. Good job.

[@markbecker71]

Fought from the trees..lol..yeah that would be ridiculous 🙄

[@phredphlintstone6455]

It's a good way to look over a hill without going over said hill.

[@MrBottlecapBill]

@@phredphlintstone6455 It's a death trap. They fought from BEHIND trees, using them for cover from gun fire. The first rule of a gun fight is FIND COVER.

[@phredphlintstone6455]

@@MrBottlecapBill I didn't say fight from it. Although, if you set an ambush it can work really well.

[@TeaSerpent]

Here's an account of an incident which occurred during the American Revolutionary war in which tomahawks were used as throwing weapons. "Now, whilst the troops were stationed at Springfield, Elerson on a certain day, thought he would go to a place where he had observed a quantity of mustard growing around a deserted old house, a small clearing having been made at this spot a year or two before, his object being to gather a dinner of herbs for himself and men. The place was distant from the camp about a mile, where he had been busily employed till his haversack was nearly half full. Round about this house the weeds and sprouts had grown thick and high. As he was stooping to gather the mustard, he thought he heard a rustling in the weeds behind him, when, looking around, he saw ten or a dozen Indians just ready to spring upon him, and take him prisoner. That they chose to take him prisoner, rather than shoot him, he inferred from their not having done it, as the most ample opportunity had been afforded. The nearness of the fort might have detered them, or they may have wanted him alive as a victim of torture. As he sprang to seize his rifle, which stood against the house, their hatchets were hurled sufficiently swift and numerous to have cut him to pieces, if they had all hit him; however, he sustained no injury, except the middle finger of one hand, which was nearly cut off." The account goes on to describe the long pursuit that followed in which he was chased over 20 miles through the mountains and, after killing one of his pursuers, had to spend three days hiding in a hollowed hemlock with a musket ball lodged in the flesh above his left hip. The man in this account (Elerson) is my direct patrilineal ancestor and was a rifleman on the colonial side in the American Revolutionary War and prior to that he fought in Lord Dunmore's War. He also fought at Monmouth and was present at Burgoyne's surrender. One of his more famous exploits was stealing the coach of general Henry Clinton in order to catch up with his unit after being separated on foot. Here is another account of an incident he was involved in that featured the use of an ax. "The first service on which they were sent, was to take, dead or alive, a person strongly suspected of Toryism, living on the Charlotte river, by the name of Service, who was not only Torified in principle, but was an active agent of the British in aiding, victualing, and secreting the enemies of the Revolution." The interim that I cut out describes their capture on the way of a man holding a letter from a British Captain Smith to Service detailing the movement of smiths troops and that he was travelling to Service's house and would arrive shortly. After setting up an ambush Captain Long and Ellerson both fired on and hit Captain smith in the chest killing him immediately. "This work finished, Captain Long and his men changed their course for the Charlotte, in pursuance of their first intention (ie to arrest Service for colluding with the Tories), where they arrived and silently surrounded the house of the person sought for, gathering closer and closer, till at length two or three entered the room where he was, before they were discovered. He instantly stepped out of the door with them, when he was informed that they had orders to take him to the forts at Schoharie. He appeared somewhat alarmed, while he strenuously objected to the proposal, pleading innocence, etc., but in the meanwhile was evidently working his way along from the door to a heap of chips lying between Elerson and Murphy. The reason now appeared why he had so cautiously approached the chips, for on coming to the spot, be seized in a moment a broad-ax, which lay there, and made a desperate stroke at Murphy, which, however, he eluded, as the keen eye of that veteran was not asleep, but the fruitless attempt rolled back in vengeance on its author, as a bullet from the rifle of Murphy stretches him a lifeless corpse, with the ax in his hand."

[@stephenballard3759]

That is very interesting! I have long maintained that many of the wounds you'd see from most pre-gunpowder weapons would be on the extremities first, and a coup dè grace later. Even in the ER wherr I work elbows, shoulders, knees, hands, wrists, and heads are more common that center-mass hits by handgun fire, except at very close range or by ambush. I've seen many, many people hit several times, everywhere but the chest. The account Matt gave of the Colonists being able to hit the head with lethality every single time seemed a bit like propaganda to me, and here the Natives threw several and managed one wounding hit. Still, that's something to be greatly feared. I wouldn't want to be chopped or even take a good, deep slice to the elbow, or back of the leg, or shin first thing in a fight. Taking a swing at that guy with a full-sized broad axe, too! That would horrifying injuries if it landed.

[@stefanfilipovits21]

This was really interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

[@sheldoniusRex]

@@stephenballard3759 is it at least somewhat probable that part of the reason you see so few center mass gunshot injuries is that so few people actually center punched more than once are likely to survive the ambulance ride? Judging from my small experience in our recent wars in Mesopotamia I'd say that very few men so hit with the rifle last more than three minutes.

[@stephenballard3759]

@@sheldoniusRexThat's possible, of course, and these are not science just my impressions. However, I DO see a lot of center-punched gunshots, just not from scenarios people imagine, I guess, and less from handgins. A great many survive, and we get plenty of DOA's. Like, if we hear of a shotgun wound that wasn't accidental coming in, it's very likely a close range shot to the torso, and the patient will probably be dying, unless the docs can save him. Close range shotgun wounds and rifle shots are another level, entirely. Patients who die from center-mass handgun wounds, usually somebody with a plan walked up close, and shot the victim several times, ala gang-related stuff, or crazy ex-boyfriend stuff. A shootout with the cops or a rival gang member, or a defensive shooting, shot placement is essentially random. That's my $ 0.02.

[@sheldoniusRex]

@@stephenballard3759 thank you for your observations. Cheers.

[@johnwall7968]

US History teacher here: the torture ABSOLUTELY happened all the time, but it's important to understand the cultural context. Many Native American cultural groups, such as the Algonquian and Iroquoian (and other) peoples engaged in "mourning" wars. When a person in your family or village was killed, it was believed that the spiritual power (also referred to as "medicine) of your family and community was diminished, and it was necessary to replenish that power. Mourning wars were conducted as raids with the intent of capturing enemies to be brought back to one's village, and through ritual and ceremony, use their spiritual power to replenish that of your family and community. There were 2 common ways of doing this. 1 was adoption and integration into the family and village, where the captive literally replaced the person who was killed. The other was to ritualistically torture the captive to death. A captive's fate was determined, in part, by their conduct. When a captive was brought to the village, they were often stripped down and examined by the women of the tribe to determine if they were strong and healthy. Then, while naked, they would be forced to run the gauntlet into the village. "Running the gauntlet" was a ceremony in which the villagers would line up in two rows, forming a kind of tunnel into the village. Then the captive had to pass through this tunnel, enduring taunts, insults, slaps, punches, cuts, and blows from sticks and clubs. If they conducted themselves bravely, they were more likely (not guaranteed, mind you) to be adopted into the tribe, as they had shown themselves to be strong and courageous. Those who ran the gauntlet with fear or timidity were more likely to be ritually tortured to death. The methods of torture varied, but there is one account I read of a French captive of the Mohawk in what is today Northern New York, who witnessed another captive be tied to a post in the middle of the village, and all members of the tribe came by to take turns sticking burning sticks to his skin, cutting him, and rubbing hot ashes and embers into his wounds. Apparently he endured this for over a day before succumbing to his wounds. None of this is meant to depict Native Americans as stereotypical, "bloodthirsty savages." I simply mean to explain that, if one was captured by Natives, there was a fair chance that they would endure horrific torture. The European settlers certainly had their own fair share of cruelties and atrocities that they committed against the Natives (and one another), and this does not excuse that.

[@whirving]

My mother's side includes a "captivity story" where Col. James Stewart was ambushed (while without this sword)and he killed, and his two young sons captured. His sons were then traded to a tribe near Kingston Ontario, the Wyandottes, where they had to run the gauntlet and were successful. They were adopted into the tribe and lived with them for several years. They later moved near Deroit where they were rejoined by their mother who had been searching for them for years. Quite a story.

[@iivin4233]

What was dimished was the tribe's happiness and, cynically speaking, prestige or fear as compared to other tribes. What they were collecting was vengance, however they dressed it up. It's somewhat understandable, the emotions involved. But I would argue that is what it was in reality. They tortured people for the same reasons any group of people tortures other people. It's also not suprising that they had a mechanism for commuting sentences for popular individuals. However I am glad you brought up the cultural context of American violence because it seems like there was a general cultural mismatch between Europeans and a lot of the people they encountered. That seems to have made it more likely that both sides would do things that were repugnant tp the other.

[@haroldonowa5474]

Seen a book about Wisconsin history where US Army soldiers would skin natives. Very gruesome and shows that there were bad men on both sides.

[@brinehound]

The concept of spiritual replenishment is also exibited in pre-european Hawaiian, perhaps even many or most polynesian cultures. The Hawaiians referred to their warriors needing to replenish "Mana" after a survived defeat in stone age combat. These warriors relied upon brute strength and clubbed weapons similar to the Maori of New Zealand.

[@EGvids1]

You should buy the Tomahawk and display it in your living room

[@Automaton550]

At the 30:00 mark, there is reference to the "savages" being employed by General Burgoyne. This was prior to the Battle of Saratoga, and there's an interesting story to come of it. The bands of Indians terrorized the countryside, targeting mostly Patriot's homes and towns. In one instance, a group of Native Americans raided a cabin and took two women prisoners before scalping them. When they brought the scalps back to the British army, an officer recognized one of the scalps as that of Miss Jane McCrea, a young lady he was engaged to. The other woman was Mrs.McNeil, the cousin of a British General Simon Fraser. The event caused great tension between the British and their native allies and was heavily propagandized by the local Patriots, who saw an increase of volunteers once word got around.

[@laurolavanda1807]

😮

[@Automaton550]

@Socucius Ergalla Likely lost to history, but my hypothesis is that she was of Irish descent, her last name being McCrea. Perhaps she was the only woman with red hair in the area, and therefore the scalp was easily recognized.

[@tomgoff7887]

@@Automaton550 Patriots? You mean the traitors who rebelled against the Crown and allied with the Spanish and French Empires to fight their fellow Brits?

[@billosby9997]

@@tomgoff7887 Yes, those.

[@austincummins7712]

@@tomgoff7887 Hey now- who would have sent you all those goodies in WWI and WWII if we hadn't "freed ourselves of the yoke of tyranny"? ; )

[@morriganmhor5078]

Matt, no critics, but the "bucket" in case of cavalry force could also apply for watering the horse and/or feeding it with grain/oats, I think.

[@OneMindAnyWeapon]

It could be but, there is no mention of any other related kit for maintaining the horse, blankets halters hobbles etc and it is included with the carbine and the other combat related requirements.

[@actual_nonsense]

A "bucket" is a holster for a rifle, carbine, or even a bow (in the case of horse archers). There are wagons for all that care and feeding equipment called "the baggage train" or they leave that stuff at the camp or fort.

[@PalmettoNDN]

I'm a Cherokee subscriber of your channel. Thanks for mentioning us. Also, it's OK to call us Indians, bro 😂 Some tribes have the word "Indian" in their official name in English. Thanks again, Your Cherokee/Chickasaw Fan.

[@STEVEN-STEELE]

What group Brother. Those who went on the Trail of Tears Or those who held out in the mountains. Iv been up to N.C its beautiful. My Pawpaw was of the Siksika band of the Blackfoot. Though to look at me with red hair you can only tell because I get dark in the sun lol a sun tanned red head. My mom ? She got the dark skin and black hair. Go figure I got the Irish european look from Mamaw. Pawpaw remembered some of the language but had been sent to a school at 5 or 6 and they forbade him to use it. He was warned once then spent 3 days locked in a basement with bread and water when he was caught singing something his mom would sing to him. How he ended up way down south in Miss. Idk lol Hope all is well with you

[@tjohanne]

Thanks for explaining the use of "Indian". We have English teachers in my country who think it's a deadly sin to say "Indian", which is embarrassing, really. The important thing is to be respectful and open! I wish I knew more about indigenous North-American history and culture. It's interesting and fascinating.

[@panchopistola8298]

I hate political correctness lmao .

[@siouxicide9002]

@@tjohanne it's the brainwashed politically correct snowflake ndns who get butthurt. I mean "native americans"

[@IMP-vi6je]

How's that? And why are you called Indians while not having any connection to India?

[@dillonbuford]

Sorry again. I'm just trying to clear up American history. Rifled muskets and smooth bore muskets were used concurrently. Rifles were not an invitation over smooth bore as most people think. Militaries used smooth bore as the ball fits looser allowing for faster reloads and more shots before fouling. Hunters used rifles as the ball must fit tight to engage with the rifling this makes for more accuracy but with slower reload and faster fouling. Contrary to popular belief the colonial army did use smooth bore military muskets and Eurasian tactics. I was the local militia that used their hunting rifle because that's all they had and acted as snipers because that's how the hunted and all they new how to do. Hunting rifles would not of hat bayonet lugs so militia men had to have tomahawks as they had no way to mount a bayonet.

[@MrBottlecapBill]

Yup. It's also why it's possible to reload a smooth bore musket on the run(other that priming the pan). You can literally almost drop the ball all the way down the barrel without a ram rod in a fresh unfouled musket. The ball, usually being smaller so that it can be used even after fouling in the barrel builds up. It may not settle perfectly fine, but it will allow you to take a shot which will be good enough at someone who's now most likely close to you.

[@dillonbuford]

@@MrBottlecapBill I didn't think if that

[@friedfish69]

@@MrBottlecapBill The "blunderbuss" was meant to allow ease of loading while on a ship's deck or on horseback. Same idea as a musket being easy to load, take further.

[@dillonbuford]

@@jimbob465 the term " rifled musket" didn't come until late. Bother "rifle" and "rifled musket" mean the exact some thing. I use the term " rifled musket" for clearly in the modern world. Matt Easton does this constantly. For example most of the names of swords and shields are modern and historically would of been called "sword" and "shield"

[@dillonbuford]

@@jimbob465 that's just wildly untrue. You're going to have to cite sources

[@hatuletoh]

I've always thought that the term "tomahawk" caught on with Europeans the way it did not only because for a native word it's quite easy for a European to pronounce, but also because it seems somehow appropriately descriptive of the object itself. Not onomatopoeic exactly, but suggestive of that. The word has assosance and consonance in the right places for a weapon, particularly a weapon that for a long time struck terror into the hearts of European and American settlers. "Evocative" is probably the right word for it.

[@stefanfilipovits21]

Well said. I think there’s something to that.

[@anaussie213]

It's certainly more evocative than the Latin "securis", although we can see the etymology of security perhaps from there.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

As far as I'm aware, "fell in" with someone means joining up - fell in to their company. Maybe not in the instance in the report, but generally spontaneously meeting up with with someone.

[@Intranetusa]

Great video! It is always great to see you branch out to explore weapons and combat from different parts of the world!

[@markthervguy]

I believe what is meant by "Treed" is to be taking cover behind trees, not necessarily climbing one. Although in some instances they could climb a tree I suppose, but then you'd be trapped. Your enemy only need shoot you out of the tree whether with arrow or ball. The Eastern woodlands of Appalachia were dense with wide mature trees. I'm thinking they were exchanging shots from behind or between tree trunks.

[@brianmincher716]

That makes sense, thanks for that.

[@CraigLYoung]

A good example is an account I read from Fort Necessary where they stated that the Indians were treed while shooting at the fort.

[@Crimzs]

I wonder how big a tree needs to be to stop a musket ball. I watched Paul Harrell's video on modern firearms and it requires quite a wide tree.

[@RickR69]

This. It might also just mean to go into the cover of a wooded area.

[@MrBottlecapBill]

@@Crimzs Not as much as you might think. Musket balls are pure lead projectiles, they "mushroom" and break apart fairly easily. Unlike modern copper or steel jacketed rounds which hold together much longer. The muzzle velocity of those types of guns is also far lower. Which is why they often opted for very large rounds. Oddly enough, these exact same characteristics make shooting through trees difficult but make devastating wounds on squishy humans quite simple.

[@DJRockford83]

I always think of hatchets as having shorter handles and tomahawks as having longer handles

[@jamesm1]

"tactical tomahawks" became VERY popular with US troops during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, especially in the mid 00s-early 2010s. They were not standard issue of course, but lots asked for them to be sent over by their families. Never read accounts of them being used in combat, but I bet it happened at least once! Very handy camp tools regardless alongside the standard issue knife.

[@wacojones8062]

I have a SOG short handled one. Many photos of SF ODA folks with them no sheath stuck into the MOLLE Webbing on the back blade inwards most of the time. I have read several accounts of close quarters action in A-Stan where they were mentioned as being used along with various E-tools, pick handles and such.

[@CrimsonCrux]

@@wacojones8062 The most popular ones I saw that were seen in LAV-25 toolkits was the American Tomahawk VTAC Lagana. I have 3 of that company's model 1 which was much the same style, which you see famously used in Vietnam and are excellent tools and certainly more balanced for hand-to-hand than say, Cold Steel's tomahawk line up or the CRKT ones.

[@QLAUZSIBEL]

@@CrimsonCrux Averall I guess you are right,I never handed a so called vietnam hawk nor all of the CS T-hawk lineup.But the CS spikehawk is very well balanced for fighting applications(,with a shortened handle.)

[@CrimsonCrux]

@@QLAUZSIBEL They are definitely much better with shortened handles, I have the riflemans, spike and pipe hawks and the spike's a much faster tool in the hand in comparison like I imagined legit tomahawks would have been.

[@douglascox9996]

Martial pistols of the day, especially those with a brass ball end on the grip, became an ideal close quarters weapon when empty, wielded as a club held by either end.

[@christopherknorr2895]

I'll bet "treed" means to take cover behind a wide tree trunk in anticipation of a firefight. Climbing a tree is too involved, requires two hands, and probably exposes you to getting shot while you attempt it.

[@Daylon91]

Right! like they'd both climb a tree then shoot at eachother lmafao

[@SuperOtter13]

Suppose it depends on the trees

[@kellymoulton3792]

Christopher Knorr is Exactly Right! Ya gotta remember just how densely wooded the Americas were back in the 1700s. Taking cover behind a tree when engaging in a firefight was so common that it became it's own verb.

[@RespectThePep]

Correct. Taking to a tree meant to take cover!

[@ElkaPME]

The vietnam war before the vietnam war started

[@ThatsMrPencilneck2U]

There are remains of small Native American mines copper are all over the Appalachian mountains, so I imagine copper tomahawks were hardly unknown, by the time Europeans arrived.

[@scruffy7760]

A Swede at sea, having a coffee, swinging a one handed axe... Yeah, as a swede, I believe it haha

[@dadventuretv2538]

And the Swedes were early settlers in America. In fact we have them the thank for the log cabin. So they were probably swinging a lot of tomahawks too!

[@Wavemaninawe]

Not plausible. He would be too busy wielding a pastry with the other hand. The time honored tradition of 'fika' is sacred to Swedes. Whether they be at sea, land, or air.

[@SlimRhyno]

I am so pleased that I came across your channel. This is only the third or fourth video of yours that I have seen, but I am already a huge fan. I just love the lens in which you relate; a fantastic combination of intellect (without being smug), practical application, and genuine enjoyment of the subject. I only regret that I hadn't found your channel sooner. Please, keep doing what you are doing. Take care and be well. - Slim

[@stephenballard3759]

I've thrown a few tomahawks, and I definitely don't want one thrown at me. Injury would seem almost certain, but l still can barely believe that it was alway "death" at 20 yards. As you said, Matt, historical sources often lean hard one way.

[@austincummins7712]

Was thinking the same thing- it sounds too reckless- and it would make sense to portray them as such (i.e. they don't care to retain their weapon, they just want to be sure to kill you!). My immediate thought when someone talks about throwing a knife or axe in a combat situation is: "Why would you throw your weapon away in a single chance to wound someone when you could retain it for [potential] repeated defensive use up close?" I suppose someone might panic and throw it in a fit of fear, but then again not if I have an 18th century chest rig loaded with pistols- I will use those first thank you very much!

[@douglasgault5458]

​ It's not at all like throwing your weapon away. With Pratice your proficiency is deadly accuracy with almost any weapon. I've thrown knives & tomahawks my whole life, it is a rare day that I'll miss my target. Even a blunt hit by a tomahawk will temporarily paralyzed a person. I watched a demonstration presented by 2 guys. it hurts like hell for several minutes until they recover from the shock, of a blunt trauma hit. And they were wearing safety equipment.

[@stephenballard3759]

@@douglasgault5458 Ever try something like hunting rabbits with throwing knives?

[@thegreyghost2789]

Awesome video Matt. First hand accounts can be very revealing. The account of the riflemen throwing their tomahawks at the charging bayonets reminded me of a story involving a friend back when we did 1812 reenacting. The group of regulars always wanted to charge us with their bayonets which had proven, time after time, to be dangerous. My friend, being of rather large build, went to the commanding officer and told him if they charged, he would throw his large, heavy tomahawk. There were no further bayonet charges.

[@Person0fColor]

Cool story bro 😂

[@Rakkasan0609]

In regards to provincial cavalry units being issued swords or tomahawks. It could be very likely they were used more as dragoons vs mounted cavalry depending on unit composition.

[@lynben100]

If they had to pay for their own weapons, some might not be able to afford a sword.

[@nickc.3385]

Agreed. Although, a thought comes to mind: one of the chief benefits of many tomahawk designs are that they are very conducive to having longer or shorter hafts but in them. I’d imagine it would be very easy to lengthen the haft if one was on horseback and therefore they could be more effective cavalry weapons at a pinch, especially if one is ambushed while riding , having spent their firelock’s etc.

[@panchopistola8298]

I find it fascinating that they threw the tomahawks first, then used pistols etc. I think it was a psychological affect, seeing your man next to you are ahead of you get their head split open must be terrifying.

[@Rudyelf1]

“Oh my, Jim just got canoed by a tomahawk to the face. I’m rethinking this redcoat thing. Recruiter promised I would travel the world and not see combat.”

[@chutethemall8099]

I think throwing the tomahawks to initiate a charge might lead to getting some of your tomahawks back if you managed to advance a few dozen yards.

[@Imperiused]

I really loved this, just reading and talking about various historical sources. Soul food for the history buff!

[@chehalem]

I love how more and more historical newspapers are available online. Such a wealth of period perspectives at our fingertips. Even if the stories are heavily biased or even made up, it shows what people living at that time thought was important and how they perceived the world.

[@taianonni]

Interesting to note with the "burying the hatchet" phrase being pre-metal: the Haudenosaunee (aka Iroquois) Tree of Peace, which symbolizes the unification if the Six Nations, is a symbolic white pine which is usually depicted with a broken warclub/hatchet/tomahawk and arrow buried beneath it

[@Outsidecontext]

Bury the hatchet is from Viking nations.

[@taianonni]

Perhaps the term, both cultures may have practiced a similar burying of weapons to represent peace. Maybe Leif Erikson brought the practice over or vice versa. Or it could be an example of convergent cultural practices

[@maybecolby]

@@Outsidecontext it's not

[@mikejorgenson7316]

I can remember reading something about Daniel Boone in which ‘took to tree’ referred to placing yourself behind the tree, while using the tree to shield your body while simultaneously bracing against it to shoot.

[@Raymasseyus]

In 1757 Major Robert Rogers wrote his Rules of Ranging. Number 13 was as follows: "XIII. In general, when pushed upon by the enemy, reserve your fire till they approach very near, which will then put them into the greatest surprize and consternation, and give you an opportunity of rushing upon them with your hatchets and cutlasses to the better advantage." I seem to remember a version that said "Finish them off with your hatchets." but I could not find that version.

[@TheJimboslav]

I love this type of reading videos! Primary sources with expert commentary... Great way to spend an hour!

[@matthewzito6130]

16:54 - It's pretty easy to lose someone in dense forest cover, especially if you're at all hesitant about the possibility of getting shot. 17:40 - It may just mean that he stood behind a large tree for cover/concealment.

[@matthewzito6130]

@@jimbob465 Most of the remaining forests in England are highly managed. They're much more open than forests in the eastern USA with far less undergrowth, so you can see much farther.

[@user-vg6sg7kh1q]

The french were using savages(plural most of the time ) not in a negative way, it came later, but to indicate that they were living in a natural state like savage animal. the word savage was use for the native of North America and the word indian was for South American and caribbean unless they were living in a forest. Indigenous did not came until the 18th century and was pejorative. American was also used sometimes not for people of the USA but the natives. Barbarian was used for the ennemy of the french. Redskin was never used in New France. When we read those old text we tend to assume that an insult today was an insult at that time.

[@edwardstowers7272]

Tomahawks were also symbolically painted red as a sign of war. “Treed” can mean up a tree (the modern term) or hiding behind a tree’s trunk (the archaic frontier term). During the F&I or Seven Years War, British irregulars under Robert Rogers carried tomahawks when they attacked the Abenaki villages in Canada. American long hunters of the frontier adopted tomahawks both as weapons and camp tools. People can reload flintlocks while running. Daniel Boone could do it as could Simon Kenton (as can modern day re-enactor Mark Baker, who taught it to Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans). Interestingly, it was a tomahawk that started the Seven Years War when an Indian guide working for a young British officer named George Washington tomahawked and killed the French commander Jumonville during a parley, forcing Washington to fight the French at Fort Necessity. Usually a junior officer who starts a world war does not fare well, but Washington later fought under Braddock at the Monongahela before fighting as an American general and becoming our first president.Tomahawks are a part of American history that continues today. Tomahawk throwing is still a sport among American woodsmen and is gaining popularity as a recreational activity. It was a standard tactic to throw a tomahawk if your rifle was empty against an opponent with a loaded musket-not to kill the opponent, but to get them to duck and buy time to charge them with your long knife. It worked in days of single-shot guns.

[@Davlavi]

Love that you go to lengths to point out various forms of bias

[@cloudcleaver23]

"Tree" as a verb comes from raccoon hunting. The raccoon runs up a tree to take refuge and is then cornered there by the hunting hounds, unable to get down. The hunter than finishes it off. You can see it used that way throughout Wilson Rawles' "Where the Red Fern Grows".

[@robertayoder2063]

Or with any coon hunter

[@unclejohnbulleit2671]

Simon Kenton was known for being able to reload while running, as was Daniel Boone. It was a skill learned on the frontier from long practice and necessity.

[@TheMountainman211]

Lewis wetzel as well he was famous for it

[@drinks1019]

I really love the videos about historical accounts of fights, really interesting!

[@bobsmoot2392]

Great historical video, sir. Your approach to content, by means of researching the word, "tomahawk", and drawing out actual historical references to share is brilliant!

[@actually_a_circle]

I was talking to a friend once and we were discussing throwing tomahawks. I didn't think it was practical but he pointed out that IF you do land a hit the fight is basically over even if the person doesn't die.

[@stephenpaul6839]

Here's a crazy fact about scalping. In Nova Scotia Canada there is still a bounty of thirty pieces of silver for Mikmaq Native scalps. Every treaty Day we celebrate, on October 1st each year we tried to get them to repeal this law but the Nova Scotia government refuses to

[@kaizen5023]

RE: "Bury the hatchet," which is used as a phrase to signify letting go of ideas of vengeance, I once heard a preacher use the saying, "Don't bury the hatchet but leave the handle sticking up," -- so that you can grab it again. After listening to this account of actual buried hatchets, it makes even more sense!

[@MajoraZ]

Always nice to see military history content on stuff outside the usual Europe, Near East, and Asia. If you ever wanna do a similar video on Mesoamerican combat, weapons, etc, I'd be happy to help out with that, scheduling permitting: I've worked with a number of history and archeology channels on Mesoamerican videos before!

[@Person0fColor]

Nope 😂

[@mistahanansi2264]

Story time with Matt Easton is the best!

[@coldwarrior78]

I read a book in the 60s about early American weapons which linked the European made metal tomahawk to the Francesca (sp-1). Natives certainly carried stone hawks which were extremely sharp but the durability of iron won out and the classic metal 'hawk was quickly adopted by all, native and European alike. Having carried one for years camping, they are great choppers for small to medium wood and much lighter than any hatchet I have ever owned.

[@tumbleweed6658]

Super well done and backed up by period source documents is tough to bet. Very well done I will share this with my fellow 18th century re-enactment mates the research is worthy of any history classroom.

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

In the naval story, the part that mentions 'throwing double-headed shot about' probably refers to the habit of sailors to start 'shot rolling' when they were pissed off by the officers. There were shot garlands near all the guns and once a shot was rolled it was heard rumbling throughout the ship, but it would be very hard to pinpoint where it was rolled from. Perhaps they were rolling bar shot, which is, literally double-headed shot and would roll very handily I would guess.

[@josephangiulo8601]

I was about to say something similar. Rolling a cannon ball along a deck was shorthand for "impending mutiny." It's often used to add some dramatic foreshadowing to accounts of mutinies.

[@wacojones8062]

Taking to a tree seems to mean it was used as a ground level shield while standing behind it to load and shoot. Common practice with units like Rogers Rangers and most natives. The Lobster backs took offense at this sort of behavior when they first came up against it as it was not gentlemanly behavior to hide rather than to stand in the open shooting at each other. Four relatives answered the Lexington alarm, took part in the siege of Boston and other events as part of the Continental Line under Washington.

[@gijoe508]

Loading on the run was quite common on the frontier, easier with a smooth bore than a rifle. Black powder maniac shooter on KZbin has attempted it in one of his videos as well.

[@j.bowman8699]

Living history 18th century guru,mark baker can load and fire on the run. It's in his videos

[@clasdauskas]

maybe, but it seems unlikely you could both reload whilst running AND outrun your pursuers!

[@stazz316]

This is fascinating. Youre the man for unearthing stuff like this, Matt.

[@ghostbeetle2950]

I imagine it's possible that "taking to a tree" might simply mean taking cover behind one. With the added option of climbing up it, if necessary. Very cool trip down History Lane! Cheers!

[@stefanfilipovits21]

That was kinda my first assumption too. It has to be right? Mostly because I can’t help thinking that going up a tree during a fight would leave a person more vulnerable not less.

[@d.c.917]

Tomahawk and billhook (roncola in Italian) are two examples of tools used as weapons from down of humanity to the modern Era. Still effective as they were for our ancestors.

[@Tagawichin]

Loading on the run under duress was a common skill with frontiersmen. The bullets at that time was simple round balls, sometimes also called shot. On the run that would put several balls in their mouth and spit one down the bore after dumping in powder from the horn. Then prime the pan and shoot. Simon Kenton is was well known by the Indians to use this tactic and identified him as, "the one who's rifle is alway loaded."

[@spartiate567]

"Boarding axes" were a common weapon on warships in the age of sail, and they typically had a spike opposite the blade.

[@TheTrueNorth11]

Love to see Tomahawk content. Here in Canada, tomahawks are still used often.

[@netravler1]

When I head to the wild, I always carry a tomahawk with me. Light, fast, sharp, and very handy for chores or last ditch combat if needed.

[@tamlandipper29]

As well as its inherent value to military history, I think this sort of look is also instructive for any historian. First hand accounts, technology, frontier and home dynamics, racial relations, and so forth. Great stuff.

[@davidbradley6040]

As to use of tomahawks on horseback it was noted by smiths who were asked to make the Missouri Battle Axe that it was weirdly balanced ,having a large but very thin triangular iron head(the tribes didnt want steel bits included) that was mainly used from horseback.The tribes had a fixed idea of what it should look like before they encountered any metal workers to make them.

[@camerongunn7906]

Matt: Let's talk about tomahawk combat. Army Rangers: *Rage Boner Intensifies*

[@peterdebassecourt2515]

I throw tomahawks for fun. The longest I have done as a rank amateur is three rotations! A master thrower would be terrifying to meet in combat! In competition we try to cut a standard playing card.

[@Manco65]

@@peterdebassecourt2515 I used to and even if not struck by the edge just think about a soldier getting whacked in the head by any other part of the thing like the hammer or pipe or spike if that type.

[@MasterPoucksBestMan]

Regarding the pistols at closer range, I'm willing to bet after discharging both pistols, they'd turn them around and use them like double clubs, maybe one to parry the bayonet and the other the strike. Those pistols weren't all that short. Most were almost as long as the tomahawks. So, basically, they were tomahawks as well, more like the original wooden/stone tomahawks.

[@danieltaylor5231]

Not gonna lie. This has me wanting a Townsends/scholagladiatoria crossover.

[@donsal.t.1765]

Yes

[@darthkek1953]

Ah, you are a man of culture as well I see.

[@UnholyTerra]

Awesome video Mr. Easton :) i love these videos.

[@nonna_sof5889]

As someone who grew up in the woods around where Last of the Mohicans took place I can tell you we have a lot of trees that are really easy to climb. Lots of scraggily pines with branches all up you can be up in a few seconds. Getting back down will, hopefully, take a bit longer.

[@foggcm]

Tomahawks were regularly mentioned in firsthand accounts compiled in the book "Frontiersman" by Allan W. Eckert

[@wingardwearables]

Great video! I have researched a lot of tomahawk accounts but hadn’t thought to look up British newspapers. Most of the historic accounts I found are in county histories documenting violence on the American frontier.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

The designation Tomahawk was used for the Piper PA-38. Most people might associate it more with the Tomahawk Cruise Missile - (TLAM) Tomahawk Land Attack Missile.

[@jackdelvo2702]

When an eastern woodland native would go in for an all out final assault the hawk was to breach your enemy’s defenses and disable him while knocking him to the ground like a bird of prey and then us the scalping knife while upon him. Thus the use of the small maneuverable axe. The larger longer hawks from the photos are later versions used by the plains natives to be used mostly from horseback.

[@JMSNAPP]

So, loading a muzzle loading firearm while running is possible, but evidently requires twenty or so people chasing you with murderous intent. I would love to see a Napoleonic British Infantry drill for this...

[@crapphone7744]

Left right, left right, bite the cartridge,left right left right, pour in the powder...I would have died young.😄

[@zoukatron]

I think perhaps that scene you used for the thumbnail from Last of the Mohicans deserves a little video of its own. It has its flaws, but it has always been my favourite movie fight scene, more because of the story behind it.

[@user-ef4gf7rr9r]

I'm from what used to be called Minisink! In the eighteenth century, some S's are written using an F. Also, "treed" is very likely them hiding behind trees, which were very large. Also, at that time, there was a string of small defensive forts along the Pennsylvania frontier in that region, and the Delaware and Shawnee raids were pretty fierce. Edit: Having gotten further into the video, I wanted to add that Rogers Rangers record double-loading with buck and ball. They were fighting from behind trees and from within arm's length of one another. I really doubt they're talking about climbing trees, though, because the trees were so large it would have been hard to get a low branch. The forest was mature enough at that time that you could ride light cavalry through because the canopy was high and dense enough to block out light to the understory and discourage growth. Also also, a lot of the British-allied natives at that time had sworn off cannibalism (it was part of the Iroquois religion to do so) and were actually relatively Anglo in their way of life in some places. Whereas a lot of the French-allied tribes were still openly cannibals; many of them had come in from the French trading posts in the far west. There's a lot of nuance to all of this, of course, but that's some broad brushstrokes.

[@SlavicCelery]

S is not written as a f. The bar doesn't pass all the way through the vertical line of the letter. It looks similar but the script is different.

[@user-ef4gf7rr9r]

@@SlavicCelery I mean, I’m talking in broad brushstrokes. And in moveable type, I imagine you use what you have in hand. Can you show me where I can learn more?

[@SlavicCelery]

@@user-ef4gf7rr9r Off the top of my head, I'm not sure. I spent a lot of time in primary sources with colonial American history. And you notice stuff about the font. The first letter of a word will not be the alternative style. Nor will the last letter of a word (in my experience). There's a number of styles that are used both in print and handwritten. But the center bar doesn't pass through fully. Once I realized that, it made reading handwriting of the period much easier.

[@SlavicCelery]

@@user-ef4gf7rr9r I think finding the exact answer is nearly impossible. It's sort of like explaining why people may or may not put a center line through a 7. I wasn't taught that method, but it makes it easier to read when I look back through my notes. So I picked it up back in high school.

[@rogerlacaille3148]

This was incredibly fascinating! I have read all of the Leatherstocking tales( last of the Mohicans being a part)and find the stories you related so in keeping with information gleaned from those tales...More tales please sir 😏...also,in reference to your mentioning about the throwing of the tomahawk,this practice..correct me if I'm wrong...went back even to the days of the Gauls/Celts fighting the Romans,where they threw hatchets...and the Romans riposted with plumbatta😏

[@jockjammer3443]

In my reenacting days I had learned that loading a musket while running is easy. Priming it and firing... not so much.

[@TheSimpleMan454]

Was gonna mention this. Keep the barrel upright and pour, then drop the ball in. But yeah, priming is a bear unless you're well situated and steady. Firing while running? Never tried it.

[@unfortunatelygnarly]

Really cool video. Got to the end to realize you had been holding that tomahawk in frame for almost an hour! Respect!

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

Treeing is, taken in context of North-East American tactics in wooded areas, frequently understood as the action of shielding oneself behind a tree for observing or shooting a musket, hiding completely to reload. Oops, I worte this after the first question about this, Matt made the correct IMHO deduction.

[@tpjpower]

It seems that Matt interprets it to mean *climbing* a tree - but your explanation (hiding behind a tree) seems much more plausible.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

@@tpjpower I found it by reading Canadian gov military history webpage.

[@Shitballs69420]

Theres a little more to the torturing of captives thing than one may initially think. It was actually a widely practiced and accepted part of tribal warfare in North America. There was also an interesting practice of taking captives and then exchanging them for the casualties of the captors tribe, the decision was given to the deads family, wheather to kill or to make the captive assume the identity of the lost loved one. Either way as a form of retribution. So in other words the looser either gets his fingernails pulled out, or he's adopted as a lost loved one, up to the family. Seems odd by todays standards, but different cultures and times.

[@Shitballs69420]

Based off the eastern woodlands fyi.

[@andreweden9405]

Yeah, I noticed that Matt kind of "both-sided" the issue, but sometimes that's a mistake, and I believe that to be the case here. The Native Americans truly did elevate torture, especially burning, to an art form. I don't believe there are any documented examples of white people burning captured Indians to death. Executing? Yes, of course. But nothing like what was done to poor Colonel William Crawford in 1782, for example. I have been literally mentally scarred just from reading about certain documented incidents!

[@frey7631]

@@andreweden9405 This was retaliation for the Gnaddenhutten Massacre of Moravian Pacifist Indian Christians by Pennsylvanian militiamen: Wikipedia says about the massacre: The Moravian Christian Indians requested their captors to be allowed to pray and worship on the night before their execution; they spent the night before their death praying as well as singing Christian hymns and psalms.[7] Eighteen of U.S. militiamen were opposed to the killing of the pacifist Moravian Christians, though they were outvoted by those who wanted to murder them; those who opposed the murdering of the Moravian Christians did not participate in the massacre and separated themselves from the killers.[8][2][9] Before murdering them, the American soldiers "militia dragged the women and girls out into the snow and systematically raped them."[10] As they were being killed, the Moravian Christians sang "hymns and spoke words of encouragement and consolation one to another until they were all slain".[11] Believing in nonresistance, the Moravian Christian Indians pleaded for their lives to be spared, but did not fight back against their persecutors.[12][6][13][14]

[@andreweden9405]

@@frey7631 , Oh, I'm very familiar with both Colonel Crawford's burning, as well as the context in which it took place. However, regarding the "systematic raping" of the women and girls at Gnaddenhütten, that is definitely the first time I've ever heard that claim made, and I'd be incredibly interested to see the sources cited on that. That being said, it's also important to note the difference in the manner of death: With the Delaware Moravians, at least the object was to CAUSE death. With Colonel Crawford, and anyone that American Indians burned (including other Indians), the object was to torture the person so badly that they would desire death, but death would be delayed as long as humanly possible by the Indians. Colonel Crawford's ears and nose were first sliced off, then he was slowly roasted to death for over 3 hours. When he would lose consciousness from the extreme pain, a Delaware woman would shovel hot coals on his head to bring him back around. He even ended up pleading with the loyalist Simon Girty to shoot him, but Girty would not (and, in all likelihood, could not) help him. In the case of the Delaware Moravians, they were each quickly dispatched with a hammer blow to the brain, and it was over. To be clear, I am not excusing the Gnaddenhütten Massacre in any way. I'm simply pointing out the fallacy of acting like torture was something that was embraced equally on both sides (white and Native American). I will even say that, in sum, the actions of the whites were every bit as bad because some incidents basically amounted to genocide. However, if the American Indians could have perpetrated genocide against the whites, they absolutely would have. In fact, Indians had already committed genocide against other Indian nations during, and prior to European contact. Also, the Indians frankly "lost", and there's no way to lose and not come out with the "short end of the stick" to some extent.

[@andreweden9405]

@@frey7631 , Not to mention, Col. Crawford was not even involved in the massacre. Worse yet, several of the men who WERE, also participated in the same Sandusky Campaign from which Crawford was captured, but the Delaware didn't manage to catch any of them! Also, again, I haven't found anything about the raping of the women and girls in any of the official account. It is mentioned in one period account, but that account seems kind of poetic in character, and I haven't seen that substantiated anywhere else. Now, does that really make it that much better? I don't think so. It was absolutely atrocious what was done to those innocent people, and this seems to have been the consensus even at the time. From their own local neighbors back in Pennsylvania, to Congress, the perpetrators were mostly shunned. Of the two leaders who oversaw the massacre, one was actually captured and killed by Delaware a few years later in 1789, and the other died in poverty in 1814, probably from being unable to find employment. Plus, you even mentioned the fact that several of the militiamen themselves were disgusted with the others who murdered the Indians, and separated themselves. Many of them describe becoming physically sick at witnessing the incident. Gnaddenhütten, followed by Crawford's horrific execution, combined to create nothing but a horribly sad example of one scapegoat for another!

[@jackberry893]

Hi Mat, maybe the term "taking to a tree" doesnt mean to climb up but maybe to take cover behind the tree, especially given the slow reloading times of the guns at the time. Just a thought

[@JP-su8bp]

Thanks for compiling and sharing some interesting accounts.

[@Kurogasa55]

Thanks for posting this, Matt! My 6th time great grandfather was a Captain at St. Clairs Defeat and he was killed in action there.

[@martingreen2018]

Hi Matt love last of the Mohicans film, although the book is hard going. Strangely just sharpening my little Prandi. Thank you for your research and sharing with us. Happy Christmas/Yule/saturnalia.

[@texasbeast239]

KwanzaaHannuMasSticeNalia

[@friedfish69]

"Took to a tree" could mean hid behind a tree. Being up in a tree offers little advantage when being fired upon. Hiding behind a tree of sufficient girth offers protection while reloading.

[@jamesm1]

A good sized tree will offer a large trunk to hide behind on a branch even a good way up. It also makes it harder for your attackers to stay in cover if you have such a elevation advantage.

[@DyvmSlorm]

Hunting often consisted of running a pack of dogs who would chase prey and when the prey went to ground or took to a tree, the human hunters would move in to finish the job.

[@KurNorock]

It literally means to climb a tree to evade danger.

[@BUZZKILLJRJR]

My family was saying they're part of the historical Society here and worked with many different colleges around here and we have Indian artifacts on our homestead property which has been in our family for 220 plus years, as that it came from the Algonquin originally and the rest, Abenaki. Missiquoi. Pennacook. Arapaho. Beothuk. Blackfoot. Cheyenne. Chowanoke. Cree. tribes they had a stone or wooden headed variation that they all refer to as tomahawk, along with the incorporation of the European style metal headed hatchet AKA (tomahawk the name) just stayed because it's the same kind of weapon as what we refer to as a hatchet or axe, (the trides called a tomahawk) so the specific shape and style has always been referred to as tomahawk from that native language.

[@ramizbari8923]

Great video I am really enjoying these longer videos

[@davidk6269]

5:52 this style of Tomahawk reminds me somewhat of the ancient Chinese dagger-axe weapon.

[@bharnden7759]

The only metal technologies the natives had was soft metals, gold, silver, and copper. Rocks on a stick was a faster made weapon. Trade goods sent to settlers were steel and iron tools and weapons.

[@MrBottlecapBill]

Sort of but not really. They had a LOT of copper around the great lakes region. You can look into Old Copper Culture online. The beauty of this copper is that while it's a very pure source of copper found in large chunks and veins for easy working it's not 100% pure and often has traces of iron, silver and other metals in it, which gives it a sort of bronze type of hardness. Sometimes harder, sometimes less hard but it can make some pretty damn effective weapons and tools. The bad news is, that without the ability to melt and pour this material it did take a lot of labour to create things with it. The stuff they did create is pretty amazing mind you. So if you wanted a quick tool, a flint or chert axe/knife was quicker. A copper or ground stone weapon were probably pretty close labour wise. Had the copper weapons and supplies from the great lakes regions made it to central America in large enough amounts(it did in small amounts) the whole European invasion may have taken a different course. Oddly enough every day copper tools and weapons seem to have fallen out of favour in many areas as chert, flint and obsidian were much easier to work and more readily available closer to the present, even before European conact. I guess in a historical sense they made the wrong choice for practical reasons.

[@darthkek1953]

The Native Americans were, mostly, a stone-age people.

[@electron4784]

Thanks great video on Tomahawk usage! That did answer many questions I have had over the years of movie going.

[@barnettmcgowan8978]

Awesome episode! I love this deep dive!

[@joelcopeland3018]

I really enjoyed your reading of historic text... great topic,,, well done... cheers... p.s. I think the main target was the head because a strike to the body would cause the weapon to get entangled in the clothing making recovery more difficult.

[@jambutty2218]

Read Bury my heart at wounded knee. It's tragic and moving.. I'm going for Last of the Mohicans after watching your show. So glad I found your channel recently. Excellent work..

[@pendragonfilm]

Brilliant Matt . Your the number one person to listen to if you want an education on these subjects

[@davetrott6241]

Thanks for the excellent video!

[@andrewrobertson3894]

A long time ago, I read a book that described how (possibly during the First Indian War) English soldiers would be forced to enter these enormous, almost prehistoric forests in pursuit of their enemies and that sometimes, they would not see daylight for over a month, with the canopy etc being so dense and untouched that they existed in a perpetual twilight for weeks at a time, constantly under threat of being sniped and ambushed. Wish I could recall the title or author. Anyway. As you were.

[@ycplum7062]

The tomahawk appears to be roughly the same proportions to a horsman's axe or hammer. The tomahawk can be used in a similar manner as the Early Middle Ages franciscas, Viking throwing axes, or Roman era pilums to disupt a charge.

[@anaussie213]

It seemed like they were used to disrupt bayonet charges yeah.

[@davidj6755]

I’m only halfway through, but so far this is my favorite episode.

[@scifinerd1911]

Awesome video keep up the great work.. I really enjoy those swords in the background of your video.