Combining compelling narrative and grand historical sweep, Forgotten Allies offers a vivid account of the Oneida Indians, forgotten heroes of the American Revolution who risked their homeland, their culture, and their lives to join in a war that gave birth to a new nation at the expense of their own. Revealing for the first time the full sacrifice of the Oneidas in securing independence, Forgotten Allies offers poignant insights about Oneida culture and how it changed and adjusted in the wake of nearly two centuries of contact with European-American colonists. It depicts the resolve of an Indian nation that fought alongside the revolutionaries as their valuable allies, only to be erased from America's collective historical memory. Beautifully written, Forgotten Allies recaptures these lost memories and makes certain that the Oneidas' incredible story is finally told in its entirety, thereby deepening and enriching our understanding of the American experience.
"This is a book that will surprise and delight anyone interested in American history. It reveals in vivid scrupulously researched detail a hitherto unknown side of the War for Independence."
Thomas Fleming, author of Washington's Secret War: The Hidden History of Valley Forge
"Riveting from its deft opening of Lafayette's return, Forgotten Allies is a brilliant history of the Oneida Indian Nation and its complex participation in the American Revolution. Masterfully framing the cultural and political struggles of the time before plunging us into the American Revolution, this book has a message for every generation; history is relevant."
Jack Leustig, Producer, Director, Writer, Award-Winning CBS Television Documentary, 500 Na
"Two accomplished historians tell the sad, neglected, yet fascinating story, rich in detail and well written, of the Oneida, one major Indian group who backed the 'winning' side in the American Revolution."
John Shy, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan
