Essay On The Oneida Tribe

Tyonajanegen was part of the Oneida tribe. The Oneida were religious people that were a part of the Iroquois Confederacy. She was also married to a very important man, Han Yerry. Yerry was born in the Oneida tribe, but he was also part German and Mohawk descent. Yerry was the chief warrior of the wolf clan, one of the several branches of the Oneida. The wolf clan, known as the pathfinders, guides people in the way their Creator wants them to. She is a brave warrior because she fought in the Battle of Oriskany, was messenger for rebels, and was the first Indian woman to fight for America. First, she fought tirelessly in the Battle of Oriskany. The battle was between the British and America/Oneida. It was at this point that the Oneida became known as the first allies, because they were the first to take the side of America in the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Oriskany took place in New York by the creek of Oriskany, on August 6, 1777. Tyonajanegen rode into the battle on a horse with two pistols. She fought for six bloody hours next to her husband, Yerry, and son, Cornelius. When Yerry was shot in the wrist with a musket ball, Tyonajanegen had to reload his gun so he could keep fighting. Despite the heavy losses the Oneida forced the British to retreat.

In the Battle of Saratoga she played a very significant role. The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war. In the Battle of Saratoga the British surprised the Americans and trapped them in the middle of the night. For eighteen days the Americans had to fight off the British. Tyonajanegen played a significant role in this because the Americans had no communication to the other campsites. She had to send messages from one campsite to another telling everyone about the trapped campsite. Unfortunately the Americans arrived at the battle too late and the fort was