The Cutting Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in the American Revolution

 Historian Wayne E. Lee of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill discusses Indigenous warfare before and during the American Revolution. Throughout the Revolution, Indigenous warriors sought to surprise their targets, and the size of the target varied with the size of the attacking force. A small war party might “cut off” individuals getting water or wood or out hunting, while a larger party might attempt to attack a whole town. Once revealed by its attack, the invading war party would flee before the defenders’ reinforcements from nearby towns could organize. Sieges or battles were rare and fought mainly to save face or reputation. After discussing his “cutting-off way of war” paradigm, Dr. Lee explores Native logistics and their associated strategic flexibility to recast Indigenous warfare in a framework of the lived realities of Native people rather than regarding European military strategies and practices.