At Akwesasne the victory at Ogdensburg and Crysler’s Farm did nothing to remove the barriers imposed by the war and the border. Thereafter, both British and American authorities would acknowledge only those Mohawks who resided in areas where they claimed jurisdiction. The scars of 1812-1813 would not be allowed to heal but at some time these events should be formally acknowledged as integral to our history. Here is a reenactment of that battle.
Throughout the autumn and winter of 1812-13 the residents of Akwesasne were being drawn into the war between Britain and the US. Since the controversial Seven Nations of Canada treaty of 1796 there had been restrictions on the movement of the Native people living on the “reservation” but the international border had not yet become internally divisive.
Both English and American authorities recognized the importance of the St. Lawrence River as vital to the movement of troops and supplies from the ports of Montreal into the interior. If there was any chance the US could be deterred from invading...
