Their own history for three hundred years

had been one of peace between brother nations. " No taxation

without representation " was a principle beyond their comprehension. The men who defied Britis'h soldiers in the streets of New

York and Boston seemed to them exactly like the French of Canada

who in the older wars had stormed English forts on the Northern

Frontier, since they were engaged in war with the King of England, and the King was the Indians' powerful fr'iend. When the Border Wars reached their height, the frontier of

New York should have been in a state of tranquility. With Burgoyne's surrender, the center of conflict was to pass away from

New York and New England, and was soon to be transferred to

Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina. Why then, these Border

Wars in New York? In one short sentence, the w^ole truth may

he disclosed. The ministry of George III, after long and laborious

eflforts, now at last had won the Indians of New York into active

sympathy with their cause. For three years they had tr'ied in vain

to gain their support, and again and again had held counsels with

them, but the net results had been an essentially neutrad stand by

the Indians. But let us recapitulate. Soon after the battle of Lexington, Col. Guy Johnson, the official successor of Sir William, convened at his

home near Amsterdam, a conference with the Indians, mostly Mohawks, and later, after the result at Bunker Hill had alarmed him

anew, fled to Oswego and thence to Canada. Nearly all the Mohawk Indians went with him, as well as a domestic force of about

500 white men, mainly Scotdh Highlanders, over whom he had

placed in command. Col. John Butler. In July Col. Johnson reached

Montreal, Where he had an interview with Sir Frederick Haldemand, who said to the Indians :

" Now is the time for you to help the King.