Haughty Conquerors - by William R Nester (Hardcover)

About the Book

During 1763 and 1764, a loose coalition of Native American tribes ranging from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River and from the Ohio Valley to the Great Lakes revolted against the oppression and neglect of their newly installed British masters. This Great Uprising ranks among the most successful wars in Native American history with the assault and capture of nine forts, the siege of Forts Detroit and Pitt, and, finally, a negotiated peace that met most of their demands. Yet, the victories proved to be fleeting as tribal enthusiasm waned. Within a generation, another wave of settlers and a frontier war would conquer much of what the unfortunate tribes would cling to with their victory.

There would be no simple solution to the conflict. Now nearly dependent on the white man's technology and trade, tribal leaders were forced to face the prospects of an uncertain future. Supplies captured from the forts would last only so long, and the war had diverted valuable manpower from the yearly hunt. While the British had managed to quell the uprising, they did so largely through diplomacy, and they paid a high political price with negotiations conceding nearly every tribal demand. However, within a generation yet another wave of settlers and a frontier war would conquer much of what the unfortunate tribes would cling to with their victory.

Book Synopsis

During 1763 and 1764, a loose coalition of Native American tribes ranging from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River and from the Ohio Valley to the Great Lakes revolted against the oppression and neglect of their newly installed British masters. This Great Uprising ranks among the most successful wars in Native American history with the assault and capture of nine forts, the siege of Forts Detroit and Pitt, and, finally, a negotiated peace that met most of their demands. Yet, the victories proved to be fleeting as tribal enthusiasm waned. Within a generation, another wave of settlers and a frontier war would conquer much of what the unfortunate tribes would cling to with their victory.

There would be no simple solution to the conflict. Now nearly dependent on the white man's technology and trade, tribal leaders were forced to face the prospects of an uncertain future. Supplies captured from the forts would last only so long, and the war had diverted valuable manpower from the yearly hunt. While the British had managed to quell the uprising, they did so largely through diplomacy, and they paid a high political price with negotiations conceding nearly every tribal demand. However, within a generation yet another wave of settlers and a frontier war would conquer much of what the unfortunate tribes would cling to with their victory.

Review Quotes

"Nester has thoroughly and admirably mined the documentary sources, especially British military and government records, necessary to understanding this conflict. The depth of research, detailed description, and comfortable writing style make this work a fine example of popular-minded history done well..."Haughty Conquerors" provides a step-by-step recounting of the end of the Seven Years' War and northern Indian resistance to the imposition of British rule." --The Historian

""Haughty Conquerors" flows easily, is an informative read, and is nicely proofed. Undergraduates and the general reader can both enjoy the narrative." --The Journal of Military History

""Haughty Conquerors" is a valuable work. It is especially so for its detailed and well-written blow-by-blow account of an event that is both widely known and largely misunderstood." --American Indian Quarterly

About the Author

WILLIAM R. NESTER is Professor in the Department of Government and Politics at St. John's University in New York./e He is the author of numerous books which explore various aspects of international relations and political economy, and two books on the American frontier. He is a lifelong student of American wilderness and the frontier.