Paul Powless Tegahsweangalolis ("Saw Mill") (1758 - 1847) was a warrior and chief of the

Oneida Oneida may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy * Oneida language * Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York * Oneida Na ...

people and hereditary sachem of the Bear clan. Like many of his people, he joined the American side during the Revolutionary War and served as a spy and messenger.

Encounter with Joseph Brant

During the

Siege of Fort Stanwix The siege of Fort Stanwix (also known at the time as Fort Schuyler) in 1777 began on August 2 and ended August 22. Fort Stanwix, in the western part of the Mohawk River Valley, was then the primary defense point for the Continental Army against ...

, the 17-year-old Powless came upon

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans * Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people * Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...

leader

Joseph Brant Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant (March 1743 – November 24, 1807) was a Mohawk people, Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York (state), New York, who was closely associated with Kingdom of Great Britain, Great B ...

, who was allied with the British forces of the St. Leger Expedition. Brant tried to convince the Oneida to surrender.

Brant insinuatingly offered him a large reward, and a plenty as long as he should live, if he would only join the King’s side, and induce other Oneidas to do so, and help the British to take Fort Stanwix. Powless firmly rejected any such blandishments, saying he and his brother Oneidas had joined their fortunes with those of the Americans and should share with them whatever good or ill might come. Brant portrayed the great and resistless power of the King, and profess dto deplore the ruin of the Oneidas if they should foolishly and recklessly persist in their determination. Powless replied that he and the Oneidas would persevere, if need be, till all were annihilated; and that was all he had to say, when each retired his own way.

The two parted without conflict and Powless continued to Fort Stanwix, sneaking into the besieged fort before carrying word to Schenectady on horseback. They later fought on opposing sides during the Battle of Orsikany.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powless, Paul Oneida people 1758 births 1847 deaths