This work will provide historical gamers and others interested in studying history with an overview of conflicts involving various Native American nations. A majority of the conflicts listed are inter-native nation wars. Specific information available on most of these conflicts is sketchy due to several reasons including the lack of written records, my lack of access to rare books, and the limited scope of this work.

On the other hand, conflicts with European powers and those inter-native nation conflicts observed by European traders tended to be well documented. Records by European/American governments must be examined with a concern over their composition reflecting the political needs of the government. Likewise, the current histories written Native Nations tend to be bias in the recording of conflicts with other Native nations. This is a work with a very limited scope and is not currently part of an an academic study. As a result, the avid researcher will notice that only a select bibliography( due partly to production costs) is included. A more detailed bibliography is available upon request.

The format consists of a regional examination of native nations; comments on clothing, weapons and tactics; and a chronological listing of conflicts. An appendix covering select battles is also included. Entries will include the available data on force sizes, leaders, goals and outcomes of battles and wars. The term nation will be used to refer to a group such as the Creek or Iroquois. The term tribe or clan will be used to refer to a sub-group of a nation.

Comments on the general conduct of Native Nation warfare

The primary causes of native wars tend to fall into specific categories which include control over hunting grounds and other areas containing natural resources, 'love raids' to obtain women, historic blood feuds, and trading rights with European powers. These causes escalated warfare as the Europeans began to press for more territory and provided numerous firearms to their native allies. The push by the "salt water people" produced a domino effect which often displaced entire nations.

The fate of the displaced refugees is reflective of the Native American cultural trait of adopting into their nation survivors of defeated foes and displaced, decimated, tribes. Often this humanitarian habit would prove to be a two-edged sword. The benefits included new blood, technology, and stronger tribes. Unfortunately, the refugees also often brought retaliatory raids from old foes and disease.

Without a doubt the fall of the native nations of North America is directly attributed to the devastating affect of epidemics. The death toll from an epidemic would kill at least one-fourth of a tribe with it not being uncommon for over one-half of a tribe being destroyed by the various plagues.

Another misperception by many people is that the influence of a nation was extremely localized. The power of major tribes was felt hundreds of miles from their home location. The Iroquois located in upper New York raided as far south as the Carolinas and as far west as the Illinois/Indiana and even Wisconsin area. The Chickasaw located in North Mississippi fought other tribes as far away as Indiana and Arkansas. In addition, the constant flow of displaced nations often threatened the stability of many regions.

Weapons

For the eastern nations the lack of powder, ammunition and repair parts limited the use of muskets in warfare during the 1700s. While every musket would be used in the desperate defense of a town, hunting parties tended to rely on traditional weapons for the hunt. The native nations would use the musket as a close assault weapon at ranges of 30 yards or less. The native warrior like his European counterpart was never allowed rounds to practice musketry. The European rulers viewed practice as an expensive excess.

To the native warrior, powder and shot was too rare to waste on practice. As a result, warriors did not try to hit targets at extended range. The can't miss range of less than thirty yards was more suited to the geography, training and culture of the eastern warrior.

The impact of European goods and trade caused a cultural shift for many tribes from farming and subsistance hunting to a primary activity of hunting for their pelts to trade. Several eastern nations noted that their men had lost the ability to make arrowheads and relied on Europeans to provide them along with other metal items including tomahawks and plow shears. Likewise toward the 1750s the musket was becoming more common. Many of the alliance treaties between Nations and European powers during wartime include provisions for providing the native warriors with replacement powder and ammunition as part of their payment for service. The tribes could not afford to expend the powder and shot if it was not going to be replaced.

By the time of the plains wars, after 1850, the western tribes had become armed with surplus rifles, especially after the American Civil War. The cartridge bullet also made it easier for Native Nations to managed their limited supply of ammunition. Still, the native warriors did not use the rifle for engaging targets at extreme range on a regular basis. The bow/arrow continued to be the primary distance weapon, except in areas devoid of trees which made arrows difficult to make. The Apache tactic of ambushes were used to bring targets into the "can't miss" range of their weapons.

Most native weapons were designed for close combat.Virtually every warrior was armed with a knife in addition to a combat weapon. The characteristics of weapons varied with the different nations and their regions. The primary combat weapons included warclubs, tomahawks, spears, and bows. A warclub would vary in shape and length. It may be only a foot long (Seneca examples) or over four feet long (Creek examples). The head could be round or may have spikes added. Tomahawks and trade hatchets became common in the late 1700s and even replaced the warclub in most trans-Mississippi nations.

The spear (despite movie examples) tended to be a thrusting rather than a throwing weapon. They had been designed mainly to hunt large dangerous animals such as bears or buffalo. Spears were not considered a distance weapon. If thrown, they would have left the warrior almost defenseless.

Though some tribes used slings, boomerangs, and aytlahs, the bow/arrow was the main distance weapon used in warfare.