One of the earliest memoirs by an American Indian, Chainbreaker presents
the recollections of a Seneca chief, also known as Governor Blacksnake.
A fighter in the American Revolution who lived more than a century,
Chainbreaker told his story as an old man in the 1840s to a fellow
Seneca, Benjamin Williams, who translated it and committed it to paper.
Epic in scale and yet intensely personal, Chainbreaker's story provides
a rare Native view of warfare and diplomacy during a crucial period in
American history. His account is only fully available in this edition,
featuring extensive commentary by Thomas S. Abler. Thomas S. Abler is a
professor of anthropology at the University of Waterloo. He is the
author of Hinterland Warriors and Military Dress: European Empires and
Exotic Uniforms.