IROQUOIS USES OF MAIZE 



19 



quent mention indicates the importance of corn as a food to the Iro- 

 quois. The destruction of the corn supply was a greater blow to 

 the Iroquois than the burning of their towns. Huts might easily 

 have been built again but fields would not yield another harvest after 

 September. 



In the journal of Maj. John Burrowes, as in other journals cov- 

 ering the Sullivan campaign, there are many references to the Indian 

 fields. Some instances follow : 



Friday, August ^7, 1779. Observations. We got this night at a 

 large flat three miles distant from Chemung where corn grows such 

 as can not be equalled in Jersey. The field contains about 100 acres, 

 beans, cucumbers, Simblens, watermelons and pumpkins in such 

 quantities (were it represented in the manner it should be) would 

 be almost incredible to a civilized people. We sat up until between 

 one and two o'clock feasting on these rarities. 



Monday, Middletown, ^oth Aug. The army dont march this 

 day but are employed cutting down the corn at this place which being 

 about one hundred and fifty acres, and superior to any I ever saw 

 . . . {Observations) The land exceeds any I have ever seen. 

 Some corn stalks measured eighteen feet and a cob one foot and a 

 half long. Beans, cucumbers, watermelons, muskmelons, cimblens 

 . are in great plenty. . . 



Camp on the Large Flats 6 Miles from Chenesee 13th Sep. Wed- 

 nesday morning. The whole army employed till 11 o'clock destroy- 

 ing corn, there being the greatest quantity destroyed at this town 

 than any of the former. It is judged that we have burnt and de- 

 stroyed about sixty thousand bushels of corn and two or three thou- 

 sand of beans on this expedition. 



In his letter to John Jay under date of September 30, 1779, General 

 Sullivan reported among other things : 



Colonel Butler destroyed in the Cayuga country five principal 

 towns- and a number of scattering houses, the whole making about 

 one hundred in number exceedingly large and well built. He also 

 destroyed two hundred acres of excellent corn with a number of 

 orchards one of which had in it 1500 fruit trees. Another Indian 

 settlement was discovered near Newtown by a party, consisting of 

 39 houses, which were also destroyed. The number of towns de- 

 stroyed by this army amounted to 40 besides scattering houses. The 

 quantity of corn destroyed, at a moderate computation, must amount 

 to 160,000 bushels, with a vast quantity of vegetables of every 

 kind. . . I flatter myself that the orders with which I was entrusted 

 are fully executed, as we have not left a single settlement or a field 

 of corn in the country of the Five Nations. . . 



In his report of Sept. 16, 1779, to General Washington concerning 

 his raid against the Seneca on the Allegany, Daniel Brodhead said : 



The troons remained on the ground three whole days destroying 

 the Towns & Corn Fields. I never saw finer corn altho' it was 



