Oneida Polly Cooper Journeyed To Valley Forge With Male Warriors During The Continental Army's Winter Encampment

Another fact about the Native Americans in the American Revolution is that Oneida Polly Cooper journeyed to Valley Forge with male warriors during the Continental army's winter encampment. Oneida woman from the New York colony named Polly Cooper participated in a 1777 mission to support the Continental troops during the American Revolution. During the winter of 1777–1778, troops were encamped at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Cooper and other Oneida locals traveled hundreds of miles on foot to deliver the Continental Army's starving troops hundreds of bushels of white maize. She stayed with the Continental Army for a while to instruct the men on the proper way to boil white maize for digestion, which required a distinct cooking method. She also assisted with medical assistance and natural medications.

Understanding Polly Cooper's story requires knowing that George Washington and his soldiers were acquainted with the Oneida Indian Nation. The leadership of the congregational preacher Samuel Kirkland and their contempt for the British-appointed native superintendents Sir William Johnson and his son-in-law Guy Johnson led the Oneida Indian Nation to embrace the American cause. In order to help Washington at Valley Forge, a group of 47 Indian men, Polly Cooper, and Louis de Tousard departed on April 25. They were carrying bushels of grain. After the war, the Continental Army attempted to compensate Polly Cooper for her heroic service, but she rejected the offer, insisting that it was her responsibility to aid her comrades in need. A black shawl that Cooper had spotted in a store window was given to her as a gift. She received the shawl in exchange for her services as an army cook, for which Congress authorized funds. The Cooper family still looks after the shawl, which is almost in flawless condition.