AMMANY was the most famous of the Delaware Indian chiefs. He died toward the close of the eighteenth century. His reputation is that of a mighty warrior, a lofty patriot, and the greatest statesman ever born among his people. Such were his perfections that his countrymen believed he talked with the Great Spirit. In 1776, when Colonel George Morgan, of Princeton, New Jersey, was sent to the western Indians by Congress, he was so liked by the Delawares that they called him "Tammany," "in honor and remembrance of their ancient chief, and as the greatest mark of respect which they could show to that gentleman, who they said had the same address, affability and meekness as their honored chief."

When the first whites visited this country, the Lenni-Lenapes or Delaware Indians, one of the most important members of the Algonquin family, occupied the valleys of the Delaware and Schuykill. They were so powerful that they impressed themselves upon all the tribes from the Hudson to the Chesapeake. This power lasted till the rise of the Iroquois, or Six Nations of New York, the greatest confederation that ever existed among the American race. It soon crushed the Delawares, who lost in a sense their independence. At an assemblage near Lancaster, in 1774, the Iroquois forbade the Delawares to sell their lands without the permission of their masters, who even called them "squaws," and looked upon them with undisguised contempt.

About the middle of the eighteenth century, the Delawares removed to the banks of the Susquehanna. They learned the principles of non-resistance from William Penn and the missionary Zinzendorf, for which they suffered much at the hands of the English and the Iroquois. The former charged that they were under French influence, while the Iroquois, angered at their neutrality, despoiled them without mercy and expressed contempt for the tribe.

The Delawares produced two remarkable chiefs, of opposing views. One wanted peace, and the other wished war. Each had hundreds of friends, and the tribe was broken up by quarrels, which often resulted in bloodshed.

The leader of the peace party had a hard Indian name, but was dubbed "Captain White Eyes" by the Americans. Whether this was due to any peculiarity of his organs of vision, we have not been able to learn. It may have been on account of his peace principles, which were as open as those of the Friends. He was the leading chief of the Turtle clan in Ohio, and his bitterest enemies never denied his lofty honor, pure life, and unselfish patriotism.

When the Revolution broke out, the British authorities used every effort to win the Delawares over to their side. Congress strove equally hard to hold them neutral. Thus two opposing factions faced each other. White Eyes was the sleepless champion of peace, and Captain Pipe of war to the knife. Both had ingenuity, tact, and strong will. Captain Pipe, on his part, could count upon the natural, revengeful temper of his countrymen. They had many wrongs to brood over, and the Indian dearly loves war. White Eyes admitted the wrongs his people had suffered, but insisted that the true interests of the Delawares forbade them to take the side of either of the opponents. If they did, they were sure to suffer, and many of their bravest men would be slain. There was no difference between the British and Americans; one was as likely to prove as good or ill a neighbor as the other.

It followed that the Delawares in breaking apart joined one or the other of the warring champions. They lost sight of the principles at stake, and identified themselves with the leaders. The Delaware tribe had passed under the sway of two great sachems or "bosses." Which was to prevail?

White Eyes gave many proofs of his personal courage. When war became certain, he and several of his tribe went to Pittsburg to meet in conference a number of Senecas, members of the Iroquois or Six Nations and resolute allies of the British. White Eyes boldly opposed their designs, and used such biting words that the Senecas were angered. They told him he was the last one to prate of independent action by his tribe, when every one knew they had been made women by the Iroquois. White Eyes scornfully faced the chief who uttered this insult, and replied:

"I know you look upon us as a conquered nation; as your inferiors; as women, made such by you. You say you have placed hoes in our hands and ordered us to dig and plant for you, and that we shall wear petticoats. But look at me! Am I not a full-grown man and am I not in the dress of a warrior! Do I not carry a musket the same as you? And (waving his hand toward the Allegheny) all that is mine!"

These were daring words, and greatly disturbed many of his own warriors who believed the fiery Senecas would revenge themselves upon White Eyes and his friends. They sent word to the Iroquois that they did not think like White Eyes, and that they would not stay by his side. Captain Pipe had much to do with this cowardly action. He and White Eyes set to work with more resolution than ever, and each had varying success.

White Eyes' message to the Wyandots at Sandusky was insultingly answered by notice to the Delawares to hold themselves ready to take the war path with them against the Americans. He visited a portion of the same tribe at Detroit. They refused to receive his peace belts except in the presence of the British governor. When the proffer was made before him, he snatched the belts from the hands of the chief, cut them to pieces, and threw them to the ground in a high rage.

"And you," he said, turning angrily upon White Eyes, "if you value your life, will leave here within half an hour!"

This remarkable man was often in imminent peril from his own people. Passion ran high, and among the friends of Captain Pipe were many who would have assassinated White Eyes had they not lacked the courage. It is hard to understand how he escaped, and how he retained his influence over so many fiery warriors. Early in 1778, a number of Tories from Pittsburg came among the Indians with word that the Americans were hurrying against them, and their only hope of escape was to begin war without delay.

These rumors threw the Delawares into a panic, and for several days White Eyes could do nothing to stay the rising tide. When he was able to soothe them to some extent, he called a council to which he said he was satisfied that the reports were lies, and it would never do for his warriors to make a mistake in such a matter. He, therefore, asked them to do nothing for ten days. This would give time to learn the facts. The cunning Pipe also called a council. He gave out the impression that he knew the whole truth, and he called upon his countrymen to declare that man an enemy to the nation who did anything to prevent their taking up arms against the American people.

White Eyes parried this blow by saying that if the Delawares were determined to go upon the war path, he would go with them. "I have done what I could for peace," he said, "but if you choose to believe these lying vagabonds, you shall not go without me! And I shall not follow; I shall place myself at your head and none shall fight harder than I; I shall be the first to fall, for I do not wish to survive my nation; I will not live to mourn the destruction of a people who deserved a better fate."

This appeal was overpowering. The council, with more enthusiasm than such a body generally shows, declared that they would wait the ten days, while others said with equal emphasis that they would never fight the Americans unless led by White Eyes.

The baffled Pipe and his friends worked more determinedly than ever, and with such success that after several days, many of the Delawares began preparations for war White Eyes was warned that if he interfered again, he would be killed. Nine days had passed without a single fact appearing to disprove the rumors of the coming of the Americans. It looked as if nothing could calm the rising war spirit.

Providentially, at this juncture, the German missionary Heckewelder, who had arrived among the Christian Delawares, not far from the village of White Eyes, learned of the crisis, and made haste to the settlement.

His coming drew wide attention, and the warriors flocked thither from all points, anxious to learn the errand that had brought the white man thither.

The missionary and White Eyes had always been friends, but the chief now scowled at him and refused to take his offered hand. Heckewelder was amazed, but quickly read the meaning of the rebuff. Pipe had his spies in the crowd watching everything. If White Eyes welcomed the missionary, it would show that he had been invited to come, and that the whole affair was a scheme to throw dust in the eyes of the Delawares. If the chief showed a distrust, it would tell the contrary story.

Heckewelder demanded the reason of the chief's churlish action. He answered:

"I will tell you. If what has been told us is true, we have not a single friend among the Americans; therefore, we are the enemies of every white man and can look upon you as coming to us only to put us off our guard that our enemies may take us by surprise."

Heckewelder strongly denied the charge, declaring that if he was not the friend of the Delawares, he never would have come among them. White Eyes fixed his piercing gaze upon the missionary, and in the hush that fell upon the throng, asked:

"Will you tell me the truth as to what I shall ask you?"

"I always strive to speak the truth and I shall not deceive you," was the reply.

"We are told that the American armies have been cut to pieces, that General Washington has been killed, that there is no more Congress, and that those that have not already been hanged will be taken to England and hanged by the king, that all the country beyond the mountains is in possession of the English, and the few thousand Americans who have escaped are gathered on this side of the mountains to kill us and our women and children. Now, tell me the truth; are all or any of these things true?"

With all the solemnity he could command, the visitor replied that there was not a word of truth in the rumors that had been brought to the Delawares. The Americans had not been defeated, Washington was unharmed, the cause of patriotism was making the best of progress, and he carried with him the proof that one of the greatest of the British armies had surrendered to the Americans only a few months before. Heckewelder then unfolded and displayed a newspaper which told of the capture of General Burgoyne and his troops. Then the visitor added that he had with him also the friendly messages which the Americans wished him to deliver to the Delawares as a sign of their good will.

Every warrior present knew that the visitor was a man of truth, and his words caused a sensation. White Eyes seized the "psychological moment," and, turning to the assemblage, asked whether they should listen to the words of those who had always been their friends. The warriors replied as one voice that they would. Accordingly, the drum was beaten and the whole body moved to the council house, where friendly addresses were spoken. When they were finished, White Eyes stepped forward and offered his hand to Heckewelder, saying: "You are welcome, my brother," and the others did likewise.

It was a triumph. Captain Pipe was silent, and soon after, his spies brought him word that everything told by the white men was true. White Eyes sent his runners to the Shawnees, where the Tories had already gone to stir up enmity against the Americans, and the messengers did their work well. Never was a more complete victory gained by diplomat, statesman, or military leader.

Ever anxious for peace, White Eyes made a visit to Pittsburg in the winter of 1779-80, to talk with the Indian agent. He went with General McIntosh to the country of the Tuscaroras, where a fort was to be built for the protection of the neutral Indians, but, sad to say, he took the smallpox and died.

The death of the great and good chief caused profound grief not only among the Delawares, but with other tribes. One of the truest friends the American Indians ever knew had gone to his final hunting grounds.

White Eyes being out of the way, Captain Pipe naturally gained control of his people. He fought on the side of the British, and at times showed a high sense of honor and chivalry. He is believed to have died about the year 1820.