Alexander Thompson and Declaring Peace in the Borderlands of Western New York, 1783

On April 17, 1783, a dispatch arrived at Fort Rensselaer along the western bank of the Mohawk River, around two miles northwest of modern Canajoharie, New York. The messenger carried directions from Gen. George Washington to send “an Officer To the British Garrison at Oswago To announce a Cessation of Hostilities on the frontiers of New York.”[1] Maj. Andrew Fink, who served as the fort’s commanding officer, selected the twenty-four-year-old Capt. Alexander Thompson to carry the news around 120 miles west, across contested territory, to the British fort on Lake Ontario. Upon returning, Thompson detailed his difficult journey in a military report that now resides at the Library of the Society of the Cincinnati at the Anderson House in Washington, D.C.

The beginnings of the American Revolution have long captured the imaginations of Americans much more so than the concluding days described in Thompson’s journal. On April 19, 2025, tens of thousands of enthusiasts, locals and tourists alike, converged on the towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts to commemorate the 250th anniversary of what, in 1837, Ralph Waldo Emmerson dubbed, “the shot heard round the world,” enjoying reenactments, parades, a rededication of Lexington’s Battle Green, and other festivities.[2] No doubt even grander, nationwide celebrations will take place in July 2026, when the country marks the semiquincenntial of independence. Hoping to seize on this excitement, local and state organizations across the country have planned a myriad of events to both mark anniversaries closer to home and carry the excitement well beyond the boundaries of what comprised the United States in 1776. Despite modern scholars’ best efforts to nuance this history, the groundswell of interest in the Revolution’s beginnings demonstrates the enduring appeal of the popular, albeit distorted, image of the plucky colonial farmer taking up arms against British tyranny. If the Bicentennial moment serves as any indicator, it is safe to assume that by the time the semiquincenntial of the war’s conclusion rolls around in 2033, there will be far less fanfare, at least in the United States.[3] Ironically, the architects of “Rev250” seem poised to learn what those who led the Revolution also found: rage militaire is difficult to sustain.

The account Thompson left of his mission to Lake Ontario, highlights the complexities that accompanied securing peace in Western New York. His description underscores the upheaval wrought by the Revolution in North America and the untold challenges that faced sundry peoples. During his trek along the Mohawk River, Thompson encountered a variety of people, and his descriptions underscore not only the fraught relationships in the region, but also the deep physical and emotional scars the violent war had left on both the land and its people. Many scholars have explored the alliance the British pursued with Native peoples during the Revolution; however, the pivotal role an unnamed chief of the Stockbridge people played in Thompson’s mission, especially in the crossing of Lake Oneida, demonstrates the equally critical place of indigenous alliance for American forces. Thompson’s account of the reaction of diverse peoples to Washington’s message reveals the surprise and outrage experienced by those fighting for—or at least in the name of—the crown in North America upon the war’s conclusion. Collectively, Thompson’s report reveals that for those who wish to truly understand the American Revolution, appreciating the myriad complexities and daunting challenges that surrounded making peace in 1783 is as important as grappling with its causes.