25.) Ben Franklin's SCALP HOAX during the Revolutionary War was propaganda to create more hatred towards the Indians.(15 min read )

The Ben Franklin Scalp Hoax of 1782, during the Revolutionary War is probably something you've never heard of. Hughes wrote about it in his 1920s biography of George Washington and cites Stone's biography- the "Life of Joseph Brant" as a source for Ben Franklin's forged letter of his Scalp Hoax. Franklin's forged letter follows at end of this article. 

The Scalp Hoax consisted of Ben Franklin gathering 1000 scalps, bundled together. Eight of those bundles, invoiced with description, along with his forged letter, are the hoax that Franklin created, to blame the Senecas for it and cause increased hatred towards all Indians.

First, quoted passages from Hughes's biography on Washington, about Ben Franklin's Scalp Hoax: 

"The least noble of Benjamin Franklin's many frivolous deeds was surely the low trick he played when he forged a letter and pretended that it had been captured and that it accompanied a collection of nearly a thouand American scalps taken by Indian allies of the British and prepared for sending to England. The imaginary officer listed 'eight packs of scalps, cured, dried, hooped and painted with all the Indian triumphal marks' with an 'invoice' cataloguing 43 scalps of Congress soldiers, 98 of farmers killed in their houses, 97 of farmers killed in their field; 102 of farmers viciously killed, 18 burned alive, one of 'a rebel clergyman', his band being fixed to the hoop of his scalp; 88 scalps of women, hair long, braided in the Indian fashion, to show they were mothers'; 193 boys scalps, 211 girl scalps, 122 assorted scalps."

"To these Franklin attach an invented Indian speech requesting that the scalps be sent 'over the water to the Great King, that he may regard them and be refreshed'." 29. (Appendix I,p.630.- 29.W.L. Stone, Life of Joseph Brant, I, p.426)

"This joke of Franklin's may have been a good one, but the glee is a trifle ghoulish, especially as he came from a Puritan Realm where it had been the habit of the settlers to pay handsomely for the scalps or even the skulls of Indian women and children as well as warriors. Balzac said that Franklin invented the lightning rod, The hoax, and the Republic." 

End quoted passages from Hughes's biography on Washington, about Ben Franklin's Scalp Hoax.

Even Balzac knew of Ben Franklin's Scalp Hoax, but not the American people.

Ben Franklin's Scalp Hoax during the Revolutionary War was intended to create more hatred toward the Indians and it did. This was not just a forged letter. After excerpt of Ben Franklin's listing and descriptions of scalps, Hughes writes "To these Franklin attached an invented Indian speech...". 'TO THESE"- this means Franklin actually created the "...collection of nearly a thousand American scalps taken...". What type of person would actually go to the length and physical extent of creating, painting and sewing onto wooden hoops HUMAN SCALPS, to get White people into believing this Hoax to hate Indians? Painting scalps different colors, with designs, braiding the hair of the scalps "in Indian fashion,to show they were mothers;' all to create more hatred torwards a People- Indian People.

And where did Ben Franklin get these "thousand scalps" from? They must have been Indian scalps and he tried to made them look like Scalps from White people. He had these indian scalps painted and put them on hoops and braided the hair,etc, to look like White scalps.

What type of person does something like this?

Notice how Hughes refers to Ben Franklin's other propaganda like this, as being "frivolous deeds", "low trick" and "This joke of Franklin's may have been a good one...".  We are talking about a hoax to cause hatred towards Indian People, so that continued extermination and atrocities will be committed against them by the American People. So that the genocide, atrocities and extermination of Indian People will continue until they are all destroyed.

Ben Franklin Scalp Hoax was a success, even though it was found out to be fraudulent years later. The damage was done by this hoax and other historical propaganda. The "Continuum of Genocide" against Indian people was strengthen and continues to this day.

What would the American people call a "hoax" like this today? History?

All these books come from a "culture of genocide". Someone recently mentioned to me  that the only culture that Patriarchal Empires have, is a CULTURE OF GENOCIDE. All the history books, archaeology, anthropology, psychology, etc, are written by the "Hunter," not the "Lion". Almost all these books are written by white racists, white supremacist for their Patriarchal Empire. Can this finally be talked about now, in the year 2022?

Again, this Hughes biography must be read with "outside knowledge" and "Six-Nation oral tradition and history". It is the only way to see through all the information, misinformation disinformation, propaganda and racism, that is designed for the "Continum of Genocide", of Indian people of North America and all the Indigenous People of the world. This is just one example of patriarchal empire genocide, created by their CULTURE OF GENOCIDE.

Is this the reason why this book is not available for the public to read? Because dissecting books like this with its information, disinformation and propaganda, will show the Patriarchal Empire's racism in its true form. It will expose the truth to daylight, about the goal of all Patriarchal Empires- *ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE WORLD MUST BE EXTERMINATED AND/OR ASSIMULATED.*

When Six Nation People read books like this, we know " what to keep "and "what to leave." This is something most PhD's cannot do with these old and new books and documentaries. It's why they don't write what is being written here, because they don't know or understand. And may never, because most have been indoctrinated and brainwashed into the systemic racism of the patriarchal empire's educational system.

Another topic from this Hughes passage is where he talks about money being paid for Indian scalps and "skulls" by white people of the "Puritan Realm". The same Puritans that the Americans celebrate their Thanksgiving Holiday" for. This is something that Indian people have been telling the White people of America and Canada since it started to happen. At first, the money or bounty was paid for the whole Indian Head, see reference to "skulls". Including the heads of women and children. There was a sliding scale payment for Indian men's heads, Indian women's heads and Indian children's heads. The white people could identify the locations where the bounty would be paid, by a picture of a profile of an Indian Head with feathered headress in the window of a store or attached to the side of the building. Now think about all the sports teams that have an "Indian Head" as their logo. This is the origin of all those logos. Maybe not so "harmless" after all? And "honoring" who? After awhile, there got to be too many Indian heads rolling around, so the white people went to accepting just the scalps of Indians, as proof for payment of the bounty. And this raises the question- what was done with the scalps after the Bounty was paid by the u.s. government, to ensure the scalps would not be reused to collect another bounty? Is this where Franklin got his scalps from?

Recently PBS (public broadcasting station) presented a Ken Burns four hour documentary on Ben Franklin. I did not see all the episodes as it was a four-hour documentary, but it seemed to promote the mythology of Ben Franklin. I'm curious, does anyone know if this "Ben Franklin Scalp Hoax" was included in Ken Burn's documentary on Ben Franklin? We all know how well researched Ken Burn's documentaries are. 

Remember the Aesop's Fable of the Hunter and the Lion. The Hunter said  "you Lions do not have any sculptors". It's 2022, Six Nations people and Indigenous people of the Americas have been saying the truth to the White people since First Contact- it is systemic racism that promotes and allows only the Hunter's version of History.

The Canadian government has recently released their propaganda versions of Six Nation and Canadian government history on Official Canadian government websites. This propaganda is a violation of Bill C-15. The Canadian government is now, simply carrying on the Ben Franklin's Scalp Hoax mentality. 

It is the Canadian government's efforts to "Turn Six Nations into a Municipality HOAX". And the "Turn Six Nations from being Allies to the Crown, to being Wards of Canada HOAX."

Canada, a G-7 Nation, trying to fool the people, just like Ben Franklin. The world is watching. China is watching.

United Nations: no Nation-State can terminate Indians, unless the indians want to be terminated.

Now, from William Stone's biography of Joseph Brant, 1838, Volume 1. First, quoted passages from the Introduction and then from Appendix A, the actual worded copy of the letter that Ben Franklin forged for his Scalp Hoax. Although the letter is long, I have included it in its entirety to show the length that Ben Franklin went to, in his effort to promote and carry on his everlasting hatred of Indians. Pay attention to Ben Franklin's details of the actual scalps in this letter. This Scalp Hoax was not found out until after the Revolutionary War. No document found to determine actual date when it was found out to be a hoax, but the year of Stone's Brant biography is 1838. Ben Franklin helped fuel the hatred of indians before, during and after the Revolutionary War, as Stone relates in the following passages. Remember, the American farmers were shooting Indians on sight. Franklin's desired effect had taken hold for that time period and for history to come. It was not a failed "hoax". Ben Franklin or Dr. Franklin's Scalp Hoax was a success. Evil is the only word to describe it. Do you agree or disagree?

First, quotations from Stone in his: Introduction, page xvi. "In other cases again, the Indians of the Six Nation, in common with their Chief, were loaded with exaggerations for atrocities of which all were alike innocent- because the deeds recorded we're never committed- it having been the policy of the public writers, and those in authority, not only to magnify actual occurrences, but sometimes, when those were wanting, to draw upon their imaginations for accounts of such deeds of ferocity and blood, as might best serve to keep alive the strongest feelings of indignation against the parent country, and likewise induce the people to take the field for revenge, if not driven thither by the nobler impulse of patriotism. *see Appendix A- the well-known scalp story of Dr. Franklin- long believe, and recently revived and included in several works of authentic history."

"Such deliberate fictions, for political purposes, is that by Dr. Franklin, just referred to, were probably rare; but the investigations into which the author has been led, in the preparation of the present work, have satisfied him, that from other causes, much of exaggeration and falsehood has obtained a permanent footing in American history. Most historians of that period, English and American, wrote too near the time when the events they were describing occurred, for a dispassionate investigation of truth; and other writers who have succeeded, have too often been content to follow in the beaten track, without incurring the labour of diligent and calm inquiry."

End Stone's quotations from Introduction.

Next, is a quoted passage from vol.I, Appendix A, page 426. "Reference from the introduction. [The following is the article referred to in that text. It is extracted from Almon's American Remembrancer, (a work proportng to be authentic collections of facts, published in London during the Revolutionary War,) for the year 1782, Vol. 14, page 185. It was long supposed to be authentic, but has since been ascertained to be a publication from the pen of Doctor Franklin, written for political purposes.]"

Now, the actual forge letter by Ben Franklin to complete his Scalp Hoax.

"Extract of a letter from Captain Gerrish, of the New-England militia, dated Albany, March 7th, 1782.

The paltry taken in the expedition will, as you see amount to a good deal of money. The possessions of this booty at first gave us pleasure; but we were struck with horror to find among the packages eight large ones, containing scalps of our unhappy folks taken in the last three years by the Seneca Indians, from the inhabitants of the frontiers of New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia and sent by them as a present to Colonel Haldiman, Governor of Canada, in order to be by him transmitted to England. They were accompanied by the following curious letter to that gentleman:-

Tioga Commons January 3rd, 1782. May it please your Excellency, at the request of the Seneca Chiefs, I sent here with to your Excellency, under the care of James Boyd, eight packs of scalps, cured, dried, hooped, and painted with all the Indian triumphal marks, of which the following is invoice and explanation.

No. 1. Containing 43 scalps of Congress soldiers, killed in different skirmishes; these are stretched on black hoops, four inch diameter; the inside of the skin painted red, with a small black spot to know their being killed with bullets. Also 62 farmers, killed in their houses; the hoops red; the skin painted brown, and marked with a hoe; a black circle all around to the note their being surprised in the night; and a black hatchet in the middle, signifying their being killed with that weapon.

No.2. Containing 98 of farmers, killed in their home; hoops red; figure of a hoe, to mark their profession; great white circle and sun, to show they were surprised in the day-time; a little red foot, to show they stood upon their defense, and died fighting for their lives and Families.

No.3. Containing 97 of farmers; hoops green, to show they were killed in their fields; a large white circle with a little round mark on it for the sun, to show that it was in the daytime; black bullet mark on some-hatchet on others.

No.4. Containing 102 are farmers, mixed of the several marks above; only 18 marked with a little yellow flame, to denote their being of prisoners burned alive, after being scalped, their nails pulled out by the roots, and other torments; one of these latter supposed to be of a rebel clergyman, his band being fixed to the hoop of his scalp. Most of the farmers appear by the hair to have been young or middle-aged men; their being but 67 very grey heads among them all; which makes the service more essential.

No.5. Containing 88 scalps of women; hair long, braided in the Indian fashion, to show they were mothers; hoops blue; skin yellow ground, with little red tadpoles, to represent, by the way of triumph, the tears of grief occasion to their relations; a black scalping-knife or hatchet at the bottom, to mark their being killed with these instruments; 17 others, hair very gray; black hoop; plain brown colour, no mark but the short club or cassetete, to show they were knocked down dead, or had their brains beat out.

No.6. containing 193 boy scalps, of various ages; small green hoops; whitish ground on the skin, with red tears in the middle, and Black Bullet marks, knife, hatchet, or club, as their deaths happened.

No.7. 211 girls scalped, big and little; small yellow hoop; white ground; tears, hatchet, club, scalping-knife, &c.

No.8. This package is a mixture of all the varieties above-mentioned, to the number of 122; with a box of birch bark, containing 29 little infant scalps of various sizes; small white hoop; white ground.

With these packs the Chiefs send to your Excellency the following speech, delivered by Coneiogatchie, in Council, interpreted by the elder Moore, the trader, and taken down by men in writing.

'Father!- we send you here with many scalps, that you may see that we are not idle friends. A blue belt.'

'Father!- we wish you to send these scalps over the water to the Great King, that he may regard them and be refreshed; and that he may see our faithfulness in destroying his enemies, and be convinced that his presents have not been made to ungrateful people. A blue and white belt with red tassels.'

'Father!- attend to what I am now going to say; it is a matter of much weight. The great King's enemies are many, and they grow fast and number. They were formally like young Panther; they could neither bite nor scratch; we could play with them softly; we fear nothing they could do to us. But now their bodies are become big as the Elks, and strong as the Buffalo, they have also got great and sharp claws. They have driven us out of our country by taking part in your quarrel. We expect the great king will give us another country, that our children may live after us, and be his friends and children as we are.- save this for us to the Great King. To enforce it, we give this belt. A great white belt with blue tassels.'

'Father!- we have only to say further, that your traders exact more than ever for their goods; and our hunting is lessened by the war, so that we have fewer skins to give for them. This ruins us. Think of some remedy. We are poor, and you have plenty of everything. We know you will send us powder and guns, and knives, and hatchet; but we want shirts and blankets. A little white belt.'

I do not doubt that your Excellency will think it proper to give some further encouragement to these honest people. The high prices they complain of common are the necessary effect of the war. Whatever presents may be sent for them through my hands shall be distributed with prudence and fidelity. I have the honor of being

Your Excellency most obedient, and humble servant, James Craufurd."

End forged letter by Ben Franklin for his Scalp Hoax. 

As always, offered for your consideration, discussion and opinion. "You the individal have choices to make."