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'''Gaiänt'wakê''' (c. 1740–1836), generally known as '''Cornplanter''', was a [[Seneca tribe|Seneca]] [[Tribal chief|chief]]. He was the son of a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] mother and a [[Netherlands|Dutch]] father and also carried the name John O'Bail (sometimes spelled Abeel after his [[fur]] trader father). He was born at Canawagus (now in the [[Caledonia (town), New York |Town of Caledonia]]) on the [[Genesee River]] in present-day [[New York]] State around 1740.
During the [[American Revolution]], he wanted to remain neutral, but was accused by [[Mohawk nation|Mohawk]] chief [[Joseph Brant]] of cowardice and persuaded to join the [[Britain|British]] side, along with most of the [[Iroquois Confederacy]]. He was second in command to Brant at the Battle of [[Wyoming Valley]] in 1778 (which came to be known as the [[Wyoming Valley Massacre]], because of the scalping of women and children). He also participated in a campaign in the Cherry Valley in 1780, which later was called the [[Cherry Valley Massacre]] for the same reason. During this campaign, his men burned his father's house and nearly killed his father. Cornplanter recognized him, and offered apology, inviting him to return with the Senecas or to go back to his white family. His father chose the latter. The victories of the Iroquois prompted the [[Continental Congress]] to commission [[John Sullivan]] to invade their territory to neutralize the threat. After a brief battle and decisive defeat of the Iroquois and accompanying British troops at [[Battle of Newtown|Newtown]], Sullivan methodically destroyed Iroquois homes and [[farm]]s in the summer and fall of 1779 throughout what is now upstate New York.
After the great defeat of the Iroquis during the [[Sullivan Expedition]] and the loss of the entire war by the British, Cornplanter decided to work for peace and became a negotiator in disputes between the new Americans and the natives. He was one of the signers of the [[Treaty]] of [[Fort Stanwix]] (1784).
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