The Ball-Headed Club of the North American Indian

rim Dresslar

This early weapon of the American Indian shows up in

historical references under many different names: it is often
referred to as a tomahawk, but sometimes called a death
mallet, club hammer or ball club.
"Tomahawk" is a general term used to describe clubs
and other striking weapons of the Indians of the Eastern
Woodlands of North America. Derived from the Algonquin
word TAMAHAK or TAMAHAKON of the Lenape Indians
of Virginia, it first appeared in the English language in the
early Seventeenth Century. Then it referred to aboriginal
war clubs, and to iron trade hatchets. Since that time the
term "tomahawk" has expanded to include about all forms
of these hatchets.
In McCulloh's Researches1, published in 1829, the
of iron and steel, since which hatchets have been substituted
following is found on page 134: "The Tomahawk was
for them. But this instrument still retains its use and
originally a club carved into some convenient shape. It was importance in public transactions, and, like the pipe, is often
ost commonly a stout stick about three feet in length, very significant. This weapon is now formed much like a
ating in a large knob, wherein a projecting bone or hatchet, having a long stem or handle. The tomahawk is
t was often inserted." likewise ornamented with feathers and paintings, disposed
A proper description of the club comes from and variegated in many significant forms, according to the
occasion and end for which it is used, and on it they keep
eisbergerz: "Their weapons were the bow and arrow and journals of their marches and most important and noted
wooden club, this last a piece of wood of not quite arm's occurrences in a kind of heiroglyphics.
ngth having at the end a round knob about the size of a When the council is called to deliberate on war, the
all child's head and made of very hard wood." tomahawk is painted all over red, and when the council sits
When the Europeans first arrived in this country they it is laid down by the chief, and if war is concluded upon,
the captain of the young wamors takes it up and with it in
nd the ball-headed club used by the Indian not only as
his hands dances and sings the warsong, a s before
weapons, but also as ritual and political symbols of mentioned. When the council is over, this hatchet, or
ority. Their use as war weapons continued until after another one of the kind, is sent by the hands of some wanior
en end of the Eighteenth Century, but they were still made to every tribe concerned, and with it he presents a belt of
d used for ritual purposes throughout most of the wampum and delivers his message, throwing the hatchet
ineteenth Century. on the ground, which is taken up by one of their most expert
wamors, if they choose to join, if not, they return it and
An excerpt from the book, American Pioneel.3, Vol 11, with a belt of wampum suitable to the occasion.
Prior to the Nineteenth Century, references can be
The Indians having completed their murderous work and
collected their prisoners, left a war club in a conspicuous found showing use of the ball-headed club by most all the
place near the blockhouse, which is their mode of letting tribes east of the Mississippi River, it being more commonly
their enemies know that war is begun, and is equal to a attributed to the Five Nations of the Iroquois during the
written declaration amongst civilized powers. The early Seventeenth Century. A very important reference from
rangers and border inhabitants well understood this signal.
Capt. Wm. Hyde's Obsemations of the 5Nations of Indians
The war club is a neat article of offence: it is made of very
solid wood, the handle is curved, with a ball the size of a
at New York, 16985, says: "Now when These Men Goe
four pound shot, firmly attached near one end. a Scalping to Cannada, they scratch the markes they have
Another reference to the ball club being used as a on their faces and bodyes upon their Clubhammers which
ymbol of war comes from Knox in his book, Voyages and they alwayes leave behind them with the dead body, that
Travels4, Vol 11: it might be knowne who did the action."
Another instrument of great esteem and importance arnoung Also the Historical Account of Bouquet's Eeedition
them is the tomahawk. This is an ancient weapon universally Against the Ohio Indians in I762 by Wm. Smith6 states:
used by them in war, before they were taught the use "Their arms are a fusil, or rifle, a powder horn, a shot-
Reprinted from the American Society of Arms Collectors Bulletin 59:33-37
Additional articles available at http://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/resources/articles/
pouch, a tomahawk, and a scalping knife hanging to their a killing weapon. Although I can't document the ball cluk
neck. When they are in want of firearms, they supply them prior to the Seventeenth Century, I feel sure it goes back
by a bow, a spear or a deathe hammer, which is a short to prehistoric times in one form or another. It had been
club made of hard wood." around long enough to have been used by nearly all the tnies
I have found many references which substantiate the in the Eastern half of America.
manner in which the clubs were used, such as Col. Flem- The use of the ball club as a weapon to be carried is
ing's Journal, Travels in Kentucky, 1779-1780:7 "At Noon proven by many references. The ritual importance is quite
this day three men and a negro came in to us who belonged evident by the beautiful art form which graces so many of
to a party of 12 from Lexington that were defeated about the clubs. Probably many an old warrior, too feeble to par-
five miles before us, we marched in silence and pritty good ticipate in the raids, spent much of his time sitting around
order to the place and found John and Robert Davis from the village carving out these works of art. Imagine the
Arnherst lying scalped and much mangled on the road. There excitement some young warrior felt going on a raid, hoping
was two war clubs left. On the head of one was the figure to find some victim to kill with his death mallet!
of a Lizard cut which I supposed belonged to the Spring
Lizard of Chickamaga it appeared to me there was two par- Notes and Bibliography
ties out." 1. London, Archibold. A Selection ofsome ojthe Most Interesting Nar-
In John Brown's Out Front~ers,~ p. 340: ''While Watts ratives of Outrages Committed by the Indians in Their Wars with the
and Doublehead were away in Pensacola, two subordinate White People. Carlisle, Pa., A. Loudon. Vol. I, 1808.Reprinted 1971
(2 vols.), Arno Press Inc. From "A Narrative of the Captivity of
chiefs, Bench and Shawnee Warrior, had kept the torch and
John McCullough, Esq.".
scalping knife busy on the American frontier. On April 6, 2. Zeisberger, David, Histoty of the Northem Amwican Indians,
1792, Bench visited the Holston settlements and killed the 1779-1780.*
wife and three children of Harper Ratliff, in Stanley Valley. 3. Hildreth, S.P., American Pioneer, Vol. 11, 1843, No. 3.
He left beside the scalped bodies, a declaration of war: three 4. Knox, , Voyages and Travels, Vol. 11, 1767, pp. 165-66
war clubs, a bow, and a sheaf of arrows." In the same book, 5. Hyde, Captain William, The Hyde Manuscn'pt, 1698,published by
Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma,
on p. 387, "Two war clubs of an unusual make were left 1965.
beside the mangled bodies of the GiUams, indicating that 6. Smith, W i m , Historical Account ofBouquet's Eqkdition Against
it was not the Cherokees who had committed the crime." the Ohio Indian in 1764. Robert Clark & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, 1868.
Also, from the Journal of Major James Norris? 7. Fleming, Col., Travels in Kentucky 1779-1780. McMillan & Co.,
July 13, 1779, Col. Butler shewd us a death Mall, or war 1916.
Mallet that the Indians left by a Man that they had knocked 8. Brown, John, Old Frontiers. Kingsport, Tennessee, Southern
on the head: the handle resembles that of a hatchet, with Publishers, 1930.
a string drawn thro near the end to hold it by. It is made 9. Noms, Capt. James, Capt. James Nowis, His Book 1779. Buffalo,
of the Root of a Tree with a large ball worked on the head NY, Bigelow Brothers. 1879.
of it, & looks not much unlike a four pound Shott in the Bill 10. Peterson, Harold L., Amen'can Indian Tomahawks. Museum of the
of an Eagle, with a tuft of feathers on the Crown: the end American Indian, Heye Foundation, 1971.
of the handle shows the face of a Wild-Cat. 11. Draper Manuscripts, 30075,Wisconsin Historical Society.'
12. Addington, Luther, History of Scott County, Vi-nia. *
In conclusion, the ball-headed club was used primarily
as a symbol of war, with great ceremonial importance as *No further details given-Ed.

I
My first early club. It's form is similar to the No. 3 club in Peterson's book, American Indian TomahawkslO. Holding this club,
you can feel the fine balance and weight that would make it a very deadly weapon. The ball is tight burl and the wood appears
to be maple. The facets on the handle have retained a black color. This club could easily date back to the early eighteenth century
".
or before; its length is 24%" and the ball diameter is 3% Originally from the Milwaukee Public Museum, it is marked "Deposited
by Dr. Alphonse Dorend."
h i s very fine club has good documentation that it was left on Logan's connection with these events is shown by Col. William
n raid in Virginia in 1774; it was made sometime after the Christian's letter to Col. William Preston dated November 8,
French and Indian War, and from the patination and wear, it 1774. In it he says, "Last Friday was two weeks (Oct. 21) Logan
eeems to have been used for some period of time. It is carved a famous chief went home with a little boy, a son of Roberts
with a medium-size ball held in the mouth of an otter, with a on Holston & two of Blackmores negroes. He said he had taken
~ h o rround
t spike, obviously for the sake of easier extraction them on the Frontiers next to the Cherokee Country & had
Erom the victim. At the rear of the handle two letters "I G" killed I think either 5 or 7 people. The boy and negroes will
we cut in the wood. It is 22 " long with a 3 "ball. This club was soon be in.''
~btainedwith some furniture in the vicinity of Kingsport, Ten- On September 29, five days after the murder of The Roberts
nessee, by an antique dealer who sold it to Mr. Garnett Powell family, Logan with his warriors proceeded to Moore's Fort and
ss a table leg. It is mentioned in the Draper Manuscripts killed John Duncan, leaving behind another war club beside the
(30075)11 in a letter of James Robertson to Col. William scalped and mangled body.
Preston:
Although we can't prove that Logan and his men left the club
Culbersons 1 l t h August 1774 marked with "I G," he is the most likely candidate to have been
-
Sir I was Expecting Orders to Gone Home to Seen in that area at that time.
Some What About my Affairs. I have a good deal to
do before I Can Start to the Expedition Which I
would by no means miss if I Can Possibly make out
to go. There has been three or four Indians Visiting
the Waste Plantations Above us on the river they
Burnt a House About five miles above the fort Last
Sunday, we got word that night of it and I Set out
monday morning Early and was Constantly on
Search of them untill Last night but there was So
few of them they made not the Least Sign that we
Could follow. I will send out A party to day and
Watch About Old Plantations as they will Perhaps
be Sculking About, the men Seems Resolute for a
S d p or two, and I have offered f5 for the first In-
dians hand that will be brought in to the fort by any
of the compy. John Draper set out Sunday Last with
20 men up Blue Stone a s far a s the Clover Bottoms,
on their march they Came Across the Tracks of four
or five Indians they folow'd them Some way but they
Scat ered so they Could not folow them they were
making into new River by their Course about the
place where they Burnt the House, they Left a War
Club at one of the wasted Plantations well made and
mark'd with two Letters I G (well made) So that I
think there Party to Range with though they are all
Distracted Eight or Ten men that Came with me and
mastin I with the Rest that Came with me will Con-

I tinue untill monday when we must Start a s there

is Severels of them going on the Expedition.

I
Luther Addington's book, History of Scott County Virginia1*,
e relates a story about the Mingo Chief Logan. It seems that
gan and his blood-thirsty band were raiding in the The incised face on the ball of the club above.
eighborhood of Kings Mill, near the present site of Kingsport.
Here they brutally killed and scalped John Roberts, his wife
and children, except the eldest child, James, who was carried
into captivity. This bloody event occurred on Saturday, Sept.
24, 1774.
This petite little ball club of curly maple is so stylized that you must look a second time to see the animal head holding the ball.
".
This club is 1 7 W long and the ball diameter is 2% Circa late Eighteenth Century.

Victor Rankin of Indianapolis, Indiana, collected this ball club from the Kickapoo in New Mexico in the year 1890. It was possibl
taken West with their removal from Indiana 70 years before. It is a real weapon with 2 3 " length and 2% "ball, and probably
back to the eighteenth century.

Of the very simplest form, none-the-less the ball has a very tight and heavy burl and has the feel of being an effective weapon
I cannot give an idea of it's age, but it is 2 0 " long with 2 % ' d i a m e t e r ball.

With a eagle head on the handle and an alligator over the ball, you automatically think of a Southern tribe. Which one, I don'
have a feel for a t this time. The 3%" ball has some burl in it, but it lacks the weight to be an effective weapon; overall length
18 inches. Circa 1800-1840.
A finely carved club with a nice burled ball and many symbols on both sides of the handle, 22" long with a 3" ball. Another ball
club amarently by the same hand is known. They probably date from the early 19th century. From the collection of William Myers,

ere is an example of a slightly later ball club which has degenerated from being a true weapon and is probably more represen-
ative of the clubs shown in some of Catlin's paintings. It was collected from a trunk in Tama, Iowa, from the Saulk and Fox.
ere were two 18th century pipes with it. Circa 1820-1830.

Two miniature ball clubs probably used in rituals and kept in

the sacred bundles. The smaller of the two still retains it's
original red paint. It's interesting to note the handle end of the
club is carved in the form of a cleft hoof, which is also found
on some prehistoric stone pipe stems.

r. Michael Gramly of Buffalo Museum of Science excavated

Revolutionarv War soldiers known to have been
assacred by Indians; the site was at Fort Laurens, near

~ - - ~ - - - ~

I
y a thin tomahawk blade of one type or another. Note marks
left by the scalping knife. (By permission of R.M. Gramly and Although not a ball club, this little wooden Indian pipe from
the Buffalo Museum of Science. Photo by Pamela Itasca County, Wisconsin, certainly represents a stylized ball
Schuyler-Cowens.) club. There are several pipes in museums and collections which
are cawed to represent ball clubs.