Oriskany

General Herkimer’s relief column was ambushed on its way to Fort Stanwix by Iroquois warriors. A rainstorm saved them by disrupting the ambush, allowing him time to consolidate his forces on high ground. As the storm ends British Loyalist …

1777-08-06

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General Herkimer’s relief column was ambushed on its way to Fort Stanwix by Iroquois warriors. A rainstorm saved them by disrupting the ambush, allowing him time to consolidate his forces on high ground. As the storm ends British Loyalist join the attack on the Americans. When the American militia gained sight of their former neighbors they fire one volley into the green-uniformed men and rush among the Loyalists in close combat. This shatters the Loyalist attack and the Iroquois call for withdrawal. The Americans are too depleted to continue their advance toward Fort Stanwix.

Oriskany, New York

The Battle of Oriskany was one of the bloodiest battles in the American Revolutionary War and a significant engagement of the Saratoga campaign. On August 6, 1777, a party of Loyalists and several hundred Indian allies ambushed an American military party that was marching to relieve the siege of Fort Stanwix. This was one of the few battles in which the majority of the participants were Americans; Patriots and allied Oneidas fought against Loyalists and allied Iroquois in the absence of British regular soldiers. There was also a detachment of Hessians in the British force, as well as Western Indians including members of the Mississauga people.

Wikipedia: Battle of Oriskany

United States

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