Battle+of+Oriskany



The Battle of Oriskany occured on August 6, 1777 in Oriskany, New York. The battle was fought in multiple places around Oriskany and Fort Stanwick. The British expedition under Barry St. Legar had been laying seige to the patriot stronghold of Fort Stanwick. The British force was mainly loyalists indstead of Royal troops, an the British force was also aided by Native American parties of Seneca and Mohawk worriors. The American force consisted of the garrison of Fort Stanwix and a releif force of about 750 militia from Tryon County. The Americans had their own native allies from the Oneida tribe in western New York. The releif culumn had been gathered to lift the seige from Fort Stanwix, and set out to do so under the command of Nicholas Herkimer.

Barry St. Legar learned of the approaching militia long before they reached the fort, he then sent Sir John Johnson with a group of British troops and Indian allies to intercept the militia. The battle began when Johnson's soldiers ambushed the militia at a small creek several miles east of Fort Stanwix. The American and Oneidas lost many soldiers in the ambush, they suffered fifty to sixty percent casualties; this totaled to about 450 soldiers killed, wounded, and captured. This part of the battle was a major defeat for the Americans, because despite their heavy losses they only inflicted about 150 casualties on the Britsh and Indian force. Communication proved vital to the American effort during the battle, despite being ambushed miles from the Fort; the American garison at Fort Stanwix knew what was going on. The American garrison then raided the British camp knowing that the troops were absent, and later on the loss of posesions greatly demoralized the British and their allies.

This battle was significant, because while the Americans did not suceed in lifting the seige, St. Legar did not suceed in capturing the fort. St. Legar's force was the third prong of John Burgoyne's massive assault on New York and the Hudson. If they had won and moved on through New York, Burgoyne's forces might have divided New England from the other colonies as the British had planned, and the major American victory over Burgoyne Saratoga would not have occured. The battle also began a conflict of the differeant Iroqouis nations, because the Oneida chose the opposite side to the Seneca and Mohawk tribes.

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Michael Merriam