Fort SchuylerThe fort that never surrendered

Part 1- The Importance

During the American Revolution, Fort Stanwix was called Fort Schuyler.  A small band of 600 Continental soldiers of the Third New York Regiment led by Colonel Peter Gansevoort lived at the fort. Also assigned to Fort Schuyler were 150 9th Massachusetts Line troops under the command of Colonel James Wesson. By May 1777, there were 750 soldiers at the fort.

Third NY soldier Colonel Peter Gansevoort

Colors (Flag) of the Third NY Regiment:This flag became the model for the flag of NYS

The Third NY Regiment and the Western Massachusetts Regiment were stationed at Fort Schuyler. Some of the

soldiers lived in barracks and some in tents.

There were also camp followers.  They were the families of the soldiers who traveled where ever their husband or father was assigned.  They did many duties such as cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, washing and even helped during battles.  In total, there were about 800 people living at the fort.

Boys as young as 12 might be drummers and fifers.  The officers used special drum rolls and songs to tell the soldiers directions during battles.  The sound of the instruments could be heard over the sound of musket fire and cannon fire.  

The location of Fort Schuyler was important because the overland carry connecting the Mohawk River and Wood Creek which led to Oneida Lake was located very close to the fort.  The carry called the Oneida Carry or the Great Carry was a short stretch of land over which canoes,  boats and cargo would be carried.  This land was the only obstacle to a water route that went from New York City to the Great Lakes.  The fort and the continental soldiers would protect the carry from British enemies.

This is a Durham boat used on the Mohawk River. It would have been unloaded of the cargo at the Oneida Carry and then the cargo and possibly the boat would have been hauled over the land to Wood Creek. Then the cargo would have been reloaded and the trip would continue to Oneida Lake and then onto Lake Ontario.

Cargo such as animal pelts would be transported towards Albany and cargo such as flour, guns, ammunition, blankets and pots and pans would be transported west.

The Haudenosaunee, especially the Oneida, in whose territory the Great Carry was located, met often with the Americans to trade.

The Haudenosaunee tried to stay neutral in taking sides with trade or war. They wanted the guns, knives, cloth and metal tools and cooking pot. They did not want the settlers moving

onto their land as the settlers started farms which took away hunting grounds.

The Oneida and Tuscarora became allied with the Americans during the American Revolution.  The Mohawk, Cayuga, and Seneca allied with the British and the Onondaga tried to stay neutral for as long as possible, but then supported the British.  Many Oneida and Tuscarora acted as lookouts for the Fort and told Commander Col. Peter Gansevoort about the movements of the British and Native Americans in the area around the fort.

Image Citations

Slide 1: fort- Janet ConnersSlide 2: 3rd NY soldier- Janet ConnersPeter Gansevoort www.silberne-gans

.de/geschichte/geschichte.htmlSlide 3: flag- www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-ny

%5Er.htmlSlide 4: tents- Janet ConnersSlide 5: camp followers- single woman

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/113/278715303_a513b0216c.jpg?v=0

Women- http://www.nps.gov/archive/fost/expand/index.htm

Slide 6: Drummers- http://www.orbitals.com/pic/motor02/index.html&h=410&w=800&sz=55&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=jeaFsrXdSUr1wM:&tbnh=73&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfort%2Bstanwix%2B%2B%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

Slide 7: drummer http://www.orbitals.com/pic/motor02/index.html&h=410&w=800&sz=55&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=jeaFsrXdSUr1wM:&tbnh=73&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfort%2Bstanwix%2B%2B%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

Slide 8: map http://www.reisenett.no/map_collection/National_parks/Stan_road95.jpg

Slide 9: durham boat- Janet Conners

Slide 10: pelts- Janet Conners

Slide 11: traders- Janet Conners

Slide 12: Oneida in barracks- Janet Conners

Oneida at gate- Janet Conners