Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-22
BATTLE OF ORlSKANY.

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BATTLE OF ORiSKANY.
The Most Obstinate of All the Sansoins
Fights of tho Revolution.
{ About two miles west of Oriskany, the
road was crossed by a deep seni-circular
ravine, cOncave toward the east The bot
tom OF this rayipe, writes Prof John Fiske
IN the Atlantic, was swamp, across which
the road was carried by causeway of logs,
and the steep banks on either side were
thickly covered with trees and underbrush.
The practiced eye Of Thayendanegea at once
perceived the rare advantage of such po-
sltlon, and an ambuscade was soon prepared
with skill as deadly as that which once
had wrecked the proud army of Braddock.
But this time it was meeting OF Greek
with Greek, and the wiles Of the savage
chief were foiled By desperate valor which
nothing could overcome. By ten o'clock the
main body of Herklmer's army had descend
ed into the ravine followed by the wagons,
while the reaE-gpard was still on the rising
ground behind. At this moment they were
greeted by murderouS voley from either
side, while Johnsop's Green's came charg-
ing down upon them in 'front.' and the
Indians, with frightful yells, swarmed
in behind and cut of the rear guard,
which was thus obliged to retreat to
save itself. For moment the main
body was thrown into confusion, but it
soon rallied and formed itself IN a circle,
which neither bayonet charges nor musket
fire could break or penetrate. The scene
which ensued was one of the most Internal
that the history of savage warfare has ever
witnessed. The dark ravine was filed with
q mass of fifteen hundred human beings,
screaming and cursing, slipping in the mire,
pushing and struggling, selling each others
Threats, stabbing, shooting and dashng out
brains. Bodies Of neiehbors were after
wards found lying in the bog, where they
had gone down in a death-grapple, their
cold hands still grasping the knives
plunged in each others hearts.
Early in the fight musket-ball slew Her
kimer's horse, and shattered his own leg
just below the knee; but the old hero, moth
ing daunted, and batting nothing Of his
GOODNESS in the midst of the horrid
struggle, had the saddle taken from his
dead horse and placed at the foot of great
beech-tree, where, taking bis seat and
Lighting his pipe, he continued shouting his
orders in a stentorian voice and directing
the progress of the battle. Nature present
~ enhanced the lurid horror of the scene.
The heat Of the August morning Lad been
intolerabie, and black thunder-clouds, over
hanging the deep ravine at the beginning Of
the action, had enveloped 1t in darkness
like that OF night Now the rain came pour
ing in torrents, while gusts of wind howled
through the tree-tops, and sheets of
lightning flashed in quick succession,
with continuous roar OF thunder that
drowned the noise of the fray The wet
rifles could no longer be fired, but Ratchet,
knife and bayonet carried on the work of
butchery, until, after more than five hun
dred men had been killed or wounded, the
Indians gave way and fed in all directions,
and the Tory soldiers, disconnected, began
to retreat up the western road, while the
patriot army, remaining in possession Of
the hard-won field, felt itself too weak to
pursue them.
At this moment as the storm cleared
away and long rays of sunshine began
Pickering through the wet leaves, the
sound of the three signal-guns came boom
IN G through the air, and presently a sharp
Of musketry was heard from the
direction Of Fort Stanwix. Startled by this
ominous sound, the Tories made all possible
haste to JON their own army, while the
patriots, bearing their wounded on litters
Of green boughs, returned in sad pro-
cession to Orlskany. With their COM
mander helpless and more than one-third |
of their number slain or disabled, they
were in no condition to engage in fresh |
conflict, and unwillingly confessed that the |
garrison at Fort Stanwix must be left TO do |
its part of the work alone. Upon the ar |
,-iyra NJ ~
wort had at once taken in the whole sit /
uation. He understood the mysterious FIR |
ing in the forest saw that Herkimer must !
have been prematurely attacked, and /
ordered his sortie instantly, TO serve as a /
diversion. The sortie was brilliant sue /
cess. Sir John johnson. with his Tories /
and Indians, was completely routed and /
driven across the river. Colonel Marinus
Wnlett took possession OF his camp, and /
held it while seven wagons were three
times loaded with spoil and sent to be uo-
loaded in the fort Among all this spoil, to-
gether with abundance OF food and drink,
blankets and clothes tools and ammunition,
the victors captured five British standards,
and all Jchnson's papers, maps and mem
oranda, containing full instructions for the
projected campaign. After this useful ex-
plot, Colonel WiIlett returned TO the fort
and hoisted the captured British standards.
While over them be raised an uacouth flag [
Intended 20 represent the American stars
and stripes, which Congress had adopted
ID June as the National banner. This rude
Tag, hastily extenporized ou. Of white
shirt an old blue Jacket aud some stripes
of red cloth from the petticost Of soldiers
wife, was the first American flag with stars
And stripes that was ever boosted, and il
was first flung 10 the breeze Cd the reu-
orable day OF Oriskany, August 6, III
OF all the battles of tie revolution, this
WIS perhaps ths most oestinste ard mur-
ierous. Each side seems 20 have lost 10.
ess than oue-thIrd OF Is whole number
and CT those lost, nearly all were killed, as
I was largely a hauo-to-hznd struggle, hike
he battles OF ancient times. and TO guar
er was given on either side The number
If surviving wounded, who were carried
Jack 10 Oxiskany. does no. seem 20 have ex-
,eeded forty. Anoug these was the IL
tonltable HerEner, whose shattered leg
Fas SO ulsk.1aly TIRE ated that be died 2
ew DAYS later, sitting IN bed propped By
'ilows, calmly smoking bis Dutch pipe and
esding hls Biee AZ THE thir4y-elghth Psalm /
---Sr-.-=------=-=-
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