The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-06-26
GENERAL HERklMER's MARCH
Made In 1777 for the Relief Of Fort
Stanwix.

wix, now Rome, N. Y, and held that
position when Burgoyne was making
his campaign through Lake Cham
plain by way Of Saratoga, toward AL
bany. The successful progress OF the
British troops greatly alarmed the
people, and those of the Mohawk Val
ley situate in Tryon County were par
ticularly disturbed by a threatened
descent upon them from Oswego. The
first blow came from the West. On
August 3 Colonel st. Leger, with his
Indians under Brandt, and with Mo-
hawk Valley loyalists as allies, arriv-
ed before Fort Schuyler and summon
ed it to surrender Colonel Ganse-
WORT refused, and the British began
siege. The hardy pioneers of that
country rallied under General Herki-
mer at Fort Dayton, and 800 militia,
guarding 400 carts loaded with sup
plies, marched with him on August
4 to relieve Gansevoort General Her
kimer took the days of August and
. to move from Fort Dayton to the
mouth of the Oriskany Creek, about
ten miles away from Fort Stanwix
The morning of the 9Th he proceeded
on his march. His troops were quite
undisciplined, and their march was Of
necessity irregular and without pre-
caution. Having proceeded about two
miles after leaving the Oriskany
Creek the whole body of proyincials,
except the rear guard were ambus-
caded The war-hoop was sounded.
Spear and Ratchet and deadly rifle
fell upon the patriots like hail from
the clouds that lowered over them.
This sudden onslaught produced great
confusion in the patriot ranks but
they soon recovered and fought with
the skill and courage of veteran
troops The slaughter, however, was
dreadful A musket ball passed through
the horse OF General Herkimer and
shattered the bone OF his leg. With
perfect composure and cool courage
he ordered the saddle taken from the
slain horse and placed beneath a
large beech tree. Seated there, with
his men fallen like autumn foliage
and the bullets of the enemy whist
ling around him, the intrepid leader
calmly gave his orders For an hour
the fierce action continued, when &
heavy thunder shower came up, which
prevented the use of the fintlocl
guns During this time General Her
kimer made an admirable change il
the methods, placing two men behinC
a tree, directing one to shoot and tn,
other TO load This enabled them L
meet the enemy at all points TIT
savage fight lasted for five hours dur
ing which time the guns we're hearl
from Fort Stanwix. From this for
Colonel Willett, with $50 of his men
dashed out on the British camp car
turing prisoners, camp equipage an,
five flags. He did not get through +
General Herkimer. but the Indians
hearing the firing in their rear, re
treated, and were soon followed b
the loyalists and regular troops, thu
leaving Herkimer master OF the feel
and victor in the hard-fought fores
fight of Oriskany General Herkime
was taken in his wounded conditio
to his residence. below the Littl
Falls on the Mohawk, where h
died ten days afterward. This battl
was fought in what is now the tow
Of Whitestown, Oneida County n Y
and proved to be the turning poir
d OF the Revolutionary War.
The forty-mile route taken by Gel
b eral Herkimer is to be marked b
fourteen bronze tablets. which are {
= be unveiled today, June IA. Each {
the bronze tablets is set in a grant
marker. On each one is shown III
/, map printed above This map wa
prepared by w. Pierrepont White {
= Utica, n. Y. at the request OF severn
e Chapters of the Daughters of h
J. American Revolution in the Mohaw
d Valley. This map is most accurai
+ to scale, conforming to the preseI
4 governmental geologic surveys, an
!. in the location of the particular spo
d named conforms to the informatio
f on the maps of tn Province of Ne
l. York prepared by the English geogr
h piers in 176S. 1775 and 1777. TT
r the story OF the four days is to
/ briefly In the several Inscription
y placed below the map on each of Il
bronze tablets. The first one is to
erected by the German-American
lance. at the homestead of Gener
Herkimer. The next is to be erect,
by the, Col. William Feeter ChaptC
&c Daughters OF the American Revol
ton, of Little Falls at the birthpla
Z. OF General Herhmer. Another is
g be erected by the Astenrogen Cha
1t ter of Little Falls at the site of O
m Fort Herkimer. Another by the &c
k Nicholas Herkimer Chapter and 4
Il. kuyahooro Chapter, OF Herkmer.
the site of Fort Dayton. where Gen,
le al Herkimer took commend of {
Tryon County militia. Near the 81
lie OF the camp the FIRST night out frC
id Fort Dayton. the Mohawk Vail
. Chapter of lllon will erect mark
ct The Col. Marinus Willett Chapter
i'd Frankfort will erect n marker at {
Is point where Herkkimer turned
BIT cross the ford. Another Is erected
ne the Oneida Chapter OF Utica, to ma
I'd the spot of the Great Ford which G.,
eral Herkimer crossed. At the s
te OF Old Fort Schuyler the school cl
is. dren OF Utica will erect a marker.
MT other will be erected by the Ut
Chamber OF Commerce near the
a ner OF Whitesboro and Gene,
Al. streets, which the General pas.
"a. along TO the relief OF Fort stanw
of The next will be erected by the u
OF sters' Club OF the city OF Utica.
re-. Sprigg's Park. past which Gone
Herkimer led his army OF men a
Ike ox-carts. The Fort Schuyler ch
ON ter, Sons OF the Revolution. Is to or
a marker on the Green at whlteshc
Ter which marks the location of the r.
ct guard. under Colonel visscher.
other marker is erected on the O
kany battlefield, near the spot VIII
stood the beech tree which during
IL a a.