About this episode
In 1777, the British planned to isolate New England by controlling New York's Hudson River Valley. This involved a three-pronged attack converging on Albany. Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger was to lead a western expedition through the Mohawk Valley, a crucial area for agriculture, trade, and the Iroquois Confederacy.Fort Stanwix, an abandoned British fort, became strategically vital as it guarded the Oneida Carrying Place, connecting the Mohawk River to Lake Ontario. The Americans, recognizing the threat, sent Colonel Peter Gansevoort to rebuild and garrison the fort with about 550-600 men. They worked to repair the fort's defenses under harassment from enemy parties and pressure from the impending British advance.St. Leger's force, numbering 1600-1900 men, was a diverse group of British regulars, Loyalists, Canadian militia, and Iroquois warriors from the Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, and Onondaga nations. However, the Oneida and Tuscarora nations sided with the Americans, causing a split within the Iroquois Confederacy. This division created weaknesses within St. Leger's coalition.Upon arriving at Fort Stanwix, St. Leger attempted to intimidate the Americans into surrendering, but Colonel Gansevoort refused. St. Leger's bombardment proved ineffective due to inadequate artillery. The initial days of the siege saw minor skirmishes. St. Leger's miscalculation regarding the fort's condition and the garrison's resolve hindered the British efforts.Works citedThe Siege of Fort Stanwix - Americana Corner, accessed April 22, 2025, https://www.americanacorner.com/blog/fort-stanwixBattle of Oriskany and Siege of Fort Stanwix - Revolutionary War Journal, accessed April 22, 2025, https://revolutionarywarjournal.com/battle-of-oriskany-and-siege-of-fort-stanwix-brutal-civil-war-that-helped-save-a-nation/2>r?H/l3S'73b - NPS History, accessed April 22, 2025, http://npshistory.com/publications/sara/drr-saratoga-campaign.pdfBritish Begin the Saratoga Campaign - Americana Corner, accessed April 22, 2025, https://www.americanacorner.com/blog/saratogaBattles of Saratoga - Wikipedia, accessed April 22, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_SaratogaSaratoga Campaign 1777 | American Revolutionary War, accessed April 22, 2025, https://revolutionarywar.us/campaigns/1777-saratoga-campaign/SARATOGA - NPS History, accessed April 22, 2025,
