The Oriskany Battle of
Oneida Hanyery and Mohawk Joseph Brant
War Comes to Oneida Country : The British Campaign of 1777
In 1777, the British thought they could win the war by isolating New England, the hotbed of the American rebellion, from the other American colonies. Their plan called for several armies to meet in the region of Albany:
- a large invasion force under Burgoyne would proceed south from Canada across Lakes George and Champlain;
- a second force under St. Leger would secure Fort Stanwix and the Mohawk Valley;
- Howe's army in New York would, it was hoped, move up the Hudson Valley to join the other forces.
|
William Campbell, Annals of Tryon County, published 1831 by J&J Harper, New York
|
An Incident Outside Fort Stanwix
As British forces approached Fort Stanwix, an extraordinary meeting occurred between Paulus, probably a teenage boy of Oriska, and Joseph Brant (Draper 11:204B-205). The substance of their conversation (sometime about August 2) was long remembered in Oneida tradition:
 "Some Oneidas were inside the fort; the others outside as pickets and spies. When [Paulus] was alone & in the woods some miles in advance of the fort, he discovered the enemy approaching in the distance-- & they discovered him at the same time.
Brant hailed him-- begged him to stop as he was in the act retreating, pledging his honor that he should neither be hurt nor detained. So Paulus raised his gun & invited Brant to approach alone for an interview-- as they then would be on an equality. But he ordered Brant as he neared him to halt a few steps off-- still presenting his gun, with his finger on the trigger-- and bade Brant deliver whatever message he had to offer.
Brant insinuatingly offered him a large reward & aplenty as long as he should live, if he would only join the King's side & induce other Oneidas to do so, & help the British to take Fort Stanwix. Paulus firmly rejected any such blandishments, saying he and his brother Oneidas had joined their fortunes with those of the Americans, & would share with them whatever good or ill might come. Brant portrayed the great & resistless power of the King, and professed to deplore the ruin of the Oneidas if they should foolishly and recklessly persist in their determination. Paulus replied that he & the Oneidas would persevere, if need be, till all were annihilated; and that was all he had to say when each retired his own way.
As Paulus hastened to the fort & reached his fellow Oneida pickets, the enemy had run with equal speed, and had commenced firing on the opposite side of the fort while Paulus and his companions were entering on the other-- & had even to fight their in. The British then began to dig to undermine the fort, to blow it up. Oneidas used to say, if they had not been there to aid in its defense, the fort might not have been saved (Draper 11:202-4)."
|
