Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site
Encyclopedia
Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site is a historic site in Oneida County
, New York
, USA that marks the Battle of Oriskany
, fought in 1777 during the American Revolution
, one of the bloodiest engagements of the war.
The park is northwest of the Village of Oriskany
on NY Route 69
and is southeast of the City of Rome
. An obelisk
, with plaques at the base commemorating the battle and its participants, is the central feature of the site.
The battlefield is on the south side of the Mohawk River
. The terrain consists of small rises, divided by ravines, above Mohawk River bottomlands.
Militia General Nicholas Herkimer
, leading a relief column to the besieged Fort Stanwix
, was ambushed in a ravine by Iroquois chief Joseph Brant
, leading a mixed group of Iroquois
and Tories
. After sustaining high casualties, the American force retreated, but the occupants at the fort used the reduction in the force before them as an opportunity to emerge and sack the British camp. Herkimer died of his wounds days later. See Battle of Oriskany
for more details.
The monument was dedicated in 1884.
The site was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1962.,
It is a New York State Historic Site.
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA that marks the Battle of Oriskany
Battle of Oriskany
The Battle of Oriskany, fought on August 6, 1777, was one of the bloodiest battles in the North American theater of the American Revolutionary War and a significant engagement of the Saratoga campaign...
, fought in 1777 during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, one of the bloodiest engagements of the war.
The park is northwest of the Village of Oriskany
Oriskany, New York
Oriskany is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 2,744 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Iroquois word for "nettles."The Village of Oriskany is in the Town of Whitestown, southeast of the City of Rome...
on NY Route 69
New York State Route 69
New York State Route 69 is a state highway extending for across the central portion of the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus of the route is at NY 104 in the Oswego County village of Mexico. The eastern terminus is at NY 5A in the Oneida County village of Yorkville, just...
and is southeast of the City of Rome
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
. An obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
, with plaques at the base commemorating the battle and its participants, is the central feature of the site.
The battlefield is on the south side of the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
. The terrain consists of small rises, divided by ravines, above Mohawk River bottomlands.
Militia General Nicholas Herkimer
Nicholas Herkimer
Nicholas Herkimer was a militia general in the American Revolutionary War, who died of wounds after the Battle of Oriskany.-Career:...
, leading a relief column to the besieged Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26, 1758, by British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The fort guarded a portage known as the Oneida Carrying Place during the French and Indian War...
, was ambushed in a ravine by Iroquois chief Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York, who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution. He was perhaps the most well-known American Indian of his generation...
, leading a mixed group of Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
and Tories
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
. After sustaining high casualties, the American force retreated, but the occupants at the fort used the reduction in the force before them as an opportunity to emerge and sack the British camp. Herkimer died of his wounds days later. See Battle of Oriskany
Battle of Oriskany
The Battle of Oriskany, fought on August 6, 1777, was one of the bloodiest battles in the North American theater of the American Revolutionary War and a significant engagement of the Saratoga campaign...
for more details.
Commemoration
A monument at the site stands above a small rise that many of the ambushed Americans found their way to, and where Herkimer, wounded, rallied and directed the American forces. Plaques on the monument depict Herkimer and list many of the American participants in the battle.The monument was dedicated in 1884.
The site was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1962.,
It is a New York State Historic Site.
Photos
Activities and services
Visitor center and museum, Scenic views, Picnic area, Hiking, Tours, Re-enactments.External links
- Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site at NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (Official Site)
- More information from Wildernet
- Oriskany Battlefield - information about the battle
- The Battle of Oriskany: "Blood Shed a Stream Running Down", a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan