The Who, What, Where, And When Of The Battle of Oriskany
Who: The British general, Barry St. Leger. Not much is known about him. The American General was Nicholas Herkimer. He was born in a German settlement near Herkimer, New York. After serving in the French and Indian War he was appointed a brigadier general in the New York militia. The county and the village of Herkimer, New York, were named in his honor. What: The Battle of Oriskany has been described as the most severe and, for the numbers involved, one of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution. Fought in the summer of 1777, it was a significant factor in the momentous events of that year - a turning point in the war. The British had a scheme to quell the rebellious colonies in a three-pronged invasion of New York, subjugating the state and thereby dividing the northern statesfrom those to the south. To help execute the plan, Barry St. Leger was temporarily promoted to Brigadier General. St. Leg
Unsuspecting, the inexperienced militiamen marched blindly into the trap. As they crossed the swampy bottom and marched up the ravine side, the enemy closed in. Muskets blazed from behind trees. Indian tomahawks flashed. In the first hail of fire, General Herkimer's horse was shot from beneath him. A musketball shattered the General's leg. Sitting beneath a large beech tree with sword drawn, Herkimer continued to give orders and inspire his men. With musket blasts and bayonet lunges and tomahawk throws and hand-to-hand combat, the carnage during the battle was dreadful. The Americans fought bravely on in spite of heavy losses. Their stubborn resistance dismayed Johnson's troops. The battle was so brutal and so many Indians fell that their brothers abandoned the fight, forcing the British and Tories to withdraw as well. The battered Patriots returned to their valley homes. Herkimer was carried from the fiel
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 614
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
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