Hero of Fort Schuyler: Selected Revolutionary War Correspondence of Brigadier General Peter Gansevoort, Jr.

by Peter Gansevoort , Jr., David A. Ranzan (Editor), Matthew J. Hollis (Editor)

Overview

In August 1777, Peter Gansevoort, Jr., defended Fort Schuyler (also known as Fort Stanwix) during a three-week siege by 1,700 British soldiers, Tories and Indians commanded by Colonel Barry St. Leger. Gansevoort won the distinction of successfully resisting a British siege in a period when every other continental post in New York was either evacuated or surrendered. His valiant effort led to the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga, a crucial point of the war.

Born to an affluent Dutch family in Albany County, New York, Gansevoort was active in several theaters of Revolutionary War operations, including General Montgomery's Canadian campaign (1775), the Champlain-Hudson-Mohawk Valley defense against Burgoyne's northern invasion (1776-1777), the Sullivan-Clinton campaign (1779) and the New York-Vermont insurrection (1781). After the war, he was active in both military and civic arenas, rising to the position of brigadier general of the U.S. Army in 1809. Before his death, he presided over General James Wilkinson's court-martial in 1811.

This documentary edition provides 279 pieces of correspondence to and from Gansevoort (and a few others) from 1775 to 1812.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786479481
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	10/15/2014
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David A. Ranzan is the University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. Matthew J. Hollis is a Ph.D. candidate in early American history at Binghamton University, SUNY. He lives in Vestal, New York.

Table of Contents

Preface 1

Chronology 5

1 1775: Invading the North 7

2 1776: Defending the Lake 13

3 1777: The Siege of Fort Schuyler 35

4 1778: News of the War 90

5 1779: Expedition into Indian Country 120

6 1780: Preparing for Imminent Attack 143

7 1781: The Albany Militia Brigade 157

8 1782: Protecting New York State 190

9 1783: Organization After the War 203

10 1784-1812: Service After the War 212

Appendix 231

Chapter Notes 235

Bibliography 263

Index 269