Author and story teller Paul Boehlert is set to tell the story of the siege of Fort Stanwix and the Battle of Oriskany, one of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution, on Wednesday, July 17th at 7 pm, at the Rome Historical Society, 200 Church Street.
British General John Burgoyne’s three-pronged attack of 1777 was an attempt to divide the American colonies by cutting New York in half. Essential to this plan was the defeat of the American stronghold of the Mohawk Valley, Fort Stanwix. The British siege of the fort was led by Col. Barry St. Ledger. Early in the battle the British got word that American forces were marching up the valley to relieve the Fort. To cut short these efforts, St. Ledger and his armies set up an ambush in a ravine at Oriskany and a tremendous battle ensued.
General Nicholas Herkimer and his allies took tremendous losses during the battle. Herkimer himself eventually died as a result of injuries suffered at Oriskany. Nonetheless the American’s succeeded in driving back the attack from St. Ledger. Paul Boehlert will present an account of the battle and its aftermath.
Paul Boehlert is the author of The Battle of Oriskany and General Nicholas Herkimer: Revolution in the Mohawk Valley. Boehlert is an actor and storyteller and appears at local and regional storytelling festivals. He is a member of the Oneida County History Center and the Herkimer County Historical Society, the National Railway Historical Society, the National Model Railroad Association, the Utica Maennerchor and the Society for Creative Anachronism.
More information is available on the Rome Historical Society’s website, or by calling (315) 336-5870.
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