Siege of Fort Stanwix

The Siege of Fort Stanwix was a crucial American success that denied Burgoyne the western support he had expected during his invasion. The British plan called for St. Leger to advance along the Mohawk Valley with 1,700 men — British regulars, Hessians, Loyalists, and nearly 1,000 Iroquois warriors under Joseph Brant — and join Burgoyne near Albany.

Fort Stanwix was defended by 550 Continental troops under Colonel Peter Gansevoort and his aggressive lieutenant Marinus Willett. When St. Leger began his siege in early August, Willett led a bold sortie that destroyed the Loyalist and British camps outside the fort, capturing flags and supplies while the enemy was engaged at Oriskany. The garrison's spirits remained high throughout the siege.

A relief column under General Nicholas Herkimer marched to lift the siege but was ambushed at Oriskany — one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Then Benedict Arnold was sent with another column. Arnold, displaying the psychological brilliance that marked his early career, sent ahead a half-witted Loyalist prisoner with a story that Arnold's force was enormous and unstoppable. The story, supplemented by wampum from friendly Oneida Indians who corroborated the tale, terrified St. Leger's Iroquois allies. They abandoned the siege en masse. Without his Native American allies, St. Leger retreated all the way back to Canada.

The successful defense of Fort Stanwix denied Burgoyne his western reinforcements and forced his army to face Gates's forces alone, contributing directly to the American victory at Saratoga.