Battle of Johnstown

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The battle of Johnstown was one of the last battles in the Northern theatre of the Revolutionary War. Led by Colonel Marinus Willett, over 700 Local American forces had engaged British forces at Johnstown on the 25th of October, 1781. Altogether about 1400 had engaged at Johnstown on the 25th of October. Ultimately Colonel Willett was able to force the British into flight winning the battle at Johnstown.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

On the 25th of October, 1781, a raiding party composed of British soldiers led by Major John Ross, loyalist militiamen led by Walter Butler, and Mohawk warriors approached Johnstown. This had prompted Colonel Willett to form up a force of patriot militiamen and pursue the raiding party. Around the afternoon Willett's force had caught up with the British raiding party at Johnstown. As both forces approached each other series of skirmishes arose throughout the town.

Willett had been outnumbered, but divided his troops and then sent a small of men around the enemy flank to attack the British from the behind. He then advanced his men towards the British across open field, but withdrew into the edge of a forest. Following this advancement was intense fighting, and the only artillery on the field was frequently being captured and recaptured. Then for unknown reasons Willett's right flank turned and fled.

Willett's forces has chased the British forces towards Lake Oneida over the days after the battle. The pursuit was slowed due to a snowstorm, but eventually caught back with the British near West Canada Creek where another skirmish occurred. During that skirmish the captain of the loyalist militia had been killed. With this American victory all fighting had ceased in the Mohawk Valley.

Sources

"Battle of Johnstown." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 May 2015. .