By Ray Lenarcic
Benedict Arnold betrayed his country. But before he did, he helped to save it. Twice. Prior to explaining how some necessary background information is needed.
Our War for Independence was long and difficult, with numerous battles (e.g., Saratoga) and circumstances (e.g., France’s entry) proving critical to its outcome. The most critical might have been the one occurring right here in the Mohawk Valley during the dog days of August in 1777. The following information on the battle is taken from Barbara Graymont’s seminal work-The Iroquois in the American Revolution.
During the spring of 1777, the British developed a three-pronged attack plan designed to take New York thereby dividing the colonies in half and subsequently making a quick end of the conflict. One “prong” involved General Barry St. Leger and his Indian allies (Mohawks, Senecas, Cayugas of the Iroquois Confederacy) taking the Mohawk Valley, ultimately hooking up in Albany with Lieutenant General “Gentleman” Johnny Burgoyne coming down the Hudson River from Canada and General William Howe coming up the Hudson from New York City.
The responsibility for stopping St. Leger was given to Brigadier General of the Tryon County Militia, Nicholas Herkimer, a veteran of the French and Indian War. With his force of some 800 militiamen, the slave-owning, large-land owner left German Flats on August 6th with the goal of ending St. Leger’s siege of the only hurdle between his army and Albany, Fort Stanwix (Rome). But taunted by his officers for being too cautionary and accused of cowardice, Herkimer pushed ahead without taking proper precautions. His failure to send his Oneida Indian allies to scout ahead proved tragically costly as Herkimer’s troops were ambushed by some 400 Senecas, Mohawks (led by Joseph Brant), and Tory Rangers in a steep ravine near Oriskany Creek. As Graymont states, the Americans lost an estimated 500 men, the remainder returning home “carrying their wounded with them and leaving their dead strewn upon the field, never to be buried.” The British losses numbered c.40, but five were Seneca chiefs-a factor to prove extremely significant in the days to come.
Having failed in his mission to relieve the siege at Stanwix, a badly wounded Herkimer returned home only to die shortly thereafter. Truth be told, the Battle of Oriskany was actually a slaughter. And if St. Leger had greenlighted Brant’s request to take his warriors and attack an unprotected Mohawk Valley, the course of the war may very well have had a different outcome-and not in the colonists’ favor. Instead, he continued to lay siege to Stanwix.
Against all odds, for nearly two weeks, the defenders of the fort held out under the leadership of a true hero, 28-year-old Col. Peter Gansevoort, giving the Americans time to raise a battle-tested army at Albany to go after St. Leger. But before they ventured forth, their leader perpetrated a ruse. Again according to Graymont, a feeble-minded captured Tory named Han Jost Schuyler was promised that his death sentence would be commuted if he went to St. Leger and gave an exaggerated account of the numbers of the American forces and their nearness to the fort. Thankfully, he went and was believed.
Schuyler’s ploy and the previously mentioned loss of the five Seneca chiefs, which rendered false the Brits’ promise that the campaign would be a piece of cake, convinced most of their Iroquois allies, especially the Senecas, that it was time to fly the coop. With over half of his army gone and American forces on their way, as corroborated by his Indian messengers, St. Leger retreated on August 22nd. If he had taken Stanwix and the unprotected Mohawk Valley, he would have joined up with Burgoyne, and the three-pronged attack plan might have succeeded. Thus, in the manner pre-described, the “Battle” of Oriskany was a major turning point in the Revolution. And-oh yeah-the American officer who planned the brilliant ruse-Benedict Arnold.
And Arnold wasn’t finished. At the Second Battle of Saratoga, he defied orders from his superior, Gen. Horatio Gates. The latter’s incompetence had cost the Americans a victory at the first battle at Saratoga, and it was common knowledge that he despised Arnold and failed to promote him as deserved. Contrary to the more reserved Gates, Arnold believed that the Americans had to attack and thereby led the charge at Breyman Redoubt, which routed the British-German (Hessian) forces. Shortly thereafter, Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga. During the battle, Arnold was badly wounded to the extent that his left leg would always be two inches shorter than his right. He remained on inactive duty until the summer of 1780.
As a result of the aforementioned series of events, the three-pronged attack failed, and with it went any realistic hope for the British to maintain control over the colonies-especially since the victory at Saratoga 2 convinced Louis XVI of France to officially join the American cause (including money, soldiers and naval support) along with 30% of the American population previously uncommitted.
Arnold ultimately defected for a variety of reasons, including grievances suffered at the hands of Congress (e.g., recognized Gates as the hero at Saratoga) and the military (passed over for promotions), along with money problems. Even though that change of heart resulted in the name Benedict Arnold becoming synonymous with the word traitor, it should not be forgotten, as it has been in many American history texts and courses, that had it not been for the “savior’s” actions at Fort Stanwix and Saratoga, a different flag would be flying over this land, and we’d be bowing in reverence to King Charlie.
PS-Any readers/teachers interested in a complete account of Arnold’s fascinating life should pick up Steve Sheinkin’s The Notorious Benedict Arnold-winner of the Boston Globe’s Horn Book Award for Nonfiction.