John Deseronto - American Revolution

American Revolution

When the American Revolution started Deseronto was a chief of the Mohawks, living at Fort Hunter where he owned a handsome house and 82 acres (330,000 m2) of rich flat land. He had a wagon, plough, harrow, and ten beaver traps. During this war he sided with the British and the loyalist Johnson family. He accompanied Guy Johnson when he left for Canada in the summer of 1775. Deseronto went back to the Mohawk valley the following year and met with Sir John Johnson. In May 1776, he again met with John Johnson and helped him escape to Montreal.

In July 1777, he was the leader of a party which assessed the defences of Fort Stanwix. On 14 July, they surprised and attacked Ensign John Spoor's work detail as it was outside the fort cutting sod. Deseronto passed the information that the fort was strongly garrisoned back to Daniel Claus. Barry St. Leger decided to proceed without adequate artillery regardless. He took part in the siege and the Battle of Oriskany. After St. Leger had retreated, Deseronto stayed behind to enjoy a meal at St. Leger's table. A scouting party from the fort found Deseronto in St. Leger's tent and shot him with buck and ball in the left arm and breast. Deseronto was seriously wounded and almost lost his arm. He continued to Fort Hunter where he set about preparing the village for a mass departure. On 4 September, he arrived at Burgoyne's camp with the Fort Hunter families and several prominent loyalists, totalling about 150 persons. The villagers had abandoned their homes after hearing about the sacking of the Upper Castle. The party had to fight through the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment to reach Burgoyne's camp. They killed seven of the Americans and Deseronto was freshly wounded. They settled at La Chine, near Montreal and were supplied by the British in exchange for the war service.

In 1779 he led two scouting parties up the Richelieu valley. In 1780, he took part in Sir John Johnson's raid on the Mohawk valley and he was at the Battle of Klock's Field. In 1781 he led multiple raids into the Mohawk valley destroying mills and cattle and taking prisoners. In the spring of 1782, Deseronto and Captain Isaac Hill destroyed the mill at Little Falls on the Mohawk and took some prisoners.