Oneida Carry - American Revolution

American Revolution

Between the end of the French and Indian War and the beginning of the American Revolution the Oneida Carry transformed from a place of war to a place of peace. After Pontiac's Rebellion the British slowly abandoned Fort Stanwix; its believed the last Half Pay Officer left the Fort in June 1774 when Governor William Tryon declared the fort "dismantled". During the inner-war period the carry also became home to the Roof Family- who would establish a tavern, continued to be utilized by merchants to move trade goods into the interior of the continent, and in 1768 saw the signing of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix.

However, during the American Revolutionary War the Oneida Carry once again became a battle ground. With Patriot Forces occupying the carry in August 1776 the Army only had a year to reconstruct Fort Stanwix before the British arrived and laid siege to Fort Stawnix (August 2, 1777 to August 22, 1777). After the successful defense of Fort Stanwix the Oneida Carry saw little military action. In the spring of 1779, as a part of the Sullivan Expedition of 1779, the American Army used the fort as a staging ground for the destruction of Onondaga Castle. In 1780 the garrison was attacked by a large force of Natives led by Joseph Brant forcing a three day standoff between the Patriot Troops in the well defended Fort Stanwix and the poorly defended Loyalist Natives. In general the most military action seen by the garrison was the occasional harassment by bands of Loyalist Raiding Parties moving into the Mohawk Valley. Which is not to downplay the many lives lost by those soldiers who were unexpectedly attacked, but to re-enforce the idea that garrison duty on the carry became extremely boring. Finally, in the spring of 1781, when flood and fire (most likely arson) destroyed most of the fort, the American Troops evacuated the post; only to return in 1784 to sign the Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix, ending the American Revolution with those Native Americans who sided with the British.