Rome Free Academy - De O Wain Sta Yearbook (Rome, NY)

Page 8 text:

THE DE-O-WAIN-STA 9 being John Roof and Bartholomew Brodock. There were about twelve families living around Fort Stanwix before the Revolution. At Fort Stanwix in 1768 the Six Nations of the Iroquois Indians, by treaty, ceded for about 550,000 a vast amount of land to the English gov- ernment and established a definite boundary line for the province of New York,which line ran from Fort Bull south to Penn- lf' 'f 'Ah' iv .M A t ws . ' -'-' I. . 'x , ,...T . fy: L NLE' , , A a sylvania. This treaty was negotiated by Sir William Johnson. At the beginning of T M V. ,, ,:,AJ:R, ,g,',l1 K v. In ky . the Revolution the patri- ots, realizing the import-- ance of th e Carrying Place and Fort Stanwix, repaired the fort and sta- tioned a garrison here. In 1777 the English concocted a plan by which they were confident they could subdue the colonies. Qlt, sw Q V' 'QQ-7 ,W sw I . A .' K.. ei ag- ..f'Y.,-vi, fur ' 15' Q ' 1-' ' : . . - 25 Zia--1 7' ' ' , 'f-Ziff 4' 3535 1' - VW 5 I ' V '- 1, f' ,Q '-1 fs j f 1 M55 W! ,-: ,, ' wk' l 5 ' ' 1- 1 ' - , A 35,7 , ,Q-..g1,. .,., A V., , , ,Q 3 .M , , - 'xx' 1'iwg?,z:r , L. ,DM ,Li .fp WL .Q 1, my ,qt L ., 1, ,L vga! ffgxs 'f tr ' Rifle my 1 . f- 5, N g , af- H aa.. , - V A .N JN ,EIN - s 1 V' HERKIMER AT ORISKANY From :L painting' in the l.'t'ca Public Library. 135' courtesy of the Utica Observer-Dispatch. Their plan was to conquer New York by three armiesg one to march north from New York City, one to march south by way of Lake Champlain, and the third to march from Oswego east by way of the Mohawk Valleyg all forces to meet at Albany. This plan, if it had been carried out, would eventually have separated New England from the southern colonies, thus breaking the backbone of resistance to the rule of George the Third, and would have given England again control of North America. But not so, for a new nation was destined to rise in America, and this plan of the English had to be thwarted at Fort Stanwix, Oriskany and Saratoga. The army which was to march east from Oswego was in command of Colonel Barry St. Leger. His troops consisted of English, Ger- mans, lndians and Tories. On August 2, 1777, the Carrying Place was invested by this mot- ley host. The besieged Fort Stanwix was in the command of the intrepid colonels, Peter Cansevoort and Marinus Willett. Some time before the investiture of the Carrying Place, news concerning the adoption of a national emblem had been brought to Fort Stanwix. A respectable flag was made from a blue camlet cloak, a red petticoat and a white am- munition shirt, and on Sunday morning, August third, the American flag was first unfurled in battle. Three days later, in the forest glen at Oriskany, occurred the great struggle which had such far-reaching consequences. Eight hundred pat- SK IGNANDOAH

Page 7 text:

8 - THE DE-O-WAIN-STA A Glimpse at Our City's Past The site of our city was so marvelously moulded by the hand of nature that it was impossible for Rome to play a small part in our nation's his- tory. The easiest water route to the West for the English colonies was that by way of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, Wood Creek, Oneida Lake, the Oswego River and the Great Lakes. Along this route there were portages or carrying places, the most important of which was at Rome between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, its location being what is now Dominick Street, or near it. The Oneida Indian name for the carrying place was De-O-Wain-Sta, meaning the place where boats are carried from one stream to another. This name was, indeed, most appropriate. The canoes of the Indians and fur-traders, and later the bateaux-light, flat boats propelled by sails and poles-were carried between the two waterways. Because of the location of this Carrying Place in our city, many events of great historical importance have occurred here. Recognition of the strategic value of the carry was made at an early date by both English and French. The English, because of their friendship with the Iroquois, were enabled to build forts here for the protection of their inter- ests. They are known to have built nine forts, of which Forts Bull, Wil- liams and Stanwix are the most outstanding. Forts Bull and Williams figured prominently in the French and Indian War. Fort Bull was destroyed and its occupants massacred March 27, 1756, by a Canadian expedition of French and Indians under the com- THE ROME CLUB on the site of Fort Stanwix. According to tradition the elm on the left was a sapling during the Rev- o ution. mand of M. DeLery. In the same year Fort Williams was laid waste by a retreating English commander, Webb, to prevent its falling into the possession of the French. The Mohawk Valley and the carrying place were unprotected for two years until General John Stanwix built, at the cost of 60,000 pounds, the fort which bore his name. The fort stood in the square bounded by James, Dominick, Spring and Liberty Streets. During the French and Indian War three noteworthy expeditions of English and Colonial troops crossed the Carrying Place, one under Colonel Bradstreet on the way to the capture of Fort Frontenac, another under General Prideaux and Sir William Johnson en route to the capture of Fort Niagara, and the last that of General Amherst on the way to the capture of Montreal, the sur- render of which gave Canada to England. As early as 1760 the Carrying Place was settled, the earliest settlers

Page 9 text:

10 THE DE-O-WAIN-STA riots of the lower Mohawk Valley, who were on their way to relieve the besieged Fort Stanwix, and who were commanded by General Nicholas Herkimer, were attacked at Oriskany by the enemy, hiding in ambush. A terrific battle ensued. The earth reeked with blood. Herkimer received a fatal wound in his leg, but nevertheless, calmly smoking his pipe, directed the battle from his saddle, which was propped underneath the shade of a beech tree, his horse having been shot. The enemy was finally overcome and the patriots, having suffered a great loss of men, withdrew to the lower Mohawk Valley. The garrison at the fort had been informed by messengers that Her- kimer was marching to its relief. While the battle at Oriskany was raging Colonel Willett made a sortie to the British camp, where he captured much booty, among which were some British flags. On his return the British flags were hoisted on the ramparts of the fort UNDER the Stars and Stripes. The siege continued till the twenty-second with almost constant fight- ing every day. On the twenty-third, St. Leger and his troops, induced by a combination of circumstances, among which was the deception of Han Yost, ingloriously beat a hasty retreat to Canada. The next day General Benedict Arnold, with his troops, arrived. Now the fort was safe, St. Leger defeated, and the great victory at Saratoga made possible. Consider for a moment what the consequences might have been had Fort Stanwix fallen and the Mohawk Valley been laid waste. Doubtless New York would have been conquered, the colonies overcome, and the United States unknown. During the Revolution the only tribes of the Iroquois which did not remain loyal to King George were the Tuscaroras and the Oneidas. It was largely due to the efforts of their Great Chief, Skenandoah, and Sam- uel Kirkland, the Indian missionary, that these tribes favored the cause of the colonies. Oneida warriors served as guides and spies for the colonial armies and on some occasions engaged in battle. Kirkland and Skenandoah, fast friends, were estiniable men and they deserve much honor and praise. After the Revolution George Washington visited Fort Stanwix to see with his own eyes the scenes where far-famed deeds had been performed. He was also interested in the future construction of an inland canal in this section. At Fort Stanwix in 1784 a peace treaty was negotiated by which the Six Nations ceded to the United States the whole Northwest Terri- tory and gave up their war captives. Lafayette was present at this negotiation. The last Indian treaty was that of 1788, by which the Iroquois gave up their lands in New York State, with the exception of their reservations. Much jollification attended this treaty DOMINIUK LYNCH