Johnstown, New York

JOHNSTOWN, NEW YORK. 25 October 1781. In the afternoon of 24 October word reached Colonel Marinus Willett at Fort Rensselaer that a large enemy force was twenty miles away at Warrensbush. Willett assembled his state troops and immediately set out in pursuit, calling on the militia to follow. After marching all night he reached Fort Hunter and learned that the raiders had crossed the Mohawk River and proceeded to Johnstown. A captured straggler provided intelligence that the enemy force consisted of about 800 troops and 120 Indians under Major John Ross and Major Walter Butler. Willett immediately crossed the river as well with 416 men and moved up to within two miles of Johnstown. The raiders were unaware of his approach and had scattered to kill local farmers' cattle. Knowing that he was outnumbered, Willett immediately attacked in the hopes of defeating Ross's party in detail. He advanced directly toward the largest concentration of the British while sending a flanking column under Major Aaron Rowley to take them in the rear. Willett's tired men suddenly panicked and retreated, abandoning their one field piece. A disaster was averted when Rowley's militia and Massachusetts levies struck. The fight lasted until after dark, when Ross broke contact and fell back. Willett spent the night collecting the wounded and reported taking about fifty prisoners while losing forty of his own men. Both sides claimed a victory. Willett lacked solid information about Ross's route and waited for several days before taking further action. Their next engagement was at Jerseyfield on 30 October.

SEE ALSO Border Warfare in New York; Butler, Walter; Jerseyfield, New York.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Willett, William M. A Narrative of the Military Actions of Colonel Marinus Willett. 1831. New York: New York Times, 1969.

                                 revised by Robert K. Wright Jr.