newtown  
 

                        BATTLE OF NEWTOWN
                            ELMIRA NEW YORK
                            AUGUST 27, 28, 29, 1779.

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THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM THE BOOKLET ABOUT THE 225TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF NEWTOWN.
TAKEN PLACE AUGUST 27, 28, 29, 2004 NEWTOWN BATTLEFIELD PARK, ELMIRA NEW YORK.
THE ACTUAL BATTLE TOOK PLACE ON THE SAME DATE AS WAS THE REENACTMENT ON THIS YEAR.

With the expedition of Sullivans march through the area in retaliation of the Massacre of the Wyoming Valley in Pa., he brought disastrous to the Indians by burning their fields, orchards and villages as he cut a swath throughout the territory that now is the twin tiers area. The Indians when returning to their villages found nothing to survive the upcoming winter so they migrated to Niagara where huts were built for them around the fort. The winter was reported as the coldest ever known and prevented the Indians going on their winter hunts. They were forced to survive on the salted provisions. The scurvy broke out among them and hundreds died. The Iroquois strength was destroyed. The power and influence that had held everyone under the fear of them was now nothing but a memory. Even though some small bands continued it never came to the point of having another Cherry Valley and Wyoming Valley massacre at their hands.
Colonel Stone was reported as saying "With the exception of Newtown, the achievements of the army in battle were not great. but it had scoured a broad extent of country and laid more towns in ashes than had ever been destroyed on the continent before. the red men were driven from their beautiful country their habitations left in ruins, their fields laid waste, their orchards
uprooted and their altars and the tombs of their fathers over thrown."(Excerps from: journals of the military expeditions of Major General John Sullivans against the six nations of the Indians in 1779 By Frederick Cook, Secretary of NY state.)
LINK TO PICTURES OF REPLICA OF INDIAN VILLAGE AT NEWTOWN BATTLE FIELD AREA

THE BATTLE OF NEWTOWN
Due to the destruction brought on by the British Loyalist and Indians attacks at Cherry Valley, New York and Wyoming Valley Pennsylvania.
General George Washington in 1779 set in motion plans to destroy the British and Indian strongholds along the New York and Pennsylvania frontier. The Continental Congress appropriated almost one million dollars for this expedition, which would involved an army of Continental soldiers, not militia, under the command of Washington's hand picked choice, Major General John Sullivan.  He was to destroy Indian villages and sources of food supply, drive the Indians westward, cut off food supplies of corn, dried vegetables and fruits for the British Army and capture the forts of Owego and Niagara which were store houses of the British and bases for their military operations.  ON Sunday August 29,1779 the American Army of five thousand soldiers approached Newtown Indian village. Opposing the Americans was a hastily drawn force of Loyalist rangers. British  regulars and loyal Iroquois Indians numbering approximately twelve hundred under the command of Colonel John butler and Chief Joseph Brant, chief Brant knowing he was out numbered by the American forces set up an ambush in the area of Baldwin Creek near the Chemung River.  His forces spent three days constructing concealed timbered fortifications and rifle pits along the slope of the hill overlooking the Indian path that Sullivans Army would have to follow westward into Indian country. From these positions the Indians and loyalists troop could fire a devastating broadside into the right flank of the Americans as they marched along the trail. The left flank of the Indian forces would then swing south and hit the rear of the expedition causing confusion and hopefully destroying the supply wagons of the expedition. The plans success depended on complete concealment and surprise. From the treetop observations, advance scouts of the American forces discovered the Indian forces laying in ambush.  The leading brigade under Brig. General Hand deployed in battle formation on the easter side of Baldwin Creek facing westward toward the Indian fortifications. Chief Brant sent several groups of Indians to attack the American positions and then fall back with the hopes to lure the Americans into the trap. The American refused to take the bail. The other Brigades of the expedition arrived. Major General Sullivan met with his commanders to devise in plan of attack.  Hand supported by Brig. General Maxwell in reserved, would face the enemy front and attack from that position while Brig. General Poor and Brig. General Clinton would lead their brigades on a sweep around the left flank of the enemy hoping to gain their rear and drive them from the field. Meanwhile Colonel Ogden would lad his division south and then west along the Chemung river to attack the right flank of the Indians and hopefully encircle their forces so they would be trapped. Poor and Clinton's forces were slowed by a congested swampy bog and therefore were not in the proper position to attack when Colonel Proctor opened up with is artillery fire. As Poor and Clinton crossed the Baldwin Creek and began to ascent the east slope of newtown Hill, their movements were detected by Indian scouts posted on a hill to the east who alerted the main Indian force. Chief Brant immediately knew that his forces were about to be out flanked and directed many of his warriors to turn toward the left flank to stop this attack. Hand to hand  fighting the Indians attempted to surround and wipe out Reed's regiment, the 2nd New Hampshire, however the 3rd New Hampshire and 5th and 3rd New York regiments forced the Indians to retreat and flee northward.  The battle lasted approximately seven hours. The Indians and Loyalist suffered 17 killed, unknown number of wounded and 2 captured. the Americans suffered 11 killed and 32 wounded. During the next month the Sullivan Expedition roamed at will throughout the Finger Lakes area of New York State destroying numerous Indian villages, burning crops and fruits orchards, while facing little Indian resistance.  Many of the Indians were forced  to live near Fort Niagara and be supported by the British while many others suffered diseases caused by starvation and infection. Sullivans expedition failed to halt future raids of vengeful Indians and loyalists from attacking numerous small frontier settlements over the next few years.
 

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