interval they re-formed their scattered
ranks and resolutely faced the foe. No sooner, however,
had the struggle again commenced than the noise of cannon
came reverberating upon the moist air. The appointed
messengers had arrived at Fort Stanwix, many hours late,
and the signal had been given. Deceived by the cannonading
and fearing that St Leger might be in distress, the
loyalists rapidly drew off with their Indian allies,
leaving their opponents on the crimson field. But so
exhausted were the colonials by the fierce fighting they
had experienced that they could not follow after the
retreating army and were forced to move dejectedly down
the Mohawk valley. Four hundred of their men had fallen
in the battle, dead or wounded, nearly half the number
that had entered the swampy ravine. On a litter of green
boughs General Herkimer was carried to his stone house
on the river, where, a few weeks after the cruel fight,
he died with the same fortitude that he had shown when
under fire.

The laurels for this victory at Oriskany rested with
Captain Brant. He had commanded the greater part of the
loyalist forces and his plan had placed the enemy at
their mercy. Thanks to this success, the colonials had
received a stunning blow, and Colonel St Leger's army
was possibly saved from an utter rout. But the Indians
had paid a heavy price for their victory; many of their
chiefs and warriors lay dead upon the field.

The siege of Fort Stanwix was kept up until August 22.
By this time St Leger had reached a point one hundred
and fifty yards from its outer wall. During the interval
the word of Herkimer's defeat had brought General Arnold
with a strong body of militiamen to the rescue. While
still some distance away this commander thought that he
might create a false alarm in the English camp. A
half-witted fellow, who went by the name of Hon-Yost
Schuyler, had been captured and was in Arnold's camp. He
was freed on condition that he should go to the English
camp and give an exaggerated account of the new force
which was coming to the relief of Fort Stanwix. When he
reached the camp Schuyler went first among the Indians,
showing a coat riddled with bullets, and told of the host
that was on its way. When asked how many there were, he
pointed to the fluttering leaves above his head. The
redskins always had a superstitious awe of this stupid
fellow and now they were terror-stricken by his words
and antics. Panic seized the besiegers.