and they besieged the fort
with steady determination.

Fort Stanwix stood at the head of navigation of the Mohawk River and was
an important feature in the plan of General Burgoyne to cut off New
England from the southern colonies and thus control the whole country.
Embarking upon this expedition, he had instructed his army: "The
services required are critical and conspicuous. Difficulty, nor labor,
nor life are to be regarded. The army must not retreat." As he advanced
down the Hudson he swept everything before him. Ticonderoga, Mount
Defiance, Whitehall, Fort Edward, each in turn fell: and he now
anticipated no successful resistance to his forces.

At the beginning of General Burgoyne's invasion a force of Canadians,
Hessians, New York Tories, and Indians commanded by General St. Leger
had been sent against Fort Stanwix. The post was held by General
Gansevoort with some seven hundred and fifty men. They were ill supplied
with ammunition and had few provisions. To Burgoyne defeat seemed here
impossible. The siege had, however, been anticipated by the garrison,
and the men had determined to hold out to the last extremity.

Word was surreptitiously conveyed to Colonel Willett within the fort
that General Herkimer would set out with eight hundred volunteers to
reenforce him and that a successful sortie might be made against the
besiegers by acting in conjunction with General Herkimer's forces. This
sortie was to be made when a certain signal was given. But the best-laid
plans, as we all have doubtless learned by experience, are not always
dependable.

St. Leger in this case learned of Herkimer's advance and sent the
savages under his command to intercept and ambuscade him. A terrible
hand-to-hand combat ensued in which a hundred and sixty of the colonists
were killed and the loss to the Indians was as great. General Herkimer's
horse was shot under him and he himself wounded severely in the leg.
Notwithstanding his agony he insisted upon being placed with his back
against a tree for support, and therefrom he continued to direct the
battle. In the heat of the contest he lighted his pipe and smoked.

The further advance of the Americans to the succor of the fort was
prevented, but Colonel Willett, in ignorance of this, made his sally
from the fort at the hour appointed. Marvelous to state, the British
were taken wholly by surprise and, having no time to form, fled. The
Americans took possession of their supplies and the