
Vintage Classic

by Kendall McKernon
Title
Vintage Classic
Artist
Kendall McKernon
Medium
Photograph
Description
Photo taken in Fort Miller, NY
"Fort Miller is a pretty little village on the Hudson River. There are no stores and just a couple churches. Overlooking the river, there are many quaint and beautiful homes.
Where Fort Edward was a carrying place, this area was a gathering place...
A July 1777 Gathering Place – About 2,500 retreating Americans gathered here about a week after a long circuitous retreat that began on July 5th:
* Started at Fort Ticonderoga after the British began moving artillery up Mount Defiance.
* Crossed Lake Champlain to Vermont on the floating bridge.
* Through Mount Independence picking up the Americans stationed there.
* Down the old military road through Hubbardton where a pursuing British detachment would be halted.
* Through Castleton then east to Rutland so they would avoid meeting the British at Skenesborough.
* Marched south to Manchester.
* Trekked southwest along the Battenkill River from Manchester to Fort Miller completing a journey that totaled about 100 miles.
They arrived at Fort Miller hungry, exhausted, poorly clothed and totally disorganized. Under the leadership of General Philip Schuyler, they recovered, regrouped, reorganized and began preparation to meet the British forces moving south from Skenesborough.
An August 1777 Gathering Place – Burgoyne arrived with British forces numbering close to 8,000. He found no resistance here, since the Americans had moved to positions further south. Shortly after their arrival, Burgoyne launched an expedition of about 1,000 troops to the east toward Bennington to obtain horses and supplies. Most of the troops that Burgoyne sent would not return as the Americans won a decisive victory near Bennington and imprisoned those that surrendered.
Despite the loss, Burgoyne was determined to carry out his mission and continue his drive for the conquest of Albany. His problem was the Hudson River. Albany is on the west side of the Hudson and he and his forces were on the east side. Furthermore, once they crossed the Hudson, the river would sever their supply line. Therefore, Burgoyne had to build up enough supplies to complete his mission before crossing the Hudson. That turned out to be a real problem, because his supply line now stretched all the way back to Canada. At best, the supply line would bring down four day's rations, but often it would not even provide a day's worth.
Finally, on September 13th, almost a month after they had arrived, the British crossed the Hudson River and headed south toward Albany."
– revolutionaryday.com
Uploaded
March 3rd, 2018
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