n the bushes, wounded
some of our men who were at work on the parapets, and a few bombs were
thrown into the fort.

"The next day it was the same; the Indians spread themselves about
through the woods encircling the fort, and all through the night tried
to intimidate the Americans by their hideous yells.

"On that very day General Herkimer was coming to its aid with more than
eight hundred men of the militia of Tryon County. He was near Oriskany,
a little village eight miles eastward from the fort; from there he sent
a messenger to tell Colonel Gansevoort that he was approaching, and
asking to be informed of the man's arrival by the firing of three guns
in quick succession, knowing that they could be heard at Oriskany. But
unfortunately his messenger did not reach the fort until the next day,
and while Herkimer, who though brave was cautious, decided to halt till
he should hear the signal or receive re-enforcements, some of his
officers and men were impatient to push on.

"Herkimer would not consent, and two of his colonels, Paris and Cox,
called him a coward and a Tory. Herkimer replied calmly, 'I am placed
over you as a father and guardian and shall not lead you into
difficulties from which I may not be able to extricate you.'

"But they continued their taunts and demands till he was stung by them
into giving the command, 'March on!'

"St. Leger knew of the advance of Herkimer and his troops and sent a
division of Johnston's Greens, under Major Watts, Brant with a strong
body of Indians, and Colonel Butler with his rangers, to intercept him
and prevent his making an attack upon the entrenchments which he had
made about Fort Schuyler.

"Gansevoort noticed the silence in the enemy's camp, and also the
movement of his troops down toward the river along the margin of the
wood. When the courier came with the message from Herkimer he understood
the meaning of it all, and immediately fired the signal guns.

"Herkimer had said in his message that he intended, on hearing the
signals, to cut his way through the camp of the enemy to the fort, and
asked that a sortie from it should be made at the same time.

"As quickly as possible Gansevoort had it made. A detachment of two
hundred men, of his own and Wesson's regiments, with an iron
three-pounder, were detailed for the duty; then fifty more were added
for the protection of the cannon and to assist in whatever way they
could. Colonel Marinus Willett was given the comman