receives visitors and delegates,
as plans are laid for a campaign on the shores of Lake St. Sacrement, 1755.
1755 Fort Johnson
The "French war" was at its height, and to defeat a contemplated raid on Albany, by the way of Lake Champlain and Lake George (Lake St. Sacrement), an expedition was organized whose object was the capture of Crown Point, at the upper end of Lake Champlain proper, then in possession of the French.
Levies were made on the Eastern States, and Connecticut had voted 1200 men, New Hampshire 500, Rhode Island 400, while New York promised 800, and William Johnson had gathered 1100 Indians, men, women, and children, at his own house, known as Fort Johnson, on the Mohawk River.
Read more about the French and Indian War from these links.
1757 Warning Disregarded
The year 1757, during the French and Indian War, found the Mohawk Valley fairly well prepared for the conflict. An army of 10,000 British and Americans had been mobilized at Albany by Lord Loudoun and General Abercrombie.
Three forts had been built by Sir William Johnson: Fort Canajoharie and Fort Hendrick (named after King Hendrick, the Mohawk chief, who was killed in the battle of Lake George), both at Canajoharie; and Fort Herkimer, which was built around the home of Johan Jost Herkimer, father of the Revolutionary general. This was the farthest advanced frontier post at the time and housed a garrison of 250 men.
In addition to these new forts, there were in existence Fort Johnson (Amsterdam), Fort Schenectady, Fort Hunter and Fort Harrison (at Palatine Church). It is doubtful if Fort Frey at Palatine Bridge was completed at this time.
Yet in spite of these fortifications and the comparatively large army which had been assembled, the Americans had one great disadvantage in the weakness and incompetence of their commanders. Sensing this, Montcalm, who was in command of the French forces, determined to take advantage of the situation. In 1756, he succeeded in capturing Fort Oswego and in November, 1757, he sent a raiding party to invade the German Flats section of the Mohawk Valley, centering around Fort Herkimer.
Read the whole story at www.rootsweb.com/~nyherkim/gerflats/forthunterhistory.html