Battle of Fort Anne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Fort Anne |
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| Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||
 Detail of a 1780 map; battle site is marked near the bottom |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 United States |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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John Money |
 Henry K. Van Rensselaer |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 200 British regulars | about 1,000 soldiers and militia | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 13 killed 22 wounded 3 captured |
50–200 killed, wounded, and captured | ||||||
The Battle of Fort Anne happened on July 8, 1777. It was a fight during the American Revolutionary War. American soldiers were retreating from Fort Ticonderoga. They were chased by parts of the larger British army. This battle was an early part of the Saratoga campaign.
General John Burgoyne led the British army. He was surprised when the Americans left Fort Ticonderoga. He quickly sent his troops to chase them. Most American forces went towards Hubbardton. A smaller group, with sick soldiers and supplies, sailed up Lake Champlain. They landed at Skenesboro and then marched to Fort Anne.
About 600 American soldiers were at Fort Anne. A small group of British soldiers caught up to them. The British were outnumbered, so they asked for more help. The Americans decided to attack while they had more soldiers. They almost surrounded the British. But then, they heard what sounded like Native American war cries. This made the Americans retreat back to the fort. It turned out to be a trick by a single British officer! Soon, more British soldiers arrived. This forced the Americans to leave Fort Anne and go to Fort Edward.
Some people have said that a flag with stars and stripes was flown at Fort Anne. This would have been one of the first "stars and stripes" flags. However, this story is probably not true.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened: The Retreat
On the night of July 5–6, 1777, American soldiers were at Fort Ticonderoga. Their leader, General Arthur St. Clair, told them to leave the fort. This was because General John Burgoyne's large British army was getting close. The British had placed cannons on Mount Defiance. These cannons could easily shoot into the fort. The Americans also risked being trapped.
Most American soldiers left Ticonderoga by land. They went through Fort Independence towards Hubbardton. About 600 men, mostly from New Hampshire, went by water. Colonel Pierse Long led them. They had 5 armed boats and over 200 smaller boats. These boats carried sick soldiers, supplies, and weapons.
The Americans thought a large log barrier and bridge between Ticonderoga and Mount Independence would slow the British. So, Long's group sailed slowly up the lake towards Skenesboro. Skenesboro was the farthest point boats could go on the lake.
The Chase Begins: British Pursuit
The British were not slowed down by the water defenses. General Burgoyne learned the Americans had left on July 6. He ordered the log barrier and bridge to be taken down. His soldiers quickly removed them in just 30 minutes. Burgoyne then told his troops to chase the Americans as fast as possible. He himself sailed south.
With good winds, Burgoyne was only three miles (4.8 km) from Skenesboro by the end of July 6. The Americans had arrived there only two hours earlier. They had a small fort. Burgoyne wanted to surround them. He landed about 200 British soldiers south of Skenesboro. These soldiers were from the 9th, 20th, and 21st regiments. Lieutenant Colonel John Hill led them. Their goal was to block the road to Fort Anne.
The Americans were moving their boats around waterfalls at Skenesboro. Suddenly, Burgoyne's boats arrived and started firing. The Americans destroyed some of their own ships, like Enterprise, Liberty, and Gates. Two other ships, Trumbull and Revenge, had to give up. Many American supplies were lost or left behind. The Americans then retreated towards Fort Anne. But first, they set fire to most buildings in Skenesboro.
When they reached Fort Anne, 400 New York militia joined them. These soldiers were led by Henry van Rensselaer. General Philip Schuyler had sent them from Fort Edward. He had heard about the retreat from Ticonderoga.
The British soldiers under Hill kept chasing. They found more American supplies, sick soldiers, and people following the army. They moved south until they were about one mile (1.6 km) from Fort Anne. There, they met about 170 American scouts. One American was killed and three were wounded in a short fight. The Americans then went back to the fort.
The Battle at Fort Anne
On the morning of July 8, a man came to the British. He said he was an American soldier who had left his army. But he was actually a spy! He told Lieutenant Colonel Hill that Fort Anne had almost 1,000 tired American soldiers. Hill decided not to attack such a large group. He sent a message to Burgoyne for help. Burgoyne ordered the 20th and 21st regiments to march quickly to Fort Anne. But bad weather slowed them down. They did not arrive until after the battle. The "deserter" spy went back to Fort Anne. He told the Americans how many British soldiers were following them.
Colonel Long, the American leader, saw how few British soldiers were chasing them. He decided to attack. His soldiers moved quietly. They tried to surround the British while they were still on the road. But Hill's men heard the Americans moving around them. They quickly moved to a higher spot. They left some wounded men behind, who were captured by the Americans.
When the Americans started shooting, it was "heavy and well-directed," according to a British officer. The battle lasted for more than two hours. Both sides were almost out of bullets. The Americans had almost surrounded the British. Then, they heard loud Native American war cries coming from the north. This made the Americans retreat. They went back to the fort with their wounded, including Van Rensselaer, who was shot in the hip.
It turned out there were no Native Americans. It was just one British officer, John Money. He was Burgoyne's supply officer. He had been leading a group of Native Americans, but they didn't want to fight. So Money ran ahead and made the war cries himself. His trick ended the battle!
What Happened Next
Back at the fort, the Americans had a quick meeting. They heard from a woman that 2,000 or more British soldiers were coming fast. These soldiers were led by General Phillips. Long's men were almost out of ammunition. So, they left Fort Anne and went towards Fort Edward. They burned the wooden fort behind them.
Both sides said they won the battle. The British had held their ground. The Americans had almost made them give up. But the Americans knew they had only fought a small part of a much larger British army.
A British officer found some army flags after the battle. Many people claim that one of the flags was a new American flag. It supposedly had thirteen red and white stripes and a circle of stars. This would have been one of the first "stars and stripes" flags ever used. However, this story is probably not true. It would have taken too long for news of the flag design to travel. Then, the flag would have to be made and sent to such a far-off place. The flags that were actually found did not look like the US flag.
Saving the Battlefield
The American Battlefield Trust and its partners have helped save 160 acres (0.65 km2) of the Fort Anne battlefield. This helps protect the history of this important place.
