Boyd and Parker ambush facts for kids

The Boyd and Parker ambush was a small but important fight during the American Revolutionary War. It happened in Groveland, New York, on September 13, 1779. A scouting group from the American army, led by Lieutenant Thomas Boyd, was ambushed. They were attacked and captured by Loyalists (Americans who supported the British) and their Seneca Indian allies. The Seneca warriors were led by Chief Little Beard.

Quick facts for kids Boyd and Parker ambush
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Groveland Ambuscade Park commemorating the ambush
Date September 13, 1779 Location Groveland, New York Result British (Loyalists and Iroquois) victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain Iroquois Confederacy
Commanders and leaders
Thomas Boyd †	Little Beard
Strength
24	Unknown
Casualties and losses
14 killed 2 captured and killed 8 escaped	1 Iroquois Killed 1 Iroquois wounded

Why the Fight Happened

Native American groups in Upstate New York sometimes raided settler homes. Because of these attacks, General George Washington sent General John Sullivan and about 3,500 soldiers. Their mission was to move the Seneca people from their lands. They also needed to destroy Seneca farms, villages, and food supplies. This was to make the area safe for American settlers.

Before the Ambush

Iroquois Chief Joseph Brant and British Colonel John Butler had about 800 men ready to defend the region. General Sullivan's army marched from Easton, Pennsylvania, into Western New York. On September 12, 1779, they camped near Conesus.

That night, General Sullivan ordered Lieutenant Thomas Boyd to form a scouting party. Boyd's job was to find the location of a Seneca village. Boyd took 23 men with him, including Sergeant Michael Parker. They left late that night. They actually passed very close to Butler's ambush party without either side knowing the other was there.

The Ambush Itself

The next day, Boyd's scouting party saw four Native Americans on a trail. A short gunfight happened, and one Native American was killed. Boyd and Parker then decided to head back to General Sullivan's main army.

On their way, they saw five more Native Americans who quickly ran away. Boyd's guide warned him not to follow them, saying it was a trap. But Boyd did not listen to the warning. His group was led right into the enemy's lines. They were quickly surrounded and greatly outnumbered.

Fifteen of Boyd's men were killed during the fight. Eight men managed to escape the ambush. Lieutenant Boyd and Sergeant Parker were captured by the enemy. Some old records say that Boyd's group had 29 men. Of those, 17 were killed, 5 returned, and 7 escaped.

Besides Boyd and Parker, we know the names of 12 other men from their party who died. A monument mentions "Corporal Calhoun," but he died in a different ambush.

Boyd and Parker were taken to Little Beard's Town, which is now called Cuylerville. Chief Brant questioned them there. After Brant left, Chief Little Beard and his men put Boyd and Parker to death. They were very angry about the American troops being in their territory.

What Happened Next

Monument to Boyd and Parker

Two days later, General Sullivan's army found the ambush site. The dead soldiers were buried with military honors. The army then continued its mission, just as George Washington had ordered. They destroyed many acres of crops and burned Little Beard's town to the ground.

Many soldiers in the army were very impressed by how good the land was for farming. After the war ended, many of them returned to this region with their families to settle there.

Remembering the Event

The bodies of Boyd and his men stayed at the battlefield until 1841. Then, they were moved and reburied at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York. The governor of New York, William H. Seward, led a special ceremony for their reburial.

Today, the Groveland Ambuscade Monument marks the site of the ambush. There is also a small town park there. This park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. In September 2004, the site held a special event to remember the ambush's 225th anniversary. They even had reenactments of the event.

Images for kids

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  Groveland Ambuscade Park commemorating the ambush