Fort Bull facts for kids

Fort Bull was a small but important fort built a long time ago during the French and Indian War. It was located in a place called the Oneida Carry, which is now in New York State, USA. This fort was built to protect a key travel route.

In October 1755, Governor William Shirley ordered Captain Mark Petrie to build this fort. It was designed to hold about 60 to 70 soldiers. Sadly, Fort Bull was attacked and completely destroyed by French forces on March 27, 1756, in a battle known as the Battle of Fort Bull.

What Was the Oneida Carry?

The Oneida Carry was a special path used for carrying boats and supplies between two waterways: the Mohawk River and Wood Creek. Imagine you're traveling by canoe, but suddenly you reach land instead of water. You'd have to get out, pick up your canoe, and carry it to the next river or creek. That's what a "portage path" is!

This path was very important for trade. It connected the eastern parts of North America with the Great Lakes region. Traders, including the Dutch East India Company and English traders, used it to move valuable furs and other goods.

Why Fort Bull Was Built

When the French and Indian War began, the Oneida Carry became a super important supply route for the British. They needed to protect their goods and soldiers moving to places like Oswego.

To keep this route safe, the British built two small forts made of wooden fences, called "stockade forts." These were Fort Bull and Fort Williams. Fort Bull was built on the upper part of Wood Creek. It was meant to guard the supplies and the soldiers who used the carry.

The Attack on Fort Bull

About two years into the war, in March 1756, French soldiers, along with their Canadian and Native American allies, launched a surprise attack. They destroyed Fort Bull and cut off the British supply lines. This was a big blow for the British.

After the attack, the British quickly built a new fort, Fort Wood Creek, right where Fort Bull used to be. They wanted to get their strength back on the Oneida Carry.

Giving Up the Carry

By the summer of 1756, the Oneida Carry had become a huge military base for British troops. However, rumors started spreading that the British forts there were not very strong.

The British commander, General Webb, got scared of another French attack. He panicked and ordered all the forts and other buildings on the Oneida Carry to be destroyed. The British then left the area and retreated to a place called German Flatts. They gave up control of the important Oneida Carry.

Fort Bull Today

Today, the land where Fort Bull once stood is owned by the Rome Historical Society. You can still find some remains of Fort Wood Creek there, which was built after Fort Bull was destroyed.