Peter Gansevoort

July 17, 1749 (age 62)

Albany, New York, United States

Appointed major of the 2nd New York Regiment on June 30, 1775, he saw his first active service under Gen. Richard Montgomery in Canada. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel March 19, 1776, and placed in command of Fort George in the summer of that year. He was made colonel of the 3rd New York, November 21, 1776, and in the following spring began the noteworthy part of his military career with his appointment to the command of Fort Schuyler, at the site of the present city of Rome, New York. It was the year of Burgoyne’s invasion from Canada, and an essential part of the British project was the cooperation of a force under St. Leger, which, according to the plan, would approach via Lake Ontario and the Mohawk Valley, converging upon Albany in unison with Burgoyne. Fort Schuyler, garrisoned by about 750 men, stood on the line of march. St. Leger, at the head of a mixed body of soldiers - mainly Tories and Indians - about 1, 700 in number, under partisan leaders Col. John Johnson, John Butler, and the famous Mohawk chief, Joseph Brant, advanced from Oswego by way of Oneida Lake, and invested Fort Schuyler early in August. Col. Gansevoort, in anticipation of an attack, had written to Gen. Schuyler on July 4, asking for reinforcements, ammunition, and supplies. He disregarded the British commander’s manifesto, with its mingled threats and promises, and on August 6, dispatched Col. Marinus Willet on a sortie from the fort, in an effort to cooperate with Gen. Herkimer, who, marching to the relief of Fort Schuyler, was checked in the battle of Oriskany that same day and himself sustained a mortal wound. Following this partial success, St. Leger sent envoys to Gansevoort with a summons to surrender; they were led blindfolded into his presence, and a stern refusal was given. The same answer was returned to a written demand. Food and ammunition were running low, however, and the officers Willet and Stockwell were dispatched secretly to obtain aid from Schuyler. Gansevoort had resolved, as a last resort, to cut his way through at night, when on August 22, the siege was raised. Benedict Arnold with a volunteer force was advancing up the Mohawk Valley and had sent ahead a captured Tory who spread such an exaggerated account of Arnold’s numbers that the Indians and St. Leger fled in confusion toward Lake Ontario, leaving behind their artillery, tents, and military stores. A picturesque incident of the siege was the improvising of a flag, made out of stripes of white, cut from ammunition shirts, blue from a captured British cloak, and red from odds and ends, and on the site of the fort there is now a tablet bearing the inscription: “Here the Stars and Stripes were first unfurled in battle. ” After the siege, Gansevoort was in temporary command at Albany in October 1777 and received the thanks of Congress. Reappointed commandant of Fort Schuyler, he passed a large part of the year 1778 in forced inaction, until he was relieved in November. His request to take charge of Cherry Valley was refused, and he was troubled by spying and desertions. Under orders from Gen. Sullivan in the year following, he surprised the lower Mohawk “castle, ” and took the prisoners to Albany, where they were later released. He was in command at Saratoga in 1780, and in 1781, was very active at Albany; attempts were made to seize both him and Schuyler. He was in correspondence with Gov. George Clinton and others, shared in the preparations to meet St. Leger’s expected invasion, and at the end of the year tried in vain to suppress an insurrection of troops northeast of Albany. He had retired from the line but was commissioned brigadier-general of militia March 26, 1781. Following the war, he held appointments as major-general of militia in the western district, October 8, 1793; military agent of the northern department, April 29, 1802; and brigadier-general of the United States Army, February 15, 1809.

Peter Gansevoort

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Background

Peter Gansevoort was born on July 17, 1749, in Albany, New York. He was baptized on July 16, 1749.

He was the son of Harmen and Magdalena (Douw) Gansevoort and a brother of Leonard Gansevoort.

Career

Appointed major of the 2nd New York Regiment on June 30, 1775, he saw his first active service under Gen. Richard Montgomery in Canada. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel March 19, 1776, and placed in command of Fort George in the summer of that year.

He was made colonel of the 3rd New York, November 21, 1776, and in the following spring began the noteworthy part of his military career with his appointment to the command of Fort Schuyler, at the site of the present city of Rome, New York.

It was the year of Burgoyne’s invasion from Canada, and an essential part of the British project was the cooperation of a force under St. Leger, which, according to the plan, would approach via Lake Ontario and the Mohawk Valley, converging upon Albany in unison with Burgoyne.

Fort Schuyler, garrisoned by about 750 men, stood on the line of march. St. Leger, at the head of a mixed body of soldiers - mainly Tories and Indians - about 1, 700 in number, under partisan leaders Col. John Johnson, John Butler, and the famous Mohawk chief, Joseph Brant, advanced from Oswego by way of Oneida Lake, and invested Fort Schuyler early in August.

Col. Gansevoort, in anticipation of an attack, had written to Gen. Schuyler on July 4, asking for reinforcements, ammunition, and supplies. He disregarded the British commander’s manifesto, with its mingled threats and promises, and on August 6, dispatched Col. Marinus Willet on a sortie from the fort, in an effort to cooperate with Gen. Herkimer, who, marching to the relief of Fort Schuyler, was checked in the battle of Oriskany that same day and himself sustained a mortal wound.

Following this partial success, St. Leger sent envoys to Gansevoort with a summons to surrender; they were led blindfolded into his presence, and a stern refusal was given. The same answer was returned to a written demand.

Food and ammunition were running low, however, and the officers Willet and Stockwell were dispatched secretly to obtain aid from Schuyler. Gansevoort had resolved, as a last resort, to cut his way through at night, when on August 22, the siege was raised.

Benedict Arnold with a volunteer force was advancing up the Mohawk Valley and had sent ahead a captured Tory who spread such an exaggerated account of Arnold’s numbers that the Indians and St. Leger fled in confusion toward Lake Ontario, leaving behind their artillery, tents, and military stores.

A picturesque incident of the siege was the improvising of a flag, made out of stripes of white, cut from ammunition shirts, blue from a captured British cloak, and red from odds and ends, and on the site of the fort there is now a tablet bearing the inscription: “Here the Stars and Stripes were first unfurled in battle. ”

After the siege, Gansevoort was in temporary command at Albany in October 1777 and received the thanks of Congress.

Reappointed commandant of Fort Schuyler, he passed a large part of the year 1778 in forced inaction, until he was relieved in November. His request to take charge of Cherry Valley was refused, and he was troubled by spying and desertions.

Under orders from Gen. Sullivan in the year following, he surprised the lower Mohawk “castle, ” and took the prisoners to Albany, where they were later released. He was in command at Saratoga in 1780, and in 1781, was very active at Albany; attempts were made to seize both him and Schuyler.

He was in correspondence with Gov. George Clinton and others, shared in the preparations to meet St. Leger’s expected invasion, and at the end of the year tried in vain to suppress an insurrection of troops northeast of Albany.

He had retired from the line but was commissioned brigadier-general of militia March 26, 1781. Following the war, he held appointments as major-general of militia in the western district, October 8, 1793; military agent of the northern department, April 29, 1802; and brigadier-general of the United States Army, February 15, 1809.

Achievements

Gansevoort successfully seized the Canadian Fort Chambly. After Montgomery's death, he led the New York forces south in a fighting withdrawal that stopped the British advance. In June 1776, he was assigned as commander of Fort George on Lake George. In April 1777, he was promoted to Colonel and given command of the 3rd New York. He elected to garrison Fort Stanwix where he and his 700 men withstood a three-week-long siege. His actions won him the thanks of Congress, having proved that it was possible to hold a fort against British forces. He then distinguished himself at Saratoga. In 1780, he was assigned to command the New York Brigade and established his headquarters at Fort Saratoga. In 1811, he presided over the court-martial of General James Wilkinson, an accused Burr conspirator.

Connections

On January 12, 1778, Gansevoort was married to Catherina Van Schaick.

Father:: Harmen Gansevoort
Mother:: Magdalena Douw Gansevoort
Brother:: Leonard Gansevoort
Grandson:: Herman Melville
Grandson:: Guert Gansevoort
Sister:: Anna Gansevoort Wynkoop
Sister:: Sara Gansevoort Ten Broeck
Wife:: Catherine Van Schaick Gansevoort
Daughter:: Maria Gansevoort Melville
Son:: Wessel Gansevoort
Son:: Herman Gansevoort
Son:: Leonard Herman Gansevoort
Son:: Peter Gansevoort
Son:: John Gansevoort

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