Battle of Oriskany, New York. Saratoga Campaign. One of the bloodiest of the American Revolutionary War and one of the few where almost all the combatants were North Americans. An American force led by Nicholas Herkimer and supported by the Oneida Indians attempted to relieve the siege of Fort Stanwix. British commander Barry St. Leger, with his Hanau Jäger (light infantry), the King’s Royal Regiment of New York led by Sir John Johnson, and Indian allies from the Six Nations (primarily Iroquis, Mohawks, Senecas, Huron, and Nipissing), intercepted the mission. During the battle, Herkimer was mortally wounded. The American rebels left 385 of their number on the field and 30 were captured, while the Loyalists and Indians on the opposing side suffered 65 deaths. After the battle, however, the morale of the Loyalists and Indians was undermined by the sacking of their camp by the rebels.
