"FORT ONTARIO" - Oswego, NY - Historic Forts on Waymarking.com

The first fortification to be located on the site of the
current Fort Ontario was built by the British in 1755.
Called "The Fort of the Six Nations," or "Fort Ontario,"
it was destroyed by the French under the Marquis de
Montcalm in August 1756, along with all other British
defenses at Oswego.

Construction of a second British fort at this same
location began in 1759. It was built according to the
latest European military technology and designed to
accommodate 500 men. It contained a dry moat, extensive
outer earthworks and barracks. Small square or
triangular forts called "redoubts” were located on
strategic high ground several hundred meters away from
the main fortification. The redoubts were built without
rear walls so that if they were captured, they could be
fired into by cannon from the main fort. The redoubts
provided a formidable first line of defense for those
defending Fort Ontario.

The British established themselves at Carleton Island
at the source of the St. Lawrence River and from that
post launched numerous campaigns via Oswego during the
Revolutionary War. The major campaign took place in
1777 as part of a three-pronged attack on New York,
whereby the British hoped to cut off New York from the
rest of the American colonies. General Barry St. Leger
left Fort Ontario on July 26, but encountered
unexpectedly stiff resistance at rebel-held Fort Stanwix. After a hard-fought battle near Oriskany on
August 6, St. Leger retreated to Canada via Fort Ontario.

On July 25, 1777, St. Leger landed at Fort Ontario. The
next day, he would begin his invasion toward Albany with
a British force of about 1,600 men, half of which were
Indian allies and the other half were British regulars
and Canadian volunteers.

At the end of August, St. Leger returned in retreat to
Fort Ontario with about half of his forces. The Indians
had abandoned his ranks after hearing rumors that an
overwhelming American relief force was approaching Fort
Stanwix.

After the failure of Burgoyne’s three-pronged invasion,
the British abandoned Fort Ontario. In 1778 the second
Fort Ontario was destroyed by American troops based at
Fort Stanwix. Despite the surrender at Yorktown in 1781
and the Treaty of Paris ending the war in 1783, the
British reoccupied Oswego in 1782, rebuilt Fort Ontario
for the third time and held it until 1796, when the fort
was finally turned over to the United States.
During that time, General George Washington attempted
a surprise attack in February of 1783, but that failed
due to the harsh upstate New York winters.

After 1796, the fort would fall to British hands during
the War of 1812. In 1838 the United States regarrisoned
the fort. The present-day fort was built between 1839
and 1844. Fort Ontario became an Army Post in 1903 and
by 1941, the post had grown to 125 buildings. During
World War II, the fort was used as an emergency refugee
center for victims of the Nazi Holocaust. In 1949, the
site became a New York State Historic Site.

After the unsuccessful attack on Fort Ontario, Lt.
Alexander Thompson wrote to his brother on February 24,
1783: “The day began to break which advanc’d so fast as
to make it impossible to arrive at the work (fort)
before broad day light—our guide confessed he was
lost...The Orders we had from the commander in chief
were positive, that if we did not attack before day,
to return. Colonel Willet was under the Necessity of
Ordering us to the right about. - you may be assur’d
we are sensibly mortified at the disappointment...We
had two days a most severe storm and the whole of the
time exceeding cold weather - we had three men perish
before we could return to the lake - and we dare not
make fire for fear of being discovered. - we had one
hundred and thirty bit with the frost, some very
dangerously. I am myself one of the unfortunate.”

The year the "Fort" was constructed or started.: Current fort was built in 1844 Name of "Country" or "Nation" that constructed this "Fort": United States Was this "Fort" involved in any armed conflicts?: Yes it was What was the primary purpose of this "Historic Fort"?: For encampment of an army Current condition: this fort is in excellent, well maintained cond., being used as a historic site This site is administered by ----: Friends of Historic Fort Ontario If admission is charged -: 8.00 (listed in local currency) Open to the public?: Restricted hours -Admission charged Official or advertised web-page: [Web Link] Link to web-site that best describes this "Historic Fort": [Web Link] Link if this "Fort" is registered on your Countries/ State "Registry of Historical Sites or Buildi: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/24/2020 missmandylee visited it 10/19/2018 alynx visited it 07/10/2016 ripraff visited it 05/30/2016 LCSM visited it 08/18/2014 CuriousGeorge59 visited it 07/24/2011 mTn_biKer65 visited it 08/28/2010 model12 visited it 08/24/2008 PTCrazy wrote comment for it 03/12/2007 PTCrazy visited it

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