THE SULLIVAN CAMPAIGN OF 1779 - The Personal Side

The Sullivan Campaign of 1779 was an act of reprisal to end and break the Iroquois Confederacy. The Iroquois with the exception of the Oneidas and Tuscarora, openly sided with Great Britain to protect their lands. Together with Loyalist forces, they ravaged the Pennsylvania and New York frontiers. The bloodiest of these attacks happened in 1778, in Northeastern Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley and the Cherry Valley of New York.

This was the only major campaign of 1779 in the north and for the most part remains today as relatively unknown. Early in 1779 Washington developed a plan at his headquarters in Middlebrook, New Jersey to quickly strike the heart of the Iroquois homeland. Many of the Military matters shifted to the southern colonies and Washington's forces were in a stalemate situation with the British who were entrenched safely in New York City. This action would eliminate a key British ally and do little to weaken Washington's forces outside New York. Washington was confident on this chance, though several of his officers declined the command until it fell on General John Sullivan of New Hampshire.

Sullivan agreed with Washington's plan and goals, and Sullivan saw that his mission was to convince the Iroquois Confederacy "that we have it in our power to carry war into their country. With food supplies destroyed, the British were left to support the Iroquois adding to their burden. When organized, Sullivan's forces included four brigades with a combined total of 4,500 men. Troops came from three New Hampshire and one Massachusetts' Regiment. Pennsylvania promised a sizable militia force of men.

The plan was simple. Sullivan would gather his forces in Easton, Pennsylvania and advanced northward to the Susquehanna River. At the same time James Clinton's Brigade would sweep westward from the Mohawk River Valley and down the upper Susquehanna and link up with the main force at Tioga. Together their forces would travel into Iroquois country and destroy everything in their path. The Reformed Lutheran Church on 3~ Street in Easton acted as a hospital for many of the sick and injured.

Sullivan's Army had its own hardships early on and reached Easton early in May 1779. The troops sat idle for days, forced to eat from their stockpile. More important the trail connecting Easton to Wyoming also linked to a supply centre up river, which was impassible. This forced a cutting of the road through thick woodlands "so thick that a man cannot get through them but on his hands and knees".

On 12th June the Wyoming road opened and Sullivan's regiments left Easton for Wyoming, where the bulk of their supplies had been hidden. The expedition continued their destruction, demoralizing the Loyalists and the Iroquois. This was Sullivan's most successful campaign, yet it was his last. With deteriorating health and a wish to join his family, he resigned.

The personal items on display from my collection give us a glimpse of the men behind the myth and legends of a time when the country could win or fail in its battle for freedom.

R.H. ASHTON