Battle of Johnstown

Battle of Johnstown
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date October 25, 1781 Location Johnstown, New York Coordinates: 43°0′26″N 74°22′20″W / 43.00722°N 74.37222°W / 43.00722; -74.37222 Result American victory
Belligerents
United States 2nd Albany County Militia Regiment Tryon County militia	Great Britain 120 King's Royal Regiment of New York 150 Butler's Rangers 130 Iroquois 100 34th Regiment of Foot 40 Lake's Corp 25 8th Regiment of Foot 12 Jäger
Commanders and leaders
Marinus Willett	John Ross, Walter Butler
Strength
416	over 700
Casualties and losses
12 killed 24 wounded 5 captured	11 killed 11 wounded 32 captured

The Battle of Johnstown was fought in Johnstown, New York. It was one of the last battles in the Northern theatre of the American Revolutionary War, with approximately 1400 engaged at Johnstown on October 25, 1781. Local American forces, led by Colonel Marinus Willett of Johnstown, ultimately put the British forces under the command of Major John Ross of the King's Royal Regiment of New York and Captain Walter Butler of Butler's Rangers to flight.

This was the first time so many British regular army troops participated in a border raid in this area. The British retreated northwards and Marinus Willett marched to German Flatts to cut them off.

New York's Mohawk Valley had been a major area of internecine warfare throughout the American Revolution. By 1780, raids conducted by British soldiers, mercenaries, loyalist militia, and their Mohawk allies had devastated the valley. The 1780 fall crop had been destroyed before harvest, and a number of small settlements had been abandoned as settlers sought safety from the attacks.

In addition to the hundreds of buildings burned and the civilian casualties, amounting to 197 dead in 1780 alone, these raids threatened the American supply routes to Fort Plain and Fort Stanwix on the frontier. Repeated raids further depleted the ranks of the local militia, already decimated by the Battle of Oriskany, by desertions, abandonment of the valley, and occasional casualties. In response to these increasing threats, the Governor of New York, George Clinton, sent Colonel Marinus Willett to take charge of the militia and organize the defense of the valley.

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