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Battle of Fort Bull | |||||||
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Part of the French and Indian War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Great Britain | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Chaussegros de Léry Collière † | William Bull † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
84 Troupes de la Marine 166 Canadian militia 90 Iroquois 20 Huron | 111 regulars | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1 dead 2 wounded |
76 dead 35 taken prisoner |
The Battle of Fort Bull was a French attack on the British-held Fort Bull on 27 March 1756, early in the French and Indian War. The fort was built to defend a portion of the waterway connecting Albany, New York to Lake Ontario via the Mohawk River.
Lt. Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry led his command consisting of forces from the Troupes de la Marine, Canadien militia, and Indian allies on an attack against Fort Bull on 27 March 1756. Shielded by trees they sneaked up to within 100 yards (91 m) of the fort. Léry ordered a charge at the fort with bayonets. They stuck their muskets into the narrow openings in the fort and shot the defenders. Léry repeatedly asked for their surrender. Finally, the gate was crashed in and the French and Indians swarmed in, killing everyone they saw. The French soldiers looted what they could and set the powder magazines on fire. The fort was burned to the ground.