On Aug. 3, 1777, the Stars & Stripes first flew in battle above the southwest bastion of Fort Stanwix (Schuyler). Here from Aug. 2d to 22d, Col. Peter Gansevoort's New York & Massachusetts Continentals successfully withstood a siege by British Regulars, Hessians, Mohawk Valley Tories, and Indians under Lt. Col. Barry St. Leger. On Aug. 6th, Lt. Col. Marinus Willett conducted the sortie to relieve enemy pressure upon Gen. Nicholas Herkimer's militia, which had been ambushed in Oriskany's Forest. In 1758, the fort was erected to protect the Great Oneida Carrying Place from the French. In 1768, the famous Boundary Line Treaty was negotiated here, and in 1784, a treaty of peace with the Indians was made here.