Exploring the Battle of Fort Bull (1756) Lecture | 5 March

Program: As Not to Be Discovered: Exploring the Battle of Fort Bull (1756)

Fort Bull was a British fortification built during the French and Indian War/Seven Years War to secure the Oneida Carrying Place, located between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek in present-day New York State. In 1756, a mixed force of French and Canadian troops, along with their Native American allies, marched for two weeks overland from Fort de La Présentation, situated along the St. Lawrence River, to attack the British supply line at the Oneida Carrying Place. This successful attack significantly hindered the British efforts in North America by depriving them of vital supplies needed for offensive operations on the Lake Ontario and undermining their plans for dominance.

Presenter: Arthur L. Simmons III

For over 14 years, Arthur L. Simmons III has conducted extensive research on the North American French and Indian War, specifically focusing on the role of the Oneida Carrying Place during this conflict. He currently serves as a consulting historian for the Public Archaeology Facility at Binghamton University (NY), supporting the ongoing study of the Battle of Fort Bull through an American Battlefield Protection Program Grant. Mr. Simmons previously served as the Executive Director of the Rome Historical Society (NY), where he managed a museum, research library, auditorium, and three historic sites, including the Society’s Fort Bull/Fort Wood Creek property. He has conducted lectures and battlefield tours of many French and Indian War as well as Revolutionary War sites throughout New York’s Mohawk Valley and Lake Ontario region.