A French raid destroyed Fort Bull and its powder magazines, disrupting British supply routes between Albany and Lake Ontario early in the French and Indian War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 27 March 1756
- French commander
- Lt. Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry
- Approach distance
- 100 yards from the fort before charging
- Outcome
- Fort burned to the ground; powder magazines destroyed
- Conflict
- French and Indian War (Seven Years' War)
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Fort Bull was constructed to guard the waterway linking Albany, New York to Lake Ontario via the Mohawk River, making it a strategically important British position. French forces under Lt. de Léry sought to sever this supply and communication corridor early in the French and Indian War by targeting the fort.
On 27 March 1756, Lt. de Léry led a mixed force of Troupes de la Marine, Canadian militia, and Indian allies in a surprise assault on Fort Bull. The attackers crept to within 100 yards under tree cover, then charged with bayonets, forcing the gate, overwhelming the garrison, and killing the defenders. The fort was subsequently looted and its powder magazines set ablaze.
Fort Bull was burned to the ground, eliminating it as a British defensive post and destroying its powder stores. The destruction of the fort and its magazines severely disrupted British logistics along the vital Mohawk River corridor connecting Albany to Lake Ontario during the early stages of the conflict.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry.
Side B
1 belligerent