- Ichabod Alden
Ichabod Alden (
August 11 ,1739 -November 11 ,1778 ) was anAmerican Revolutionary War officer and commanding officer during theCherry Valley Massacre .The great-grandson of the Mayflower pilgrim
John Alden , Ichabod Alden was born inDuxbury, Massachusetts . Appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Plymouth militia regiment in 1775, Alden first saw action serving with the25th Continental Regiment during theSiege of Boston . Following his promotion to Colonel in November 1776, Alden was assigned to the7th Massachusetts Regiment stationed at the garrison ofCherry Valley, New York . Although commanding between 200 and 300 men, Alden's limited military experience and lack of knowledge regarding local Indian tactics or customs would prove to be a great disadvantage as in early November 1778, receiving a warning of an attack by local tribes, Alden made minimal preparations.On November 11, a combined force of 600 Indians led by
Joseph Brant and 200Tories known asButler's Rangers under Major Walter Butler launched a surprise attack after the capture of several of Alden's scouts. In the ensuing battle 30 people (including 16 soldiers) and 71 residents were captured as, during the fighting, Alden was killed in an attempt to reach the fort from a house on the outskirts of the fort. His executive officer, Lt. Col.William Stacy , was taken prisoner. The attack, retaliation for the defeat at theBattle of Oriskany , would later provoke an expedition against the local Indian population under Gen.John Sullivan in 1779.References
*McHenry, Robert. "Webster's American Military Biographies", Springfield, Mass.: G & C. Merriam Co., 1978.
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