Southeast Bastion & Bombproof

The rooms inside the fort hold many interesting objects and stories.

National Park Service

The southeast bastion of the fort served a critical purpose during the Siege of 1777. This is the location that the garrison signaled to the Tryon County Militia under the command of Nicholas Herkimer, that they were prepared to assist their compatriots in their trek to the beleagured fort.

From the Journal of Lieutenant William Colbrath of the 3^rd NY Regiment:
August 6, 1777 [The day of the Battle of Oriskany]
Being uneasy lest the Tories should report that the enemy had taken the fort, Lieutenant Diefendorf was ordered to get ready to set off for Albany this evening to inform General Schuyler of our situation, but between 9 and 10 o'clock this morning three militiamen arrived here with a letter from General Harkeman wherein he writes that he had arrived at Orisco with 1000 militia in order to relieve the garrison and open communication, which was then entirely blocked up, and that if the colonel should hear a firing of small arms, desired he would send a party from the garrison to reinforce him. General Harkeman desired that the colonel would fire three cannon, if the three men got safe into the fort with this letter, which was done and followed by three cheers by the whole garrison…

The fort's bakery (not reconstructed) was located in the bombproof under this bastion, and the chimney top in the middle of the bastion has been reconstructed to reflect this. Bread was a mainstay of the soldier's ration, and each soldier was to receive one pound of bread or flour per day in addition to their one pound meat ration. Like many other features of the fort, this bastion not only served as a defense, but as a way for the soldiers to get to the Necessary House, or restroom. Linked by a bridge from the rectangular cut-out in the wall, the Necessary was over a stream which washed the waste away from the garrison. 

From the Orderly Book of the 1^st NY Regiment:
Fort Schuyler 1^st September 1779
G:O   
....in order to prevent any more Disputes about the Flower that may be over in the Bake house the Col. Orders and Directs that the command ing off^r of each Comp^y in the Garrison be Allowed to purchis 25^lb of the Bakers of Flower or Bread per Week over His & the Compy^sWeekly Allowance & no more & that the Bakers do not Dispose of a single lb more to any parson or parsons except it be to such family as shall be Directed them in and about the garrison by the Commanding off^r this to be Considered as a Standing Order...


Archeologists excavate the remains of a bakehouse within the walls of the southeast corner of the fort.

National Park Service