Colonel Brodhead's Campaign Along the Alleghany River

On August 11th, 1779 a force of 605 men were lead out of Fort Pitt near modern day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Colonel Daniel Brodhead IV to destroy Native American villages along the Alleghany River in Northwest Pennsylvania and Southwest New York.

This campaign was a parallel to Major General Sullivan’s march through Northern Central Pennsylvania into Central New York, and, if possible, would meet with Major General Sullivan’s main force at Chenussio at modern day Geneseo, NY to assist with the siege, capture or destruction of Fort Niagara.

Colonel Brodhead and his men worked their way Northward along the Alleghany River destroying villages as they moved. These villages were largely deserted and the only skirmish that occurred during the march took place about 5 miles South of modern day Irvine, Pennsylvania when an advance party of Colonel Brodhead’s party encountered 30 to 40 Natives and the skirmish broke out. After several members of both sides were killed the ambushing party scattered and fled back North along the Alleghany River.

Brodhead’s Campaign continued North until it reached modern day Salamanca, New York before it turned back and returned to Fort Pitt. In all Brodhead’s Campaign lasted 35 days, traveled around 400 miles and destroyed 10 villages.