<P> Burgoyne's plan called for the British Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger, commanding a force of eighteen hundred, to capture the Patriot Fort Schuyler (Fort Stanwix) at the head of the Mohawk Valley . The British besieged the fort . On August 6, 1777, a Patriot force of eight hundred men, commanded by Colonel Nicholas Herkimer, set out to relieve the Patriot garrison at the fort . Herkimer's strung - out Patriot column was ambushed near Oriskany by a force of Indians, Loyalist militia, and the Loyalist King's Royal Regiment of New York . The Patriots suffered heavy casualties in the ambush, and Herkimer was severely wounded . The dying Herkimer propped himself against a tree and continued to command his troops in a battle which saw very heavy losses on both sides . At one point, a column of Loyalists turned their green jackets inside out as a ruse, and got very close to Herkimer's men; this was followed by hand - to - hand fighting . The Indians finally fled, and the Loyalists retreated . </P> <P> Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum's detachment of Hessian mercenaries, accompanied by Loyalists, Indians and French Canadians, was sent by Burgoyne in the direction of Bennington, Vermont . Their mission was to seize supplies . On August 16, 1777, the British column was met by a large Patriot force under John Stark . In the ensuing battle, many of the Loyalist, French Canadian and Indian positions were quickly overrun, and the defenders fled or were captured . The Loyalist Queen's Loyal Rangers were shattered as a fighting force, with more than two hundred of their men killed, wounded or captured . The Germans eventually surrendered, (and a relief force was driven off) in what was a major Patriot victory . </P> <P> Burgoyne's invasion was now in serious trouble . His supplies were low, Loyalists were not rallying to the colors in the numbers expected, and a huge force of Patriots was gathering against him . At Saratoga, Loyalists, Indians and French Canadians acted as scouts and sharpshooters for the British, but the fighting ended with a decisive defeat for the royal cause--the surrender of Burgoyne and his army on October 17, 1777 . </P> <P> The British general Guy Carleton, impressed by the ambush at Oriskany, authorized John Butler to raise eight more companies of Loyalist Rangers, "to serve with the Indians, as occasion shall require". This unit was Butler's Rangers . Butler's headquarters were established at Fort Niagara . This gave the Loyalists access to the river valleys of northern New York . </P>

Loyalists who did not leave the country were quickly