New Permanent Exhibit, The Sullivan Expedition of 1779, at the Tioga Point Museum

Tioga Point Museum announces the opening of a new permanent exhibit entitled “The Sullivan Expedition of 1779.” The exhibit will open January 21, 2003 and be a permanent feature at the museum. The Sullivan Expedition of 1779 was a major influence in the settling of the Valley region.

The recurrent Indian raids by the Butler’s Rangers on the settlers in western New York and the valley of the Susquehanna, including the Wyoming Massacre and the battle at Cherry Valley, led to strong retaliatory measures in the summer of 1779. Acting under orders of Congress, George Washington instructed his army to destroy all Indian villages and crops belonging to the Five Nations and to drive the Iroquois Nation so far west that future raids would be impossible. John Sullivan was given the command of Major General in March of 1779 to carry out this task.

The plan of operations incorporated three core components. The plan relied on the movement and eventual meeting of three commanders and their troops. Major General John Sullivan with the main army of about 3500 men, 214 boats, 1200 packhorses and 1000 live cattle, was to march from Easton, Pennsylvania across the Pocono Plateau to Wyoming and then follow the Susquehanna River Valley northward to Tioga Point. The main army left Easton on June 18, 1779 and arrived at Tioga Point on August 11, 1779.

Brigadier General James Clinton with about 1500 men from the Mohawk Valley and 212 boats was to proceed to Otsego Lake and then descend the north branch of the Susquehanna to Tioga Point where he would join the main army. He was to be met along the way by Lt. Colonel Pawling with 200 men form the Hudson Valley. Clinton met up with the main army at Tioga Point on August 22, 1779 and was greeted with cheers by all and a 13-gun salute.

The combined force was then to proceed to the Genesee Valley region of New York where Colonel Daniel Brodhead would join them with 650 men from Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately Brodhead had left Fort Pitt with only one month’s supplies and had to turn back at Buck Tooth because of lack of shoes. He never met up with the main army. Once the entire force was combined, it was to proceed westward to attack and capture the British Fort Niagara.

Although Sullivan’s Army never made an attack on Fort Niagara, they succeeded in destroying many Iroquois towns and villages as well as their food supply. The Iroquois Nation was forced to depend on their British allies to feed them instead the other way around as intended. The Expedition achieved the goal of pushing the Iroquois nation back into Canada and hindering the ability of the British forces at Fort Niagara.

The new exhibit will focus on re-telling the story of the Sullivan Expedition including information on Fort Sullivan and objects used in Revolutionary war times. Also features are journal entries from Obadiah Gore Jr., who was a soldier that marched with Sullivan and eventually brought his family back to the Athens area to settle.

The Tioga Point Museum is open to the public on Tuesday and Thursday from Noon to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The museum is located on the second floor of the Spalding Memorial Library building at 724 South Main Street in Athens. There is handicap parking available in the rear of the side lot and the museum is handicap accessible via an elevator in the back of the building.