Fort Edward

On July 30, 1777, Native Americans captured two local women, Mrs. McNeil and Jane McCrea, in the town of Fort Edward, New York. After being attacked by the local militia, the Native Americans split into two groups, each taking one of the women. Mrs. McNeil managed to escape to Lieutenant General John Burgoyne’s nearby encampment, but Jane McCrea was killed and thrown into a ravine. Her death became an effective propaganda tactic throughout the colonies, encouraging more Americans to join the Continental Army.

A historical marker for Jane McCrea is located along US 4 in Fort Edward, New York, commemorating her original burial site. Today, she is buried in nearby Union Cemetery in Fort Edward. The site of the original Fort Edwards, constructed during the French and Indian War and dismantled before the American Revolution, is marked by a commemorative boulder along Old Fort Street in the town.