The military records from the Revolutionary War are the most compelling evidence showing there was a relationship between Christopher Stark, Jr. and his probable sons, Asahel, William, Nathan, and John. The Mohawk River Valley was the scene of many skirmishes between New York Regiments and British Loyalist and their Indian Allies.

After the British captured New York City and Long Island early in the Revolutionary War, they developed a strategy to divide the Colonies by capturing the Hudson River Valley in 1777. However, battles won by General John Stark of New Hampshire [No Relation to our family] at Saratoga, New York and Bennington, Vermont, changed the course of the War for both the British and the Colony of New York.

The British then developed a plan to attack communities along the Colonial Frontiers, using Indian Allies and Tory Loyalist, which would pressure the Army of Washington to send his Line Regiments to the frontiers to protect the citizens. One of the first actions which was a result of this strategy was the Wyoming Valley Massacre of July 3, 1778. In November, Tory Captain Walter Butler, brother of the notorious Tory Colonel John Butler of the Wyoming Valley Massacre, attacked communities in the Cherry Valley, about 50 miles west of Albany, New York with similar results. These two incidents pressured the Continental Congress to take measures to protect citizens living on the Colonial frontiers. However, General Washington could not and did not immediately send troops to these regions. Their protection fell on the local Militia and more permanent Levies Regiments which would be called out many times over the course of the next four years. Our ancestors would be participants, especially those living in and around Albany County.

In the spring of 1779, steps were taken by the New York State Legislature to provide a force of one thousand men to protect the frontier. These men were drafted from the New York Militia Regiment "Classes" of fifteen men as defined by the April 1, 1778 act discussed in the above "Introduction." The men drafted were to continue in the service until the following January and were to be allowed the same pay and rations as the Continental army. While this force of men was slowly being gathered, the Continental Congress, realizing the seriousness of the situation, decided to also address the problem and ordered General Washington to begin a campaign aimed at not only checking the raids, but that would bring total destruction and devastation on the settlements of the raiders and capture as many of the enemy as possible. This task was given to General Sullivan, who was to proceed with a Division of 2,500 men to the Wyoming Valley from Eastern Pennsylvania and attack north up the Susquehanna River. From the North, General James Clinton, brother of Governor George Clinton of New York, with a force of 1,600 men, was to proceed south down the Susquehanna River from Lake Otsego, just south of the Mohawk River, joining up with Sullivan at Tioga Point. Otsego Lake is located about 50 miles west of present day Albany, New York.

General Clinton's men, under the direction of Henry Glen, began to prepare and assemble at Schenectady the necessary provisions and stores in anticipation of the arrival of Clinton's division. Schenectady was chosen for the preparations rather than Canajoharie [Located on the Mohawk River just 15 miles from the North shore of Lake Otsego] because there were no proper storehouses at the latter place and further because it was felt that at Schenectady there would be less likelihood of there being an attack on the part of the enemy. On May 28th, General Clinton reported to Washington that a quantity of provision had been successfully collected, and further that there were one hundred batteaux [Boats] assembled ready to be loaded on the shortest notice. [Letter from James Clinton to Washington from Albany, dated May 28, 1779. Source Washington Papers, Library of Congress.]

On June 15, General Clinton reported that the one hundred boats at Schenectady had been loaded and were already on their way up the Mohawk. "I have ordered one hundred more boats to be had in readiness immediately," continues the report, "as the Genl. has ordered me to embark all the Troops, and take no P. Horses."

Under the direction of the Schenectady County, New York Committee of Safety and under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Yates, many of the Schenectady militia and volunteers were employed in the embarkation of Clinton's brigade. Some of these men voluntarily accompanied the division on its march to join Sullivan, assisted in cutting the road through to Otsego Lake, and assisted in the erection of the dam necessary to transfer the batteaux to the Susquehanna River. Captain Garret Putman with a few men from the Third Battalion of the Tryon County Militia joined General Clinton as volunteers under Colonel John Harper and shortly afterwards Captain Putman was appointed second in command of the volunteers. They were involved in all the skirmishes and the Battle of Newtown which was fought on August 29th. of 1779 [From the Publication by James F. Morrison titled, "A Brief History of the Third Battalion."] [Colonel John Harper commanded a regiment of New York Levies, probably consisting of many men selected in the 1,000 man New York draft described above.]

Sullivan's campaign began in July of 1779, preparations having begun in April and May and completed by June of 1779, and was concluded by September of 1779. Most of the campaign objectives were accomplished. However, scarcely had Sullivan returned when reports of murders committed by roving bands of Indians were reported to the authorities in Albany, and on October 25, 1779, Colonel Van Dyck, writing from Fort Schuyler [Near present day Rome, New York on the Mohawk River. Was also known as Fort Stanwix before being renamed Fort Schuyler. Many RV pension applications use both names ], reported a plan of the "Regulars" to lay siege to that post while their Indian allies were, in the meantime , destroying "the Country down as far as Schenectady." While the reported plan did not mature, sufficient alarm was caused to warrant the militia being kept almost constantly on duty during the fall of 1779, with men from Colonel Wemple's regiment forming part of the garrison of many of the forts to the westward and acting as guards for the farmers in the vicinity while they gathered their harvests. [Source 1:Public Papers of George Clinton, Volume V, pages 330 & 365. Source 2: Pension Office Records; Daniel McMichael, S 13885; Richard Van Vranken, S 11623; Matthew DeGarmo, S 23599; Gerrit Schermerhorn, S 14422; John DeGraff, S 15090; George Passage, R 7889.]

In February of 1780, hostilities in the Mohawk Valley began again when a small band of the enemy attacked German Flats, a settlement to the north of Palatine in March and another attack of a raid by Brant's men on Harperfield in April.

Although the raids were minor, they reinforced rumors along the frontier of larger Raids to come. At this point, the settlers provisions were becoming low to sustain themselves, must less the Militia units. Depreciation of the Continental currency was also making it difficult to supply the garrisons on the frontier, which, by May, 1780, was making conditions on the frontier almost impossible for the Citizens and Troops sent to protect them. Settlements were being abandoned causing Colonel Van Schaick to express fear that Schenectady would probably soon be the western frontier unless some speedy and effectual measures were taken to inspire the despondent people with confidence. [Colonel Van Schaick's letter to Governor George Clinton, May 17, 1780. Public Papers of George Clinton, Vol. V, page 715. He expressed the same view to General Washington a few days later. Washington Papers, Library of Congress.]

On the morning of May 22, 1780, Sir John Johnson struck on the Mohawk River at Tribes Hill [Near Present day Fonda, New York. During the Revolutionary War it was known as Caughnawaga.] with a large force of Indians and whites. From Tribes Hill, he proceeded westward "burning the Houses and Barns of the Inhabitants and putting to Death every Male capable of bearing arms."  "Collo. Fisher is mortally wounded," reported Colonel John Harper from Johnstown on the same day, "and his two Brothers killed, [and] old Mr. Douw Fonda with seven others." [Public Papers of George Clinton, V, 743]

The Schenectady Militia under Colonel Wemple "on the first alarm" began it's march to the area but was forced to turn back because of a lack of provisions. They then pulled back to Johnstown and joined the troops at Fort Hunter [Located about nine miles southeast from Johnstown on the east side of Scholarie Creek where it enters the Mohawk River.] under the command of Colonel John Harper's Regiment of Levies and others under Colonek Volkert Vedder making up a total force of 450 men, ready to engage Sir John if he decided to carry the attack further east towards Schenectady. Although Sir John' force outnumbered the American troops by two to one, he chose to withdraw to the safety of Canada, eluding troops sent to intercept him by Governor George Clinton.

Many Tories had joined Sir John Johnson during his raid, and after his withdrawal, many small bands from Albany and Tryon counties left to join the enemy. One large party began to assemble at Beaverdam, as was reported to the Schenectady Committee on July 18, 1780. Troops were called out, but the main body of these men was warned and succeeded in escaping.

Late in the moth of July, Joseph Brant and his troops appeared at Fort Schuyler [Also called Fort Stanwix], as if to launch an attack. However, this was most likely an attempt to draw forces further west from the actual British Objective. On August 2, 1780, the enemy attacked Canajoharie, located fifty miles east of Fort Schuyler on the Mohawk River, as Brant withdrew from Fort Schuyler. This force had advanced to this position near Canajoharie by moving up the Unadilla and Susquehanna Rivers.

"Such a Scean as we beheld since we left the River," reads another section of the report, "passing dead Bodies of Men & Children most cruelly murdered, is not possible to be described. I cannot ascertain at present the Number of poor Inhabitants killed and missing but believe the Loss considerable as the People were all at work in the Fields... Some Persons pretend to say not less than one hundred dwelling House are burnt." [Quoted from the Willis T. Hanson, Jr. Text]

On August 21, 1780 Colonel Goose Van Schaick, writing to General Washington from Albany, confirmed the details of the withdrawal of Brant from Fort Schuyler and of the attack on Canajoharie. "From thence," continued the letter, "they returned towards the Susquehanna, & in a few days after made a Descent on Schohary; here they burnt twelve Houses, & have by information taken and killed a larger number of the Inhabitants than at the former place, & it is expected the remainder of Schohary will share the same fate. The Indians are seen daily in small parties, & take prisoners & Scalps, Schenectady is threatened & the Inhabitants are moving their effects to Albany with all dispatch seeing no appearance of support, & numbers going off to the enemy daily." [Washington Papers, Library of Congress.] [Quoted from the Willis T. Hanson, Jr. Text]

In England, Riverton's Royal Gazette told of the successful progress of the expedition. "The Indians have laid waste the whole country," reads its issue of September 23, 1780, "the Tory houses excepted, down to Schenectady, where some rebels are at work throwing up works to oppose the progress of the British troops and our Indian allies. The rebel women and children have retired to Albany." [Franklin B. Hough, The Northern Invasion of October, 1780, p. 81.] [Quoted from the Willis T. Hanson, Jr. Text]

Towards the end of August, 1780, Albany received reports Sir John Johnson, with 2,000 men, was poised to strike Stone Arabia, located between Fort Schuyler and present day Oneida, New York. On this news and reports from his scouts, General Van Rensselaer moved his headquarters to Schenectady. On October 12, 1780 word reached Albany that on the eighth Sir John Johnson, Butler and Brant were leading attacks from the west while from the north came reports that a second expedition under Major Christopher Carleton had already taken possession of Fort Ann and that Fort George was threatened. [North of Albany] [Public Papers of George Clinton, VI, 288.]

On the night of October 16, 1780, the settlement of Ballston was attacked. The enemy, which comprised a detachment from Major Carleton's division, consisted of British regulars, Tories and Indians and was under the command of Major John Munro, a former merchant of Schenectady. It is believed that the original intention of the enemy was to surprise Schenectady but that possibly due to some information obtained through their scouts they decided to proceed no further than Ballston.

Meanwhile, Sir John Johnson was approaching Scoharie from the west at about the same time Munro was leading a raid on Ballston. Sir John began his attacks on a place called the Upper Fort, located near present day Middleburg, New York, proceeded to by pass the Middle Fort after a short attempt to get them to surrender, and then, burning and pillaging as they went, camped six miles below the Lower Fort, which they by passed without attacking.

On October 17, 1780, word reached General Van Rensselaer in Albany of the attack of Sir John and he proceeded to Schenectady with any troops he could rally to the cause. On October 18, Van Rensselaer left Schenectady and proceeded up the Mohawk Valley. On the morning of October 19, Colonel Brown, commander of Fort Kayser, left the post with 130 men to join Van Rensselaer but was surprised by Sir John' forces, and outnumbered seven to one, disastrously defeated. [Fort Kayser was to the north of Palatine Bridge.] [Note It is believed during these actions by the troops of Sir John, Capt. Seth Sherwood, Capt. Harper, and Nathan Stark were taken prisoner]

General Van Rensselaer was apprised of the enemy's whereabouts and of the defeat of Colonel Brown by fugitive soldiers who had succeeded in making their escape from the field, and in the afternoon, overtaking the enemy, he forced the engagement known as the battle of Klock's Field. That Sir John and his forces were permitted to escape has always been a matter of regret, and although General Van Rensselaer has been severely blamed for his failure to at once follow up the advantage gained, the Court of Inquiry convened for the purpose of investigating his action not only wholly exonerated him, but declared that his conduct "was not only unexceptional, but such as became a good, active, faithful, prudent and spirited officer." [Quoted from the text by Willis T. Hanson, Jr.]

There were many more minor raids and by spring of 1781, there was wide spread discouragement and apprehension among the population. Furnishing supplies to the many Forts along the Mohawk River was becoming increasingly more difficult causing many desertions, public credit for good and supplies was at an end, and the Tories numbers were increasing. The area was a prime target for invasion with the militia low on both arms and ammunition.

There were minor skirmishes with small Indian raiding parties throughout the spring of 1781and rumors of larger attacks, which, by June of 1781, did not materialize. In June, Colonel Marinus Willett took over command of the troops raised for the defense of the frontiers and with wisdom and skill, justified the confidence placed in him, for the lower park of the Mohawk Valley was practically free of large scale incursions by the enemy and the frontier areas further west on the Mohawk River only experienced small scale raids due to his aggressive engagement with these small raiding parties. [Lt. Christopher Stark and Asahel Stark were probably called out from August 1 to August 4, serving in Captain William Shepard's Company, assigned for this period of time to Col. Cornelius Douty's Regiment of Foot, State of Vermont. The Pay Roll referred to this as, "the alarm at Saratoga."]

Late in October, 1781, the enemy again appeared in force in the valley under Major Ross with about 450 Indians, Regulars, and Tories, advancing through the Cherry Valley to the Mohawk Valley. This force attacked Warren's Bush located about 20 miles east of Fort Rensselaer. Immediately upon receipt of the news of the raid, Colonel Willett dispatched messengers down the Valley asking the militia to join him, while he himself at once set out in pursuit of the enemy with what forces he could collect.

After the engagement at Warren's Bush, Major Ross retired to Johnstown and here on October 25, 1781, Colonel Willett forced an engagement, causing the enemy to retreat. On the evening of the twenty-eighth, having been reinforced by a band of Oneidas Indians and the militia, which included a detachment from Schenectady under Captain Jellis Fonda, Colonel Willett started in pursuit of the raiders, subsequently attacking a detail of them on West Canada Creek, killing several, among whom was the notorious Captain Walter Butler. The news of the death of Butler was received in Schenectady with great rejoicing. The Whigs illuminated their houses and the Tories, under threat of being mobbed, were forced to do likewise. With the expedition under Major Ross chased back to Canada, operations on the frontier ended when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, ending the Hostilities.

As will be shown in the next pages, Christopher, Asahel, William, Nathan, and John surely were participants in some of the actions described above. There participation, suggested by there military documents, clearly shows there was a family named Stark living east of Albany, perhaps even in Vermont, although the evidence to be presented seems to suggest they lived on the New York side of the Hudson River.

One final event occurred in December of 1781 and January of 1782. The issues that had existed before the war in the New Hampshire Grants located around Bennington, Vermont, resulted in dissention in the Militia Ranks with the possibility of hostilities being renewed between the people of the Vermont Grants and New York. There was an insurrection among the militia in the areas around Bennington and New York Militia Units drawn from Batten Kill and Hoosick, the area around which it is believed our ancestors were residents. On December 1, 1781, the disagreement became so intense that an insurrection broke out in the regiments of Colonels John and Henry K. Van Rensselaer. The Regiment of Colonel Peter Yates also became divided over the issue, with residents from Batten Kill and Hoosick taking sides with the people of the Grants.

According to the 1850 publication, "Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution", Volume I, Chapter XVII, by Benson J. Lossing; "The insurgent regiments belonged to General Gansevoort’s brigade. He heard of the defection on the 5th, and immediately directed Colonels Yates, Van Vechten, and Henry K. Van Rensselaer, whose regiments were the least tainted, to collect such troops as they could, and march to St. Coych, to quell the insurrection. An express was sent to Governor Clinton, at Poughkeepsie, who readily perceived that the movement had its origin among the people of the Grants. With his usual promptness, he ordered the brigade of General Robert Van Rensselaer to the assistance of Gansevoort, and gave the latter all necessary latitude in raising troops for the exigency. Gansevoort repaired to Saratoga, and solicited troops and a field piece from General Stark, who was stationed there. The latter declined compliance, on the plea that his troops were too poorly clad to leave their quarters at that season, and also that he thought it improper to interfere without an order from General Heath, his superior. Governor Chittenden, of the Grants, had just addressed a letter to Stark, requesting him not to interfere; and, as his sympathies were with the Vermonters, that was doubtless the true cause of his withholding aid from Gansevoort. The latter, with what volunteers he could raise, pushed on to St. Coych, where he discovered a motley force of about five hundred men, advancing to sustain the insurgent militia. Having only eighty men with him, Gansevoort retired about five miles, and attempted to open a correspondence with the leaders of the rebellion. He was unsuccessful, and the rebels remained undisturbed. Early in January following [1782], Washington wrote a calm and powerful letter to Governor Chittenden, which had great effect in quelling disturbances there, and no serious consequences grew out of the movement."

As we will see, Christopher, Asahel, and William served in the regiments of Colonel John Van Rensselaer and Peter Yates.