Minisink Battlefield Park

A “Ghost Walk” with John Conway

I recently had the opportunity to join Sullivan County Historian, John Conway on a “ghost walk” along the trails of the Minisink Battleground Park in Highland, NY. Nearly seventy-five people joined the late October hike. The Battle of Minisink was the only major skirmish of the Revolutionary War in the northern Delaware Valley.

Fought on July 22, 1779, the skirmish was between a hastily assembled local militia and a group of Tories and Iroquois fighting for the British under the command of Joseph Brant, a Mohawk war chief and a Captain in the British Army. The Battle of Minisink was fought in response to a series of raids along the Delaware River in both New York and Pennsylvania by British forces.

The battle ended up becoming a slaughter as 48 colonists were killed in the fighting and gave the British a decisive victory in the woods above the Delaware River. The “ghostwalk” indicated residual energy resulting in the traumatic and untimely deaths of those involved.

On July 21, 1779, after an alarm had gone out, two groups of militia led by Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin and Major Samuel Meeker met in Mahackamack (Port Jervis). They began to follow Brant up the Delaware River with the intent to ambush him and to recover some of the horses, cattle and personal items his group had taken.

Later that day, riders from Peenpack reached the village of Goshen, telling of Brant’s raid and the destruction of the town. A militia formed immediately, under the reluctant command of Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Tusten.

Tusten was strongly opposed to pursuing the raiders, as he knew they would be no match for the British and Iroquois soldiers, and he suggested waiting for reinforcements from the Continental Army.

However, the majority of the public and the militia underestimated the fighting ability of the Iroquois and demanded immediate retribution. Outvoted, Tusten agreed to set out the following morning.

Colonel John Hathorn’s Fourth Orange County Regiment militia unit met up with Meeker and Tusten’s units somewhere near Sparrowbush, New York and joined forces. Hathorn assumed command and marched for the Delaware River with a force of about 120 militiamen.

Following hours of conflict, Brant’s forces prevailed and it was a decisive victory for the British forces. Approximately forty-five members of the regiment perished in the battle, including Tusten and many others from the Goshen militia. Due to numerous factors, the Village of Goshen was unable to retrieve and bury its dead until 43 years after the battle.

For more information visit https://sullivanny.gov/Departments/ParksRecreation/Minisink

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