HistoricSiteMarkers
American Revolution

Frederick Crounse

Town of Guilderland, Albany County, New York

Marker Inscription

Farm of Frederick Crounse Officer 3D Albany Co. Militia in Revolution. Carried food to Army Battle of Saratoga. Buried Here

The Story

Frederick Crounse was a local farmer who served as an officer in the 3rd Albany County Militia during the American Revolution, when the settlers of the Mohawk and Hudson valleys were pulled into one of the war's decisive campaigns. In the autumn of 1777, American forces converged on Saratoga to halt General Burgoyne's advance from Canada, and civilians and militiamen like Crounse kept the army fed and supplied through the long fight. This marker stands on his farm in Guilderland, where he was laid to rest, tying an ordinary working landscape to a battle that changed the course of the Revolution.

Why it matters

The victory at Saratoga convinced France to enter the war as an American ally, and it was sustained by countless local militiamen and suppliers like Crounse whose names rarely reach the history books.

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Related people

  • · Frederick Crounse

Related events

  • · Battle of Saratoga
  • · American Revolution

Themes & tags

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