Leonard Ackler

Farmer; enlisted at age 16 in brother Capt.Henry Eckler's Tryon Co. Militia Company at "the Chyle". Fought with this unit in August 1777 in the Revolutionary War Battle of Oriskany Creek, the battle in which Gen.Herkimer was mortally wounded. Later served with Capt.Bighead at Fort Herkimer and Capt. Putnam at Fort Stanwix, both in Col.Harper's New York Regiment. While at Fort Stanwix, the outpost of the colonists, Leonard was sent out on 23 Oct 1780 in a party of about 50 soldiers to destroy British boats on Lake Oneida. His party was ambushed by Indians and turned over to the Brits. He was sent to Lachine, a Canadian prison near Montreal, and later to Buck's Island. In both prisons, he was pressed into service doing "publick works" (how ironic!) rebuilding fortifications, etc. He was released on 21 May 1783 and came home by way of Oswego Lake. He eventually moved in c.1790 to the township of Columbia, where he was a farmer. He was appointed overseer of highways in 1814, 1817, and 1820. He applied for and was granted a pension for his Revolutionary War service ($80 per year). His records are microfilmed in the National Archives (I have copies of many of the documents in that file). "Lenet" Eckler is listed as an enlisted man in the Tryon Co.Militia in "New York in the Revolution as Colony and State" ,compiled by the Comptroller, Jas.A.Roberts, in 1897 (E 263 N6N44), and, as Leonard Eckler, listed as an Amer. P.O.W. in a 1901 supplement (E 263 N6N443).