History at the Old Stone Fort - Bellinger’s Letter and Bowie Knife

Letter from Colonel Peter Bellinger, 1779

This letter concerns several soldiers who swore under oath that they continued to suffer from wounds received during a battle near Fort Schuyler in August 1777. It was written by Colonel Peter Bellinger on January 6, 1779, at Fort Dayton, located in present-day Herkimer, New

York.

During the American Revolution, Bellinger commanded the 4th Regiment of the Tryon County Militia and played an important role in defending the Mohawk Valley frontier.

Civil War “Bowie” Knife

This knife was carried by Samuel Steinhover of Company I, 16th New York Heavy Artillery. Steinhover enlisted in the Union Army on January 8, 1864, at the age of 17.

Although not a regulation military sidearm, many soldiers carried large knives for use as tools and weapons. These knives were commonly known as “Bowie knives,” named after the famed frontiersman Jim Bowie, who fought at the Battle of the Alamo and was known for carrying a distinctive large hunting knife.