Lafayette's Impossible Escape: The Battle of Barren Hill
About this episode
This episode explores the Battle of Barren Hill, focusing on Lafayette's escape from British forces and the role of the Oneida warriors.
On the night of May 19, 1778, 16,000 British soldiers marched through the dark to crush just 2,000 rebels. Their target was the 20-year-old Marquis de Lafayette, and their trap was perfect: the Americans were surrounded on three sides with a raging river at their back. In this episode of History Distilled, we break down the Battle of Barren Hill—a near-disaster that could have ended the American Revolution before the summer began. General James Grant had sworn to send the "Boy General" back to France in chains, but he underestimated Lafayette’s coolness under fire. Discover the bravery of the Oneida warriors, the secret "sunken road" that offered a lifeline, and the tactical brilliance that allowed an entire army to vanish in plain sight. Support History Distilled on Patreon: We are excited to announce the launch of the official History Distilled Patreon! If you want to dive deeper into the tactics, you can now download the detailed battle map from today's video and read the full episode script. Join the ranks at: patreon.com/HistoryDistilled In this video: * The British plan to entrap Lafayette * The crucial role of the Oneida warriors * The "Sunken Road" escape route * How the…
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