Hospital Rock
Revolutionary War Heritage Trail
Hospital Rock is the most historically significant place on the battleground. Once Brant’s men broke the Americans’ defensive square late in the afternoon, it was in the shadow of this rock that Lt. Col. Benjamin Tusten, a physician from Goshen, and seventeen wounded militiamen under his care, were trapped and killed by Brant’s Iroquois Native Americans and Tories. After the battle, Brant recrossed the Delaware River and proceeded to Oquaga. The militiamen who escaped the fate of Tusten made their way back to their homes.
Colonel Hathorn wrote of the end:
“The enemy who formed their whole strength and forced the North East part of our Lines . . . our people, not being able to support the lines retreating down the hill precipitously towards the river . . . The people this time were so scattered I found myself unequal to Rally them again, consequently every Man made a Choice of his own Way.”
Joseph Brant reported that he:
“ . . . pursued them, until they stopt upon a Rocky Hill, round which we were employed and very busy, near four hours before we cou’d drive them out. We have taken 40 odd scalps, and one Prisoner, a Captain. I suppose the Enemy have lost nearly half of their men and most of their Officers; they all belonged to the Militia & were about 150 in number.”
Marker can be reached from Minisink Battle Ground Road, on the left when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
