Courtesy oftheH.Lee White MaritimeMuseum THE ONEIDA CARRY The Britishneeded to keep theportage open to facilitate east-west travel to andfrom Oswego andtheGreat Lake’s theater ofconflict in men,money, andmaterials inthislocation was significant, and during theFrench andIndianWar. Theportage was vulnerable to “The Great “The in 1756andreplaced by Fort Wood Creek, andFort Williamswas located alongtheportage were of each endoftheportage initsdefense. Fort Bullwas destroyed replaced withthestronger Fort Craven. TheBritishinvestment land varying seasonallybetween French attack and Fort’s WilliamsandBull were constructed at Carrying Place,”Carrying was astretch of the OneidaCarry, Great or“The the entire Albany- Lake Ontario waterway. British fortifications Located between theeastward flowing Mohawk River andthe westward flowing Wood Creek this portage meant control of one andsixmiles.Control of Carrying Place” Carrying later Fort Stanwix was constructed initsdefense. primary concern.primary goods inrelatively shallow water. effective method of travel and could carry vast quantities of heavily intheMohawk Valley region asthey afforded amore boat, itsplural form isbateaux. Thesewatercraft were used the colonial andfurtrading period.Derived from French for used extensively throughout NorthAmerica, especiallyduring The bateau, ashallow flat-bottomed doublesidedboat, was THE BATEAU throughout thetheater ofconflict. actions onnotable locations offensive anddefensive military the menandmaterials inboth the earlyfurtrade, andtransported waterway ofwar. Itfacilitated American conflict asanecessary Lakes was usedinevery early and theHudsonRiver to the Great The east-west route from Albany WATERWAYS Connecting the Library ofCongress, Geography andMapDivision OF WAR