La più grande avventura

The battle so vividly described by Gil Martin (Henry Fonda) is the bloody Battle of Oriskany, which had one of the highest casualty rates of any battle in the war. It took place on August 6, 1777, and involved only North American troops--Tory, Patriot and Indian--and was part of what became the overall Battle of Saratoga, as the Tory and Indian troops were commanded by a subordinate of Gen. "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne. Gen. Nicholas Herkimer, who was wounded in the battle, did not receive adequate medical attention. His leg became infected and he died ten days later from blood loss after amputation on August 16. He was 49. Despite Gil's claim that the colonials gave them a "licking," the Tories and Indians suffered only 150 casualties while the Patriots sustained 450.

The real William Caldwell was not killed in the Mohawk Valley assault on the fort as suggested by the film, but lived to fight on the British side during the War of 1812.

Opening credits prologue: 1776 AT THE BORST HOME IN ALBANY, NEW YORK

Edited into March On, America! (1942)