In the scenic Hudson River valley, the village of Fort Edward in Washington County, New York, holds one of the Revolutionary War era’s most enduring stories. The tale of Jane McCrea has long resonated in American folklore – but as with many legends, the reality is much more complex.

Read on to discover the hidden history of Jane McCrea, the impact of her death on our nation, and how the Old Fort House Museum preserves and interprets the myth vs. the truth of what really happened in July 1777.

Born around 1752 in Lamington (Bedminster), New Jersey, Jane McCrea was of Scots‐Irish descent. She went on to become engaged to Lieutenant David Jones, a Loyalist officer serving with the British expedition under John Burgoyne during the 1777 campaign to split the colonies along the Hudson River.

In July 1777, as Burgoyne’s troops moved south from Canada, Jane was staying near Fort Edward at the home of Mrs. Sarah McNeil, a relative of a British officer. On the morning of July 27, a band of Native warriors allied with the British reportedly abducted Jane. The events that followed have inspired commentary, debate, and myth-making ever since.

Want to learn more about Washington County, NY’s direct ties to the Revolution? Read up on Burgoyne’s 1777 Saratoga campaign, the wartime hospital at Rogers Island or the Battle of Fort Ann.

The traditional story holds that Jane, dressed in her wedding finery, was abducted from Mrs. McNeil’s home, mounted on a horse by a Native warrior, and then killed by a tomahawk in a quarrel over a bounty. Yet the most famous (and gruesome) detail? After her death, Jane McCrea was scalped. Supposedly, this was how her fiance realized she’d been killed – when the ‘scalp bounty’ was presented to the British army for a reward.

However, historians have since challenged this simplified narrative. Some documentary evidence suggests she may have been struck by a stray musket ball fired by retreating American troops rather than a tomahawk blow. To this day, the exact circumstances remain unclear. What is certain, though, is that her death became a galvanizing symbol for Patriot sentiment. According to municipal history of Fort Edward:

“With the tragic murder of Jane McCrea, many area settlers took up arms against the British and helped to cause Burgoyne’s defeat in Saratoga.”

In short: the legend has been simplified for dramatic effect, but the underlying event (a young woman’s death amid the chaos of the Saratoga campaign) was real, and was the root of major discussions taking place throughout the young colonies.

Naturally, the Old Fort House Museum in Fort Edward is central to preserving this layered story. The house itself was built in 1772 from timbers salvaged from the earlier fort site. Though not the direct site of Jane’s death, the museum offers context to the modern-day visitor: the military history of the region, the interplay of colonists, Native allies, Loyalists, and Patriots, and a local perspective on a national story.

Within the museum campus, you’ll find multiple historic structures, including the Old Fort House, a one-room schoolhouse, a law office, exhibits on Native Americans and local militia, and more. In addition, the museum’s educational programs specifically mention Jane McCrea among their offerings, as well as Native Americans, Solomon Northup and other topics focusing on local history. Ultimately, a visit to the museum enables you to place her story in a larger framework: a frontier war zone, shifting alliances, propaganda, memory.

Why Jane McCrea’s Story Still Matters

Why so much focus on one woman? Because her life story was elevated beyond the truth and into a legend, leaving an outsized impact on the world. From the Revolution to the present day, Jane McCrea left her mark in many ways, including:

• Catalyst for Saratoga: Her death gave fuel to Patriot outrage and recruitment, contributing to the larger defeat of Burgoyne, which was a major turning point in the Revolution.
• Folklore & Memory: The tale was widely circulated in the colonies, set to verse and song, and became part of the national mythos.
• Complexity of War: Her story highlights the blurred lines between combatants, civilians, Native allies, and refugees during the Revolutionary era.
  
• Local History Tourism: For communities like Fort Edward, the story anchors heritage tourism, connecting visitors to our nation’s narrative through historic sites.

Want to pay your respects to Jane’s final resting place? The Union Cemetery in Fort Edward is home to the grave sites of Jane McCrea, Sarah McNeil and Duncan Campbell, a soldier wounded at Fort Ticonderoga who became famous for his ‘ghost story’.

• Multiple burials and exhumations: Jane’s remains were moved multiple times and were subject to grave-robbery.
• Native perspective: The story is often told from Patriot vantage; less frequently addressed is the experience of Native allies, Loyalists, and local settlers.
• Propaganda: Her death was used as anti-British propaganda, raising questions about how much of the narrative is fact, how much is motivation.
• Site ambiguity: While there is a monument marking the general spot of her death near Broadway in Fort Edward, the exact location remains uncertain.

All in all, the story of what happened to Jane McCrea in Fort Edward is more than a dramatic footnote of the Revolutionary War. It’s a lens through which we can view colonial New York, the British Saratoga campaign, war’s impact on civilians, and how memory becomes myth.

For visitors to Washington County and Fort Edward, the Old Fort House Museum offers a rich, grounded experience that goes beyond the surface of the tale. Whether you’re a history traveler, school group, or heritage enthusiast, exploring this story here provides a meaningful connection to American history.

Next time you’re in Washington County, plan a stop in Fort Edward. Walk the grounds, visit the museum, and reflect on how one young woman’s fate helped alter the course of a nation.