tract immediately to the west became the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. The west limit of most of the tract was Seneca Lake. Two Indian reservations were included in the Tract, for the Onondaga and Cayuga. All of the Cayuga and most of the Onondaga (including the City of Syracuse) were taken a few years later by New York State by treaties whose legality has been repeatedly challenged, since following the Trade and Intercourse Act of 1790 only the United States could conclude treaties with Indians. Timeline June 18, 1779: The Sullivan Campaign begins. On George Washington's orders, they commit acts described by some historians as genocide against the Haudenosaunee nation. More than 40 villages were destroyed, along with stores of winter crops. More than 5,000 Haudenosaunee people fled to Canada as refugees. March 20, 1781: New York legislature authorizes a military tract as part of law to raise its quota of regiments. October 19, 1781: Cornwallis surrenders, end of Revolutionary War. July 25, 1782: Approximate boundaries (to be surveyed) of original 25 townships established by NY legislature. September 3, 1783: Treaty of Paris: Peace settlement with Great Britain. September 12, 1788: Treaty of Fort Stanwix: the Onondaga Indian title to the land was extinguished, and the Onondaga Indian Reservation created. February 25, 1789: Treaty at Albany: the Cayuga Indian title to the land was extinguished, and the Cayuga Indian Reservation created. 1789: Military tract surveyed. July 3, 1790: Names given to the first 25 townships at a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office of New York, chairman Governor George Clinton. 1791: Lots drawn and assigned to settlers. 1791: Name given to Township 26 (Junius) by Commissioners. 1792: Name given to Township 27 (Galen) by Commissioners. 1795: Name given to Township 28 (Sterling) by Commissioners. 1799: Deadline to settle. References External links Names of Townships in the Military Tract History of The Military Tract Of Central NY American toponymy New York (state) in the American Revolution Former regions and territories of the United States Military operations in Syracuse, New York History of Syracuse, New York 1790s in New York (state) 1780s in New York (state) Central New York Veterans' settlement schemes