NIAGARA AT WAR – BATTLES OF WAR 0F 1812

by Sheila Hird

[Welland Tribune]

In 1812 residents of Niagara were busy clearing land and settling into their new homesteads. The last thing on their mind was war.

Bur James Madison, the president of the States, quickly changed that when, to retaliate against Britain for blocking the States, he declared war on Canada on June 18, 1812.

The Americans underestimated Canada’s loyalty to Britain and thought the war would be a short one. General Widgery declared he would conquer Upper Canada in six weeks. Mr. Calhoun thought he was being ridiculous and that it would take no longer than a month. Henry Clay firmly stated he would never settle for a peace treaty that did not cede Canada to the States.

Much to everybody’s surprise the war dragged on for two and a half years and did not conclude as the Americans expected.

The war was mainly fought in battlefields in the Niagara peninsula, Queenston, Fort George, Stoney Creek, Beaver Dams and Lundy’s Lane are a few names among many.

QUEENSTON

The men from the Niagara region fought in the first regiment of the Lincoln Militia under the command of Captain James Servos. Most of these men were farmers who had fled from the States as United Empire Loyalists.

When General Brock arrived in the peninsula he positioned the majority of troops in the town of Queenston and the remaining troops on the summit of Queenston Heights.

The townspeople prepared for an American attack by burying their valuables or by taking them to friends who did not live in the battle zone.

In the early morning of October 13, 1812, the American forces gathered at Lewiston. The sound of cannon fire woke General Brock from his sleep. Captain john Ball, who had kept watch throughout the night, poured a volley on the approaching American boats. In return the enemy poured a heavy shot from Fort Niagara that set many of the houses and buildings on fire.

Although Brock and his aide-de-camp, McDonell, were quickly on the scene, the enemy beat them to the summit of the heights.

Brock, determined to take the heights, charged the enemy’s troop of 4,000 men with a troop times smaller. After uttering his last order “Push on York Volunteers” Brock was hit in the chest. Seconds later McDonell was also struck. Brock died that same day and McDonell the next.

Despite the causalities on the British side, the charge had succeeded in throwing the American troops into a state of confusion. When General Sheaffe arrived with the reinforcement troops the battle was quickly concluded. The Americans raised the white flag while more than 900 of their men were taken prisoner and sent to Queenston.

FORT GEORGE

The defeat of Queenston did not end the American offensive.

On April 27, 1813, General Dearbon and his troops settled into the undefended town of York. After setting fire to the government buildings, many private buildings, the library and the shipyard, the Americans evacuated the town

On May 27, the American troops, numbering about 6,000, arrived at Crook’s farm hidden from the British by a blanket of fog over the lake.

They opened fire on the British troops who numbered less than 1,500. General Vincent repulsed the enemy three times as they attempted to land at Fort George but he soon ran short of men and ammunition.

After spiking all the guns of the fort and destroying all the military paper, General Vincent ordered a retreat. After evacuating the fort, the troops took the River Road to Queenston and then marched on to Burlington Heights, leaving the Americans in charge of the peninsula.

STONEY CREEK

A few days after the British troops arrived at Burlington Heights, the Americans, under the command of Generals Winder and Chandler, set out in pursue them.

On June 6, the American troops stopped at Stoney Creek to spend the night. Vincent, eager to learn the strength of these troops, sent several of his soldiers dressed as civilians to sell butter and cheese to the enemy.

Vincent and his aides, Harvey and Murray, resolved that the only way to take such a large force was to attack by night.

Colonel Harvey with a small force, attacked the American camp before dawn. They were followed by several Indian troops and the rest of the militia numbering less than 800 men.

Although the Americans had almost four times as many men, they were soundly defeated. Generals Winder and Chandler were taken prisoner. The guns and supplies were confiscated and the whole camp gutted. The British were surprised that it took the Americans four days to reach Stoney Creek but only one day to return. The British troops were now able to advance to within four miles of Newark.

BEAVERDAMS

As the British retreated to Burlington Heights before the Stoney Creek battle, Vincent ordered all arms and ammunition be stored in John DeCew’s farm (near Beaverdams) in Thorold township.

Lieutenant Fitzgibbon and his troop of Green Tigers known as “Fitzgibbon’s Green Uns” guarded this depot. It was not long before the Americans received wind of this arms cache and busied themselves planning for a surprise attack.

The events that followed tell the famous story of Laura Secord.

The American soldiers preparing for the attack were billeting at the home of Peter and Laura Secord. One evening Laura overheard plans for an attack on the DeCew farm and made up her mind to embark on a twenty mile journey to warn Fitzgibbon.

One tale tells how Laura set out the following morning with a milk bucket over her arm and a cow by her side. Although this story may have some truth in it, it is generally believed that Laura used the excuse of her ailing brother to slip past the guards.

Fearing she might meet General Boestler’s men on the main road, Laura travelled by the Swamp Road. While hurrying along the road to avoid meeting the wolves and rattlesnakes that inhabited the area, Laura lost a shoe.

The second shoe was lost as Laura made a dangerous crossing of the Twelve Mile River. The flooding river had swept away the bridge and Laura was forced to cross the raging waters by crawling along the trunk of a fallen tree. Despite all these difficulties Laura arrived at the DeCew farm and gave her message to Fitzgibbon.

Preparations for an attack were begun immediately. The supplies were sunk in the DeCew pond and scouts were sent to find the enemy. A party of Indians under the command of Ducharme were then sent out to ambush the Americans.

As Boestler’s men marched along the Mountain Road past the farmhouses of the Browns, the Hanslers, the Metlers and the Hoovers, the Indians lay in the thickets waiting. They waited until the troops were past them before they opened fire on the rear and on the flanks.

At the point Fitzgibbon and his men appeared to reinforce the Indians. After a three hour battle the Americans surrendered. Thanks to Laura Secord the British won the day and the Battle of Beaverdams proved to be the turning point in the war.

NEWARK

As winter drew n near, the Americans occupying Newark realized they had to retreat before the ice and snow closed up the river.

On October 14, 1813, two companies of soldiers left Fort George at 1 p.m., armed with torches and lanterns.

They gave the 400 residents of Newark one hour’s warning before setting the town to flames. It took the soldiers less than half an hour to set the whole town ablaze. By the time the British arrived on the scene, the enemy had escaped and the only building left standing was Butler’s Barracks.

After the British retaliated, neither the Americans nor the British were eager to continue the war. Lengthily negotiations resulted n in a peace settlement in which both sides accepted the status quo. The treaty was signed in Ghent on Dec. 24, 1814.