Capture of Fort Niagara

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Capture of Fort Niagara


caption=
partof=War of 1812
date=December 19, 1813
place=Fort Niagara, Niagara River, near Youngstown, New York
result=British victory
combatant1=Great Britain
combatant2=United States
commander1=Gordon Drummond,
John Murray
commander2= Nathaniel Leonard
strength1=562
strength2=324 regulars
casualties1=6 killed,
5 wounded
casualties2=65 killed,
344 surrendered

The Capture of Fort Niagara took place late in 1813, during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States. The understrength American garrison was taken by surprise, and the fort was captured in a night assault by a select force of British regular infantry.

Background

Fort Niagara was an important American post near the outlet of the Niagara River into Lake Ontario. During the early days of the war, it was involved in several exchanges of artillery fire against the British at Fort George on the other side of the river.

On May 27, 1813, the Americans had won the Battle of Fort George. This left Fort George in their hands, and they briefly captured the entire Niagara peninsula, but they were then driven back to Fort George. Later during the year, almost all the regular soldiers on the Niagara front had been taken to furnish an attack down the Saint Lawrence River against Montreal. This left Brigadier General George McClure with only 60 regulars, 40 volunteers from the New York militia and 100 Canadian Volunteers to hold Fort George. [Elting, "Amateurs to Arms", p. 152]

Burning of Newark

In November 1813, the British Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (Major General Francis de Rottenburg), had been alarmed by defeats in the west and reports of American concentrations to the east, and had ordered the troops on the Niagara peninsula to withdraw to Burlington at the western end of Lake Ontario. During the first week in December, he was replaced by the more forceful Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond who was aware that the American attack on Montreal had been defeated, leaving the American Army stranded in poorly-supplied winter quarters in Upper New York State. Drummond immediately cancelled all of de Rottenburg's cautious plans for withdrawal and concentration, and ordered the units at Burlington to advance instead.

On December 10, McClure learned of this advance. He had despaired of receiving any reinforcements and decided his position was untenable. He hastily evacuated his troops to Fort Niagara. The artillery could not be withdrawn from Fort George and was thrown into the ditch surrounding the fort.

Earlier in the year, Secretary of War John Armstrong had given permission to destroy the nearby village of Newark if it became necessary to prevent British troops from finding cover close to Fort George. The inhabitants were to be given several days' notice, and care was to be taken that they were not to be left destitute. [J. Mackay Hitsman, "The Incredible War of 1812", p. 193] As the Americans abandoned Fort George, the order was unaccountably given to burn the village without warning, leaving the inhabitants without shelter or possessions in the depths of winter. Part of the village of Queenston was also torched. It was alleged that the pro-American Canadian Volunteers (mostly American citizens who had been forced from their lands in Upper Canada) performed most of the destruction.

This action was undoubtedly contrary to the conventions which governed warfare at the time, although several similar acts had already been committed by both sides during the war. The burning of Newark was to be the pretext for the British to carry out several outrages later.

Battle

Once the British had recovered Fort George, Fort Niagara was vulnerable to a British attack. Its defenders consisted of Captain Nathaniel Leonard's company of the 1st Regiment of Artillery, a company of the 24th U.S. Infantry, and small detachments (mainly convalescent wounded or sick men) from other regular units.John R. Elting, "Amateurs to Arms", p.154] Captain Leonard was in command of the fort. He had apparently been attracting unfavourable reports from his superiors since 1812, but had not been replaced. According to sources, he was a notorious drunkard. [John R. Elting, "Amateurs to Arms", p.139] The fort's defences had been allowed to deteriorate and damage to the outer defences caused by artillery fire had not been repaired, although this was not to be a factor in the fort's capture.

Drummond had ordered boats to be brought forward from Burlington. They proceeded by water to the mouth of the Four Mile Creek, from where Canadian militia carried them overland on sledges to Fort George. On the night of December 18, a force consisting of the 100th Foot, the grenadier company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots, and the grenadier and light companies of the 41st Foot, with some small detachments of militia, crossed the river 3 miles (5 km) above Fort Niagara. The force numbered 562 and was under the command of Colonel John Murray, the commanding officer of the 100th Foot. They were equipped with axes and scaling ladders and under orders to use the bayonet so as not to lose the advantage of surprise. [ [http://www.warof1812.ca/ftniagra.htm Article by Robert Henderson, War of 1812 web site] ]

They captured American pickets posted in the village of Youngstown, the men having been trying to stay warm instead of keeping watch. One of them was forced to reveal the American challenge and password. [ [http://www.archive.org/stream/lightcompanysoldi00byfirich Account by Private Shadrach Byfield, of the 41st] ] They then advanced silently towards the fort. An advance party of some artillerymen and the grenadier company of the 100th under a lieutenant and a sergeant approached the gate, where, affecting an accent from the southern American states, the sergeant confused the guard long enough to gain entry. By the time the defenders became aware of the deception, it was too late to stop the British from rushing in. [Cruikshank, Documentary History Vol. 9, pp.12-14]

Resistance came mainly from two buildings, the South Redoubt and the Red Barracks, which was being used as a hospital. Defenders barricaded themselves inside the South Redoubt of the fort and held off repeated attempts to break into the building. However, when they refused demands that they surrender, the British commander offered no quarter to the defenders. Upon forcing their way into the building, the infamous order was given to "Bayonet the whole".

The defenders suffered 65 killed, most while no longer resisting. British accounts later stated that 344 prisoners were taken, of whom 14 were wounded. (This is greater than the number of the fort's defenders. Apparently, some militiamen were sleeping in the fort or were rounded up outside). Captain Leonard was captured at his home two miles away, allegedly drunk. Only six of the attackers were killed, with five wounded.

Aftermath

A force consisting of the centre companies of the Royal Scots and the 41st under Major General Phineas Riall followed Murray's troops across the river. They captured several outposts and batteries, and proceeded to burn almost every village on the American side of the river, including Lewiston and a nearby settlement of Tuscarora Indians, in reprisal for the burning of Newark. Some Indians accompanied Riall; one source states that up to 500 "Western Indians", who had remained with the British after the Battle of Moraviantown the previous autumn, took part. Many of the Indians (and some British soldiers) became drunk on looted liquor and several American settlers were scalped. Riall was eventually prevented from advancing further south by some militia and Canadian Volunteers who destroyed the bridge over Tonawanda Creek.

Having recrossed the Niagara, Riall marched upstream past the falls, carrying the boats. On December 30, Riall crossed the Niagara again, two miles downstream of Black Rock. There was a stiff fight between Riall's force and American troops manning batteries protecting the navy yard at Black Rock, in which the British suffered 105 casualties. Most of these were inflicted on the Royal Scots, whose boats grounded under fire. [Cruikshank, Documentary History Vol. 9, pp.68-73] Riall's other troops who were already ashore outflanked the defenders, who scattered into the woods.

The British troops destroyed the navy yard and four armed schooners and sloops (the Chippewa, Ariel, Trippe and Little Belt). [Cruikshank, Documentary History Vol. 9, p.35] These were legitimate military targets, but before they withdrew Riall's forces also deliberately set the villages of Black Rock and Buffalo ablaze.

Fort Niagara remained in British hands for the rest of the war.

ources

*John R. Elting, "Amateurs to Arms", Da Capo Press, New York, ISBN 0-306-80653-3
*J. Mackay Hitsman (& Donald E. Graves), "The Incredible War of 1812", Robin Brass Studio, Toronto, ISBN 1-896941-13-3
*Morris Zaslow (ed), "The Defended Border", MacMillan of Canada, Toronto, ISBN 0-7705-1242-9

External links

* [http://www.warof1812.ca/ftniagra.htm The Storming of Fort Niagara]
* [http://www.nosracines.ca/e/page.aspx?id=768404 Documentary History of the Niagara Campaign Vol. 9, coll. by Ernest A. Cruikshank, Our Roots/Nos Racines, Canada Local History OnLine]

References