Capture of Fort Niagara
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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.
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[edit] 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 saw 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 had then been 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.[1]
[edit] Burning of Newark
A new British Lieutenant Governor for Upper Canada had recently taken up his appointment. Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond immediately cancelled all the previous cautious plans for withdrawal and concentration made by his predecessor (Major General Francis de Rottenburg). He ordered the units on the Niagara peninsula, who had been withdrawing to 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.
Earlier in the year, Secretary of War John Armstrong had given permission to destroy the nearby village of Newark if 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.[2] As the Americans abandoned Fort George, the order was unaccountably given to burn the village without warning, leaving the inhabitants without shelter 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 the war had already seen several similar acts committed by both sides. The burning of Newark was to be the pretext for the British to carry out several outrages later.
[edit] Battle
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Fort Niagara was now vulnerable to any British attack. Its defenders consisted of Captain Nathaniel Leonard's company of the 1st Regiment of Artillery, another of the 24th U.S. Infantry, and small detachments (mainly convalescent wounded or sick men) from other regular units. 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.
Drummond had ordered boats brought forward from Burlington. They proceeded by water to the mouth of the Four Mile Creek, after which Canadian militia carried them overland to Fort George. On the night of December 18, a force consisting of the grenadier company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Scots, the grenadier company of the 100th Foot 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 Lieutenant Colonel John Murray, the commanding officer of the 100th Foot. They were equipped with scaling ladders and under orders to use the bayonet so as not to lose the advantage of surprise.
They captured American pickets posted in the town of Youngstown, the men having been trying to stay warm instead of keeping watch. They then approached the fort. A party under a sergeant approached the gate, where, affecting an accent from the southern American states, the sergeant confused the guard long enough to gain entry. When the defenders became aware of the deception, it was too late to stop the British from rushing in.
Resistance mostly came 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. 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, several miles away. Only six of the attackers were killed, with five wounded.
[edit] Aftermath
A force consisting of the battalion companies of the Royal Scots and the 41st under Major General Phineas Riall followed Murray's troops across the river and proceeded to burn almost every village on the American side of the river, in reprisal for the burning of Newark. Some Indians accompanied Riall, and several American settlers were scalped. Riall was eventually halted by some militia and Canadian Volunteers who destroyed the bridge over Tonawanda Creek.[3]
A few days later, on December 30, Riall crossed the river higher up, and proceeded to repeat the destruction at Buffalo and Black Rock. Here however, the navy yard was a legitimate target. Four armed schooners and brigs were destroyed. Practically no American militia turned out to defend their homes.
Fort Niagara remained in British hands for the rest of the war.
[edit] Sources
- 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
