| Skirmish Near Fort Niagara | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of War of 1812 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |  United States | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown | John Swift | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 70 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 killed 8 captured | 1 killed | ||||||
On January 8, 1814 a contingent of 70 Americans led by General John Swift attacked a group of British soldiers gathering wood a half-mile from Fort Niagara.
On December 10, 1813 Fort George, Ontario was abandoned by the Americans because of a stronger British force advancing toward them under the command of General Gordon Drummond. Before leaving the Americans burnt down the Canadian town of Newark. [1] On December 19 Colonel John Murry led a surprise British attack on Fort Niagara while Phineas Riall led an attack on Lewiston, New York. Both were successful. Riall went south burning homes and captured Fort Schlosser. [2] Fort Niagara was garrisoned by the British. Further British attacks at the Battle of Buffalo forced the Americans to abandon their positions on the Niagara River and retreat to Williamsville New York. [3]
The British did not pursue the Americans to Williamsville. Instead, they stayed in Fort Niagara and left Buffalo a burnt ruin. General John Swift of the American militia led 70 volunteers to scout Fort Niagara. [4] A half-mile from the fort the Americans attacked a contingent of British soldiers gathering fire wood. 4 British were killed in the attack and another 8 taken prisoner. [4] [5] The skirmishes noise roused the Fort. A large British force was seen and the Americans retreated 5 miles away to defendable positions. [4] The British did not attack Swift and soon returned to the fort. Swift was praised by Major-General Amos Hall though Swift was warned to stop actions until reinforcements arrived. [6]
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812. Resulting in a British victory, it took place on 13 October 1812 near Queenston, Upper Canada.
The Battle of Lundy's Lane, also known as the Battle of Niagara, was a battle fought on 25 July 1814, during the War of 1812, between an invading American army and a British and Canadian army near present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, and one of the deadliest battles fought in Canada, with approximately 1,720 casualties including 258 killed.
General Sir Gordon Drummond, GCB was a Canadian-born British Army officer and the first official to command the military and the civil government of Canada. As Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Drummond distinguished himself on the Niagara front in the War of 1812 and later became Governor-General and Administrator of Canada.
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The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured Fort George in Upper Canada. The troops of the United States Army and vessels of the United States Navy cooperated in a very successful amphibious assault, although most of the opposing British force escaped encirclement.
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The Battle of Buffalo took place during the War of 1812 on December 30, 1813, in the State of New York, near the Niagara River. The British forces drove off the American defenders and destroyed many buildings and ships. The operation was retaliation for American troops burning the Canadian village of Newark.
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The Canadian Volunteers was a unit composed of pro-United States citizens or inhabitants of Upper Canada which fought for the United States of America during the Anglo-American War of 1812.
John Swift was an American military officer during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. He founded the town of Palmyra, New York.
The Battle of Ball's Farm took place on July 8th, 1813 during The War of 1812. A British and Native force successfully recovered medical supplies they buried on the Chourous farm a few kilometres from Fort George, Ontario. The medicine supplies were buried in the face of an advancing American army. During the recovery an American force of 500 sortied from the occupied Fort George. A small flanking force of 40 was cut off and almost entirely killed or captured.
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During the War of 1812, on October 11, 1813, an American expeditionary force entered the Missisquoi Bay of Lake Champlain in Quebec, Canada, intent on raiding the area. Their goal was to stop smuggling goods across the border. They succeeded in defeating a contingent of Canadian militia and raid the town of Philipsburg, Quebec.