Battle of Big Sandy Creek, New York-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I mentioned this battle in the timeline on the previous post.

Fought in northwestern New York May 29-30, 1814.  A force of American militia and Oneida Indians surprised a force of British sailors and marines.

After their successful attack on Fort Oswego May 5-6, 1814, the British withdrew from Oswego to the Galloo Islands in Lake Ontario to keep watch on supplies going to Sackets Harbor where three American ships (the brigs Jefferson and Jones and frigate Superior) were waiting for cannons and rigging.

Unfortunately for them, they had missed these when they attacked Fort Oswego as they were nearby, but further up the Oswego River.

these supplies had been sent from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City, up the Hudson River to Albany, NY, and then on the Mohawk River to Wood Creek and Oneida Lake before arriving at the Oswego River.  Here, they stopped while the British took Fort Oswego at the mouth of the river by Lake Ontario.  This was quite an accomplishment in itself, going all that distance, but thankfully water routes were available.

Commodore Isaac Chauncey at Sackets Harbor ordered an expedition under Melancton Taylor Woolsey to get the supplies.  The British found out about the supplies and sent their own expedition to intercept.

--Brock-Perry