Pivotal War of 1812 Battles

From the May 3, 2022, 24/7 Wallst. site "The most pivotal battles that made America what it is today" by Angelo Young.

BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE, Ohio, September 10, 1813.

BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA, Ontario, July 5, 1814

BATTLE OF LUNDY'S LANE, Ontario, July 25, 1814

BATTLE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, New York, September 11, 1814

BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH, New York, September 11, 1814

BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, January8, 1815

Just of Interest.  --Brock-Perry

July Happenings During the War of 1812

From the American Battlefield Trust War of 12812 Timeline.

JULY 12, 1812

General William Hull invades Canada.

JULY  17, 1812

Fort Michilimackinac surrenders to British-Canadian forces

JULY 5, 1814

Battle of Chippawa

JULY 22, 1814

Treaty of Greenville

JULY 25, 1814

Battle of Lundy's Lane, one of the fiercest battles of the war.

--Brock-Perry

Patrick Gass and the War of 1812-- Part 1

From "Sergeant Patyrick Gass" by SGM Teddy L. Bridgman.

When the War of 1812 broke out, Patrick Gass was in the Army and stationed at Fort Kaskaskia in the Illinois Territory working as a commissary assistant.  From the start of the war and through 1813, he remained on the Illinois frontier to hold the Indians in check in that area.

But in the spring of 1814, Gass and his men were ordered to the Niagara Frontier to fight the British.  They didn't arrive until July and were too late to participate in the Battle of Chippewa.  However, they did not miss the next battle, which was Lundy's Lane.

Here Gass got to hear and see roar of the "Big Guns" in action.

--Brock-Perry

William J. Worth-- Part 1: Badly Wounded at the Battle of Lundy's Landing

From Wikipedia. 

WILLIAM J. WORTH

(March 1, 1794-May 7, 1849)

United States officer in War of 1812, Second Seminole War and Mexican War.

Commissioned as a first lieutenant in March 1813 and served as an aide to then-brigadier general Winfield Scott.  They developed a friendship that remained for the rest of their lives.  William even named his son Winfield Scott Worth.   William distinguished himself at the Battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Landing during the Niagara Campaign.  

In the latter battle, he was seriously injured by grapeshot in the thigh.  Not expected to survive the wound, Worth spent a year in confinement, recovered and was raised to the rank of major.  Unfortunately, however, he remained lame for the rest of his life.

--Brock-Perry

William Jenkins Worth-- Part 1: The War of 1812

From the December 13, 2019, Journal Gazette & Times Courier  "Little known characters of American history.

WILLIAM JENKINS WORTH (March 1, 1794- May 7, 1849)

United States Army officer in the War of 1812, Second Seminole War and Mexican War.

He served as an aide to Winfield Scott in the War of 1812 as a first lieutenant.  The two men developed a friendship  that would last a lifetime.

During the War of 1812, Worth distinguished himself at the battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane during the Niagara Campaign. In the last battle, Worth was seriously wounded  and not expected to survive, but after a year's  confinement, he recovered.

He rose to the rank of major, but that wound would leave him lame for the rest of his life.

--Brock-Perry

Phineas Riall-- Part 3: Also Sacked Buffalo and Black Rock

On 30 December 1813, Riall's force recrossed the Niagara River again and repeated the deliberate destruction of Buffalo and Black Rock, New York, even though the Navy Yard and several other sites were legitimate targets.

5 July 1814, Riall commanded the Right Division of the British Army at the Battle of Chippawa.  he ordered his men to attack American General Winfield Scott's soldiers thinking they were just militia.  He was wrong, they were regulars. and this led to his bloody defeat.

On 25 July Riall again fought Scott at the Battle of Lundy's Lane where he was seriously wounded in the arm early in the battle.  While going to the rear he was captured by American infantry.  On December he was paroled and returned to England.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 4: Mortally Wounded in Action

Colonel Campbell commanded the 11th Infantry Regiment at the capture of Fort Erie and was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippewa, Canada, on July 5, 1814.  He commanded the right wing of Brigadier General Winfield Scott's Army at that battle.

He died August 28, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 1: Born in Virginia, Moved to Kentucky

From Wikipidea.

March 13, 1777 to August 28, 1814

Famous for his expedition to destroy the Miami Indian villages along the Mississinewa River in Indiana and his infamous order to destroy private houses and other property in Dover, Canada, including stores of grain and mills.

This led to a Canadian Court of Enquiry and an unprecedented letter to the enemy explaining himself.

Mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippawa in July 1814.

Born in Virginia and his family moved to Kentucky around 1807 and became a lawyer in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

He was the son of Colonel Arthur Campbell who fought in the American Revolution and Indian Wars.  Campbell County, Tennessee, was named for him.  He had a brother named James H. Campbell who also fought in the War of 1812 and died at Mobile, Alabama.

--Brock-Perry

This John B. Campbell Is Not the One From the Battle of Rock Island Rapids

I was looking to find out more information on the commander of American forces at the Battle of Rock Island Rapids and for whom Campbell island was named for in Illinois.

I came across the name of John B. Campbell, an American officer during the War of 1812, and initially thought he was the same.  This is the man I wrote about in yesterday's post.

It turns out they are two different men, but I did see some sources confusing the two.

The Battle of Rock Island Rapids was fought July 19, 1814.  The Colonel John B. Campbell I wrote about in the last post was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chippawa on July 5, 1814, and died August 28, 1814.

--Brock-Perry

West Point's "Long Gray Line"

From "The War of 1812: A Complete Chronology."

SEPTEMBER 1816

The cadets at West Point receive gray uniforms to honor Army regulars who had worn gray at the Battle of Chippewa and Battle of Lundy's Lane in the War of 1812.

The West Point cadets still wear these uniforms and its cadets referred to as "The Long Gray Line."

"The Long Gray Line" refers today to the continuum of all graduates and cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point.  It is hard to find information about it as most searches lead to the 1955 movie of the same name starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Re-enactments in 1814-- Part 1

From the April 2014 Buffalo (NY) News "Siege of Fort Erie to highlight War of 1812 commemoration" by Jane Kwiatkowski.

The siege of Fort Erie will be held August 9-10th, 2014, at Old Fort Erie.  This will be the 28th year it has been re-enacted.

Also, the Battle of Chippawa will be re-enacted July 5-6th at Chippawa Battlefield on Niagara Parkway in Niagara, Ontario.

The Battle of Lundy's Lane, Canada's bloodiest battle will also be re-enacted.

"The Honouring" r5e-enactment for First Nations warriors will be held June 28-29 at Old Fort Niagara, Fort Niagara State Park in Youngstown.

Sepetmber 13 will be the "Star-Spangled Banner, the 200th anniversary of the battle which gave us the National Anthem.  This will be held at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago: Skirmish at Chippawa Creek

OCTOBER 15TH, 1814:  Skirmish at Chippawa Creek, Upper Canada.

--Brock-Perry

Ezra Dean's Brave Conduct At the Sortie-- Part 2

Ezra Dean was appointed an ensign in the Army at age 19.  (I thought ensign was a Navy rank.)    He received honors for his brave and gallant service at the September 17, 1814, sortie by Americans from  Fort Erie, Upper Canada.  He was also at the Battles of Chippawa and Bridgewater and his regiment was in the advance at Queenstown Heights later in September 1814.

All of this came before he was even at the age of 20.

At the close of the war, he was put in command of a revenue cutter in Lake Champlain for two years.

He resigned after that and was assigned to the corps of government engineers and spent several years establishing the boundary lines between Maine and the province of New Brunswick, Canada.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago Today: Fighting in Upper Canada After the Battle of Chippawa

JULY 18TH, 1814:  American troops burn St. Davids, Upper Canada, following a fierce fight with local militia.

After the Battle of Chippawa, the U.S. Army advanced to Queenston, Upper Canada.  Foraging parties were sent out to requisition (take) supplies, and their unrestricted looting infuriated local inhabitants.

On July 18th, a force of New York militia led by Lt. Col. Isaac Stone was attacked near St. Davids.  Although resistance was expected, the Americans barely escaped with their lives.

They returned the next day and completely destroyed the village.

Stone was dismissed from the Army because of his actions.  This incident marked a change in the attitude of many of the inhabitants towards the Americans and their increasing brutality,  Local men, once eager to avoid military service or even ready to surrender to the Americans, now took up arms in their defense.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Chippawa Re-enacted Saturday

From the July 5, 2014,  Welland (Can.) Tribune "Battle of Chippawa re-enacted on same field 200 years later" by Tony Ricculo.

And, that land is still a farmer's field and looks essentially like it did 200 years ago.

Some 200 lives were lost there on July 5, 1814, and the British were forced to withdraw.  On Saturday, more than 800 re-enactors were on the same field, on the same day, to recreate what transpired there 200 years ago.

Niagara Parks Commission acquired the site in 1995 and has preserved 200 acres on the site where over 5000 British, Canadian, American and Indians fought.  Nearly 25% of the Grand River warriors fell.  They were allied with the British and fought Indians allied with the Americans.

The tactical re-enactment of the battle was fought at 2 PM.

--Brock-Perry

Iroquois and Grand River First Nations Meet in Council

JULY 7TH, 1814:  Shortly after the Battle of Chippawa, representatives of New York Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy allied with the United States) met with  Grand River First Nations (allied with the British) in an imporatnt council.

During the Battle of Chippawa, First Nations from the Grand River and the Western tribes confronted Haudenosaunee  from the Onondowahgah (Tuscorora) and Skaruhreh (Seneca) communities.

In the bloody, fratricidal battle that erupted, American allies lost about 26 men and the allies of the British had 90 casualties.  Both sides were dismayed by these huge losses and by the fact that they had been fighting friends and relatives.

Following the council, the majority of Haudenosaurees decided to pursue a course of neutrality for the rest of the war.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago: July 5, 1814, the Battle of Chippawa

An invading American Army led by Major General Jacob Brown clashed with British forces under Major-General Phineas Riall.  Each side had roughly 2,000 men engaged in the battle in which American regulars, militia and U.S.-allied First nations were victorious.

The main battle was a European-style conflict, fought in the open, where the British were thought to be nearly invincible.  All that training by General Winfield Scott must have paid off.

The inspiring American victory is still commemorated by the gray uniforms worn by the cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

The battle caused the greatest loss of life in the War of 1812 up until that time, with about 800 casualties.  More Canadian militia were killed and wounded here than in any other battle.  First Nations losses on both sides were also very heavy.

--Brock-Perry

Peter Buell Porter

From Wikipedia.

PETER BUELL PORTER

(August 14, 1773-March 20, 1844) American lawyer, soldier, politician and U.S. Secretary of War. Graduated Yale College in 1791. Moved to Black Rock, New York, in 1809 and elected to Congress where he was a leading War Hawk. From 1810-1816 was a member of the Erie Canal Commission.

In the War of 1812, he was quartermaster general of New York State Militia. In 1812, he participated in and became a major critic of Alexander Smyth's botched invasion of Upper Canada. This led to the famous duel between the two. Neither hit their opponent.

Porter later raised and commanded a brigade of New York militia and he was presented with a Congressional Gold Medal for his conduct at the Battle of Chippewa, Battle of Niagara and the Battle of Erie.

His son, Colonel Petere A. Porter gained recognition, but died at the Battle of Cold Harbor during the Civil War.

--Brock-Perry

Kitchener Building Named for War of 1812 Hero

The Government Building of Canada at 15-29 Duke Street West is named the John Norton Building and a commemorative plaque was unveiled at it February 22nd.

John Norton was of Scottish-Cherokee descent and in the British Army.  He led Mohawk warriors at the Battle of Queenston Heights and drove the Americans back to the Niagara River and forced them to surrender.

He also led warriors at the battles of Fort George, Stoney Creek, Chippawa and Fort Erie.

Brock-Perry