Fort Schlosser-- Part 2

Fort Schlosser replaced Fort Petite Niagara, a small fortification built by the French which was burned by them while retreating prior to the Siege of Fort  Niagara in 1759.

The old stone chimney from the French fort was incorporated into the new fort.

Fort Gray guarded the end of the portage in Lewiston, New York.

Fort Niagara guards the mouth of the Niagara River where it flows into Lake Ontario.

Fort Schlosser was occupied by American troops  at the start of the War of 1812, but was captured and burned in 1813.

It was located in present-day Niagara Falls, New York, near the current water intakes  of the New York Power Authority off the Robert Moses Parkway.

Today, all that remains of the fort is the Old Stone Chimney, which was moved  to near the intersection of Buffalo Avenue and the Robert Moses  Parkway traffic circle.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Schlosser-- Part 1: By Niagara Falls

While looking at the map of the Niagara Frontier to the right of this, I saw this fort's name by Niagara Falls and didn't think I had ever written about it.  Turns out that I had on two occasions (click on the Fort Schlosser label).  But, these were essentially just in passing.

But. I determined to write some more about it, so here we go.

From Wikipedia.

Fort Schlosser was a fortification constructed in  Western New York  around 1760 by British Colonial forces in order to protect the southern part of the portage used to get around Niagara Falls.

The fort was named after is commander during construction, Captain John Schlosser of the Royal American Regiment of Foot, a practice that was common in the British Army.

The fort consisted of a stockade with several structures with including  two store houses and living quarters for men and officers.

There were also four cannons in the structure.

It was in use from 1760 to 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gray on the Niagara Escarpment-- Part 2: British Take Control After the French and Indian War

Hundreds of Seneca Indians carried 100-pound packs up the steep hill on all-fours.  At the top these were loaded on wagons for the next leg of the journey to Fort du Portage on the Niagara River above the falls. From there the cargo was transported to boats for the rest of the journey to the Great Lakes.

The French used the site until 1759 when it was burned and destroyed to keep it from the British in the French and Indian War.

Five years later, the British built eleven new blockhouses along the portage route between the top of the escarpment and Fort Schlosser (former Fort du Portage) after the Devil's Hole Massacre of September 1763.  One of these was the one that replaced the former French blockhouse at the site.

The Seneca Indians were replaced with a mechanized tramway system.

The British held this blockhouse until 1796 when they finally evacuated Fort Niagara.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of Buffalo-- Part 2: An Earlier Action Preceding the Battle of Black Rock

Lt. General Gordon Drummond was newly appointed Lt. Governor of Upper Canada, and was planning an offensive against the American side of the Niagara River.

In the early morning hours of December 18, 1813, a force under Col. John Murray captured Fort Niagara.  Another force under Major General Phineas Riall raided the American side of the river and destroyed Lewiston, Youngstown, Manchester and Tuscarora as well as small settlements around Fort Schlosser.

U.S. troops halted Riall and he recrossed the Niagara River, but with the intentions of attacking Black Rock and Buffalo.  With him he had 965 British regulars, 50 Canadian militia and 400 natives.  To oppose him, American General Amos Hall had more soldiers, 2,011, but they were all militia.

Riall crossed the Niagara River around midnight December 29, 1813, two miles downstream (north) of Black Rock, and easily effected a landing, driving a few Americans away.  General Hall then sent militia to investigate the fighting, but they were quickly driven off.

--Brock-Perry