Lake Ontario provided the best east-west travel in the area and the British took full advantage of it having the strongest Navy on the lake at the time. Whenever possible, they would land and steal U.S. government supplies housed in warehouses at locations such as Oswego, Rochester port at Charlotte and Sodus Point.
On June 15, 1813, they had done just that at the Rochester port at Charlotte. When word of this reached Sodus Point, the militia was called to defend the Wayne County village should the British continue moving eastward.
For five days the village waited anxiously. In the meantime, residents hurriedly hid likely targets of the British such as flour, whiskey and pork in the woods. However, on the morning of June 19, with no British arrival, the militia was sent home.
And, of course, that afternoon, the British hove into view, and, about sixty residents and militia men who vcould be flagged down, gathered to defend the village.
About 100-150 British came ashore at midnight and engaged in a short battle with the Americans before retreating. They discovered that the warehouse was essentially empty, and in anger, returned the next day to plunder and burn the village.
The only building spared was a tavern where injured local resident Asher Warner was brought to die.
--Brock-Perry
