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

Phineas Riall-- Part 2: Burner of American Towns

As a major in 1805, he went to the West Indies with the 15th Regiment of Foot and participated in the capture of Martinique in 1809 and Guadeloupe in 1810.

After that he returned to Britain and rose to the rank of colonel and then became a major general through seniority.  He then was posted to Canada where he was in command at Montreal.  Then he accompanied Lt. General Drummond to attack the American side of the Niagara River.

He led a detachment across the river at Lewiston 19 December 1813.  He then advanced along the river, burning almost every American village, in reprisal for the U.S. burning of Newark ten days earlier.

And, he later got upset at Campbell doing the same thing?

--Brock-Perry

Phineas Riall, Royal Army-- Part 1: Born in Ireland, Rose Through Ranks With Purchased Commissions

From Wikipedia.

Back when I was writing about John B. Campbell, British officer Phineas Riall had condemned him for his destruction to Dover during his occupation of it.  Who was this Phineas Riall?

15 December 1775 to 10 November 1850

British general who succeeded John Vincent as commanding officer of the Niagara Peninsula in Upper Canada during the War of 1812.  In 1816, he was appointed governor of Grenada.

Born in Ireland to a Protestant family.  Entered the British Army as an ensign in 1794 and rose rapidly through the ranks with purchased commissions.  Spent seven years at half pay with no command or staff.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 3: "The Whole Business Was Planned By Myself"

Campbell replied to British General Riall with this letter:

Niagara Frontier 16 June 1814

"Sir, - I have the honor to receive your communication of the 9th current. I commanded the detachment of the United States army which lately made a landing at Dover on lake Erie.

"What was done at that place and its vicinity proceeded from my orders.  The whole business was planned by myself and executed upon my responsibility."

This was the only time that letters were exchanged between opposing officers during the war.  Of course, British General Phineas Riall was no stranger to sacking American towns which was a big reason for Dover being so devastated.

--Brock-Perry

John B. Campbell-- Part 2: Rising Through the Ranks

War of 1812 Service

On March 12, 1812, he was appointed from Kentucky as a lieutenant-colonel of the 19th Infantry and brevetted to colonel on December 18, 1812, for gallant conduct versus the Mississineway Indians.  On April 9, 1814, he was promoted to colonel and transferred to the 11th U.S. Infantry.

After his raid on Port Dover, British Major General Phineas Riall addressed the U.S. commanding officer by letter accusing the Americans of "acts of outrage on private property" there.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of Buffalo-- Part 3: Two Towns Sacked and Razed

Gen. Amos Hall then took personal command at Black Rock.  As dawn broke, he directed a heavy cannonade and musketry at the British.  Riall advanced at the center and sent troops to attack the American right flank.

When the right flank broke and fled off in a rout, Hall was forced to order a general retreat of the whole American army in order not to be enveloped.  The British followed all the way to Buffalo, two miles away.  There they sacked and burned every building but four, destroyed the navy yard as well as three armed schooners: the Chippawa, Ariel and Little Belt.

They then returned to Black Rock and there they did the same to all but one building.

--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