Events in Canadian History
The War of 1812 in 1813
Jan 1813 John Jacob Astor sold his post on the Columbia River to the NWCo for $58,000. He wanted to avoid its being captured by a British warship rumoured to be on its way to the Pacific Northwest!
Jan 22, 1813 500 British and 800 Aboriginal troops commanded by Colonel Henry Proctor and Tecumseh fought a Kentucky militia force led by Colonel James Winchester at Frenchtown (now Monroe, Michigan) on the Raisin River. Greatly outnumbered and facing destruction, Winchester surrendered to the British. The next day 30 to 60 of the American prisoners were killed by the Aboriginals without British intervention. The massacre only ended when Tecumseh returned to the area. He was very critical of the British officers for not stopping the killings. "Remember the Raisin" became a rallying cry for the Kentucky and American troops that returned in the spring and drove the British out of Michigan.
Feb 07, 1813 US Major Benjamin Forsyth and 200 men of the First Regiment of Rifles attacked Elizabethtown (now Brockville, Ontario) after a 14 mile trip through ice, snow, and a bitter cold night. They surrounded Elizabethtown's jail and freed 53 American prisoners. Forsyth's force also took several prominent Canadians hostage and took them back to Ogdensburg, New York along with 154 muskets and rifles, two barrels of ammunition, and all the livestock they could find.
Feb 19, 1813 The Royal Navy sent Captain James Yeo to Canada as Commander-in-Chief of all Royal Navy vessels on the Great Lakes.
Feb 22, 1813 Lt. Colonel Richard John "Red" George Macdonnell and 500 men of the Glengarry Light Infantry crossed the frozen St. Lawrence River from Prescott and attacked Ogdensburg, New York. In an hour's fighting MacDonnell's troops captured 70 prisoners, eleven field pieces and all the American supplies stored in Fort Oswegatchie. They also burned two armed schooners, the Niagara and the Dolphin, as well as two large gunboats in the harbour. Major Forsyth and his company retreated to Sacket's Harbor.
Mar 1813 Colonel Henry Proctor established a force of rangers like those used by the British in the American Revolution. William Caldwell, a former captain in Butler's Rangers, was placed in command of a unit known as the Western Rangers or Caldwell’s Rangers. This unit fought in actions south of Lake Erie during the summer and accompanied Proctor north when he retreated from Amherstburg. Caldwell's Rangers were in the thick of the Battle of Moraviantown in October 1813.
Mar 1813 Commodore Isaac Chauncey sent Lieutenant Oliver Hazard Perry from Sacket's Harbor on Lake Ontario to take command of US naval forces on Lake Erie. Even though Perry faced a shortage of men and materials, he would construct six warships by July.
Apr 12, 1813 549 men of the 104th Regiment of Foot reached Kingston in Upper Canada. They had marched 1100 km overland from Fredericton in 52 days without losing a single man. Apr 25, 1813 1700 American troops commanded by Commodore Isaac Chauncey and General
Zebulon Pike sailed from Sacket's Harbor. Their objective was to attack the Upper Canada capital of York.
© 2012 Better Classroom Guidebooks Events in Canadian History - The War of 1812 in 1813 - Page 2 of 4 Apr 27, 1813 General Pike landed his troops at York in Upper Canada. General Roger Sheaffe,
commander of the 600 British troops in York, decided to abandon the town and retreat to Kingston. Once his troops were on the way he ordered the British ammunition dump in Fort York blown up. The explosion wounded 222 Americans and killed 38 including General Pike.
May 01, 1813 The American forces occupying York looted and burned the government buildings in the town.
May 05, 1813 James Yeo and 450 sailors arrived at Quebec. Their task was to build up British naval forces on the Great Lakes.
May 05, 1813 British forces commanded by Colonel Henry Proctor successfully attacked a relief column taking men and supplies to US Major General William Henry Harrison at Fort Meigs (near Perrysburg, Ohio) on the Maumee River. The Americans lost 400 of the 1200 men in the relief force. The British only lost 15! Proctor then moved to besiege Fort Meigs.
May 08, 1813 The American forces in York abandoned the town and sailed to Fort Niagara.
May 09, 1813 Colonel Henry Proctor unsuccessfully attacked Fort Meigs. Rather than continue a siege, Proctor withdrew before American reinforcements could arrive.
May 15, 1813 Commodore James Yeo arrived at Kingston with his sailors. He deployed his men aboard the newly launched 23 gun Wolfe, the 22 gun Royal George, the 16 gun Prince Regent, the 14 gun brig Earl of Moira, two 8 gun schooners, and several gunboats. Many of Yeo's vessels were equipped with powerful but short range 32 pound carronades. The Americans on Lake Ontario only had the 24 gun Madison, the 16 gun Oneida, and ten schooners armed with long range 24 pounder guns.
May 24, 1813 The American fleet commanded by Commodore Isaac Chauncey began bombarding Fort George at Niagara. They were supported by newly constructed artillery batteries across the Niagara River.
May 27, 1813 An American force of about 5,000 men commanded by General Henry Dearborn crossed the Niagara River to attack Fort George at Niagara. Brigadier John Vincent ordered his 1400 men to evacuate Fort George. Before retreating, the British spiked the fort's guns and destroyed the ammunition. Vincent retreated westward and took up defensive positions along Burlington Heights (near Hamilton, Ontario).
May 29, 1813 General George Prevost led an amphibious expedition against the American naval base at Sacket's Harbor while Commodore Chauncey’s fleet was supporting Dearborn's attack on Fort George at the other end of Lake Ontario. Prevost's troops landed but withdrew when he determined that the forts protecting Sacket's Harbor could not be captured.
Jun 01, 1813 HMS Shannon defeated the USS Chesapeake. 48 Americans died and only 23 British. Twelve days later the Shannon towed the Chesapeake into Halifax harbour.
Jun 03, 1813 Commodore James Yeo and 300 soldiers left Kingston for the Niagara Peninsula.
Jun 06, 1813 700 British, Canadian and First Nations troops led by Lt. Colonels John Harvey and John Brant launched a night attack on 2000 Americans at Stoney Creek. They captured 123 Americans including two generals. The remaining Americans retreated to Fort George.
Jun 1813 After the Battle of Stony Creek Lieutenant James FitzGibbon was sent with 50 soldiers to attack American troops in the vicinity of Fort George. He quickly took over John De Cou’s house near Beaver Dams and sent out parties to harass American troops and observe their movements.
Jun 23, 1813 A force of 570 Americans led by Lt. Colonel Charles Boerstler stopped for the night at a farm belonging to James Secord. During the evening, James' wife Laura overheard the Americans planning an attack on the British post at Beaver Dams. That night she walked 32 km to warn the British of the impending attack. Along the way she was found by a group of Mohawk scouts who escorted her to Fitzgibbon.
Jun 24, 1813 Americans led by Lt. Colonel Charles Boerstler marched from the Secord farm to attack the British at Beaver Dams. They were ambushed in a beech wood by 400 Mohawk commanded by Captains William J. Kerr and Dominique Ducharme. After three hours of fighting FitzGibbon approached the Americans with a white flag and convinced them that they were outnumbered, that more Indians were about to arrive and they would all be massacred. Boerstler surrendered. FitzGibbon was widely praised for his victory. Jun 28, 1813 Food was in short supply in Upper Canada. The new British governor of the colony,
Francis Rottenburg, forbade the distilling of rye into alcohol to conserve food supplies. Jul 1813 Joseph Willcocks crossed the Niagara River into the US and offered to recruit a unit of
Canadians to support the US in the war. This offer was accepted and in the months that followed he commanded a group known as The Company of Canadian Volunteers. Aug 02, 1813 Major George Crogan, commandant of Fort Stephenson on the Sandusky River in Ohio,
repelled an attack by a British force of 500 regulars and 700 Natives led by General Henry Proctor. Proctor's force suffered heavy casualties.
Sep 10, 1813 US Navy Lieutenant Oliver Perry and 9 ships beat Royal Navy Captain Robert Barclay's 6 vessels at the Battle of Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay. Perry was able to capture all the British vessels - the first time an entire British squadron had been captured by an enemy! The victory gave the Americans total control of Lake Erie.
Sep 18, 1813 American forces led by General William Henry Harrison forced General Proctor to abandon Detroit and retreat to Amherstburg and Sandwich (now Windsor) on the Niagara Peninsula in Upper Canada. Tecumseh was opposed to this withdrawal and wanted Proctor and the British to fight.
Sep 27, 1813 General Henry Proctor retreated from Amherstburg and Sandwich (Windsor). Any supplies his forces could not transport were destroyed. He moved his army up the Thames valley which forced the American forces following him to extend their lines of communication. This also kept his own forces away from the US naval vessels on Lake Erie.
Oct 05, 1813 An American army led by General William Harrison caught up to Proctor's retreating army at present day Thamesville and fought the Battle of Moraviantown. The British troops were so demoralized that they broke and ran as soon as the Americans attacked. This left about 500 of Tecumseh's warriors facing 3,000 Americans. They continued fighting until Tecumseh was killed. Meanwhile, General Proctor fled the scene of the battle with a few survivors and continued the retreat toward Ancaster. Tecumseh's body was spirited away and buried in an unknown location. A week later some of the tribes that fought at Moraviantown arranged a truce with the Americans - and Aboriginal opposition to the US south of the Great Lakes ceased.
© 2012 Better Classroom Guidebooks Events in Canadian History - The War of 1812 in 1813 - Page 4 of 4 Oct 1813 American forces planned a two-pronged attack in an attempt to capture Montreal. Major General Wade Hampton was to advance along the Chateauguay River from the south. Major General James Wilkinson and Commodore Isaac Chauncey were to move down the St. Lawrence from Sacket's Harbor, New York.
Oct 26, 1813 US Major General Wade Hampton crossed into Lower Canada with 3,000 men and advanced up the Châteauguay River toward Montreal. Lt. Colonel Charles De Salaberry and the 29 officers and 481 men of the Voltigeurs Canadiens supported by 1400 militiamen led by Lt. Colonel George Macdonell set up defensive positions at Allan's Corners on the river's east bank. After a four hour battle Hampton and his troops withdrew.
Nov 01, 1813 US Major General James Wilkinson's forces started moving down the St. Lawrence River from Sacket's Harbor. He was unaware that General Hampton's forces had been repulsed at the Battle of the Chateauguay and ordered to move into winter quarters in US territory.
Nov 1813 The British Commander-in-Chief, Sir George Prevost ordered Lt. Colonel Joseph Morrison to follow the US forces as they descended the St Lawrence. Morrison was to observe and interfere with the invaders movements if possible.
Nov 11, 1813 Lt. Colonel Morrison's harassment of the US forces as they proceeded down the St. Lawrence River was a major irritant. It prompted General Wilkinson to order Brigadier General John Parker Boyd to land and drive them off. The two groups met 25 miles west of Cornwall on a farm owned by John Crysler. The open ground enabled Morrison to utilize the experience and discipline of his regular soldiers and fight a set-piece battle in the European tradition. At the Battle of Crysler's Farm 800 British and Canadian soldiers defeated 1800 Americans. The victory caused Wilkinson to halt his march to Montreal.
Nov 12, 1813 The NWCo took possession of Fort Astoria in the Columbia River. Astor had sold it for $58,000 rather than risk its being seized by Britain's Royal Navy.
Nov 30, 1813 The British vessel Raccoon, captained by William Black, arrived at Fort Astoria to take charge of the settlement and enforce Britain's claims to the Pacific Northwest.
Dec 10, 1813 The American troops from Fort George crossed in to Upper Canada and burned the town of Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake). 400 residents were left homeless.
Dec 12, 1813 Captain William Black renamed Fort Astoria Fort George. He and the NWCo representatives in the area formally took possession of the region for King George III of England.
Dec 1813 British forces launched a number of attacks in retaliation for the American burning of Newark. 550 men led by John Murray would capture and destroy Fort Niagara. Phineas Riall and a party of Aboriginal soldiers would attack and burn Lewiston, Manchester, Fort Schlosser, Black Rock, and Buffalo in raids that would last until the new year. Dec 19, 1813 Montreal fur trader and merchant James McGill died. His will left his 18 hectare estate
The War of 1812 - Events in 1813
(B) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42
The War of 1812 - Events in 1813
(B)ACROSS
1 This British general unsuccessfully
attacked the American naval base at Sacket's Harbor.
6 The governor of Upper Canada forbade
the manufacture of _____ to conserve food supplies.
7 This US general started moving his troops
down the St. Lawrence River to attack Montreal.
8 Colonel Henry Proctor attacked a relief
column taking men and supplies to this US fort.
9 Brigadier John Vincent evacuated Fort
George and took up defensive positions along _____ Heights.
11 (3 words) An entire British squadron of
ships was captured at this site on Lake Erie.
12 He was placed in command of all Royal
Navy vessels on the Great Lakes.
13 This town was raided by 200 men of the
US First Regiment of Rifles.
14 This British ship defeated the USS
Chesapeake.
16 He formed a pro-US militia group known
as The Company of Canadian Volunteers.
19 General Proctor abandoned Detroit and
retreated to _____ on the Niagara Peninsula.
21 American troops abandoned this
Canadian town.
22 General Henry Proctor's force suffered
heavy casualties in a battle at Fort Stephenson on this Ohio river.
23 He was given command of US naval
forces on Lake Erie.
26 One of the leaders of the US attack on
York.
27 This British general blew up the
ammunition dump at Fort York.
28 James Yeo brought 450 of these to
Quebec.
30 This British naval officer left Kingston for
the Niagara Peninsula.
31 He arrived at Fort Astoria to enforce
Britain's claims to the Pacific Northwest.
34 (3 words) He sold his post on the
Columbia River to the NWCo.
35 (2 words) She warned the British at
Beaver Dams that American forces planned to attack.
38 The American forces occupying York
burned buildings of this type.
40 Many of James Yeo's warships were
armed with short range 32 pound _____.
41 Tecumseh's warriors were the only British
forces that did not flee from this battle.
42 A Montreal fur trader gave 18 hectares of
land and £10,000 to endow this college.
DOWN
2 British officers failed to intervene when
American prisoners were killed by their Aboriginal captors near this river.
3 His troops captured 70 prisoners, eleven
field pieces and all the American supplies stored in Fort Oswegatchie.
4 American forces planned a two-pronged
attack to capture this city.
5 Lieutenant _____ harassed American
troops near Beaver Dams.
8 These warriors ambushed the American
force marching to attack the British at Beaver Dams.
10 (2 words) British, Canadian and First
Nations troops launched a night attack on Americans at _____.
15 American troops burned this Upper
Canadian town.
17 (2 words) Captain William Black gave this
name to Fort Astoria.
18 The American fleet bombarded this British
fort on the Niagara River.
20 800 British and Canadian soldiers
defeated 1800 Americans on this man's farm.
24 General Henry Proctor retreated up this
valley after he abandoned Sandwich.
25 Aboriginal opposition to the US south of
the Great Lakes ended shortly after this man's death.
29 (2 words) Lt. Colonel Charles De
The War of 1812 - Events in 1813
(B)aided by 1400 militiamen stopped an American invasion force at this point on the Châteauguay River.
32 The NWCo took possession of this fur
trading post on the Columbia River.
33 This Lt. Colonel was ordered to harass US
forces as they descended the St Lawrence.
36 He was placed in command of a unit
known as the Western Rangers.
37 This British colonel was unable to capture
Fort Meigs.
39 He led a party of Aboriginal soldiers that
attacked and burned Lewiston,
Manchester, Fort Schlosser, Black Rock, and Buffalo.
