Battle of Buffalo
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Buffalo (also known as the Battle of Black Rock) took place during the War of 1812
between British Empire
and the United States on December 30, 1813 in the State of New York, near the Niagara River
. The British forces drove off the hastily-organized defenders and engaged in considerable plundering and destruction. The operation was conceived as an act of retaliation for the burning by American troops of the Canadian village of Newark (present day Niagara-on-the-Lake
).
George McClure of the New York State Militia, commander of the garrison of Fort George, decided to abandon the post on December 10, 1813, he ordered the neighboring village of Newark to be destroyed. Giving the inhabitants only a few hours' notice, he turned them out into the cold winter night and burned all but one of the hundred and fifty or so buildings to the ground.
Lieutenant General
Gordon Drummond
, the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, was planning an offensive against the American positions on Niagara frontier. In the early hours of December 18, a force under Colonel
John Murray captured Fort Niagara
by surprise. Another force under Major General
Phineas Riall
raided the American side of the lower Niagara River, destroying the villages of Lewiston
, Youngstown
, Manchester
, Tuscarora
and the small military post and surrounding settlement of Fort Schlosser
.
Riall's raid was eventually halted when the Americans set fire to a bridge over the Tonawanda Creek
. Drummond and Riall intended further devastation, and Riall's troops returned to the Canadian side of the Niagara and marched south around Niagara Falls
, carrying their boats, to launch an attack on the villages of Buffalo and Black Rock.
, 240 of the 1st Battalion, 8th (King's) Regiment, 250 of the 41st Regiment
, 55 of the light infantry company of the 2nd Battalion, 89th Regiment, 50 of the grenadier company of the 100th (Prince Regent's County of Dublin) Regiment
, 50 Canadian militia and 400 Native Americans allied to the British. In total, the force numbered 1,415 officers and men.
Available to the American area commander, Major General Amos Hall of the New York Militia, were 2,011 men, all of them volunteers or militia. Stationed at Buffalo were 129 cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel
Seymour Boughton, 433 Ontario County volunteers under Lieutenant Colonel Blakeslee, 136 Buffalo Militia under Lieutenant Colonel Cyrenius Chapin, 97 of the Corps of Canadian Volunteers
under Lieutenant Colonel Benajah Mallory
, 382 of the Genesse Militia Regiment under Major Adams and 307 Chautauqua Militia under Lieutenant Colonel John McMahon. At Black Rock were 382 of Lieutenant Colonel Warren's and Lieutenant Colonel Churchill's Regiments under Brigadier General Timothy Hopkins, 37 mounted infantry under Captain Ransom, 83 Native Americans under Lieutenant Colonel Erastus Granger and 25 militia artillerymen with a six-pounder gun under Lieutenant Seeley.
) and captured the bridge and the battery there. Hall sent the militia under Warren and Churchill to reconnoitre. When they ran off at the first enemy fire, Hall dispatched a second force under Adams and Chapin but exactly the same thing happened. Hall now took personal command of the remainder of his force. He ordered a detachment under Lieutenant Colonel Blakeslee to attack the British left and advanced toward Black Rock with the rest of his men.
As dawn broke, Hall directed "a very heavy fire of cannon and musketry" at Gordon's Royal Scots as they tried to land at Black Rock. Gordon was supported by the fire of a five-gun battery but several of his boats grounded and his regiment took substantial casualties before they could force their way ashore. Riall now advanced with his main body against Hall's center, sending a detachment from his left wing to hit the American right flank. Although the Americans fought with considerable obstinacy, according to Riall, after half an hour of fighting the American right wing broke into a rout. In order to avoid being outflanked, Hall ordered a general retreat. The British pursued all the way to Buffalo, two miles away. Once in Buffalo, the British and Indians sacked it, burning down all but four of its buildings. The British troops also destroyed the navy yard and three armed schooners (the Chippewa
, Ariel, Little Belt
) and one sloop (the Trippe
).
Riall's force then moved on to Black Rock, where once again, all but one building was razed to the ground, before going back over the Niagara to Canada.
The official American casualty figures were reported as 50 killed and 52 wounded. The dead included Lieutenant Colonel Boughton. The Ontario Messenger of January 25, 1814, published a list of 67 Americans captured on December 30, 11 of whom were wounded. Lieutanant Colonel Chapin was among the prisoners. Eight pieces of American artillery were captured.
, British Commander-in-Chief in North America, issued a proclamation in which he expressed his regret that "the miseries inflicted upon the inhabitants of Newark" had necessitated such retaliation.
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
between British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and the United States on December 30, 1813 in the State of New York, near the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
. The British forces drove off the hastily-organized defenders and engaged in considerable plundering and destruction. The operation was conceived as an act of retaliation for the burning by American troops of the Canadian village of Newark (present day Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
).
Background
When Brigadier GeneralBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
George McClure of the New York State Militia, commander of the garrison of Fort George, decided to abandon the post on December 10, 1813, he ordered the neighboring village of Newark to be destroyed. Giving the inhabitants only a few hours' notice, he turned them out into the cold winter night and burned all but one of the hundred and fifty or so buildings to the ground.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Gordon Drummond
Gordon Drummond
Sir Gordon Drummond, GCB was the first Canadian-born officer to command the military and the civil government of Canada...
, the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, was planning an offensive against the American positions on Niagara frontier. In the early hours of December 18, a force under Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
John Murray captured Fort Niagara
Capture of Fort Niagara
The Capture of Fort Niagara took place late in 1813, during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States. The understrength American garrison was taken by surprise, and the fort was captured in a night assault by a select force of British regular infantry.-Background:Fort Niagara was...
by surprise. Another force under Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Phineas Riall
Phineas Riall
Sir Phineas Riall, KCH was a British army officer, who fought in the War of 1812. was born in Clonmel, Ireland into a wealthy Protestant landowning family, the third son of Phineas Riall of Heywood, Co. Tipperary, whose father had founded the Riall Bank of Clonmel, and Catherine Caldwell of Dublin...
raided the American side of the lower Niagara River, destroying the villages of Lewiston
Lewiston, New York
Lewiston is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, an early 19th-century governor of New York. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Village of Lewiston,...
, Youngstown
Youngstown, New York
Youngstown is a village in Niagara County, New York, USA. The population was 1,957 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Manchester
Manchester, New York
Manchester, New York is both a town and a village located in Ontario County, New York.*Manchester , New York*Manchester , New York...
, Tuscarora
Tuscarora, New York
Tuscarora is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,400 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Tuscarora tribe.The Town of Tuscarora is in the south part of the county, southwest of Corning, NY.- History :...
and the small military post and surrounding settlement of Fort Schlosser
Fort Schlosser
Fort Schlosser was a fortification built in Western New York in the USA around 1760 by British Colonial forces, in order to guard the upper entrance to the portage around Niagara Falls, near the Porter-Barton Dock. It was named for its first commander, Captain Schlosser, a practice that was common...
.
Riall's raid was eventually halted when the Americans set fire to a bridge over the Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small river in Western New York, in the United States. William Bright says the best that can be said of the name is that it is "probably from an Iroquoian source, but of unclear derivation".-Description:...
. Drummond and Riall intended further devastation, and Riall's troops returned to the Canadian side of the Niagara and marched south around Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, carrying their boats, to launch an attack on the villages of Buffalo and Black Rock.
Opposing Forces
Major General Riall commanded 370 of the 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment (Royal Scots)The Royal Scots
The Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland...
, 240 of the 1st Battalion, 8th (King's) Regiment, 250 of the 41st Regiment
41st (Welsh) Regiment of Foot
The 41st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1719 and amalgamated into The Welch Regiment in 1881....
, 55 of the light infantry company of the 2nd Battalion, 89th Regiment, 50 of the grenadier company of the 100th (Prince Regent's County of Dublin) Regiment
100th Regiment of Foot (Prince Regent's County of Dublin Regiment)
The 100th Regiment of Foot was raised in Ireland in 1804 for service in the Napoleonic Wars. After a few weeks, Lieutenant Colonel John Murray was appointed to command; he was to remain in this post for most of the regiment's active service.The 100th were transferred to Nova Scotia in 1805, with...
, 50 Canadian militia and 400 Native Americans allied to the British. In total, the force numbered 1,415 officers and men.
Available to the American area commander, Major General Amos Hall of the New York Militia, were 2,011 men, all of them volunteers or militia. Stationed at Buffalo were 129 cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Seymour Boughton, 433 Ontario County volunteers under Lieutenant Colonel Blakeslee, 136 Buffalo Militia under Lieutenant Colonel Cyrenius Chapin, 97 of the Corps of Canadian Volunteers
Canadian Volunteers
The Canadian Volunteers was a unit composed of pro-American citizens or inhabitants of Upper Canada which fought for the United States of America during the Anglo-American War of 1812.-Background:...
under Lieutenant Colonel Benajah Mallory
Benajah Mallory
Benajah Mallory was a farmer, merchant and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in the Thirteen Colonies around 1764; he was living in Vermont at the start of the American Revolution and served with the local militia. He married Abia Dayton and settled in Burford Township in Upper Canada...
, 382 of the Genesse Militia Regiment under Major Adams and 307 Chautauqua Militia under Lieutenant Colonel John McMahon. At Black Rock were 382 of Lieutenant Colonel Warren's and Lieutenant Colonel Churchill's Regiments under Brigadier General Timothy Hopkins, 37 mounted infantry under Captain Ransom, 83 Native Americans under Lieutenant Colonel Erastus Granger and 25 militia artillerymen with a six-pounder gun under Lieutenant Seeley.
Battle
Riall crossed the Niagara around midnight on December 29 and landed with most of his men some 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream of Black Rock in the early hours of December 30. He delegated Lieutenant Colonel John Gordon and the Royal Scots to land at Black Rock itself in order to attack the Americans from a different direction. Major General Amos Hall was first alerted to the British presence when Riall's advance guard, the light infantry company of the 89th Regiment, drove off the American piquet at Conjunckaty Creek (now known as Scajaquada CreekScajaquada Creek
Scajaquada Creek is a stream located in Erie County, New York, USA. The name is derived from Philip Kenjockety, an Indian described as the oldest resident of the region upon his death in 1808....
) and captured the bridge and the battery there. Hall sent the militia under Warren and Churchill to reconnoitre. When they ran off at the first enemy fire, Hall dispatched a second force under Adams and Chapin but exactly the same thing happened. Hall now took personal command of the remainder of his force. He ordered a detachment under Lieutenant Colonel Blakeslee to attack the British left and advanced toward Black Rock with the rest of his men.
As dawn broke, Hall directed "a very heavy fire of cannon and musketry" at Gordon's Royal Scots as they tried to land at Black Rock. Gordon was supported by the fire of a five-gun battery but several of his boats grounded and his regiment took substantial casualties before they could force their way ashore. Riall now advanced with his main body against Hall's center, sending a detachment from his left wing to hit the American right flank. Although the Americans fought with considerable obstinacy, according to Riall, after half an hour of fighting the American right wing broke into a rout. In order to avoid being outflanked, Hall ordered a general retreat. The British pursued all the way to Buffalo, two miles away. Once in Buffalo, the British and Indians sacked it, burning down all but four of its buildings. The British troops also destroyed the navy yard and three armed schooners (the Chippewa
USS Chippewa (1813)
The first USS Chippewa, a schooner, was captured from the British 10 September 1813 and fitted out for service in the U.S. Navy, Acting Midshipman Robert S. Tatem in command.She cruised on Lake Erie as a part of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's squadron...
, Ariel, Little Belt
HMS Little Belt (1812)
HMS Little Belt was a 3-gun sloop-of-war of the Royal Navy's Lake Erie fleet. She served in the War of 1812 when the USS Scorpion captured her during the Battle of Lake Erie....
) and one sloop (the Trippe
USS Trippe (1812)
The first USS Trippe was a sloop in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. She was named for John Trippe.Originally named Contractor, she was purchased by the Navy on the Niagara River in New York in 1812 — was converted to a warship by Henry Eckford of New York; renamed Trippe; and placed...
).
Riall's force then moved on to Black Rock, where once again, all but one building was razed to the ground, before going back over the Niagara to Canada.
Casualties
The British casualty return gave 25 British regulars, 3 militiamen and 3 Native Americans killed; 63 regulars, 6 militiamen and 3 Native Americans wounded; and 9 regulars missing: a total of 31 killed, 72 wounded and 9 missing. Of these, 13 killed, 32 wounded and 6 missing were from the Royal Scots, who had endured a heavy cannonade while grounded in their boats. The Americans took 5 prisoners.The official American casualty figures were reported as 50 killed and 52 wounded. The dead included Lieutenant Colonel Boughton. The Ontario Messenger of January 25, 1814, published a list of 67 Americans captured on December 30, 11 of whom were wounded. Lieutanant Colonel Chapin was among the prisoners. Eight pieces of American artillery were captured.
Aftermath
On January 22, 1814, Lieutenant General Sir George PrevostGeorge Prevost
Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the eldest son of Swiss French Augustine Prévost, he joined the British Army as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary...
, British Commander-in-Chief in North America, issued a proclamation in which he expressed his regret that "the miseries inflicted upon the inhabitants of Newark" had necessitated such retaliation.