Battle of Malcolm's Mills
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Malcolm's Mills was a brief skirmish during the War of 1812
in which a force of American
cavalry
overran and scattered a force of Canadian
militia
. The battle was fought on November 6, 1814, near the village of Oakland, in Brant County
, Ontario. The skirmish was part of a series of battles fought by American Brigadier General Duncan McArthur
on an extended raid into Upper Canada
.
and raided the Thames Valley. The plan was to devastate the Grand River
settlements and the region around the head of Lake Ontario
which supplied British
forces on the Niagara frontier. The Canadian militia in the region was caught unaware by this swift raid from the west, and McArthur's force continued east at a fairly rapid pace, arriving at Brant's Ford on the Grand River on November 5.
's 50 militia and 50 Indian warriors under the command of Teyoninhokarawen
, who were prepared to dispute the passage.
After exchanging fire with the Canadian defenders, and knowing that Canadian reinforcements were on the march from Burlington Heights
, McArthur decided he was not willing to risk attempting to force a passage. In his journals, McArthur wrote that heavy rainfall had made fording the river impossible. McArthur turned his force south to raid the settlements along the north shore of Lake Erie
along a route that would lead them back to Detroit.
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bostwick of the Oxford Militia, the Canadians formed a defensive position at Malcolm's Mills, now the village of Oakland, nine miles (15 km) southwest of Brant's Ford and blocked McArthur's route to the Lake Erie shoreline. The militia were stationed along the crest of a fairly steep slope overlooking a bridge at the bottom of a marshy valley. The planking on the bridge had been taken up, and a barricade was improvised on the road.
The Americans arrived early in the day and succeeded in sending a flanking
force downstream unseen. When the attack began, the American cavalry easily forded the creek and began careful skirmishing to pin down the Canadian force while two columns flanked the Canadian position on both sides. The flanking manoeuvre caught the militia by surprise, and the more experienced American force quickly drove them from the field.
In his journals, McArthur stated that his cavalry lost 1 man with 6 wounded. The Canadian militia suffered several dead and many wounded, but most of them escaped in the panic that ensued during the rout.
before continuing down the Thames and along the southern shore of Lake St. Clair
, arriving back at Detroit on November 17, 1814. A small party of the British 19th Light Dragoons
, led by Major Peter Chambers, shadowed McArthur's force for a large part of the return to Detroit, but they met no resistance.
Although McArthur's forces overpowered and scattered the local militia at Malcolm's Mills and were able to continue their raiding to Lake Erie, the cavalry lacked the power to push east of the Grand River and eventually retreated to Detroit.
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...
in which a force of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
overran and scattered a force of Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. The battle was fought on November 6, 1814, near the village of Oakland, in Brant County
Brant, Ontario
The County of Brant is a single-tier municipality and a census division in the Canadian province of Ontario. Despite its name, it is not a county by the standard definition, as all municipal services are handled by a single level of government. The county has service offices in Burford, Paris...
, Ontario. The skirmish was part of a series of battles fought by American Brigadier General Duncan McArthur
Duncan McArthur
right|thumb|350pxDuncan McArthur was a Federalist and National Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 11th Governor of Ohio....
on an extended raid into Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
McArthur's raid
In October 1814, an invading American force of about 700 men under Brigadier General Duncan McArthur advanced rapidly as they left DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and raided the Thames Valley. The plan was to devastate the Grand River
Grand River (Ontario)
The Grand River is a large river in southwestern Ontario, Canada. From its source, it flows south through Grand Valley, Fergus, Elora, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, and Cayuga before emptying into the north shore of Lake Erie south of Dunnville at Port Maitland...
settlements and the region around the head of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
which supplied British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
forces on the Niagara frontier. The Canadian militia in the region was caught unaware by this swift raid from the west, and McArthur's force continued east at a fairly rapid pace, arriving at Brant's Ford on the Grand River on November 5.
Brant's Ford
McArthur reached Brant's Ford to find that the higher ground on the east bank of the ford was occupied by Major Adam MuirAdam Muir (British Army officer)
Major Adam Charles Muir was an officer in the British Army, who played a significant but little-known role in the Anglo-American War of 1812....
's 50 militia and 50 Indian warriors under the command of Teyoninhokarawen
John Norton (Mohawk chief)
The Mohawk Major John Norton played a prominent role in the War of 1812, leading Iroquois warriors from Grand River into battle against American invaders at Queenston Heights, Stoney Creek, and Chippawa.-Early life:...
, who were prepared to dispute the passage.
After exchanging fire with the Canadian defenders, and knowing that Canadian reinforcements were on the march from Burlington Heights
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
, McArthur decided he was not willing to risk attempting to force a passage. In his journals, McArthur wrote that heavy rainfall had made fording the river impossible. McArthur turned his force south to raid the settlements along the north shore of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
along a route that would lead them back to Detroit.
Malcolm's Mills
On November 6, 1814 McArthur's men encountered a group of 400 Canadian militia drawn from elements of the 1st and 2nd Norfolk, 1st Oxford, and 1st Middlesex regiments. The aim of the Canadian militia was to deflect McArthur's force back the way they had come, or to keep them busy until reinforcements arrived from Burlington Heights.Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bostwick of the Oxford Militia, the Canadians formed a defensive position at Malcolm's Mills, now the village of Oakland, nine miles (15 km) southwest of Brant's Ford and blocked McArthur's route to the Lake Erie shoreline. The militia were stationed along the crest of a fairly steep slope overlooking a bridge at the bottom of a marshy valley. The planking on the bridge had been taken up, and a barricade was improvised on the road.
The Americans arrived early in the day and succeeded in sending a flanking
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
force downstream unseen. When the attack began, the American cavalry easily forded the creek and began careful skirmishing to pin down the Canadian force while two columns flanked the Canadian position on both sides. The flanking manoeuvre caught the militia by surprise, and the more experienced American force quickly drove them from the field.
In his journals, McArthur stated that his cavalry lost 1 man with 6 wounded. The Canadian militia suffered several dead and many wounded, but most of them escaped in the panic that ensued during the rout.
Forces
The Canadian forces engaged at Malcolm's Mills included:- 1st Regiment of Middlesex Militia, under Major John Eakins
- 1st Regiment of Oxford Militia, under Lt. Col. Henry Bostwick
- 1st Regiment of Norfolk Militia, under Lt. Col. Joseph Ryerson and Major William D. Bowen
- 2nd Regiment of Norfolk Militia, under Major George C. Salmon
Aftermath
The battle at Malcolm's Mill was the last land battle of the War of 1812 fought in Upper Canada. McArthur's force continued to the Lake Erie shore, burning and pillaging, then headed north and back to the Thames RiverThames River (Ontario)
The Thames River is located in southwestern Ontario, Canada.The Thames flows west through southwestern Ontario, through the cities of Woodstock, London and Chatham to Lighthouse Cove on Lake St. Clair...
before continuing down the Thames and along the southern shore of Lake St. Clair
Lake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
, arriving back at Detroit on November 17, 1814. A small party of the British 19th Light Dragoons
19th Light Dragoons
The 19th Light Dragoons was a cavalry regiment of the British Army created in 1781 for service in British India. The regiment served in India until 1806, and in North America during the War of 1812, and was disbanded in Britain in 1821.-Formation:...
, led by Major Peter Chambers, shadowed McArthur's force for a large part of the return to Detroit, but they met no resistance.
Although McArthur's forces overpowered and scattered the local militia at Malcolm's Mills and were able to continue their raiding to Lake Erie, the cavalry lacked the power to push east of the Grand River and eventually retreated to Detroit.