Battle of Ogdensburg
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ogdensburg was a battle of the War of 1812
. The British
gained a victory over the Americans
and captured the village of Ogdensburg, New York
. Although small in scale, it removed the American threat to British supply lines for the remainder of the war.
. This was checked early in October 1812 when the Americans reinforced the militia
with some of the regular 1st U.S. Rifle Regiment under Major Benjamin Forsyth
.
The British made an abortive attack with their own militia on October 3, which was quickly repulsed by the American forces in Ogdensburg, after which the militia dispersed. During the next few months, Forsyth's riflemen made several raids across the river, sniping at British troops and occasionally capturing boatloads of supplies on their way to Kingston, Ontario
.
On February 21, 1813, Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost
, the British Governor General of Canada
, passed through Prescott on his way to review the situation in Upper Canada
, accompanied by several detachments of reinforcements. He appointed Lieutenant Colonel "Red George" MacDonnell
as commandant of British troops in Prescott and left him instructions that he was to attack Ogdensburg only if the Americans weakened their garrison.
MacDonnell had other ideas. With the extra troops temporarily available, he determined to seize the opportunity. He planned for a company of the Glengarry Light Infantry, 70 militia and some light guns mounted on sleighs to make a frontal attack on the fort which housed Forsyth's riflemen. The main column, consisting of 120 men of the 8th (King's)
, 30 of the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles and 230 of the local militia flank
companies, would cross the river lower down and attack from the flank.
The British burned the boats and schooners frozen into the ice, and they carried off artillery and military stores. There was some looting of private property, but some of the plundered goods were later returned.
Lieutenant Colonel Macdonell reported that 20 Americans were killed and 70 captured, of whom many were wounded. An American account gave their loss as 26 killed and wounded and about 60 taken prisoner, a figure which suggests that only 6 of the wounded men escaped capture.
s than was previously thought.
The normally cautious Prevost amended MacDonnell's despatch to make it appear that the attack had been carried out on, rather than against, his orders.
The Regimental Chaplain
of the Glengarry Light Infantry, Alexander Macdonell
, is reputed to have accompanied the attack, wielding a crucifix to encourage lagging soldiers. Less reliably, he is supposed to have been supported by a Presbyterian minister swinging a heavy Bible
.
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...
. The 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....
gained a victory over the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and captured the village of Ogdensburg, New York
Ogdensburg, New York
Ogdensburg is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 11,128 at the 2010 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and developer Samuel Ogden....
. Although small in scale, it removed the American threat to British supply lines for the remainder of the war.
Background
When the war broke out, a flourishing illicit trade was soon established between Ogdensburg and Prescott, Upper Canada (later to become the province of Ontario in 1841), on the Northern side of the Saint Lawrence RiverSaint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
. This was checked early in October 1812 when the Americans reinforced the 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...
with some of the regular 1st U.S. Rifle Regiment under Major Benjamin Forsyth
Benjamin Forsyth
Benjamin Forsyth was an American officer of Rifle troops in the War of 1812 between Britain and America.Originally from Stokes County, North Carolina, he obtained a lieutenancy in the U.S. 1st Rifle Regiment when it was formed in 1808...
.
The British made an abortive attack with their own militia on October 3, which was quickly repulsed by the American forces in Ogdensburg, after which the militia dispersed. During the next few months, Forsyth's riflemen made several raids across the river, sniping at British troops and occasionally capturing boatloads of supplies on their way to Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
On February 21, 1813, Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost
George 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...
, the British Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, passed through Prescott on his way to review the situation in 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...
, accompanied by several detachments of reinforcements. He appointed Lieutenant Colonel "Red George" MacDonnell
George MacDonnell
George Richard John MacDonnell , commonly known as Red George, was an officer in the British Army, who played a conspicuous part in the War of 1812....
as commandant of British troops in Prescott and left him instructions that he was to attack Ogdensburg only if the Americans weakened their garrison.
MacDonnell had other ideas. With the extra troops temporarily available, he determined to seize the opportunity. He planned for a company of the Glengarry Light Infantry, 70 militia and some light guns mounted on sleighs to make a frontal attack on the fort which housed Forsyth's riflemen. The main column, consisting of 120 men of the 8th (King's)
8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot
The 8th Regiment of Foot, also referred to diminutively as the 8th Foot and the King's, was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1685 and retitled the King's on 1 July 1881....
, 30 of the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles and 230 of the local militia flank
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...
companies, would cross the river lower down and attack from the flank.
Battle
The Americans were used to seeing British troops drilling on the frozen Saint Lawrence and were taken by surprise when they suddenly charged. The riflemen in the fort held out against the frontal attack, mainly because the British guns became stuck in snow drifts, and American artillery, under Adjutant Daniel W. Church of Colonel Benedict's regiment and Lieutenant Baird of Forsyth's company, fired on the British with mixed results. As the British main body threatened to surround them, they retreated and abandoned the town. The militia retreated back into the civilian population. The artillery under Church and Baird managed to put up a tough resistance until both Church and Baird were wounded. The British then took control of the town.The British burned the boats and schooners frozen into the ice, and they carried off artillery and military stores. There was some looting of private property, but some of the plundered goods were later returned.
Casualties
The British casualty return listed 2 British regulars, 2 Glengarry Light Infantry and 2 miltiamen killed; 12 British regulars, 12 Glengarry Light Infantry and 20 militiamen wounded; for a total of 6 killed and 44 wounded.Lieutenant Colonel Macdonell reported that 20 Americans were killed and 70 captured, of whom many were wounded. An American account gave their loss as 26 killed and wounded and about 60 taken prisoner, a figure which suggests that only 6 of the wounded men escaped capture.
Aftermath
After the British withdrew, the Americans did not re-garrison Ogdensburg. The British were able to purchase supplies from Americans merchants there for the remainder of the war. The Ogdensburg area may have been populated by more Tories and FederalistFederalist
The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation...
s than was previously thought.
The normally cautious Prevost amended MacDonnell's despatch to make it appear that the attack had been carried out on, rather than against, his orders.
The Regimental Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the Glengarry Light Infantry, Alexander Macdonell
Alexander Macdonell (bishop)
Bishop Alexander Macdonell was the first Roman Catholic bishop of Kingston, Upper Canada.-Early years:...
, is reputed to have accompanied the attack, wielding a crucifix to encourage lagging soldiers. Less reliably, he is supposed to have been supported by a Presbyterian minister swinging a heavy Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.