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Authors: Wesley B. Turner
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Commodore Chauncy and General Pike.
[Amasa Trowbridge Papers, Manuscript Room, Library of Congress.]
The American effort was big: 1,700 regulars carried on fourteen ships led by the
Madison
. Chauncey commanded the fleet and Dearborn the troops. Shortly before dawn, the Americans landed west of the town where only a few Indians and regulars were present to oppose them. These defenders were easily driven back while American warships knocked out the shore batteries.
General Sheaffe, the British commander, seeing that his forces were greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy losses, realized he could not hold York. He advised the militia officers to surrender the town, and ordered the unfinished ship and the naval storehouse and the big magazine blown up. His intention was to destroy anything that could be of value to the Americans, but the explosion also caused them unexpected losses.
Falling stones crushed Brigadier-General Zebulon Pike â the American commander on shore â and at least 250 American soldiers were killed or wounded. Dearborn then came ashore to assume command.
Sheaffe saved the regulars to fight another day, but as they marched away, they left the people, âstanding in the street like a parcel of sheep,â in the words of Yorkâs sheriff, John Beikie. 4 Although the Americans had been angered by the magazine explosion (seeing it as an unfair trick), a surrender was negotiated, the militia were allowed to go to their homes, and private property was to be left alone. Nevertheless, there was theft and destruction of property during the enemyâs six-day occupation. Government House, the Parliament Building, other public buildings, and a private schooner were all burned by the Americans. A number of private homes and stores were robbed.
In terms of the war, however, the most important consequences were the loss to the British of the badly needed naval and military stores, the ship under construction, and the
Duke of Gloucester
, which the Americans took away. The loss of supplies in particular contributed to the later, fatal, weakness of the Lake Erie squadron.
In January 1813, Chauncey had established a naval base at Presque Isle (now Erie, Pennsylvania), and several ships were soon under construction there. Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry,a regular naval officer, was given command of the Lake Erie squadron. The British naval squadron on that lake was under Commander Robert H. Barclay. His naval service had begun in 1798, he had served in the Battle of Waterloo, and, several years afterwards, he had lost his left arm after being wounded in action.
The British position on Lake Erie was weaker than that of the Americans, who could easily send seamen and equipment from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to Presque Isle. When British seamen arrived at Kingston in May, Yeo thought he needed most of them for Lake Ontario. He did not allow Barclay to take any to Lake Erie, even though there were not enough seamen on Erie to work the gunboats. Moreover, Barclay received insufficient guns and supplies to properly equip his ships.
Chauncey used his naval force again in May to support an American attack on Fort George. While he was away from Sackets Harbor, Prevost and Yeo attempted to capture it. During the assault, an American officer set fire to the shipyard containing a schooner, a vessel under construction, and naval stores to keep them out of British hands. But lack of wind prevented Yeoâs ships from approaching close enough to use their guns effectively. Deciding that the attack could not succeed, Prevost called it off. The Americans put out the fires before they did much harm. Prevost thus failed to capture Sackets Harbor or even inflict serious damage. Among his men and officers, he was criticized for not pressing on with the attack. âIt was a scandalously managed affair. . . . The murmurs against Sir George were deep, not loud,â wrote a young lieutenant who was
[Amasa Trowbridge Papers, Manuscript Room, Library of Congress.]
The American effort was big: 1,700 regulars carried on fourteen ships led by the
Madison
. Chauncey commanded the fleet and Dearborn the troops. Shortly before dawn, the Americans landed west of the town where only a few Indians and regulars were present to oppose them. These defenders were easily driven back while American warships knocked out the shore batteries.
General Sheaffe, the British commander, seeing that his forces were greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy losses, realized he could not hold York. He advised the militia officers to surrender the town, and ordered the unfinished ship and the naval storehouse and the big magazine blown up. His intention was to destroy anything that could be of value to the Americans, but the explosion also caused them unexpected losses.
Falling stones crushed Brigadier-General Zebulon Pike â the American commander on shore â and at least 250 American soldiers were killed or wounded. Dearborn then came ashore to assume command.
Sheaffe saved the regulars to fight another day, but as they marched away, they left the people, âstanding in the street like a parcel of sheep,â in the words of Yorkâs sheriff, John Beikie. 4 Although the Americans had been angered by the magazine explosion (seeing it as an unfair trick), a surrender was negotiated, the militia were allowed to go to their homes, and private property was to be left alone. Nevertheless, there was theft and destruction of property during the enemyâs six-day occupation. Government House, the Parliament Building, other public buildings, and a private schooner were all burned by the Americans. A number of private homes and stores were robbed.
In terms of the war, however, the most important consequences were the loss to the British of the badly needed naval and military stores, the ship under construction, and the
Duke of Gloucester
, which the Americans took away. The loss of supplies in particular contributed to the later, fatal, weakness of the Lake Erie squadron.
In January 1813, Chauncey had established a naval base at Presque Isle (now Erie, Pennsylvania), and several ships were soon under construction there. Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry,a regular naval officer, was given command of the Lake Erie squadron. The British naval squadron on that lake was under Commander Robert H. Barclay. His naval service had begun in 1798, he had served in the Battle of Waterloo, and, several years afterwards, he had lost his left arm after being wounded in action.
The British position on Lake Erie was weaker than that of the Americans, who could easily send seamen and equipment from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to Presque Isle. When British seamen arrived at Kingston in May, Yeo thought he needed most of them for Lake Ontario. He did not allow Barclay to take any to Lake Erie, even though there were not enough seamen on Erie to work the gunboats. Moreover, Barclay received insufficient guns and supplies to properly equip his ships.
Chauncey used his naval force again in May to support an American attack on Fort George. While he was away from Sackets Harbor, Prevost and Yeo attempted to capture it. During the assault, an American officer set fire to the shipyard containing a schooner, a vessel under construction, and naval stores to keep them out of British hands. But lack of wind prevented Yeoâs ships from approaching close enough to use their guns effectively. Deciding that the attack could not succeed, Prevost called it off. The Americans put out the fires before they did much harm. Prevost thus failed to capture Sackets Harbor or even inflict serious damage. Among his men and officers, he was criticized for not pressing on with the attack. âIt was a scandalously managed affair. . . . The murmurs against Sir George were deep, not loud,â wrote a young lieutenant who was
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