Alastair Sweeny - Fire Along the Frontier: Great Battles of the War of 1812

Sir James Lucas Yeo.

The Landing at Sackets Harbor

On May 25, only ten days after Yeos arrival, Prevost got a dispatch from General Vincent at Fort George, informing him that Chaunceys fleet was offshore supporting a major attack by the U.S. Army. Prevost knew he had a golden chance to relieve Vincent at Niagara, take Sackets Harbor, and with one blow win naval supremacy on the lake. But he had to scramble before Chaunceys return.

Two days later, Yeos instant squadron left Kingston carrying the grenadier company of the 100th Regiment, two companies of the 8th (The Kings) Regiment of Foot, four companies of the 104th Regiment, one company of the Glengarry Light Infantry, two companies of the Canadian Voltigeurs and a detachment of Royal Artillery with two six-pounder guns. Since no general officer was available to command the troops, Prevost took the job, while delegating command ashore to his adjutant general, Colonel Edward Baynes, an officer with minimal battlefield experience. If Granny Dearborn could command an expedition, why not himself?

Yeo and Prevost arrived off Sackets Harbor early the next morning. The wind had died down, making it dangerous to steer too close to the shore. Since he had no charts or soundings, and little lake experience, Yeo was properly cautious.

Just as Prevosts force started rowing ashore before midday, some sails were sighted in the distance. Nervous that the sails belonged to Chauncey, Prevost called off the attack and ordered the troops to go back to their ships. It was a false alarm. The sails belonged to twelve bateaux carrying U.S. infantry from Oswego to Sackets Harbor. The British sent out three large canoes of Iroquois warriors and a gunboat with a detachment of Glengarrys to intercept them. The Americans quickly headed for shore and fled into the woods, pursued by the Iroquois, who killed thirty-five soldiers. Their senior officer rowed out to Yeos fleet and surrendered his remaining force of 115 officers and men.

This episode gave the Americans plenty of advance warning. Under the command of Brigadier-General Jacob Brown of the New York state militia, with Lieutenant Woolcott Chauncey, younger brother of the commodore, their 400 regulars and 750 local militia worked feverishly to shore up their defences, which consisted of Fort Volunteer and Fort Tompkins, several strong blockhouses and a line of earthworks together. The hill to the fort also featured an abatis engineered from felled trees and branches by Alexander Macomb, one of the smartest generals in the U.S. Army, who was now in command of a unit at Fort George.

Prevost resumed the attack the following morning May 29, landing his troops south of the town on Horse Island, under fire from two six-pounder field guns and a naval thirty-two-pounder firing at long range from Fort Tompkins. Once the landing force was assembled, the British charged across the flooded causeway linking the island to the shore, chasing the fleeing militia. They then swung left to take the town and dockyard from the landward side, but the American regulars with some field guns held fast, and fell back behind their blockhouses and earthworks.

It was ticklish work, said Lieutenant John Le Couteur of the 104th Foot, who was armed only with an officers sword.