The Niagara campaign occurred in 1814 and was the final campaign launched by the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

to invade

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

. The campaign was launched to counter the British offensive in the Niagara region which had been initiated with the

capture of Fort Niagara The Capture of Fort Niagara took place late in 1813, during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom and the United States. The American garrison was taken by surprise, and the fort was captured in a night assault by a select force of Britis ...

in December, 1813. As part of that campaign, and in response to the American burning of the village of Newark on the Canadian side of the river, British forces and their native allies burned the American villages of Buffalo and Black Rock. Having rejected the option of attacking the British naval base at Kingston in Upper Canada (as it was considered too logistically difficult and well defended), the American objective in the 1814 campaign was to deal the British a decisive blow on the Niagara peninsula. The American forces, commanded by General Jacob Brown and

General Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...

, began their counter campaign with the

Capture of Fort Erie The Capture of Fort Erie by American forces in 1814 was a battle in the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom and the United States. The British garrison was outnumbered but surrendered prematurely, in the view of British commanders.Joseph Whiteh ...

on the Niagara Peninsula early in July. Next, they defeated the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

at the Battle of Chippawa. At the Battle of Lundy's Lane three weeks later, both sides claimed victory, but because U.S. forces had suffered so many casualties, they pulled back to

Fort Erie Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is directly across the river from Buffalo, New York, and is the site of Old Fort Erie which played a prominent role in the War of 1812. Fort Erie is one of Ni ...

. Following their return to the fort, the British, under

Gordon Drummond General Sir Gordon Drummond, GCB (27 September 1772 – 10 October 1854) was a Canadian-born British Army officer and the first official to command the military and the civil government of Canada. As Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Dr ...

, attempted to capture the fort and the

Siege of Fort Erie The siege of Fort Erie, also known as the Battle of Erie, from 4 August to 21 September 1814, was one of the last engagements of the War of 1812, between British and American forces. It took place during the Niagara campaign, and the Americans s ...

followed. The Americans were able to hold out, and the British eventually lifted the siege after suffering severe losses. After a small engagement at Cook's Mills, American forces, commanded by General George Izard, abandoned Fort Erie and returned to the U.S. territory for winter quarters. In February 1815 the U.S. Senate approved the

Treaty of Ghent The Treaty of Ghent () was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. It took effect in February 1815. Both sides signed it on December 24, 1814, in the city of Ghent, United Netherlands (now in ...

ending the war.National Museum of the U.S. Army
/ref> Image:Winfield Scott.jpg,

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...

(photographed in later life) played an instrumental role, as a young 28-year old Brigadier-General, at the Battles of Chippawa and Lundy's Lane.

References

External links

The Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niagara Campaign Campaigns of the War of 1812