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

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to invade

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. The campaign was launched to counter the British offensive in the Niagara region which had been initiated with the capture of Fort Niagara 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 Commanding General of the United States Army from 1841 to 1861, and was a veteran of the War of 1812, American Indian Wars, Mexica ...

, began their counter campaign with the Capture of Fort Erie on the

Niagara Peninsula The Niagara Peninsula is an area of land lying between the southwestern shore of Lake Ontario and the northeastern shore of Lake Erie, in Ontario, Canada. Technically an isthmus rather than a peninsula, it stretches from the Niagara River in the ...

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. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

at the

Battle of Chippawa The Battle of Chippawa, also known as the Battle of Chippewa, was a victory for the United States Army in the War of 1812, during its invasion on July 5, 1814, of the British Empire's colony of Upper Canada along the Niagara River. This battle ...

. At the

Battle of Lundy's Lane The Battle of Lundy's Lane, also known as the Battle of Niagara or contemporarily as the Battle of Bridgewater, was fought on 25 July 1814, during the War of 1812, between an invading American army and a British and Canadian army near present-d ...

three weeks later, both sides claimed victory, but because U.S. forces had suffered so many casualties, they pulled back to Fort Erie. 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, Drum ...

, 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 ...

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 Commanding General of the United States Army from 1841 to 1861, and was a veteran of the War of 1812, American Indian Wars, Mexica ...

(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