The 100th Regiment of Foot was raised in Ireland in 1805 and sent to Quebec. In 1812, the 100th received its title: The Prince Regent's County of Dublin Regiment. On 29 May 1813 the grenadier company participated in the raid on Sackett's Harbor. Meanwhile, several companies of the 100th garrisoned the fortification on Isle Aux Noix in the Richelieu River. In December the flank companies under Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton joined in the bayonet assault on Fort Niagara while the remainder of the regiment supported. The 100th garrisoned that fortification immediately after its capture. Later that month, the grenadier and light companies participated in the attack on Buffalo where Captain Fawcett of the Grenadiers was wounded. July 1814 was a fateful month for the 100th Foot for it was in resisting the American offensive on the Niagara River where the regiment underwent a test of fire. Approximately 120 officers and men of the regiment were manning Fort Erie on 3 July when the American Left Division crossed both Lake Erie and the Niagara River to surround the British fortification. Major Thomas Buck of the 8th Foot commanded Fort Erie. When he saw the numerous Americans outside the fort poised to assault, he negotiated surrender. As the men of the 100th perceived Buck’s intentions, they clamored to be allowed to defend the small fort to the last. Buck judged that defense was futile and he and the garrison were rowed across the Niagara and into captivity. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Pearson at Chippawa learned of the American landings up river and assembled a scratch force consisting of the flank companies of the 100th, some militia, and a handful of friendly natives to scout out the invader. Pearson was a competent commander. He moved toward Fort Erie and on the 4th he fell back, burning bridges over the numerous creeks and driving off cattle and horses. On the Chippawa Plain, immediately south of the Chippawa River, Pearson made one last valiant attempt to slow down Winfield Scott’s Brigade. Heavily outnumbered, Pearson was forced to withdraw north across the Chippawa and into the fortifications. Chippawa On the 5th of July was fought the first major battle of the Niagara campaign. The commander of the 100th, George Hay, the Marquis of Tweeddale, led his battalion, minus his light company, across the Chippawa bridge and formed up alongside the Royal Scots. As the two British battalions approached the American forces, they deployed into a two rank deep line formation which maximized the number of soldiers who could bring effective fire on the American invaders. Major General Phineas Riall commanding the British was conversing with the twenty-seven year old Tweeddale when he noted that the Americans were wearing gray uniforms. The resulting exchange has been told many times and in differing variations but the gist of the dialog was that Riall told Tweeddale that he would have no trouble defeating the Americans for they were obviously militia. However, as the Americans continued their approach march unflinchingly in face of cannon shot screaming into their ranks, Riall amended his prediction. Using strong language he exclaimed that despite the color of the uniforms, the British were facing regulars! Tweeddale ordered his men to alternately fire and move forward. At point blank range, both sides stopped and exchanged a murderous fire. The Americans could maintain a high rate of fire, the result of months of training. Further, they were using buck and ball which inflicted more casualties than the more traditional ball only used by their adversaries. Then, emerging from out of the forest on the right flank of the 100th, came the 25th United States Infantry. Firing three volleys into the British, the 25th charged, as did the Americans directly in front of the 100th. Within moments Tweeddale was shot off his horse, a bullet severing his Achilles tendon. Shot to pieces and in danger of envelopment, the 100th withdrew bringing their wounded commander with them. Out of the 450 soldiers of the 100th who fought at Chippawa that day, 204 or 45% were casualties: 69 killed, 134 wounded, and one missing and presumed captured. Upon reaching the safety of camp, Tweeddale turned over command to a lieutenant, the only officer who was only slightly wounded. After Chippawa, the 100th was withdrawn from field duty and spent the next few months in garrison, awaiting an American army which never materialized. However, the British position became precarious with the arrival on the Niagara Frontier of Major General George Izard’s Right Division. Izard was sounding out the British defenses on the Chippawa and sent a brigade to destroy the grain believed to be at Cook’s Mill on Lyon’s Creek. On 18 October 1814 Lieutenant General Sir Gordon Drummond, fearful of being outflanked, sent a brigade of his own to block the American advance. Included in the brigade were Lieutenant Colonel Tweedale, who had not fully recovered from his wound, and the 100th Foot. Battle of Cook’s Mill The Battle of Cook’s Mill (or Lyon’s Creek) fought on 19 October was not much of a fight. The Americans were not intent upon enveloping the British line and the British were reluctant to become decisively engaged with a larger force. This all served to mitigate the scope of the fighting. The Americans pushed back a skirmish line of the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles but never came into contact with the main British line where the 100th was posted. Exchanging fire at long range, the British eventually chose to withdraw a ways closer to the main camp. Believing they had driven off a major force, the Americans declared victory and returned to their camp after destroying a few hundred bushels of grain. Within a few weeks, the Americans blew up Fort Erie and returned to the New York shore. The last campaign on the Niagara was over. Post War After the war, the regiment received the battle honor "Niagara." In 1816 the regiment was renumbered the 99th Foot and in 1818 returned to Britain where it was disbanded. The regimental color was deep yellow. The regimental lace was square-ended and set singly on the coat. Initially clad in white breeches, black gaiters, and stovepipe shako, the regiment transitioned to the newer style of gray pantaloons, short gaiters, and Belgic shako in the summer of 1813. Back to Table of Contents -- War of 1812 #3 Back to War of 1812 List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Rich Barbuto. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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