Winfield Scott
and the War of 1812

The Battle of Fort George

by Rich Barbuto

After he was officially exchanged, he was promoted in March 1813 to full colonel commanding the Second Artillery Regiment. By May he was at Fort Niagara, assigned as General Henry Dearborn's adjutant. In those days, the duties of a staff officer were whatever the general directed and Dearborn used Scott as a chief of staff and an operations officer. Scott brought his learning and energy to bear in organizing Dearborn's headquarters to operate with a level of efficiency. Scott was central in the planning process to attack and seize Fort George. A decisive component of the plan was surprise. He chose a landing site which was unexpected by the British. He worked hand in hand with the US Navy in planning the movement of troops from the American shore to the landing site as well as a plan for the American ships to support the landing with naval gunfire. Once ashore, he developed a simple yet solid plan to move from the landing site to Fort George and to assault that wooden palisade fortification.

As the fog lifted from Lake Ontario on 27 May, 1813, the defenders of Fort George saw what they had been dreading. Sixteen ships spread out in a wide arc approached the shore roughly three miles west of Fort George and about a mile west of the village of Newark. Several of the larger ships were towing over a hundred smaller craft am packed with American troops. Three American schooners approached close to shore and began bombarding the meager defending force sent to oppose the landing. Oliver Hazard Perry, who was visiting his superior, Commodore Isaac Chauncey, was being rowed madly between these craft directing the naval gunfire. Scott had insisted on commanding the initial assault wave, 800 troops that included several hundred green-jacketed riflemen. Even as they pulled toward shore, they received fire from British regulars and Canadian militiamen on shore.

Scott's first wave hit the beach, formed up, and proceeded inland toward a high embankment. The British reached the crest of the embankment in numbers sufficient to challenge the Americans. Leading the way, Scott clambered atop the crest only to be knocked off balance by a Glengarry Light Infantryman. From his command ship, General Dearborn saw Scott tumble backward and feared for the life of his adjutant. Scott recovered his footing, proceeded once more to the crest of the embankment, and formed his troops to force back the defenders. Joined soon after by the second wave of 1500 hundred under Brigadier General John Boyd, the Americans formed a long firing line and for fifteen deadly minutes exchanged musket fire with a small yet determined British and Canadian force.

Numbers told, as they often do when equally brave soldiers meet, and the defenders soon withdrew leaving their dead and wounded. As the British garrison in Fort George prepare to evacuate the fortification, they light long fuses to the three powder magazines. Scott, at the head of his troops, rushes toward the gate when the first magazine explodes. Stone and timber rain down and Scott is struck on his collarbone causing a painful wound. Shaking off the injury, he scrambles into the fort, knocks away the other two fuses, and seizes the garrison flag. As other troops arrive, Scott re-assembles his men and starts off in pursuit of the withdrawing foe. The final part of the American plan was about to unfold. Colonel James Burn was crossing his dragoons south of Fort George with the intention of cutting off the exit routes from Fort George. Delayed by British gunfire, Burns eventually gets his horsemen across. Linking up with Scott, the two are about to start toward the rear of the British and Canadian column clearly visible. However, orders from Dearborn, including a direct order from Boyd, canceled the pursuit before it could get started. The cautious Dearborn claimed that his forces are tired. Scott knew that the one chance to win a clear victory had slipped away. He is disgusted at the meek leadership displayed by so many of his superiors.

Scott continued as Dearborn's adjutant and had some role in planning the expedition against the British, now re-assembled at Burlington Heights. Led by two inexperienced generals, a strong American column moved toward the British and bivouacked near Stoney Creek on the 5th of June. Attacked in the dark by smaller numbers, the Americans were forced backward. Both generals were captured and command, the next morning, devolved upon James Burns, leader of the cavalry. Burns withdrew quickly, leaving large amounts of camp equipment, weapons, and flour. The Americans were being slowly bottled up in Fort George and Scott fumed that Dearborn had called off Scott's pursuit, an action that might have saved the campaign.

The debacle at Beaver Dams soon followed which saw the loss of an entire American regiment of infantry. The ill Dearborn requested leave that was granted. Command of the still formidable American force fell upon General Boyd. Scott could hardly countenance Boyd as commander. Pressing Boyd to be relieved of his duties as adjutant, Scott returned to command of his artillerymen. The campaign that had opened with such promise in May had fallen apart by the end of June.

Winfield Scott and the War of 1812

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© Copyright 2005 by Rich Barbuto.
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