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The battle of
Queenston Heights
Most-famous battle of the war takes the life of
Upper Canada's beloved leader on Oct. 13, 1812
"If this war lasts, I am afraid I shall do some foolish thing, for I know
myself, there is no want of courage in my nature. I hope I shall not get into
a scrape."
— Isaac Brock
Queenston Heights
Most-famous battle of the war takes the life of
Upper Canada's beloved leader on Oct. 13, 1812
"If this war lasts, I am afraid I shall do some foolish thing, for I know
myself, there is no want of courage in my nature. I hope I shall not get into
a scrape."
— Isaac Brock
THE BALL THAT KILLED GENERAL BROCK: Brock's coat, on
display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, clearly shows
where the fatal musket ball struck the general during his
charge up the heights of Queenston on Oct. 13, 1812. In this
photo, the section of Brock's coat where the musket ball hit him
is blown up to show the detail. (Photo by Todd Humber)
display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, clearly shows
where the fatal musket ball struck the general during his
charge up the heights of Queenston on Oct. 13, 1812. In this
photo, the section of Brock's coat where the musket ball hit him
is blown up to show the detail. (Photo by Todd Humber)
THE BATTLE of Queenston Heights is, undoubtedly, the most important
battle ever fought on Canadian soil.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 13, 1812, American soldiers began
pouring into bateaux at Lewiston, N.Y. to make the short paddle across
the treacherous Niagara River to the Canadian side at Queenston.
Brock knew the importance of the heights above the village of
Queenston. They were an imposing position from a military standpoint,
and in Brock's view whoever held the heights inevitably held the
province.
That thought could very well have been at the front of his mind when he
made his final dash up the slopes to retake the high ground.
This page will feature an in-depth description of the battle of Queenston
Heights, which is being prepared. In the meantime, here's the text from
Park Canada's walking guide of the Queenston Heights battlefield. It's
an excellent tour, well worth the short walk (the book says it takes 45
minutes, but most do it in 25 minutes or less.)
Queenston Heights battlefield walking tour
Queenston in 1812
Imagine yourself at the field of battle, overlooking Queenston on a fine
October day in 1812. The landscape is quite steep — the Niagara
Escarpment forming a 110-metre (about 360-feet) cliff against which
Queenston was built. From there, the plain slopes gently northward to
Lake Ontario.
At the time of the War of 1812, much of the region was covered with
forest. A few positions were fortified and cannon were installed on each
side of the river.
The Loyalist village below comprised about 20 houses, scattered along
the river. Barges were tied up at a dock, and horse and ox-drawn carts
made their way along the winding hillside road. This scene, in fact,
explained the importance of the location: Queenston lay at the
beginning of a portage route that curved around Niagara Falls, ending at
Chippewa. All goods and all people, civilian and military, travelling
between the upper Great Lakes and the rest of the colony passed along
this road.
A strategic bridgehead
Major-General Stephen Van Rensselaer, commander of the American
army in Niagara, knew that if he took Queenston he could cut off enemy
supplies. Furthermore, control of Queenston Heights would enable him
to detect any movement of troops on the river as far as Lake Ontario.
It would also be relatively easy for the Americans to cross the Niagara at
Queenston because:
•there were greater numbers of Americans stationed there;
•they could respond to the British artillery with their own cannon at
Lewiston;
•they were far enough from Fort George to have time to organize before
taking on its garrison;
•the river was narrower and less dangerous there than upstream.
The forces on the scene
In theory, the American army, massed along the Niagara border on the
eve of battle, could not lose. It comprised some 6,000 men. The British
could only muster 1,200 men and were also counting on 250 of their
Indian allies; however, the British troops were better trained.
The regular British army
This was an organized fighting force, hardened in part by years of
training and battle expertise. The army's strength lay in its unity, in its
experienced command and in its steadfastness under fire. In Niagara
there were 600 men in the 41st and 49th Regiments.
The Canadian militia
The milita was used to reinforce the regular army in the event of a crisis
in its home territory. In theory, it was made up of able-bodied men from
16 to 60 but, in practice, the number of "citizen soldiers" bearing arms
was low. Training and discipline were less stringent than in the regular
army. Nonetheless, there were permanent militia units that were more
professional, such as the Lincoln Militia and the York Volunteers. In
October, 1812, there were some 600 combat-ready militiamen in the
Niagara area.
The regular American army
The 3,000 regulars of the 13th and 6th Infantry camping near the river
had, for the most part, never been in a battle. The bulk of the American
army consisted of raw recruits. Rivalry between officers of the regular
army and those of the militia added to the lack of unity. The soldiers'
enthusiasm at this first wartime engagement would not necessarily be
enough to carry them to victory.
The American militia
The militia of the State of New York was estimated at 1,700 men, who
were stationed at Lewiston on the eve of the attack on Queenston. The
troops were decimated by disease, malnutrition and, once the militiamen
discovered that the war was anything but a Sunday outing, by
desertion. Since they were not compelled to fight in foreign territory,
many of them refused to cross the Niagara river.
The Indians: Circumstantial alliance with the British
It was a circumstantial alliance that led the Indians to fight on the British
side. In this "white man's" war, the Indians' own interests, rather than
loyalty to any flag, dictated their allegiance. For many years, the
American colonists had been encroaching on their land and skirmishes
with them had become increasingly frequent. The Shawnee Chief,
Tecumseh, had been trying to organize a confederation of Indian nations
for a number of years in order to resist this advance. He and his many
follwers thought that a British victory over the Americans would help
their cause.
The British could not afford to dispense with the Indians' support,
principally the Iroquois from the Grand River settlement. They were
formidable warriors — not only because of their talents and their
knowledge of the land, but also because of their ferociousness in
combat. Their presence alone was enough to strike terror into the
hearts of enemy ranks, especially when the enemy consisted of
peaceable farmers acting the part of militiamen.
Five key figures
A handful of men held the spotlight throughout the drama of Oct. 13.
Let's take a look at the roles they played.
Isaac Brock
He was the daring commander of the British forces. Brock was born in
1769 in Guernsey (one of the channel islands) to a military family.
Entering the army at age 16 he underwent his baptism of fire in the
Netherlands in 1799. He was sent to Canada with the 49th Regiment in
1802. Rising in the military hierarchy he became Major-General and
Commmander-in-Chief of the forces of Upper Canada in 1811. In this
capacity, Brock planned the territory's defence brilliantly. Brock died on
the field of battle and became a legendary hero.
Roger Hale Sheaffe
Unlike the daring Brock, Sheaffe was a strict military commander who
closely followed prescribed military procedures. Sheaffe was born in
Boston in 1763. He joined the British army in 1778 and accompanied the
49th Regiment to Canada with Brock as a senior officer. When he heard
of Brock's death in battle, he organized a classic counter-attack and was
victorious. He retired to Edinburgh, where he died in 1851.
Stephen Van Rensselaer
Van Rensselaer was born in 1764 in Albany, N.Y. and belonged to an
established American family. He was opposed to the war even before it
broke out, but participated out of respect for his country. Despite his lack
of military experience, he was appointed Major-General of the New York
militia. Following the American defeat of Oct. 13, he resigned and
continued his political career in congress. He died in 1839.
John Ellis Wool
Wool led the surprise attack in the battle. Born in Newbury, N.Y. in 1784,
he had just enlisted in the army following several years in business and
law. The importance of his role at Queenston was recognized by only a
few but he gained recognition at the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1814. A
series of promotions propelled him to the highest ranks of the military.
He died in 1869.
John Norton, or Teyoninhokarawen
He was an indispensable ally of the British. Norton was of mixed
background — a Cherokee father and Scottish mother — but was
adopted by the Mohawk Chief, Joseph Brant. When Brant died, the
Mohawks made Norton their war Chief and fought along with him
throughout the war.
WEAPONS
The weapons used in the Queenston Heights battle ranged from the 24-
pounder gun to the simple bayonet. Each type of armament was
effective at a specific range in the course of battle: the heavy artillery
barrage was used when the two armies were at a medium or long
distance from one another; the field artillery and musket were made for
close-range fire; and cutting and thrusting weapons — bayonets, sabres
and tomahawks — were used in final hand-to-hand combat.
The 18-pounder gun
The redan near which Brock died was armed with an 18-pounder gun
which fired 18-pound cannon balls, grape shot and exploding shells.
Cannon of this size were powerful but unwieldy and were used on
fortifications and warships. From this position they could fire across the
river.
The flint-lock musket
This was the main weapon of both the British and American foot soldiers
in the War of 1812.
THE BATTLE UNFOLDS
The five stages of attack described below correspond to the plaques
posted at intervals along the self-guided tour of the Queenston Heights
battleground.
1. The attack
It was 3 a.m. on Oct. 13. A fine hail and drizzle were falling as 600
Americans boarded a dozen boats and crossed the river. They could not
count on the element of surprise, however, because 300 British troops
lay waiting for them. It was an inferno: muskets blasted, cannonballs
flew through the air, the sky was streaked with reddish light and the
acrid smell of gunpowder hung in the air. A few soldiers landed but were
pinned on the beach by British fire. All of the American officers directly
engaged were wounded and reinforcements arrived a mere handful at a
time.
2. The treacherous cliff
The village of Queenston was too well defended, so the attackers had
no choice but to climb up to the Heights directly. This meant scaling the
cliff, which rose in front of them like a sea wall. Captain Wool had heard
of a small fishermen's path further upstream that led from the riverbank
to the crest of the cliff. At first light he slowly led 60 soldiers up the
steep slope, dodging bushes and overhanging rocks. The British were
completely unaware of this manoeuvre. They had assumed the Heights
were unassailable and had left them unguarded.
3. Loss of the Redan and Brock's death
When Wool reached the escarpment ridge, through the bushes, halfway
down the slopes to the village, he spied the redan 18-pounder cannon
firing steadily at his compatriots. The cannon was protected behind
earthworks shaped in the form of a half moon (redan), but was poorly
defended. To one side stood Brock, directing operations. Wool led a
bayonet charge and quickly dislodged Brock and his men.
Day had now broken but heavy grey clouds were still rolling in and
blending with the smoke of battle. Brock brought 200 men together and
led a charge to retake the redan. His counter-attack failed; Brock himself
was shot in the chest and died. His aide-de-camp, John Macdonell, led
another counter-attack but he too was mortally wounded. The British
abandoned the position to the Americans.
4. Planning the counter-attack
The outcome of the battle now hinged on Major-General Roger Sheaffe.
Earlier that morning, his troops of the 41st Regiment, Royal Artillery, and
militia left Fort George and reached Queenston a few hours later. They
were preceded by John Norton and his 100 Iroquois, who were
skirmishing with the Americans. Large numbers of the American militia
had refused to cross upon seeing the carnage in the river and hearing
the Indian warriors.
5. The final engagement
It was 3 p.m. Sheaffe's soldiers were nearing the top of the steep slope
of the ridge, far enough west of Queenston to be beyond the Americans'
view. Out of breath after their climb, they now had to regroup in the
middle of the field. A cool breeze was blowing away the clouds.
The time was 4 p.m. Sheaffe was joined by 150 men from Fort Chippewa
and now led a total of 1,000 men, impeccably dressed, as it for parade.
The entire British line fired a volley and advanced in a bayonet charge.
The Americans had their backs to the cliff and had only two choices:
jump off or surrender. Most surrendered.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE BATTLE
For the Americans, the toll was heavy: 300 men, perhaps more, had
been killed or wounded and 925 had been captured. Worst of all, they
had not managed to gain a foothold on the territory they had set out to
invade.
For the British, casualties were lighter (14 dead, 77 injured, 21 missing)
— except, of course, for the loss of General Brock.
The victory at Queenston had a stunning impact. A portion of Upper
Canada's population had been anxiously awaiting news of who would
take Queenston in the war. The victory helped win over the undecided
and made it seem possible that British North America might withstand an
American invasion.
©1997 by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Minister of Supply and
Services Canada
battle ever fought on Canadian soil.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 13, 1812, American soldiers began
pouring into bateaux at Lewiston, N.Y. to make the short paddle across
the treacherous Niagara River to the Canadian side at Queenston.
Brock knew the importance of the heights above the village of
Queenston. They were an imposing position from a military standpoint,
and in Brock's view whoever held the heights inevitably held the
province.
That thought could very well have been at the front of his mind when he
made his final dash up the slopes to retake the high ground.
This page will feature an in-depth description of the battle of Queenston
Heights, which is being prepared. In the meantime, here's the text from
Park Canada's walking guide of the Queenston Heights battlefield. It's
an excellent tour, well worth the short walk (the book says it takes 45
minutes, but most do it in 25 minutes or less.)
Queenston Heights battlefield walking tour
Queenston in 1812
Imagine yourself at the field of battle, overlooking Queenston on a fine
October day in 1812. The landscape is quite steep — the Niagara
Escarpment forming a 110-metre (about 360-feet) cliff against which
Queenston was built. From there, the plain slopes gently northward to
Lake Ontario.
At the time of the War of 1812, much of the region was covered with
forest. A few positions were fortified and cannon were installed on each
side of the river.
The Loyalist village below comprised about 20 houses, scattered along
the river. Barges were tied up at a dock, and horse and ox-drawn carts
made their way along the winding hillside road. This scene, in fact,
explained the importance of the location: Queenston lay at the
beginning of a portage route that curved around Niagara Falls, ending at
Chippewa. All goods and all people, civilian and military, travelling
between the upper Great Lakes and the rest of the colony passed along
this road.
A strategic bridgehead
Major-General Stephen Van Rensselaer, commander of the American
army in Niagara, knew that if he took Queenston he could cut off enemy
supplies. Furthermore, control of Queenston Heights would enable him
to detect any movement of troops on the river as far as Lake Ontario.
It would also be relatively easy for the Americans to cross the Niagara at
Queenston because:
•there were greater numbers of Americans stationed there;
•they could respond to the British artillery with their own cannon at
Lewiston;
•they were far enough from Fort George to have time to organize before
taking on its garrison;
•the river was narrower and less dangerous there than upstream.
The forces on the scene
In theory, the American army, massed along the Niagara border on the
eve of battle, could not lose. It comprised some 6,000 men. The British
could only muster 1,200 men and were also counting on 250 of their
Indian allies; however, the British troops were better trained.
The regular British army
This was an organized fighting force, hardened in part by years of
training and battle expertise. The army's strength lay in its unity, in its
experienced command and in its steadfastness under fire. In Niagara
there were 600 men in the 41st and 49th Regiments.
The Canadian militia
The milita was used to reinforce the regular army in the event of a crisis
in its home territory. In theory, it was made up of able-bodied men from
16 to 60 but, in practice, the number of "citizen soldiers" bearing arms
was low. Training and discipline were less stringent than in the regular
army. Nonetheless, there were permanent militia units that were more
professional, such as the Lincoln Militia and the York Volunteers. In
October, 1812, there were some 600 combat-ready militiamen in the
Niagara area.
The regular American army
The 3,000 regulars of the 13th and 6th Infantry camping near the river
had, for the most part, never been in a battle. The bulk of the American
army consisted of raw recruits. Rivalry between officers of the regular
army and those of the militia added to the lack of unity. The soldiers'
enthusiasm at this first wartime engagement would not necessarily be
enough to carry them to victory.
The American militia
The militia of the State of New York was estimated at 1,700 men, who
were stationed at Lewiston on the eve of the attack on Queenston. The
troops were decimated by disease, malnutrition and, once the militiamen
discovered that the war was anything but a Sunday outing, by
desertion. Since they were not compelled to fight in foreign territory,
many of them refused to cross the Niagara river.
The Indians: Circumstantial alliance with the British
It was a circumstantial alliance that led the Indians to fight on the British
side. In this "white man's" war, the Indians' own interests, rather than
loyalty to any flag, dictated their allegiance. For many years, the
American colonists had been encroaching on their land and skirmishes
with them had become increasingly frequent. The Shawnee Chief,
Tecumseh, had been trying to organize a confederation of Indian nations
for a number of years in order to resist this advance. He and his many
follwers thought that a British victory over the Americans would help
their cause.
The British could not afford to dispense with the Indians' support,
principally the Iroquois from the Grand River settlement. They were
formidable warriors — not only because of their talents and their
knowledge of the land, but also because of their ferociousness in
combat. Their presence alone was enough to strike terror into the
hearts of enemy ranks, especially when the enemy consisted of
peaceable farmers acting the part of militiamen.
Five key figures
A handful of men held the spotlight throughout the drama of Oct. 13.
Let's take a look at the roles they played.
Isaac Brock
He was the daring commander of the British forces. Brock was born in
1769 in Guernsey (one of the channel islands) to a military family.
Entering the army at age 16 he underwent his baptism of fire in the
Netherlands in 1799. He was sent to Canada with the 49th Regiment in
1802. Rising in the military hierarchy he became Major-General and
Commmander-in-Chief of the forces of Upper Canada in 1811. In this
capacity, Brock planned the territory's defence brilliantly. Brock died on
the field of battle and became a legendary hero.
Roger Hale Sheaffe
Unlike the daring Brock, Sheaffe was a strict military commander who
closely followed prescribed military procedures. Sheaffe was born in
Boston in 1763. He joined the British army in 1778 and accompanied the
49th Regiment to Canada with Brock as a senior officer. When he heard
of Brock's death in battle, he organized a classic counter-attack and was
victorious. He retired to Edinburgh, where he died in 1851.
Stephen Van Rensselaer
Van Rensselaer was born in 1764 in Albany, N.Y. and belonged to an
established American family. He was opposed to the war even before it
broke out, but participated out of respect for his country. Despite his lack
of military experience, he was appointed Major-General of the New York
militia. Following the American defeat of Oct. 13, he resigned and
continued his political career in congress. He died in 1839.
John Ellis Wool
Wool led the surprise attack in the battle. Born in Newbury, N.Y. in 1784,
he had just enlisted in the army following several years in business and
law. The importance of his role at Queenston was recognized by only a
few but he gained recognition at the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1814. A
series of promotions propelled him to the highest ranks of the military.
He died in 1869.
John Norton, or Teyoninhokarawen
He was an indispensable ally of the British. Norton was of mixed
background — a Cherokee father and Scottish mother — but was
adopted by the Mohawk Chief, Joseph Brant. When Brant died, the
Mohawks made Norton their war Chief and fought along with him
throughout the war.
WEAPONS
The weapons used in the Queenston Heights battle ranged from the 24-
pounder gun to the simple bayonet. Each type of armament was
effective at a specific range in the course of battle: the heavy artillery
barrage was used when the two armies were at a medium or long
distance from one another; the field artillery and musket were made for
close-range fire; and cutting and thrusting weapons — bayonets, sabres
and tomahawks — were used in final hand-to-hand combat.
The 18-pounder gun
The redan near which Brock died was armed with an 18-pounder gun
which fired 18-pound cannon balls, grape shot and exploding shells.
Cannon of this size were powerful but unwieldy and were used on
fortifications and warships. From this position they could fire across the
river.
The flint-lock musket
This was the main weapon of both the British and American foot soldiers
in the War of 1812.
THE BATTLE UNFOLDS
The five stages of attack described below correspond to the plaques
posted at intervals along the self-guided tour of the Queenston Heights
battleground.
1. The attack
It was 3 a.m. on Oct. 13. A fine hail and drizzle were falling as 600
Americans boarded a dozen boats and crossed the river. They could not
count on the element of surprise, however, because 300 British troops
lay waiting for them. It was an inferno: muskets blasted, cannonballs
flew through the air, the sky was streaked with reddish light and the
acrid smell of gunpowder hung in the air. A few soldiers landed but were
pinned on the beach by British fire. All of the American officers directly
engaged were wounded and reinforcements arrived a mere handful at a
time.
2. The treacherous cliff
The village of Queenston was too well defended, so the attackers had
no choice but to climb up to the Heights directly. This meant scaling the
cliff, which rose in front of them like a sea wall. Captain Wool had heard
of a small fishermen's path further upstream that led from the riverbank
to the crest of the cliff. At first light he slowly led 60 soldiers up the
steep slope, dodging bushes and overhanging rocks. The British were
completely unaware of this manoeuvre. They had assumed the Heights
were unassailable and had left them unguarded.
3. Loss of the Redan and Brock's death
When Wool reached the escarpment ridge, through the bushes, halfway
down the slopes to the village, he spied the redan 18-pounder cannon
firing steadily at his compatriots. The cannon was protected behind
earthworks shaped in the form of a half moon (redan), but was poorly
defended. To one side stood Brock, directing operations. Wool led a
bayonet charge and quickly dislodged Brock and his men.
Day had now broken but heavy grey clouds were still rolling in and
blending with the smoke of battle. Brock brought 200 men together and
led a charge to retake the redan. His counter-attack failed; Brock himself
was shot in the chest and died. His aide-de-camp, John Macdonell, led
another counter-attack but he too was mortally wounded. The British
abandoned the position to the Americans.
4. Planning the counter-attack
The outcome of the battle now hinged on Major-General Roger Sheaffe.
Earlier that morning, his troops of the 41st Regiment, Royal Artillery, and
militia left Fort George and reached Queenston a few hours later. They
were preceded by John Norton and his 100 Iroquois, who were
skirmishing with the Americans. Large numbers of the American militia
had refused to cross upon seeing the carnage in the river and hearing
the Indian warriors.
5. The final engagement
It was 3 p.m. Sheaffe's soldiers were nearing the top of the steep slope
of the ridge, far enough west of Queenston to be beyond the Americans'
view. Out of breath after their climb, they now had to regroup in the
middle of the field. A cool breeze was blowing away the clouds.
The time was 4 p.m. Sheaffe was joined by 150 men from Fort Chippewa
and now led a total of 1,000 men, impeccably dressed, as it for parade.
The entire British line fired a volley and advanced in a bayonet charge.
The Americans had their backs to the cliff and had only two choices:
jump off or surrender. Most surrendered.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE BATTLE
For the Americans, the toll was heavy: 300 men, perhaps more, had
been killed or wounded and 925 had been captured. Worst of all, they
had not managed to gain a foothold on the territory they had set out to
invade.
For the British, casualties were lighter (14 dead, 77 injured, 21 missing)
— except, of course, for the loss of General Brock.
The victory at Queenston had a stunning impact. A portion of Upper
Canada's population had been anxiously awaiting news of who would
take Queenston in the war. The victory helped win over the undecided
and made it seem possible that British North America might withstand an
American invasion.
©1997 by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Minister of Supply and
Services Canada
| border="1"THE VIEW: This is the view from the top of Queenston Heights, where Brock's Monument is located, overlooking the Niagara River. |