Battle of Frenchman's Creek

Battle of Frenchman’s Creek
Part of the War of 1812
The Niagara River from above.
Date November 28, 1812 Location Frenchman’s Creek, Ontario, Canada Result American victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Upper Canada	United States
Commanders and leaders
Cecil Bisshopp	Alexander Smyth
Strength
c. 650	770
Casualties and losses
13 killed; 44 wounded; 34 captured	24 killed; 55 (known) wounded; 39 captured

Coordinates: 42°56′32″N 78°55′35″W / 42.94227°N 78.92645°W / 42.94227; -78.92645

The Battle of Frenchman’s Creek took place during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States in the early hours of November 28, 1812, in the Crown Colony of Upper Canada, near the Niagara River. The operation was conceived as a raid to prepare the ground for a larger American invasion. The Americans succeeded in crossing the Niagara and landing at both of their points of attack. They achieved one of their two objectives before withdrawing but the invasion was subsequently called off, rendering useless what had been accomplished. The engagement was named, “the Battle of Frenchman’s Creek” by the Canadians, after the location of some of the severest fighting. To contemporary Americans, it was known as, “the Affair opposite Black Rock”.

The battle site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1921.

After the American defeat at the Battle of Queenston Heights, command of the U.S. Army of the Centre on the Niagara Frontier passed from Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer of the New York Militia to his second-in-command, Brigadier General Alexander Smyth of the Regular U.S. Army. Smyth had deeply resented being subordinated to a militia officer and this was the opportunity for which he had been waiting. He immediately planned to invade Canada with 3,000 troops. Assembling his forces at Buffalo, he directed a two-pronged attack in advance of his main invasion. Captain William King, with 220 men, was to cross the Niagara and spike the batteries at the Red House, beside Fort Erie, in order to enable Smyth’s main invasion force to land without facing artillery fire. At the same time, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Boerstler, with 200 men, was to land in Canada between Fort Erie and Chippawa and destroy the bridge over Frenchman’s Creek in order to hinder the bringing-up of British reinforcements to oppose Smyth's landing.

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