First Battle of Sackett's Harbor

First Battle of Sacket's Harbor
Part of War of 1812
Map of New York, the red dot is Sackets Harbor.
Date July 19, 1812 Location Sackets Harbor, New York Result United States victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	United States
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Melancthon Woolsey
Strength
2 sloops-of-war 1 brig 2 schooners	Land: 1 shore battery Sea: 1 brig
Casualties and losses
8 killed 1 warship severely damaged Other ships damaged to unknown extent	None

The First Battle of Sacket's Harbor (also spelled as Sackett's) was a battle fought on July 19, 1812, between the United States and the British Empire; it was the first engagement of the war between these forces. It resulted in American forces repelling the attack on the village and its important shipbuilding yard, where 12 warships were built for this war.

Sacket's Harbor is located on the southeast shore of Lake Ontario in Northern New York State. It was developed as the chief shipbuilding yard for the United States during the War of 1812, and twelve warships were completed here. With a good strategic position on the lake, abundant resources, and an excellent natural harbor, the small village of several hundred people was engulfed as it developed as the center of military and naval operations for the war's northern theater. Following the first battle, the village and harbor were developed and fortified as a large and centralized military complex, served by several thousands of troops. and 3,000 workers at the shipyard. The complex became the fourth largest center of population in the state in this period.

On Sunday, July 19, 1812, Captain Melancthon Taylor Woolsey, of USS Oneida, discovered from the masthead of his brig five enemy vessels sailing up to Sacket's Harbor. The British vessels, which belonged to the Provincial Marine, were Royal George; (24 guns), Prince Regent (22 guns), Earl of Moira (20 guns), Governor Simcoe (10 guns), and Seneca (2 guns). The British captured a merchant ship carrying flour nearby and sent its crew shore with the demands that the US surrender USS Oneida and Lord Nelson, a merchant ship that US forces had captured before war was declared. They said that if a shot was fired at them, the British would burn the village of Sacket's Harbor.

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