Historical Campaign Overview
However disorganized the American retreat from Chippawa may have been, Ripley promptly restored order and discipline on reaching Fort Erie. The fort had been too weak to withstand even a two or three days' seige at the beginning of the campaign, but the Americans, anxious to maintain a bridgehead on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, began work at once to construct stone bastions to the rear and throw up earth works by the water's edge. Batteries and breastworks had also been erected and the whole enclosed by an abbatis. Had Drummond moved with dispatch, he would have caught the Americans only partially prepared, but his men were exhausted; moreover, gaps in the ranks had to be filled, supplies obtained, and heavy seige guns brought forward.
It was 4 August 1814 before Drummond arrived at Fort Erie and the investment of the fort began. The following day a new American commander, Brigadier General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, arrived to replace Ripley, who had been removed because of his retreat from Lundy's Lane.
Historical Battle Overview
On 13 August 1814 the siege began in earnest, when Drummond's batteries fired the opening salvos at the fort. The date fixed for the assault was 15 August 1814. The operation, as planned, was one of the most difficult of all military manoeuvers, a night attack launched against different targets by three separate columns. The first, on the right, was to be led by Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fischer of Watteville's regiment; it comprised troops drawn from his own regiment and from the 8th, along with the light companies of the 89th and 100th, a dozen gunners and one rocketeer - in all about 1,300 men. The second, or center, column was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William Drummond of Kelty, and included the flank companies of the 41st and 104th and a number of seamen and marines. The third, or left, column consisted of the 103rd, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hercules Scott.
The first column to get under way was Fischer's, which began to move towards its objective about 0200hrs. Its task was to capture a sandy mound called Sanke Hill, which stood to the right of the fort and the lakeshore, and was connected with the lakeshore by a line of palisades, ditches, and abbatis. On top of Snake Hill stood an American battery commanded by Captain Nathan Towson, the American officer who had commanded the guns at Chippawa and Lundy's Lane. The initial British assault troops, the "forlorn hope" manages to penetrate the American defense line, some of them by wading the waters of the lake to bypass the palisade. Unfortunately, the noise made by the main body which followed alerted the defenders. So fearful was the fire of the America defenders that, not only did the main body of Watteville's regiment halt, it succumbed to panic. The men lost their discipline and, in their haste to get away, almost overwhelmed the men of the 89th, who tried to stand firm. The 8th, however, was carried away by the panicked men of Watteville. Since this took place in complete darkness, none of the three regiments were able to re-form until daylight, too late to renew the assault. The "forlorn hope", thus abandoned, gave themselves up as prisoners.
The British center and left columns were supposed to advance as soon as Fischer's column became engaged and managed to secure a lodgement inside the American lines. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Colonel Hercules Scott was killed early in the attack and his men, shaken by the intensity of the American fire, began to shift from their main axis of attack towards the center, thus joining with the column led by Lieutenant Colonel William Drummond. Three times this force tried to break into the fort; three times they were repulsed. The fourth attempt proved successful.
The British infantrymen overcame the American gunners and broke into one of the bastions, but they could get no farther, neither could the defenders dislodge them. There they remained, expecting support from the reserves. Properly reinforced, the British might in the end have captured the fort. However, soon after daybreak, during one of their repeated efforts to force a way into the main part of the fort, an ammunition chest caught fire and a tremendous explosion followed. The British were convinced that the explosion was deliberate, not accidental, and that other portions of the fort must be mined. The result was that the assault was abandoned.
Historical Outcome
The British losses were severe; 905 of all ranks, of whom 366 were killed or wounded, the rest being classed as "missing", that being prisoners and deserters. Both Hercules Scott and William Drummond were killed.
The assault on Fort Erie was a disaster. The likely explanation of the British failure was the inadequacy of the British artillery, the lack of surprise, and the adoption of a plan requiring close timing and steadiness from troops neither experienced or trained in night operations.
On 5 September 1814, Major General Jacob Brown launched an attack on the British siege lines. Taking advantage of a heavy rainstorm, the American assault managed to work their way through the woods to a position close to Drummond's batteries. Then, rushing the British position, they threw back the pickets and gained two of the batteries, which they proceeded to render useless, spiking the guns and blowing up the magazines. A third battery could not be captured as the British responded with a counterattack of their own. Though Drummond claimed a victory, he ordered a withdrawal to Chippawa on 21 September 2004.
A renewed American offensive was put off when it was learned that Chauncey was no longer on the Lake Ontario. The control of the waters passed once more to Yeo, with the completion of the St. Lawrence, and Chauncey was back in Sackets Harbor, throwing up earth works and batteries for the town's defense. Fort Erie was eventually mined blown up by the Americans on 5 November 1814, who then re crossed the river to Buffalo.
