From August until September of 1814, the British and American forces were engaged in a protracted battle along the Niagara river known as the siege of Fort Erie. The Americans under Major General Jacob Brown had just recently captured Fort Erie after they crossed the Niagara River in early July. On July 25th, they advanced North and encountered a large British force. In a bloody but indecisive battle Major Brown was severely wounded and the Americans who were outnumbered withdrew back to the fort. The siege began.
The British under Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond initially sent a force across the Niagara hoping to capture and destroy the American supplies and provisions, but the raid was a failure. The British lost 10 men, 6 captured while the Americans lost only 2. The Americans dug in at Fort Erie and fortified their defenses extending the earth wall known as Snake Hill to the South for an additional 800 meters, and adding another earth wall on the northeast. Back across the river, the British constructed their siege lines and batteries under harassment of gunfire from three American schooners. British vessels under Commander Alexander Dobbs launched a boarding attack on the American schooners on August 12 and captured two of the vessels, the Ohio and Somers. The victory and the capture of 70 Americans raised British morale, but Drummond mistakenly believed that it also depressed American morale. This was not true, for the Americans under General Gaines was preparing for battle in the fort. General Gaines ordered his men to stand in their positions under heavy rain with guns drawn.
After a two-day bombardment of the fort from the British battery's guns, Drummond moved forward with a three-pronged attack. The first attack was to be on Snake hill south of the fort, the second on the fort itself and the third on the earth wall Northeast of the fort. The attack on Snake hill was a failure before it started. The Americans detected the attack far sooner than anticipated and this brought on panic, confusion and finally retreat of the British. By early morning the other two columns moved forward. The northern attack also went badly and many British were killed by heavy American firepower including Colonel Hercules Scott. Finally, in one last desperate try Colonel Drummond sent his men to the fort but were trapped when the Americans blocked the narrow corridor that led to the rest of the fort. The assault on Fort Erie ended with a large explosion of ammunition stored under the bastion's wooden platform causing a many more deaths. The British had suffered more than 900 killed wounded or missing in action. A few weeks later, the Americans made an attempt to break the siege by carrying out a well planned attack from their position of defense. They captured several British batteries before Drummond was able to summon his men to resistance. There was intense fighting and considerable loss of life before pushing the Americans back. Lieutenant Drummond finally lifted the siege on September 21st and withdrew to Chippawa Creek about 30 kilometers down the Niagara river. Major General Jacob Brown was hailed a hero and to express its appreciation, Congress authorized the award to Brown of a Congressional Gold Medal on November 3, 1814. General Brown was the 24th American to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.
In his 1814, annual address to Congress President James Madison pointed to this battle as evidence that the determination and will of the Americans would lead to the "discomfiture" or unpleasant misfortune.
"On our side we can appeal to a series of achievements which have given new luster to the American arms. Besides the brilliant incidents in the minor operations of the campaign, the splendid victories gained on the Canadian side of the Niagara by the American forces under Major-General Brown and Brigadiers Scott and Gaines have gained for these heroes and their emulating companions the most unfading laurels, and, having triumphantly tested the progressive discipline of the American soldiery, have taught the enemy that the longer he protracts his hostile efforts the more certain and decisive will be his final discomfiture."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Brown
http://www.eighteentwelve.ca/?q=eng/Topic/34
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_Erie
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Old_Fort_Erie%2C_Americans_with_flags_during_a_re-enactment.jpg
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