Reference Entry
CAPTURE OF FORT GEORGE
During the War of 1812, the Niagara frontier became a key line where American and British forces tested each other’s strength. On May 27th, 1813, United States troops supported by naval gunfire came ashore near Fort George in Upper Canada and pushed inland under heavy resistance. The combined land and naval operation forced the British garrison to abandon the fort, giving American forces control of an important position opposite Fort Niagara.
Dated Historical Context
A RECORDED MOMENT IN HISTORY
Capture of Fort George
During the War of 1812, the Niagara frontier became a key line where American and British forces tested each other’s strength. On May 27th, 1813, United States troops supported by naval gunfire came ashore near Fort George in Upper Canada and pushed inland under heavy resistance. The combined land and naval operation forced the British garrison to abandon the fort, giving American forces control of an important position opposite Fort Niagara. The capture did not end the campaigning along the border, and later reverses erased some of the gains made that day. Even so, the assault on Fort George demonstrated that United States forces could plan and execute amphibious landings and coordinate artillery, infantry, and ships in a complex operation. Lessons learned there would echo in how American officers thought about river and coastal attacks long after the small fort’s guns fell silent.
Read the complete weekly DispatchTrackpads Source Register
