The Upper Canada Tribute

Volume 1, Issue 2

June 7th 1813

An American army was seen marching up the forested paths of Stoney Creek, towards Burlington Heights, by local settlers, nineteen-year-old Billy Green, and his brother Levi, on June the 5th. This army of Yankees was the same group that had defeated General John Vincent's army, only a week earlier at Fort George. This army of about three thousand troops (as told by witnesses) had walked up the trail, planning on trying their luck again, and to invade further into Upper Canada.

(by Sara Calder - Battlefield House Museum)

They stopped at farm of the wealthy home-owner James Gage and made camp, as they were weary after the days march, with little provisions. Some near-by settlers claimed to have seen the army walking quite a bit farther up the road, looking for a good area to set up camp, although obviously not throughly pleased with the land they then turned around, and marched back to the Gage farm. American Generals, Chandler and Winder, took control of the house, locking the large family in the cellar. The house became their head-quarters.

A local blacksmith named Isaac Corman, was taken to the encampment, as a prisoner. Corman let slip that he was Kentucky-born, and related to an American General so they gave him leave, with the password, so that he would be able to get out of the camp safely. Billy Green learned the password from Corman, his brother-in-law.

After learning the password (Wil-Hen-Har, short for William Henry Harrison, of the Americans), Green travelled by foot, and by horse, from his home on the Stoney Creek escarpment, to the British camp at Burlington Heights. He said that when he couldn't remember the password, in a close panic, he pulled his coat over his head and crawled like a bear in open areas.

When he arrived at the Heights, it was full of about 1,800 redcoats (most of them wounded and ill), local militia men, and civilians fleeing from the Yankees. There were green-coated Glengarries of the St. Lawrence, a company of black men commanded by Captain Robert Runchy, and regular soldiers, hundreds of miles away from their homes.

British General John Vincent said: "This position, though strong for any large body, is far too extensive for me to hope to make any successful stand against the superior force understood to be advancing against me."

There were double the Americans camped outside the Gage house, than there were at the Heights. The British were in a crisis. On the 4th, when they would have done their traditional artillery salute to mark the birthday of the King, it was called off because of the severe ammunition shortage.

A young local boy, Billy Green met with Lieutenant Colonel John Harvey, where he explained the whole tale. Although they already knew that there would be an American army advancing farther into Upper Canada, he found the story quite interesting and useful.

Lieutenant James FitzGibbon of the 49th Regiment, had volunteered earlier to go into the American camp. He disguised himself as a settler, and went boldly into the camp, with bread and butter. His costume was so complete that he was able to travel around freely.

Harvey believed that this would be a good chance to drive the Americans back, by organizing a surprise attack, but first, he had to convince General Vincent. FitzGibbon also agreed with Harvey's idea, of an attack on the Yankees, even though they would be by far outnumbered.

General Vincent let Harvey lead and organize the expedition, even though Vincent outranks him. He gathered regulars from the 49th regiment, under the command of Major Charles Plenderleath, and the 9th Regiments, being approximately seven hundred men altogether, not even half of the amount camped outside the Gage house, that they were to attack.

Billy Green led the small army of British, under the command of Harvey, through the wilderness. Most of the men had little or no hope for victory, trudging along slowly. Green kept on urging them to hurry, or there would be no chance of victory, and dawn would come soon if they did not quicken their paces.

(Stoney Creek Historical Society)

Along the way, they came across a few lone Yankees, which they instantly slaughtered. Unfortunately, one of them was able to let out a blood-curdling scream that alarmed the rest of the Americans-all three thousand of them. The British ran into battle, while the opposing army ran around in a panic, grabbing their guns as quickly as possible.

Everything was completely chaotic in the darkness. Muskets fired, and smoke and gunpowder billowed out of them. The soldiers sights were blocked because of this, making it even harder to aim their guns. The guns were not even accurate at 40 yards, and ones eyes must be closed when firing, due to the debris and sparks that fly out of them-too many men have been lost because of that!

The Americans were so confused, that they shot many of their own men. Although the British were the ones attacking, they too, shot some of their own soldiers in the darkness. Major Plenderleath noticed that there were a bunch of Americans with their guns out, ready to fire, so he gathered about forty men, and charged towards them, capturing their weapons. Another officer, Major Ogilvie commander of the 8th Regiment, and his men advanced on some more Americans. They drove the 5th Regiment back onto their cavalry, who when trying to charge, killed their own soldiers.

During the confusion of the dark battle, General Vincent went missing. He had been commanding the artillery position, while Harvey led the attack. Upon learning that he had gone missing William Hamilton Merritt, member of the Provincial Dragoons and leader of the military officers, searched for him around the Gage house. He managed to catch two men, while he was there, though, both of whom turned out to be american generals, General Chandler and Winder.

The remaining Americans, believing that they were far out-numbered (which was not true), and that their Generals had gone missing, fled into the surrounding woods, leaving their tents standing. A victory for the British!

Even though the British were victorious, they still had to flee from the area before dawn came, so that the enemy would not see how few soldiers had defeated them, for fear that they would attack. The British only lost about eighty men, with approximately one hundred and forty wounded. The Americans are guessed to have lost almost 3 times as many soldiers, with many left wounded. General Vincent was found in the morning, lost in some shrubs, without his hat.

The battle of Stoney Creek (June 5th and 6th) was a wise decision on the part of the British. Had the soldiers not marched up the path from Burlington Heights to Stoney Creek, the Americans would most likely be invading farther into Upper Canada at this very moment. Instead, they are believed to be heading with great speed towards the border, and it is all because of the short 45 minute battle fought at Stoney Creek.