Battle of Stoney Creek in the War of 1812

Battle of Stoney Creek in the War of 1812 The Battle of Stoney Creek was fought June 6, 1813, during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). Having conducted a successful amphibious landing on the Lake Ontario side of the Niagara Peninsula in late May, American forces succeeded in capturing Fort George. Slowly pushing west after the retreating British, U.S. troops encamped on the night of June 5-6, 1813. Seeking to regain the initiative, the British launched a night attack that resulted in the enemy retreating and the capture of two American commanders. The victory led Major General Henry Dearborn to consolidate his army around Fort George and largely ended the American threat on the peninsula. Background On May 27, 1813, American forces succeeded in capturing Fort George on the Niagara frontier. Having been defeated, the British commander, Brigadier General John Vincent, abandoned his posts along the Niagara River and withdrew west to Burlington Heights with around 1,600 men. As the British retreated, the American commander, Major General Henry Dearborn, consolidated his position around Fort George. A veteran of the American Revolution, Dearborn had become an inactive and ineffective commander in his old age. Ill, Dearborn was slow to pursue Vincent. Finally organizing his forces to chase Vincent, Dearborn delegated the task to Brigadier General William H. Winder, a political appointee from Maryland. Moving west with his brigade, Winder halted at Forty Mile Creek as he believed the British force was too strong to attack. Here was joined by an additional brigade commanded by Brigadier General John Chandler. Senior, Chandler assumed overall command of the American force which now numbered around 3,400 men. Pushing on, they reached Stoney Creek on June 5 and encamped. The two generals established their headquarters at the Gage Farm. Scouting the Americans Seeking information on the approaching American force, Vincent dispatched his deputy assistant adjutant general, Lieutenant Colonel John Harvey, to scout the camp at Stoney Creek. Returning from this mission, Harvey reported that the American camp was poorly guarded and that Chandlers men were badly positioned to support each other. As a result of this information, Vincent decided to move forward with a night attack against the American position at Stoney Creek. To execute the mission, Vincent formed a force of 700 men. Though he traveled with the column, Vincent delegated operational control to Harvey. Battle of Stoney Creek Conflict: War of 1812Date: June 6, 1813Armies Commanders:AmericansBrigadier General William H. WinderBrigadier General John Chandler1,328 men (engaged)BritishBrigadier General John VincentLieutenant Colonel John Harvey700 menCasualties:Americans: 17 killed, 38 wounded, 100 missingBritish: 23 killed, 136 wounded, 52 captured, 3 missing The British Move Departing Burlington Heights around 11:30 p.m. on June 5, the British force marched east through the darkness. In an effort to maintain the element of surprise, Harvey ordered his men to remove the flints from their muskets. Approaching the American outposts, the British had the advantage of knowing the American password for the day. Stories regarding how this was obtained vary from Harvey learning it to it being passed on the British by a local. In either case, the British succeeded in eliminating the first American outpost they encountered. Advancing, they approached the former camp of the U.S. 25th Infantry. Earlier in the day, the regiment had moved after deciding that the site was too exposed to attack. As a result, only its cooks remained at the campfires making meals for the following day. Around 2:00 a.m., the British were discovered as some of Major John Nortons Native American warriors attacked an American outpost and noise discipline was broken. As the American troops rushed to battle, Harveys men re-inserted their flints as the element of surprise had been lost. Battle of Stoney Creek, June 6, 1813. Public Domain Fighting in the Night Situated on high ground with their artillery on Smiths Knoll, the Americans were in a strong position once they had regained their poise from the initial surprise. Maintaining a steady fire, they inflicted heavy losses on the British and turned back several attacks. Despite this success, the situation began to quickly deteriorate as the darkness caused confusion on the battlefield. Learning of a threat to the American left, Winder ordered the U.S. 5th Infantry to that area. In doing so, he left the American artillery unsupported. As Winder was making this error, Chandler rode to investigate firing on the right. Riding through the darkness, he was temporarily removed from the battle when his horse fell (or was shot). Hitting the ground, he was knocked out for some time. Seeking to regain the momentum, Major Charles Plenderleath of the British 49th Regiment gathered 20-30 men for an attack on the American artillery. Charging up Gages Lane, they succeeded in overwhelming Captain Nathaniel Towsons artillerymen and turning the four guns on their former owners. Returning to his senses, Chandler heard fighting around the guns. Unaware of their capture, he approached the position and was quickly taken prisoner. A similar fate befell Winder a short time later. With both generals in enemy hands, command of the American forces fell to cavalryman Colonel James Burn. Seeking to turn the tide, he led his men forward but due to the darkness mistakenly attacked the U.S. 16th Infantry. After forty-five minutes of confused fighting, and believing the British to have more men, the Americans withdrew east. Aftermath Concerned that the Americans would learn the small size of his force, Harvey retreated west into the woods at dawn after carrying off two of the captured guns. The next morning, they watched as Burns men returned to their former camp. Burning excess provisions and equipment, the Americans then retreated to Forty Mile Creek. British losses in the fighting numbered 23 killed, 136 wounded, 52 captured, and three missing. American casualties numbered 17 killed, 38 wounded, and 100 captured, including both Winder and Chandler. Retreating to Forty Mile Creek, Burn encountered reinforcements from Fort George under Major General Morgan Lewis. Bombarded by British warships in Lake Ontario, Lewis became concerned about his supply lines and began retreating towards Fort George. Having been shaken by the defeat, Dearborn lost his nerve and consolidated his army into a tight perimeter around the fort. The situation worsened on June 24 when an American force was captured at the Battle of Beaver Dams. Angered by Dearborns repeated failures, Secretary of War John Armstrong removed him on July 6 and dispatched Major General James Wilkinson to take command. Winder would later be exchanged and commanded American troops at the Battle of Bladensburg in 1814. His defeat there allowed British troops to capture and burn Washington, DC.

Evaluating a Process Analysis Essay

Evaluating a Process Analysis Essay When developing a paragraph or essay through process analysis, you should keep several points in mind: Be sure to include all steps and arrange them in sequence.Explain why each step is necessary, and include warnings where appropriate.Define any terms that your readers may not be familiar with.Offer clear descriptions of any tools, materials, or equipment needed to carry out the process.Provide your readers with a way of determining whether or not the process has been carried out successfully. Heres a draft of a short process analysis essay, How to Make a Sand Castle. In terms of content, organization, and cohesion, the draft has both strengths and weaknesses. Read (and enjoy) this student composition, and then respond to the evaluation questions at the end. How to Make a Sand Castle For young and old alike, a trip to the beach means relaxation, adventure, and a temporary escape from the worries and responsibilities of ordinary life. Whether swimming or surfing, tossing a volleyball or just snoozing in the sand, a visit to the beach means fun. The only equipment you need is a twelve-inch deep pail, a small plastic shovel, and plenty of moist sand. Making a sandcastle is a favorite project of beach-goers of all ages. Begin by digging up a large amount of sand (enough to fill at least six pails) and arranging it in a pile. Then, scoop the sand into your pail, patting it down and leveling it off at the rim as you do. You can now construct the towers of your castle by placing one pailful of sand after another face down on the area of the beach that you have staked out for yourself. Make four towers, placing each mound twelve inches apart in a square. This done, you are ready to build the walls that connect the towers. Scoop up the sand along the perimeter of the fortress and arrange a wall six inches high and twelve inches long between each pair of towers in the square. By scooping up the sand in this fashion, you will not only create the walls of the castle, but you will also be digging out the moat that surrounds it. Now, with a steady hand, cut a one-inch square block out of every other inch along the circumference of each towe r. Your spatula will come in handy here. Of course, before doing this, you should use the spatula to smooth off the tops and sides of the walls and towers. You have now completed your very own sixteenth-century sandcastle. Though it may not last for centuries or even until the end of the afternoon, you can still take pride in your handicraft. Do make sure, however, that you have chosen a fairly isolated spot in which to work; otherwise, your masterpiece may be trampled by beach bums and children. Also, make a note on the high tides so that you have enough time to build your fortress before the ocean arrives to wash it all away. Evaluation Questions What important information seems to be missing from the introductory paragraph? Which sentence from the body paragraph might be placed more effectively in the introduction?Identify the transitional words and phrases used to guide the reader clearly from step to step in the body paragraph.Which piece of equipment mentioned in the body paragraph doesnt appear in the list at the end of the introductory paragraph?Suggest how the single long body paragraph might be effectively divided into two or three shorter paragraphs.Notice that the writer includes two warnings in the concluding paragraph of the essay. Where do you think these warnings should have been placed, and why?Which two steps have been listed in reverse order? Rewrite these steps, arranging them in a logical sequence.