Raid on Gananoque

Raid on Gananoque
Part of the War of 1812
Date September 21, 1812 Location Gananoque, Ontario Result American victory; Stores seized and government depot burned
Belligerents
United States	Upper Canada
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Forsyth	Joel Stone
Strength
About 200 regulars and militia	About 40 militia

The Raid on Gananoque was an action conducted by the U.S. Army on September 21, 1812 against Gananoque, Upper Canada. It resulted in the capture of stores and prisoners and the destruction of the storehouse.

On September 21, 1812, during the War of 1812, a United States force of some 200 regulars and militia under Captain Benjamin Forsyth attacked Gananoque, Ontario. The village was an important forwarding point for supplies moving up the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to Kingston and was garrisoned by a detachment of the 2nd Leeds Militia under Colonel Joel Stone. After a spirited resistance, Colonel Stone withdrew his force comprising two subalterns and about forty soldiers, and the Americans seized the stores and burned the government depot. As a result of this raid, a blockhouse was begun in Gananoque the following month and completed in 1813.^[1]

— Raid on Gananoque plaque

Forsyth led a force of approximately 100 regulars and militia in boats from Ogdensburg, New York to Gananoque, arriving on September 21, 1813.^[2] The Americans surprised the 2nd Regiment of the Leeds militia. A large portion of the Leeds militia retreated under American fire. The remainder, under the command of Captain Joshua Adams of Glen Tay, at the storehouse, numbering fewer than Forsyth's troops, were forced to surrender the government stores, including arms, ammunition and food.^[3]

Notes

1. "Ontario's Historical Plaques"
2. Elting p. 52
3. "Graveside Project"

References

• "Ontario's Historical Plaques". Ontario's Historical Plaques at ontarioplaques.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
• Elting, John R. Amateurs to Arms! A Military History of the War of 1812 (1st ed.). Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. ISBN 0-945575-08-4.
• "Graveside Project". Graveside Project War of 1812. Retrieved 5 October 2014.

External links

• Gananoque Reporter
• 1000 Islands Life