CRYSLER continued from page 40
nice day.) American War Hawks had
devised a double pincher attack aimed at blocking British dependence on shipping from the port of Montreal to the Great Lakes. Wade Hampton had left from Plattsburg in September with 1,600 men, and was met and turned at Chateauguay by a meager force of 460 Canadian defenders. At the same time, a flotilla, commanded by James Wilkinson and Morgan Lewis, had weighed anchor with some 8,000 men from Sackets Harbour and headed down river. The flotilla made way for Cornwall in search of much needed supplies while being tailed by British Navy gunboats. The pilots refused to shoot the Long Sault Rapids and, buzzard lucking prevailing, they dropped anchor a mile from where British Lt Col Joseph Morrison had encamped at the farm of John Crysler. Put ashore, men, in their hunger, raided local beehives; adding to the dysentery literally running rampant. It has been suggested that the Canadians were the first to use biological warfare in this regard. Morrison had made the march
from Fort Henry in Kingston recruiting about 900 men along the way. Regulars from Fort Wellington in Prescott were absorbed as well as untested militia. Enduring a sleet- soaked night, dawn broke on the 11th
of November with a sentry alert
that the Americans were attacking. Canadian forces, a combination of British Regulars, Provincial Glengarry Fencibles, Dundas and Grenville Militias; Quebec Voltigeurs and Native defenders rallied for the fight of their lives - the first time ever that British, French, Native and Canadians combined to form a singular front. An unprepared John Boyd
was put ashore to lead the attack.
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BOUNDER MAGAZINE 67
Within three hours, the Americans had been turned, incurring 459 casualties. Packing up, they left their wounded behind. The British, having home field advantage, recorded 192 casualties on that day. Canadians ferried the abandoned American wounded across the river. The dead were
buried on the battlefield. In years to come farmers often plowed up their bones.
The Friends of Crysler’s Farm Battlefield are a non- profit organization dedicated to the education and commemoration of the event of 1813. In co-ordination with the St. Lawrence Parks Commission/Upper Canada Village the FCFB are proud to once more present the re-enactment of this battle on the 9th
and 10th of July
at the Battlefield Memorial site, Upper Canada Village just east of Morrisburg on County Rd 2. Some 400 re-enactors from across Ontario, Quebec and the US, many with their families, converge for the weekend to set up a military style encampment. A re-enactment occurs each afternoon. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the shade of the trees that line the Battlefield Memorial. Come join us and relive the “Battle that saved Canada.”
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