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thedrifter
10-25-05, 02:48 PM
October 31, 2005
The Lore of the Corps
U.S. forces defeated British at York in 1813
By Don Burzynski
Special to the Times

During the War of 1812, British and American fleets played a cat-and-mouse game for attack advantage on Lake Ontario because their naval bases on the lake were only 35 miles apart.

While the British blockaded Sackett’s Harbor, American Commodore Isaac Chauncey slipped out to attack the British at York.

On April 27, 1813, the American fleet appeared before York. The fleet’s land forces consisted of 1,700 soldiers and Marines lead by Gen. Zebulon Pike, an explorer for whom Pike’s Peak in Colorado is named.

The attack started at 8 a.m. when the Americans’ landing craft was blown a half-mile to the west, beyond the fleet’s covering fire.

Army Maj. Benjamin Forsyth and his riflemen hit the beach first. They were met by heavy volleys of fire from British defenders. The attack column consisted of the 6th, 15th, 16th and 21st Army regiments, a detachment of light and heavy artillery and Col. M. Clare’s volunteers as flankers. The Marines were held in reserve.

The British attacked the American flankers with heavy losses. They were overpowered and fell back. Pike’s bugler sounded the advance.

The British retreated quickly to the town, and the Americans struck up “Yankee Doodle” in the quick march to York. But the British had destroyed key bridges as they fell back, allowing them to target artillery on American forces stymied at the crossings.

Despite the setback, American forces continued their pursuit of the British all the way to York, where they employed artillery against the city.

Suddenly, the ground shook with a thunderous explosion. The Brits had blown their powder magazine, which held about 12½ tons of gunpowder. Huge timbers and stone blocks flew for hundreds of yards.

The blast killed 52 Americans and wounded 180. It also killed 40 British soldiers. Pike, hit by a stone block, was mortally wounded.

Maj. Gen. Henry Dearborn assumed command, re-formed the attack and entered York victoriously. The Americans captured 290 British and a huge quantity of naval and military stores.

The Marines and sailors landed and burned the public buildings, including the legislative chambers because of a human scalp found over the mace behind the speaker’s chair. It was British frontier policy to buy American scalps from Indians for 20 pounds sterling.

The American losses included 66 killed and 203 wounded. The Marine losses were 17 killed and wounded.

British losses were 60 killed and 89 wounded, plus prisoners taken by the Americans.

Pike was carried aboard a ship and smiled at news of the American flag being raised over the town.

The surrendered flag was placed under his head as he died.

The writer is a War of 1812 Marine re-enactor. He can be reached at dburzynski2003@yahoo.com.

Ellie