html> On and Around the Lakes

Lake Ontario - The Key to the Theater

Commodore Isaac Chauncey

Arriving September 3, 1812, Chauncey's first decision was to select his lake on which to build his squadron. Though Lake Erie's proximity to Detroit made that lake seem attractive, the commodore realized that Brock's sole line of communication with Montreal and Halifax was along seaborne routes, and therefore seizing total control of Lake Ontario would cut him him off as effectively as control of Erie would. Building his squadron on Ontario gave him the added advantage of enabling him to strike at Kingston, York, and Niagara. Finally, should everything go as hoped for on and around the lakes, an Ontario based squadron would be in position to sail down the St. Lawrence toward Montreal, the ultimate goal of the campaign.

So Chauncey selected Lake Ontario and brought in a trio of excellent shipbuilders, Eckford and the brothers Brown, as well as skilled labor from New York shipyards, setting them to work at Sackets Harbor. By April 13 the following year a sizable force was ready, and Chauncey began looking for action. The decision was between Kingston and York. York, west of the Kingston, would be cut off should the latter be captured. Morever, it was here where the main British shipyards were.Yet he and Dearborn began to doubt their intelligence reports regarding British strength, and envisioning waves of transports arriving in Halifax with Wellington's newly freed up troops, got it into their heads that there were 8000 men at Kingston, (Dearborn had about 3000). So they settled for the lesser objective, though in fact the opposing General Prevost had only 600 troops. York fell quickly to 1800 Americans, who set fire to the city and burned much of it in their exultation.

Chauncey's report to the Secretary of the Navy describing the battle may be read.

In the excitement over the the capture of York, Chauncey seems to have assumed he was in control of the lake, and transported his troops to Niagara, where they engaged British troops in a series of fierce skirmishes, pushing them back from the river. With Fort Niagra in hand, they proceeded to assault to Fort George, and had just succeeded in taking it when the report arrived on May 29 that the Yeo's naval force (which Chauncey must have thought he had destroyed) had sortied out of Kingston and was attacking his base in Sackets Harbor.

A landing force of 870 supported by six ships and 2 gunboats was engaging 840 U.S. regulars, 250 Albany Volunteers, 650 mitilia, two field artillery, 3 ships. The battle was fierce, the British tried and failed to turn the American flank, and after 4 hours retreated in the din of confusion, though they left the shipyard in flames.

From now on the war on Lake Ontario was waged in seesaw fashion, as Chauncey and Yeo leapfrogged each other in strength and securing and then losing command of the lake. Chauncey and Dearborn attacked the following month just past Fort George at Stoney Creek, only to get turned back and intercepted by Yeo's ships. Both commanders were conservative, and the one with the superior force could always find a reason why not to directly engage the other. By the end of the war nothing decisive had happened, which probably speaks more to Yeo's credit than it does to Chauncey (Yeo's orders were only to maintain suficient control of the lake to supply the British force at Niagara). For now ,though, both commanders were concerned with the imminent battle next door an Lake Erie, where a similar arms race had been playing itself out betweem two men far less averse to risk.

Read about the Battle of Lake Erie