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Occupation of Cornwall
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Occupation of Cornwall
The Occupation of Cornwall was the capture and occupation of the town of Cornwall, Ontario during the War of 1812, following the Battle of Crysler's Farm.
The American army under Gen. Boyd, defeated by the British at Crysler's Farm on November 11, continued advancing towards Cornwall, unpursued by Morrison's force. Boyd had hoped to meet up with the remainder of Wilkinson's flotilla who had descended the St. Lawrence River through the Long Sault Rapids, and continue their combined advance to Montreal.
Morrison's force was exhausted from the battle and remained encamped at John Crysler's farm, with only small patrols sent out to harass the American rear guard.
The inhabitants and soldiers of Cornwall had largely evacuated and removed the strategic military supplies to Martintown while the armies had fought at Hoople's Creek and Crysler's Farm, and the town was left to be defended by the 1st Stormont Militia and native warriors from St. Regis.
The Stormont Militia loaded the military supplies onto 150 wagons and left Cornwall late on the night of November 10. The wagons were driven through St. Andrews to Martintown and was intended to be transported to the safety of the Fort at Coteau-du-Lac. When the supplies arrived in Martintown, the Stormont and Glengarry Militia burned the Martintown bridge to prevent an American force from pursuing and capturing them.
Early on the morning of November 11, the 2nd U.S. Light Dragoons occupied Barnhart's Island and the western end of Cornwall. The small force of militia and native warriors were driven back by the Dragoons and elements of Boyd's advance regiments. The American officers began occupying local farmhouses while the soldiers encamped in the fields of the town.
Facing a population of largely women and children, the Americans were remained civil, however some of the soldiers believed they should raid the town and strip it of any vital supplies before proceeding to Montreal. Historian Jacob Pringle wrote that the Americans “looked very little like soldiers … most of whom appeared more anxious to get home than to fight.” Some of the soldiers looted the locality, and took food stores to eat. To fuel the fires in their encampments, “every stick of fence on farms was burned”. The possibility that the Americans would sack and burn the town before abandoning it was a real threat, but the American officers reassured the townspeople that the town would be safe.
Local legend tells that Peggy O'Sullivan Bruce, who operated the St. Andrew's and St. Patrick's Tavern in Cornwall, was questioned by the occupying Americans how to get to Martintown so that they might capture the military supplies that had been evacuated. Bruce told them to follow the road to St. Andrews, and then go east until they reached Martintown, but: "She implored them to be careful as the Priest’s Bush south of St. Andrews was full of British Regulars and Glengarry militia and far the worst of all the St. Regis Indians who were waiting to scalp all good Americans who came by. She dwelt earnestly on the blood-thirsty ways of the Indians and the unpleasantness of being scalped", relates a local historian, "There wasn’t a soldier or an Indian within miles of St. Andrews but the Americans did not know that and they gave up the intended attack on Martintown, saving the vital supplies".
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Occupation of Cornwall
The Occupation of Cornwall was the capture and occupation of the town of Cornwall, Ontario during the War of 1812, following the Battle of Crysler's Farm.
The American army under Gen. Boyd, defeated by the British at Crysler's Farm on November 11, continued advancing towards Cornwall, unpursued by Morrison's force. Boyd had hoped to meet up with the remainder of Wilkinson's flotilla who had descended the St. Lawrence River through the Long Sault Rapids, and continue their combined advance to Montreal.
Morrison's force was exhausted from the battle and remained encamped at John Crysler's farm, with only small patrols sent out to harass the American rear guard.
The inhabitants and soldiers of Cornwall had largely evacuated and removed the strategic military supplies to Martintown while the armies had fought at Hoople's Creek and Crysler's Farm, and the town was left to be defended by the 1st Stormont Militia and native warriors from St. Regis.
The Stormont Militia loaded the military supplies onto 150 wagons and left Cornwall late on the night of November 10. The wagons were driven through St. Andrews to Martintown and was intended to be transported to the safety of the Fort at Coteau-du-Lac. When the supplies arrived in Martintown, the Stormont and Glengarry Militia burned the Martintown bridge to prevent an American force from pursuing and capturing them.
Early on the morning of November 11, the 2nd U.S. Light Dragoons occupied Barnhart's Island and the western end of Cornwall. The small force of militia and native warriors were driven back by the Dragoons and elements of Boyd's advance regiments. The American officers began occupying local farmhouses while the soldiers encamped in the fields of the town.
Facing a population of largely women and children, the Americans were remained civil, however some of the soldiers believed they should raid the town and strip it of any vital supplies before proceeding to Montreal. Historian Jacob Pringle wrote that the Americans “looked very little like soldiers … most of whom appeared more anxious to get home than to fight.” Some of the soldiers looted the locality, and took food stores to eat. To fuel the fires in their encampments, “every stick of fence on farms was burned”. The possibility that the Americans would sack and burn the town before abandoning it was a real threat, but the American officers reassured the townspeople that the town would be safe.
Local legend tells that Peggy O'Sullivan Bruce, who operated the St. Andrew's and St. Patrick's Tavern in Cornwall, was questioned by the occupying Americans how to get to Martintown so that they might capture the military supplies that had been evacuated. Bruce told them to follow the road to St. Andrews, and then go east until they reached Martintown, but: "She implored them to be careful as the Priest’s Bush south of St. Andrews was full of British Regulars and Glengarry militia and far the worst of all the St. Regis Indians who were waiting to scalp all good Americans who came by. She dwelt earnestly on the blood-thirsty ways of the Indians and the unpleasantness of being scalped", relates a local historian, "There wasn’t a soldier or an Indian within miles of St. Andrews but the Americans did not know that and they gave up the intended attack on Martintown, saving the vital supplies".
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