Battle for Canada - Feeble and Negligent Action, A - The Battle of Stoney Creek, June 6 1813

British prospects in Canada were rather gloomy in the Spring of 1813 as American forces began invading that British colony once again, with their main efforts concentrating on wresting control of the Niagara Peninsula away from the Crown. On May 27th British forces near the north end of the Niagara River were forced to retreat into the sanctuary of Fort George by an American force led by Generals Henry Dearborn and William Winder. After successfully withdrawing nearly all of the other outposts along the river following the American invasion of the Niagara Peninsula, Brigadier General John Vincent began planning for ways to strike back at the Americans, whose force was joined by another led by General John Chandler. Local informants, along with a daring night-time reconnoitering by Colonel John Harvey of the American encampment at Stoney Creek near what is today Hamilton, Ontario, disclosed the lackadaisical nature of the American deployment. Although outnumbered by nearly a five-to-one margin, General Vincent ordered a risky night assault, counting upon superior knowledge of the local terrain, surprise, as well as training with his regulars. The battle that resulted was one of the most intense and lop-sided battles fought in Upper Canada.