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Battle of Crysler's Farm

The St. Lawrence Region
Source: Team 22916

American Major General James Wilkinson arrived at the naval base at Sackett's Harbor in early October, 1813. His plan was to strike at Montreal by traveling down the St. Lawrence River, while Major General Wade Hampton would invade the province of Lower Canada through the Chatueaguay River. However, General Hampton was defeated at the Battle of Chateauguay and turned back, leaving General Wilkinson to conduct his attack alone.

Though he had an impressive force of about 8,000 soldiers, as well as a large fleet of boats, General Wilkinson was plagued by trouble. At first, he could not agree with the United States Secretary of War John Armstrong whether to attack Montreal or Kingston. When Montreal was finally chosen as the target, the American forces encountered an early snowstorm, and a number of their boats were damaged.

When the British learned of the American advance, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Morrison with 630 regulars, later joined by 240 more, and two cannon was ordered to pursue from the British side of the St. Lawrence. Canadian militia also fired on the Americans from the shores of the river, and General Wilkinson was forced to send 2,500 soldiers to protect his boats. When he learned of the pursuing British force, he ordered another 2,000 men as rear guard.

On the night of November 10, the American forces camped near the home of John Crysler, a farmer in the region. The British were not far away. On the morning of the November 11, 1813, an American scouting party exchanged shots with some Amerindians. Convinced that the British were attacking, General Wilkinson ordered his rear guard to drive the enemy away.

The American troops charged, but musket fire from the British and artillery support from British gunboats on the river stopped them. The British charged back and the American soldiers fled from the battle, many crossing to the American side of the St. Lawrence.

Even though General Wilkinson's force was still much stronger, the American commander realized that winter was too close, and capturing Montreal in the time he had left would be all but impossible. When the general learned that Hampton's force did not accomplish its objectives, Wilkinson was furious, and withdrew his army from Lower Canada, blaming the failure of the campaign on Hampton.