Battle of Conjocta Creek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Conjocta Creek
Part of the War of 1812
Date August 3, 1814 Location Scajaquada Creek, Black Rock and Buffalo, New York Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain New Brunswick
Commanders and leaders
Lodowick Morgan	John Tucker William Drummond
Strength
240 riflemen	600 British and New Brunswick regulars
Casualties and losses
2 killed 8 wounded	12 killed 21 wounded

The Battle of Conjocta Creek was a fight during the War of 1812. It happened on August 3, 1814. British soldiers tried to attack American supply areas in Black Rock and Buffalo, New York. This attack was ordered by British Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond. He hoped it would make the Americans give up at Fort Erie.

However, a small group of American riflemen, led by Major Lodwick Morgan, stopped the British. After about an hour of fighting, the British were defeated. They had to go back across the Niagara River to Canada. This battle was important because it protected the American supplies. These supplies were needed to defend Fort Erie. Because the supplies were safe, the British eventually had to stop their attack on Fort Erie. They pulled back on September 21, 1814.

Why the Battle Happened: Background

After a tough battle called Battle of Lundy's Lane, American soldiers moved back to Fort Erie. They built more defenses around the fort. British General Drummond knew attacking the fort would be very risky.

On August 2, 1814, Drummond sent Lieutenant Colonel John Tucker with 600 men. Their mission was to destroy American supply depots in Buffalo and Black Rock. Drummond hoped this would force the Americans at Fort Erie to surrender quickly.

American Major Lodowick Morgan, who was based in Buffalo, guessed what the British would do. He thought they would cross the bridge at Conjocta Creek. Morgan and 240 riflemen went to the bridge. They removed some planks to damage it. Then, they built small walls for protection on the south side.

To trick the British, Morgan's troops marched noisily towards Black Rock. They wanted the British to think they were going to Buffalo. Once out of sight, Morgan and his men secretly went back. They hid behind the protective walls they had built at Conjocta Creek.

Tucker's British force was made of two groups. One group had soldiers from the 41st Foot. The other had soldiers from the 89th Foot, 100th Foot, and 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment. Some artillery soldiers were also with them.

Tucker and his men crossed the Niagara River into New York. American guards, led by Major Lodowick Morgan, spotted them.

The Fight at Conjocta Creek

The British arrived at the bridge, not knowing what was waiting for them. They saw the bridge was damaged and stopped to figure out what to do. At that moment, Major Morgan blew a whistle. His soldiers fired a powerful volley of shots.

The British quickly took cover on the north side of the creek. They fired back, but the American troops were safe behind their protective walls. The British tried to attack the walls, but the Americans pushed them back. Then, the British tried to go around the American position, but this attempt also failed.

After an hour of fighting, Tucker realized they couldn't win. He ordered his men to retreat. They went back to the Canadian side of the Niagara River. The Americans had 2 soldiers killed and 8 wounded. The British lost 12 killed and 21 wounded.

What Happened After the Battle

Many British soldiers were unhappy with how Lieutenant Colonel Tucker handled the battle. Tucker, however, blamed his troops in a letter to General Drummond. Drummond was very angry about the defeat. He issued an order criticizing the soldiers who fought in the battle. This made the soldiers even more upset.

Most of the 41st Foot regiment was sent back to Fort George a few days later. Because the British attack failed, the American supply depots were safe. They continued to supply Fort Erie for the rest of the siege. This meant Drummond could not force the Americans to surrender. This failure eventually led to a very bad British night attack on August 14.