SHEAFFE'S MONUMENT

SHEAFFE'S PATH TO VICTORY

Along Queenston Road between St. David’s and Queenston Heights is a marker erected in 1906 by the Women’s Literary Club which reads: “Sheaffe’s Path to Victory, October 13, 1812”.

During the early hours of the morning (approx. 3 a.m.), of Tuesday, October 13, 1812, a first wave of attack was launched by the Americans from Lewiston under the orders of Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer. 13 boats were launched, 3 drifted downstream too far, but the other 10 landed above Queenston. Colonel Van Rensselaer was wounded by fire from the 49^th Regiment’s grenadier company. Captain John E. Wool led his 13^th U.S. Infantry Regiment up a footpath to the top of Queenston Heights.

General Brock left Fort George, pausing “en route only long enough to order forward the flank companies of York militia and to send back word for Sheaffe to bring up most of the garrison of Fort George.”

After ordering the 49^th Foot from the Heights into the village, Gen. Brock rode up the slope to the one-gun redan to survey the situation when Capt. Wool came over the crest. The British gunners rendered their gun unusable by driving a spike into the touch hole before retreating to the village.

Brock lead a charge up the hill, where a he was mortally wounded by a sharp-shooters bullet.

Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonell arrived on the scene with 2 flank companies of York militia; they managed to recapture the redan, but were driven back once again when reinforcements from the Americans arrived. Lt. Col. Macdonell was fatally wounded.

Major-General Roger Sheaffe arrived at Vrooman’s Point with 300 officers and men of the 41^st Foot and 250 militia. He decided not to risk another frontal attack, but followed a path recommended by the Indians, which would bring them to the west of the American position. On the way, he was met by the 41^st Foot grenadier company from Chippawa and nearly 300 Indians from the Six Nations.

Around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Sheaffe surprised the Americans and recaptured Queenston Heights. American losses for the day were 958 prisoners, 300 killed and wounded; British and Canadian losses were 14 killed, 77 wounded and 21 missing.

Reference: The Incredible War of 1812, a military history by J. Mackay Hitsman, updated by Donald E. Graves. First published in 1965 by University of Toronto Press; revised edition published in 1999 by Robin Brass Studio

Margaret took these pictures below on July 17, 2004. The bottom picture is one that I took that night.