Assault on Ogdensburg

Col. Lethbridge finally decided to go against the orders from Prevost and launch an assault against the Americans in October. He gathered a force of 150 Glengarry Light Infantry and approximately 600 militia from Dundas, Leeds, and Stormont and planned to cross the river and amphibiously take the town.^[2]

Early on the morning of October 4, the guns at Fort Wellington in Prescott opened up a cannonade against the Fort in Ogdensburg. Under the bombardment, Lethbridge took his force and put into the river with 25 bateaux and 2 gun boats.

The American defences were commanded by General Jacob Brown and Sheriff Joseph York, and consisted of the 1st Rifle Regiment, New York Militia, and the Ogdensburg Volunteers. The Fort also had an iron 12-pounder cannon and a brass 6-pounder cannon, commanded by Sheriff York and Lt. Church.

When Lethbridge and the Canadian boats crossed the middle of the river, the Americans opened fire with their cannons and muskets, and after a sharp exchange, forced the Canadians to turn back and return to Prescott under heavy fire.^[2]

3 Canadians were killed in the assault, including Private Mott of the 1st Leeds Militia, and over 10 were wounded.^[3]

John Kilborn of the Leeds Militia was present during the assault, and recounted in later years:

Assistance from the Brockville men was asked for, and with about forty others, I volunteered and marched to Prescott during the night, under the command of Reuben Sherwood and Lieutenant William Morris. Boats were made ready, and, early in the morning, led by Colonel Lethbridge, with part of a company of regulars, the attack was made. The boat I was in was commanded by William Morris. After getting near the batteries (which they plied constantly), and in front of the town [Ogdensburg], we failed to effect a landing and returned to Prescott. The loss in our boat was one killed and eight wounded.

For disobeying orders and failing to achieve a victory, Col. Lethbridge was stripped of his command by General Prevost and assigned to a desk job in Montreal, and command of Prescott was turned over to Colonel Thomas Pearson.^[2]

Tensions remained high along the St. Lawrence, and the Forsyth's rifleman once again raided along the river in February, raiding Elizabethtown. In response to this raid, Pearson ordered another attack on Ogdensburg, resulting in the Battle of Ogdensburg.