British raids on Fort Schlosser, Black Rock and Plattsburgh begin

Background. The War of 1812 was initiated by the United States against the United Kingdom and its allies, fought mainly in North America and at sea during the wider Napoleonic Wars. Because the war in Europe against Napoleon's French Empire demanded British attention, the British did not consider the War of 1812 more than a sideshow. After the fighting, the war marked a turning point in the Old Northwest by establishing United States authority over the British and Indians of that border region. Peace terms were agreed upon in the December 1814 Treaty of Ghent, though the war did not officially end until the United States Senate ratified the treaty on 17 February 1815.

Fort Schlosser. Fort Schlosser was occupied by American troops at the start of the War of 1812. In 1813 the fort was captured and burned. The supplied sources record the capture and destruction but do not name the force responsible or describe the circumstances of the action.

Black Rock. Black Rock was burned to the ground twice by the British during the War of 1812. Despite this destruction, the settlement continued to prosper. In 1814 a small group of American riflemen defended Black Rock and neighboring Buffalo from a British assault. In the 1820s Black Rock rivaled Buffalo for the terminus of the Erie Canal, but Buffalo won the competition with its larger harbor capacity and greater distance from the shores of Canada.