Battle of York

The Battle of York was a battle of the War of 1812 fought on 27 April, 1813, at York, Upper Canada, which was later to be renamed Toronto. An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lake shore to the west, defeated the defending British force and captured the town and dockyard. The success of the operation was marred by acts of arson and looting carried out by the American force. During the War of 1812, Lake Ontario was both th... more

The Battle of York was a battle of the War of 1812 fought on 27 April, 1813, at York, Upper Canada, which was later to be renamed Toronto. An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lake shore to the west, defeated the defending British force and captured the town and dockyard. The success of the operation was marred by acts of arson and looting carried out by the American force. During the War of 1812, Lake Ontario was both the front line between the British and American forces, and also part of the principal British supply line from Quebec to the various armies and outposts to the west. At the start of the war, the British had a small naval force, the Provincial Marine, with which they seized control of the lake, and also of Lake Erie. This made it possible for Major General Isaac Brock, leading the British forces, to gain several important victories during 1812 by shifting his small force rapidly between threatened points to defeat disjointed American attacks... less