War of 1812: A Belated 4th of July Present

July 5, 1814 - American forces defeat the British at the Battle of Chippawa (right). After several months of rigorous training under the watchful eye of Brig. Gen. Winfield Scott, the American army of Maj. Gen. Jacob Brown crossed the Niagara frontier on July 3, 1814. Taking Fort Erie, Brown pushed Scott's brigade of regulars north. Encamped just south of Street's Creek on July 5, Scott was alerted to the approach of Maj. Gen. Phineas Riall's British troops. Advancing north, Scott met Riall in battle in a field between Street's and Chippawa Creeks. Believing he was attacking militia, Riall was stunned when Scott's men stood their ground. In the resulting fight, Scott inflicted heavy losses on Riall and drove the British from the field. The victory ended a long string of reverses for American forces in Canada.

Photograph Courtesy of the US Army Center for Military History