Battle of Longwoods

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Longwoods
partof=the War of 1812


caption=
date=March 4, 1814
place= near Wardsville in present day Southwest Middlesex, Ontario
result=American Victory
combatant1=Britain First nations
combatant2=United States
commander1=James Lewis Basden
commander2=Andrew Holmes
strength1=300
strength2=180
casualties1=14 dead, 52 wounded, 1 missing [http://www.mywarof1812.com/battles/140304.htm Battle of Longwoods ] ]
casualties2=4 dead, 3 wounded

The Battle of Longwoods was a battle of the War of 1812 on March 4, 1814, fought near Wardsville, in present-day Southwest Middlesex, Ontario.

Battle

The full British force arrived at Twenty Mile Creek at 5 p.m. the next day. Under the command of Captain James Lewis Basden of the 89th Regiment of Foot, this force consisted of the light companies of the 1st (Royal Scots) and 89th Regiments, the Loyal Kent Volunteers, Caldwell's Rangers and about forty Native American warriors. In all, this force totaled about 300 men.

Basden ordered the Volunteers to try to flank the Americans to the north while the Native warriors attempted to flank the Americans from the south. Basden himself led the regulars directly up the at the front of the American position. The Americans poured a withering fire into the oncoming British, who suffered 67 casualties, including Basden, who was wounded. The Americans suffered only mild casualties: 4 dead and 3 wounded.

After an hour of fierce fighting, the British retreated, and subsequently abandoned their position at Delaware. Captain Holmes, realizing that he was still significantly outnumbered by the British in spite of the casualties he had inflicted on their force, withdrew his force back to Detroit.

References

Stott, Glenn. "Greater Evils. The War of 1812 in Southwestern Ontario". G. Stott Publishing, Arkona, Ontario, Canada, 2001