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Transcript:
Hello and welcome to the Double Deucer Podcast, a Podcast of all things 22nd Infantry Regiment, where we discuss Words about Deeds. I am your host John Cooper.
As I stated in our introduction episode, this podcast has three main purposes. The first is to interview current soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment and veterans of the 22nd Regiment. The second is to discuss military related topics like the articles posted on our blog or any other discussion we may have with a guest. And lastly our purpose is to discuss the history of our great unit. That will involve overviews of the wars we have fought in and specific battles.
Though the summer mostly known for remembering the Revolutionary War which a war was to gain our Independence from Great Britain, today we will be discussing the first war ever declared by congress, the War of 1812. This was not a war for independence, but rather a war to secure it. The war of 1812 would see the birth of our regiment and our first action.
After the revolutionary war, the idea of a standing army was met with skepticism and fear. A standing army posed a threat of enforcing a totalitarian rule in the mind of a lot of the early Americans. There was a delicate balance between the use of regular troops which never seemed to even reach 3,000 soldiers and the state militias that were undisciplined and unreliable in the eyes of the federal government.
Despite neutrality agreements with the United States with both France and Great Britain, both countries harassed American trade on the seas during their war with each other. Though the French had stopped this, the British maintained a philosophy of “Once a colony, always a colony”. Of course, this was not how the leaders of the United States felt about the situation.
In 1811, the U.S. Army consisted of a small corps of engineers; seven Infantry regiments; and one regiment each of dragoons, artillery, and light artillery. The light artillery regiment was to be a mobile formation, but as a cost saving measure, the government had sold its horses in 1808. Despite this President Maddison and Congress decided War was the next step.
On June 18th, 1812, the United States would for the first time invoke the war powers of the constitution and declared war on Great Britain. The War of 1812 would not be another war for independence, but rather a war to secure it. Though already broken from Great Britain, this war was an attempt to secure our place as an independent nation.
The United States had three main goals in this war. First was to stop Great Britain from seizing American vessels and cargo ships. Second was to compel the British to cease imprisonments of American Sailors and return those sailors who were slaves on British ships. And lastly, to induce the British curtail supplying the native population inside the U.S. borders with firearms and ammunition.
America realized it needed a bigger federal army as they could not solely rely on militias as they could not force them to leave U.S. soil. So, on June 26th, 1812, the 22nd Infantry Regiment was born in Carlisle Pennsylvania.
In November of 1812, the 22nd Regiment would be assigned with the defense of Fort Niagara on the Niagara River. They would help with the bombardments aimed at Fort Niagara losing one soldier. They would remain there until the springtime where; they would join General John Boyd’s brigade to fight at Fort George.
In the book, Red Coats and Grey Jackets, by Donald E. Graves it is written of the Infantry in the War of 1812,
Then as now, the infantry did most of the fighting and took the heaviest casualties. The Infantryman’s experience of battle in 1814 was truly terrifying. Given the primitive state of military logistics, the soldier often entered combat hungry, and usually tired after a long march. Blinded by powder smoke, packed in tightly crowded ranks, watching round shot bouncing toward him but unable to move, suffering from raging thirst brought on by tensions and the necessity of biting into cartridges containing bitter black powder, seeing men killed and maimed around him, the infantryman stood, fought, and died. Not the worst of the business were the unnerving sounds peculiar to battle: the deadly hissing, whizzing, sighing or whistling of passing round shot; the rattle of canisters bullets on rows of bayonets; the ominous thud of musket balls impacting on human flesh, followed by the screams, moans, and pleas of the wounded and dying.
Colonel Winfield Scott devised the plan to take Fort George where he understood that his mission was not to nearly capture the Fort itself, but to destroy the garrison that was stationed there.
On May 25th, 1813, an intense cannonade between Fort George and Fort Niagara started. During this the Americans landed a hot shot that set the British Barracks on fire. The British commander Brigadier General John Vincent knew that an attack on Fort George was imminent.
After midnight on May 27th, the Americans started to fill boats and moved across Lake Ontario. By dawn the American invasion force was a mile offshore. They detached themselves from the larger towing vessels and the three brigades began to move towards Newark (now Niagara on the Lake in Canada).
While Colonel Scott’s men assaulted the beach head, the 22nd with General Boyd’s men landed and started to assault up the cliff. The British were forced to withdraw into open ground and once Scott and Boyd’s men met near Fort George, they formed columns and started to advance on Fort George and the British soldiers.
They were successful in the capture of Fort George and while Colonel Scott advanced and tried to catch the British in retreat, the 22nd with General Boyd staid to secure the captured Fort. During the battle of Fort George, the regiment would suffer 10 wounded.
In the fall of 1813, the 22nd Regiment would become attached to 2nd brigade and spearhead the American drive down the St. Lawrence River. A detachment would be with General Brown on that march up the St. Lawrence. On October 29th, 1813 they would be camped in French Mill New York. They were the advanced guard for General Wilkinson’s Army as their goal was to march on Montreal.
On November 1st a British forced anchored three ships and started a barrage of fire against the American force. They responded with cannon fire from their 18 pounders that where in the western portion of French Creek. During the night the Americans would move more cannons into position to fight off the British ships. The fighting would continue in the morning, but the results of the battle inconclusive as the British pulled out.
10 days later the 22nd would defeat 500 Canadian militia members at Hoople’s Creek. General Brown would report this to General Wilkinson’s force. Another detachment of the 22nd was with him. They would meet the British force at Crysler’s Farm and fight in an intense battle.
Though the American’s outnumber the British and Canadian forces, they were not able to break through their lines. This defeat halted their attempt to capture Montreal. This would force the American Army to winter back in New York at French Mills.
After the winter, the 22nd regiment would march to Buffalo New York to become part of 1st Brigade under the command of now General Winfield Scott. These soldiers would be attached to Major Leavenworth’s 9th Infantry Regiment. Scott had four regiments under his command and was tasked with preparing to invade Canada. By July, Scott’s brigade was ready for combat. A detachment from the 22nd would remain with General Wilkerson in Plattsburgh NY.
On July 2nd of 1814 the 22nd moved across into Canada and advanced up the western shore of the Niagara River towards the Chippewa River and capture Fort Erie. On July 5th, the 22nd and other units in the brigade were preparing for drill when they got the call that the British were coming.
General Winfield Scott organized his brigade and prepared for battle against a superior British force, commanded by Brigadier General Riall. The British numbered 1400 infantry and six guns, two of which were heavy twenty-four pounders. The Americans had 50 less infantrymen at 1350 but had seven light guns. Being outnumbered did not discourage the troops as they showed no fear under the bombardment of the guns.
Because of the shortage of blue cloth, the 22nd worn buff or gray colored jackets. Because of this, Riall mistook the brigade for the Buffalo Militia. When he observed that Scott’s men moved steadily through artillery fire that was landing on their position he blurted out, “Those are regulars, by God!” This would become the 22nd Regiment’s unofficial motto.
The fighting was intense as no side would give up any ground. The Americans saw their buck and ball shot (three buckshot accompanying the musket ball in the cartridge) pay dividends as they broke through the red line and pushed the British back to the bridge across Chippewa, removing the planking so the Americans could not pursue. At the end of the battle the British suffered approximately 500 casualties while the Americans 325.
“The Battle of Chippewa was the only occasion during the war when equal bodies of regular troops met face to face, in extended lines on an open plain in broad day light, without advantage of position; and never again after that combat was an army of American regulars beaten by British Troops. Small as the affair was, and unimportant in military results, it gave to the United States army a character and pride it had never before possessed.”
The buff or grey uniform that were worn by the 22nd Regiment are still in our nations spotlight. In honor of this victory, the cadets at West Point Military Academy dawn this uniform for four years as they train to be the future leaders of the world’s greatest fighting force. Every American who tunes into an Army vs. Navy football game sees our legacy in the stands with every cadet dawning this uniform. During the battle, eight soldiers of the 22nd died and 44 were wounded.
After the fighting at Chippewa General Brown (The Left Division commander) wanted to pursue and defeat the British force. He requested five eighteen-pounder guns from Sacketts Harbor to reenforce the Left Division’s artillery. But due to a British blockade of Sacketts Harbor the guns never arrived.
On 20 July, General Brown brought the entire division to surround Fort George where General Riall was. He hoped that by doing this, Riall would come out and face them head on in the open area around the Fort. Riall would not give in fearing he was completely outnumbered, and the Left Division moved back to Queenston two days later.
In Queenston, Brown learned that he would not be aided by Commodore Chauncey and his Siege Guns. Brown decided to take a bold move and told the 22nd along with the rest of the Left Division to leave their tents behind and carry as much food and ammunition as they could on a march to the Burlington Heights. This, Brown hoped, would force Brig. General Riall to reopen British supply line by giving battle. Brown’s risk paid off but not the way he intended.
On 25 July Brown told General Scott to prepare to move his brigade northward the next day to try and draw Riall into battle. Brown had heard reports that commander Drummond of the British Army was now at Fort Niagara which was under British control and was gearing up an attack. Drummond had sent raiding parties to destroy boats and artillery batteries.
Brown now ordered 1st Brigade and some attachments to move north toward Queenston to draw the British attention from a further advance on the east side of the Niagara River. He told General Scott that he was to report if he met any resistance. In typical 22nd fashion the good General interpreted those orders to mean find and fight the enemy. Both Scott’s brigade and Drummond’s Right Division met at Lundy’s Lane. The fight was on.
Intelligence showed that the right division was an equal force to 1st Brigade. This intelligence proved to be faulty as hundreds of British infantrymen had reinforced the right division. None the less, Scott ordered his brigade to attack.
The British artillery had an advantage as the American fire would penetrate the soil itself in the steep slope shooting up hill while the British’s would skip off the ground continuing to inflict casualties. 1st Brigade took heavy casualties including the 22nd Regiment’s commander Colonel Hugh Brady who even after being seriously wounded refused to leave and remained in the saddle.
While the 22nd Regiment was in the heat of battle the 25th came through the woods and captured hundreds of British soldiers including General Riall. 1st Brigade was thoroughly shot up yet nailed to its battle line in bold defiance. Reinforcements were on the way.
The remainder of 1st Brigade were to hold their position and tend to the wounded as hundreds were wounded or killed. The 1st, 23rd, and 21st Infantry Regiments took the rest of the battle to the British for now. The 21st would eventually break through and take the artillery atop the hill. The British would counterattack three times to no avail. Both sides brought up reinforcements.
While preparing for more carnage to come, General Brown and his aide rode forward of the American line. Seeing troop movement in front of them, Brown’s aide yelled, “What Regiment if this?” The reply was, “The Royal Scots.” Brown and his aid quickly turned around and rode back to their lines as Drummond’s troops moved forward on the attack failing at two more attempts to take the ridge getting within 40 yards.
It was at this time that 1st Brigade would be called back into action. They counter attacked after the fifth assault and pursued the British through the gap in the 21st and 23rd line. In the darkness they veered to the left in their pursuit and started taking fire from the enemy and friendly units. Their strength was depleted by 20%.
The soldiers of the 22nd and the rest of 1st Brigade had seen more punishment in three weeks than any other American Formation. Sir Drummond mounted his sixth and final assault. As he charged forward Scott led his men hoping to hit the right flank but instead fell into the solid ranks of the British. Some soldiers decided to bayonet their way forward but were killed.
The rest of the broken column returned to their starting point. Scott took on more than he should have, and needed to see how the 25th Regiment was faring and left the command of 1st Brigade to Major Leavenworth. While receiving the report, a volley struck Scott’s position he was injured and was forced to leave the battlefield.
General Brown was injured as well and ordered the command of the Left Division to General Ripley. Ripley was ordered to evacuate the wounded and return to crest of the ridge no later than dawn. After evacuating the wounded Ripley refused this order and allowed his soldiers to make camp after the intense fighting.
This disobedience led to the British Right Division moving to the high ground. Outnumbered and in daylight Ripley decided to withdraw back to camp and not try to retake the ridge. Because of this General Brown sent orders to General Gaines at Sacketts Harbor to take command of the Left Division.
The Americans lost a total of 861 soldiers with 173 of them killed. The Americans successfully took the ridge and held back 6 counterattacks from the British right division, though they were outnumbered by 800 troops. At the end of the fighting the American’s held the ridge, though due to Ripley’s failure to return to it, the British remained there.
The Left Division moved back to Fort Erie and for the next two months the American’s were on the defensive. Though Ripley wanted to move the division all the way back to New York, Brown not willing to give up the campaign ordered him to stay at Fort Erie. Brown, Scott, and a lot of good officers had been killed or wounded and now were out of the fight. If the Left Division were to survive, it would have to rely like never before on unknown reserves of strength and talent.
The Left Division moved to Fort Erie to maintain a foothold in Niagara Canada. The small fort was made for a force of 200 soldiers and the Left Division was 2,000. This led Ripley to make a fortified camp around the fort with ditches, traverses, and batteries securing the Division. The rear of the camp was open and each night supplies would come from Buffalo New York and wounded would be brought back.
While the Americans built up the fortifications the British called up reinforcements and prepared for an attack. The British and Indian scouts eventually located the division at Fort Erie. After detailed reconnaissance, Sir Drummond ordered that heavy guns be moved, and a battery set up through the long axis of the American camp across the river. He also sent a raiding party of 600 soldiers to cross the Niagara River and destroy any boats or supplies they found. They were repelled easily by the American 1st Rifle Regiment.
General Gaines arrived at Fort Erie and took command of the Left Division. On August 7th, the British revealed their intentions and opened fire on Fort Erie, only to learn that all the rounds fell short. They tried again six days later and began landing solid shot and explosive shells into the American camp. Speculating that a night assault may come, Gaines had one-third of his force stay awake at night and the rest slept in their gear, near their weapons.
The British guns stopped firing on 15 August at 0100 only to be followed by a party of Indians ready to attack on the west. This was only a diversion for the main attack on the southern side of the Fort. The American artillery opened fire on the British to the south. They moved forward only to be stopped by an abatis. The American Infantry opened fire on them. The British main attack was pushed back into the dark forest as they were unable to penetrate the obstacle. It was a miserable failure.
Another assault was tried on the north of the fort, but the Americans were able to beat them back. The most successful of the British assaults was in the west as they moved through the ditches to the north east bastion and set up assault ladders and mounted the ramparts. Here the combat was hand-to-hand, and no quarter was given. The Americans had to move back into the stone barracks where they fought in Close Quarter Combat killing the British regiment’s commander.
The American artillery was able to prevent any British reinforcements from joining the fight that had now ensued in the in the fort itself. There is no agreement on how this happened, but there was a massive explosion that shot timber and stone hundreds of feet in the air. The rain of debris killed nearly every British soldier. About 100 British soldiers died in the explosion.
After this the British withdrew in defeat. In a battle lasting three hours they suffered 905 casualties to the Americans 74. The fort was brilliantly defended and the 22nd regiment and others in the Left Division were earning a reputation as fine warriors. General Gaines was injured in the defense and was evacuated. General Brown though still recovering from his injures at Lundy’s lane, rejoined his beloved division at Fort Erie.
The New York Militia was focused on the defense of New York city but managed to send 4,000 troops to Buffalo. Of that group 2,200 volunteered to accompany General Porter to aid the Left Division at Fort Erie. British deserters came to Fort Erie and told the Americans of the locations of three batteries and that only a third of the British infantry were on duty guarding these guns. Brown knew this was time to attack.
With a mix of militia and regulars Brown devised a plan to attack the third and second British batteries to push back the siege. On September 17th, the soldiers assigned to General Porter moved through the fog and initiated a surprise attack on the third battery. The fighting was brief as the British were caught off guard. The men set about knocking the trunnions off the cannons, smashing the guns, and blowing up the gunpowder.
The attack on the second battery took place shortly after but the British were ready. Still the Americans took the batteries and the trench system that connected them. The 2000 British soldiers in the siege camp got ready and counterattacked. The Americans had staid to long and the fighting became fierce as most muskets malfunctioned in the rain and had to be used for the bayonet or clubs.
The Americans withdrew and the reserves moved up into the forest to assist them. Drummond had decided to break the siege even before the American attack, but this sealed the deal. On September 21st, the British withdrew to the north of the Chippewa River. The Americans had successfully broken the siege.
The Left Division would be renamed the 2nd Division in October. As winter approached the American forces withdrew from Upper Canada and back into the New York. On the 5th of November, the Americans blew up Fort Erie and returned to U.S. soil. While the 1st Division staid in Buffalo, the 22nd Regiment and the rest of the 2nd Division moved up to Sackets Harbor where they remained till the end of the War.
Though the War of 1812 has been remembered more for the burning of Washington, the inspiration for the national anthem at the defense of Fort McHenry, and the Battle of New Orleans; the Niagara Campaign and the 22nd’s involvement was a large part of this war. No region saw more conflict and suffered more hardship than both sides of the Niagara River.
The 22nd Regiment still lives in the Upper New York region as 2nd Battalion is stationed at Fort Drum only about 20 miles from Sackets Harbor. The area surrounding our current home is named after General Brown our division commander and celebrates our heritage and birth securing America’s independence from the British and starting a proud tradition of America’s Army being the world’s best fighting force.
So, I hope you enjoyed this episode. This episode is brought to you by Old Glory Flag and Banner. They sell 100% made in United States America, American Flags. They also sell other flag products. Their store is in Niagara Falls New York, but they do have a website at Oldgloryflag.com.
For those listeners who are veterans of the 22nd Infantry I’d like to remind you to become members of the 22nd Infantry Society. It is a great group of guys who I have gotten to know over this past year, and I am proudly a member. Go to 22ndinfantry.org to sign up and check out their store. If you are still in the unit, please consider getting a jump start and joining them. Like I said, great group of guys.
The society has a reunion coming up this fall in Dallas Texas. Check out the website, again at 22nd (as in two two n d) infantry.org to register. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it this year, but I do hope to go to the next one.
We have a project called Deuce Boys. We have made interview sheets for veterans to share about their time in the Deuce. It is a simple word document with some questions that help you formulate your story about your time here in the 22nd Infantry Regiment. If you would like to fill one of those reach out to me via email at thedoubledeucer22@gmail.com.
Also, if you would like to participate in the Double Deucer by writing a blog post about a military related topic, advice to vets and current soldiers, or your time in the 22nd just shoot me an email and we can set something up. I’d love to have you on the podcast to share your stories so please email me so we can set it up!
The Double Deucer is starting a T-Shirt Club via Emblem Athletics a veteran owned company. My hope with this is to make T-Shirts from different eras that the 22nd Fought in and then put them up on our store. Follow our social media for more information and to see the latest shirts.
We have a book club here at the Double Deucer where we put out a new book every 22nd day of the month and challenge you to read it in that month period. All those books are on our Instagram page. All books will either be about the 22nd Infantry History, written by a 22nd Vet, or about military/leadership topics. So please go check that out.
Also, on the 22nd of each month we are encouraging our soldiers and vets to call someone they served with. It goes without question that suicide in the military is a terrible thing and has affected a lot of us. One of the reasons veterans commit suicide is because they feel alone like they are going through their struggles without a battle buddy.
A simple phone call can do so much in fighting this problem. On the 22nd of each month take some time to call someone you served with in the 22nd. Talk about old times and catch up. Let them know they are not alone.
If you are in New York, consider taking part in the Regulars’ Mountain Tough Challenge. The Mountain Tough Challenge is hiking the top 22 peaks in the Adirondack Mountains here about 2 hours away from Drum. If you do hike them type in the hashtag 22mountaintough. And we will share your photo out.
And lastly subscribe to this podcast and follow the Double Deucer on social media. On Facebook we are at The Double Deucer, on Instagram we are @doubledeucer_22, and on Linked In we are the 22nd Infantry Network, we have a blog which the link to is thedoubledeucer22.wixsite.com/website you can access it through our Instagram page and Facebook. And again, you can contact me at thedoubledeucer22@gmail.com.
As always thank you to all those who have served our great nation and especially those in the 22nd Infantry. I want to mention the gold star families of those we have lost, we love you and are here for you just reach out. And as always, Deeds not Words.
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