"FIGHTING ISLAND 1838" ~ LaSalle
N 42° 14.243 W 083° 06.347
17T E 326249 N 4678279
Located in a park at the end of Laurier Drive in LaSalle.
Waymark Code: WM9B9B
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 07/26/2010
Views: 7
FIGHTING ISLAND 1838
On the night of February 23-24, 1838, a small force of "Patriots" was ferried from Detroit to Fighting Island, opposite here, whence an attack against Sandwich was planned. They were joined the following day by "General" Donald McLeod, a British army veteran and former resident of Prescott who brought several hundred supporters from Cleveland. Advised by the American general, Hugh Brady, of the proposed attack, British regulars and Canadian militia in the area moved against the insurgents on February 25th. After a sharp skirmish, the poorly armed "Patriots" retreated to the Michigan shore where there were dispersed by American troops.
From: Wikipedia
Fighting Island
On February 24, 1838, a group of Patriots began assembling on Fighting Island on the Canadian side of the Detroit River. Supplies were ferried over from Detroit and some 400 Patriots from Cleveland joined the Detroit area men. The larger force of 600 Cleveland men occupied Pelee Island at the same time. It was reported that the Patriots only had 50 muskets and one dismounted cannon among them on the island. The U.S. general informed his British counterpart of the assembly, announcing that he would wait for the Patriots to break up and arrest them upon their return for violation of American neutrality laws. The British commandant replied that he would attack the Patriot camp and pursue them into the U.S. This reply led General Brady to order a line of red flags to be placed in the ice on the river marking the border. He deployed his men with orders to shoot any British soldiers passing the line.
The British regulars, artillery and Canadian militia attacked at daybreak of January 25. The British force proceeded across the ice to capture the island but did not cross the border. The U.S. forces briefly detained a few Patriots but soon released them. Casualties are uncertain with the British commander claiming no deaths on either side but other reports claiming 5 British dead and 15 wounded and at least 5 Patriots wounded, some of whom required amputations of their arms.