May 14

May 14, 1814: The British Fleet of Sir James Yeo is sighted off the mouth of the Genesee River. Alarm is raised and all 33 men of the village of Rochester able to bear arms (save two to guard the women and children) are dispatched to join other local militia at Charlotte to prevent a landing. The prior summer, the British had landed and confiscated some supplies, without resistance. This time, having received the refugees after of the burning of Lewiston and aware of recent the raid on Oswego, the local militia refused landing. After a brief exchange of cannon fire between the militia and a British gunboat, the British fleet departed without further incident.

See Also:

September 11, 1813

Sources and Further Reading

1. Rochester History (January 1942), vol IV, no. 1, pg8
2. Marsh, Ruth (October 1942) "War on Lake Ontario: 1812-1815", Rochester History, vol. IV, no. 4, pages 15-17