Battle of Cook's Mills
Text from the plaque
In October 1814 an American army advanced from Fort Erie toward the British line along the Chippawa River. Lieutenant-General Drummond ordered a reconnaissance towards Cook's Mills on his right flank in hopes of finding the Americans vulnerable to attack. On the 19th a heavy skirmish took place, involving men of the Glengarry Light Infantry and the 82nd, 100th and 104th Regiments, supported by a gun and rockets. The British-Canadian force withdrew, but the Americans abandoned Cook's Mills the following day and on the 21st joined the general retreat to Fort Erie.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The Region of Niagara
The City of Welland
On the northeast corner of
Lyons Creek Road and Matthews Road
half a kilometre south of Schisler Road (Road 27)
Also recorded for this place: http://discover1812.com/event/the-battle-of-cooks-mills/
N 42 59.875 W 79 10.494
Recorded November 2009. Check current access before visiting.
More information
Visitors' notes
October 16, 2014
The weekend of October 18-19, 2014, marks the bicentennial of this battle. For the first time, it's being commemorated by an encampment and battle reenactment, as well as commemorative events. For details, please click herehttp://discover1812.com/event/the-battle-of-cooks-mills/This is the last major War of 1812 bicentennial event in the country, punctuating a series of programs that began in 2012. War would soon move out of the Niagara theatre in 1814, but battles would rage into 1815, including at New Orleans and on the seas. -Wayne
February 20, 2012
A small plaque on the fence surrounding the cairn acknowledges "This site donated by Roy Matthews". -Wayne
February 18, 2012
Battle of Cook's Mills National Historic Site is one of 37 NHS's in Ontario which are part of the national park system, managed by Parks Canada. The vast majority of NHS's are not in the park system, though Parks Canada assists in maintaining the plaques which mark them. The agency calls this site "non-operating" because it is not staffed, and there is no visitor centre. But it is fully accessible anytime. The cairn marks the south-west corner of the battle site. Wayne
February 16, 2012
Some of my research states "October 19, 1814, the American picket at Misener's Hollow, just east of the mills, was attacked by soldiers of the Glengarry Light Infantry." The Misener's Hollow mentioned, is that the home of Nicholas and Jane Misener and their children? Pauline Grondin, Voices of the Past