Guns Across the River:
The Battle of the Windmill, 1838
Donald E. Graves

In 1838, American extremist groups invaded Canada at several places, thinking Canadians would rise up to “throw off the British yoke.” It never occurred to them they were invading Loyalist country, where strong memories remained of the conflicts of the American Revolution and the flight north to remain under the British crown. In one of the most ambitious incursions, members of the Patriot Hunters sailed down the St. Lawrence River in a hijacked steamship and landed near Prescott, Ontario, where they occupied a stone windmill. It took five days of bloody fighting by soldiers and militia to capture the invaders.

The Windmill at Prescott is a ­National Historic Site.

Donald E. Graves, one of Canada’s best known military historians, is the author, co-author or editor of more than 15 books dealing primarily with the Napoleonic period, including the War of 1812, and the Second World War. Click here to visit his website for information on all his books.