There was great anxiety felt in the spring of 1814, to have the
Superior, ship-of-war, built at
Sackett's Harbor, hastened for sea, lest
Sir James L. Yeo would roam over
Lake Ontario the unrestricted lord of the waters.
Heavy guns and cables destined for her were yet at
Oswego.
The roads were almost impassable, and the blockade of
Sackett's Harbor made a voyage thither by water a perilous one.
The gallant master-commander,
M. T. Woolsey, declared his willingness to attempt carrying the ordnance and naval stores to
Stony Creek, 3 miles from
Sackett's Harbor, where they might reach
Commodore Chauncey in safety.
On May 19
Woolsey was at
Oswego with nineteen boats heavily laden with cannon and naval stores.
The flotilla went out of the harbor at twilight, bearing
Major Appling, with 130 riflemen.
About the same number of
Oneida Indians agreed to meet the flotilla at the mouth of
Big Salmon River, and traverse the shore abreast the vessels, to assist in repelling any attack.
Woolsey found it unsafe to attempt to reach
Stony Creek, for the blockaders were vigilant, so he ran into
Big Sandy Creek, a few miles from the harbor, under cover of a very dark night, and landed the precious treasure there.
The
British heard of the movement, and,
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ignorant of the presence of
Major Appling and the Indians, proceeded to attempt to capture the flotilla on the Big Sandy.
That stream wound through a marshy plain about 2 miles, and at that time was fringed with trees and shrubs.
Among these
Major Appling ambushed his
riflemen and the Indians.
Near
Woolsey's boats were stationed some cavalry, artillery, and infantry, with field-pieces, which had been sent there from
Sackett's Harbor.
The confident
Britons, sure of success, pushed up the sinuous creek with their vessels, and strong flanking parties were thrown out on each shore.
The guns of the vessels sent solid shot upon the
American flotilla and grape and canister among the bushes.
These dispersed the cowardly
Indians, but young
Appling's sharp-shooters were undisturbed.
When the invaders were within rifle-range the riflemen opened destructive volleys upon them, and at the same time the artillery on shore opened a furious cannonade.
So sharp and unexpected was the assault, in front, flank, and rear, that the
British surrendered within ten minutes after the first gun was fired in response to their own. They had lost a midshipman and seventeen men killed, and at least fifty wounded. The
Americans had one rifleman and one Indian warrior wounded, but lost no life.
They captured the British squadron, with about 170 officers and men as prisoners of war. A ponderous cable for the
Superior, 22 inches in circumference, and weighing 9,600 lbs., was borne to the harbor in a day and a half, on the shoulders of 200 militiamen, carrying it a mile at a time without resting.
