The Battle of Malcolm's Mills was the last battle of the War of 1812 fought in the Canadas. A force of American mounted troops overran and scattered a force of Canadian militia. The battle was fought on November 6, 1814, near the village of Oakland in Brant County, Upper Canada, and was part of a series of battles fought by American Brigadier General Duncan McArthur on an extended raid into Upper Canada, known variously as McArthur's Raid or Dudley's Raid. Marching over into Canada, the Americans returned to Detroit on November 17 after 11 days of raiding the Ontario Peninsula.
McArthur's raid
In October 1814, the American force of about 700 mounted riflemen under Brigadier General Duncan McArthur advanced rapidly as they left Detroit and raided the Thames Valley. The plan was to devastate the Grand River settlements and the region around the head of Lake Ontario which supplied flour to the British forces on the Niagara frontier. When the raid was launched, the British Army had just raised the Siege of Fort Erie on the Niagara River at the eastern end of the Niagara peninsula, and an American army under Major General George Izard was beginning a cautious advance from Fort Erie.
McArthur was delayed for two days in crossing the swollen Thames, but his force subsequently moved so rapidly that they reached the weak British post at Delaware on October 30 before any warning of their approach was received. McArthur maintained his rapid pace partly by leaving exhausted horses wherever fresh horses could be commandeered from Canadian farms or settlements.
Major Adam Muir, the local British commander, ordered the Norfolk Militia to assemble, first at Culver's Tavern in Woodhouse township, then in Burford. McArthur arrived at Oxford on November 4, where his men ransacked the village in search of forage and provisions. He learned that the militia were assembling at Burford and warned the inhabitants of Oxford that the property of anyone who warned them would be destroyed. Two men nevertheless alerted the militia under Bostwick, they were betrayed and their dwellings were duly razed.
Bostwick, having been warned, retired to Malcolm's Mills. He was joined by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Ryerson and Major George Salmon with further members of the Nolfolk Militla. Major Muir had gone forward to secure the ford over the Grand River, and enlist warriors of the Six Nations. However, Lieutenant Colonel Parry of the 103rd Regiment, commanding at Burlington had feared for his post and had already summoned most of the warriors there. Bostwick was left with a force of about 400 men, who were discouraged by reports of overwhelming American strength.
On November 5, McArthur advanced to Burford, where there was no opposition, and continued on to Brant's Ford on the Grand River. The ferry had been destroyed, the river was swollen and an unknown number of enemy disputed the crossing. As it was growing dark, McArthur encamped for the night. During the night, he learned that the American army under Major General Izard had called off its advance and was retiring across the Niagara River. As there was no longer any need to make a distraction to assist Izard, McArthur therefore decided against attacking Burlington and instead decided to disperse the militia at Malcolm's Mills before continuing his raid.
Battle of Malcolm's Mills
Early on November 6, 1814 McArthur's men encountered 550 Canadian militia commanded by Colonels Ryerson and Bostwick at Malcolm's Mills. The militia occupied what appeared to be a strong position, on high ground behind an unfordable creek. While a Kentucky battalion began careful skirmishing to pin down the defending force, a dismounted flanking force went downstream unseen to ford the creek at an unguarded dam of logs and driftwood. Two columns outflanked the defenders' position on both sides. The militia were caught by surprise and the Americans quickly drove them from the field. The Americans destroyed the local mills and stores of grain, depriving the British and Canadian forces in Canada of their major source of flour.
In his journals, McArthur stated that his cavalry lost 1 man with 6 wounded. The Canadian militia suffered 18 dead and 9 wounded, and 126 taken prisoner, the remaining troops escaped in the panic that ensued during the rout. One British sergeant, attached as an instructor to the militia, and a militiaman were reportedly butchered and scalped.