War of 1812 Artifacts Uncovered in New York

News September 8, 2020

(Courtesy of Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site/New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation)
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Lake Ontario Artifacts
(Courtesy of Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site/New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation)

WATERTOWN, NEW YORK—WWNY-TV reports that researchers led by battlefield archaeologist Brian Grills of the University of Binghamton surveyed an island in Lake Ontario and uncovered shell fragments, dropped musket balls, a musket’s side plate, and military buttons. The British Army landed troops for the second Battle of Sackets Harbor, which was fought on May 29, 1813, on Horse Island, where they were met by American troops and pushed back into Canada after a three-hour-long encounter. “So we are using that evidence to help piece together the story that goes beyond what the primary documents say,” Grills said. To read about ships that were sunk during the War of 1812, go to "Mussel Mass in Lake Ontario."

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