The Battle of York   Further Reading Background to the Battle of York The British at the Battle of York The Americans at the Battle of York The Aftermath of the Battle of York: The British and Canadian Perspective

The Aftermath of the Battle of York: The American Perspective Although Major-General Henry Dearborn sails away from York confident that, "We may consider the upper province as conquered," his superior, Secretary of War John Armstrong is not convinced. In fact, Armstrong castigates his general for failing to seize the frigate Isaac Brock before the British had time to burn it and failing to prevent the escape of the British garrison. Dearborn's days of command are numbered. Armstrong is already looking about for his replacement. The Americans are still unaware of it, but the raid did achieve a measure of strategic success. By capturing irreplaceable supplies, armaments and fittings destined for Robert Barclay's Lake Erie fleet, Dearborn's army has struck a blow that will be an important contributing factor in Oliver Hazard Perry's victory on Lake Erie in a few months. The indiscriminate burning and looting of York will, on the other hand, prove a costly mistake. It will trigger of a series of mutual atrocities that will escalate until even the American capital itself has gone up in flames.