Battle Hill National Historic Site of Canada

Battle Hill was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1924 because:

• here was fought the Battle of the Longwoods, 4 March 1814.

Following the British defeat at Moraviantown on October 5, 1813, the western section of Upper Canada lay open to American forces, who began a series of small incursions into the territory. Although pitched battles were rare, the British military authorities attempted to counteract these American forays into their territory by establishing posts of observation, and along with the local militia and their native allies, they began moving throughout the countryside. In late February 1814, the American commander at Detroit ordered a detachment to attack one such British outpost, located at Delaware. The American force, under Captain Andrew Holmes, encountered a Canadian Ranger Patrol on the way to Delaware and retreated to a hill, later named Battle Hill, near Twenty Mile Creek to await the arrival of the British. Once the British Regulars under Captain James Badsen arrived at Battle Hill, they immediately attacked the Americans but, due to heavy casualties, were forced to retreat back to Delaware. The Americans retreated back to Detroit, thus failing in their attempt to take Delaware.