Battle of the Cedars National Historic Site of Canada

The Battle of the Cedars was designated as a national historic site of Canada in 1923. It is designated because:

— in 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, a small detachment of the 8th Regiment of Foot (King’s Liverpool), aided by Aboriginal forces, attacked the American outpost built to protect the western flank of Montréal. After a brief siege, the defenders capitulated.

In 1776, during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), American soldiers invaded Canada and occupied the city of Montreal. To protect their western flank from British attacks the Americans established a small outpost at Les Cèdres, Quebec. The Battle of the Cedars occurred when British forces advanced from the Niagara region encountered this American outpost. British Captain George Forster, commanding a detachment of the 8th Regiment, was supported by Cayugas, Senecas and Mississaugas under Captain Guillaume de Lorimier. During the battle the Forster’s forces were reinforced by 30 Canadians led by Captain J.B. Testard de Montigny.

Captain Forster’s force attacked the American outpost and after a short siege the Americans surrendered. American reinforcements that arrived the next day also surrendered when they encountered Captain Forster’s force. Though victorious in the Battle of the Cedars Captain Forster did not have the resources to advance to Montreal which remained under American occupation until June of 1776.