During the War of 1812, the British waded ashore from Horse Island to face American troops at Sackets Harbor, N.Y.

The War of 1812 is sometimes called “America’s Forgotten War,” but it was pivotal in securing the independence forged in the revolution. Canada was still controlled by the British, and tensions were still high, which resulted in a series of embargos against the British in 1807. This included trade with Canada, so a rich smuggling culture made its home in the Thousand Islands region of New York. To combat the smuggling threat, a military base was built in Sackets Harbor, New York, and eventually a Naval base and shipyard. This made for a rich target for the British when war broke out in 1812. There were two major battles at Sackets Harbor, the second of which, in 1813, saw British troops wade to shore from Horse Island, among other incursions. The attack was repulsed, and Sackets Harbor eventually became one of the largest US military installations on the Great Lakes. By 1930, most of the shipyards and the military presence were gone, but is a popular destination for summer tourism, to this day.

Video produced by WCNY.