The Battle of Frenchman's Creek took place during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States in the early hours of November 28, 1812, in the Crown Colony of Upper Canada, near the Niagara River.

Captain William King, with 220 men, was to cross the Niagara and spike the batteries at the Red House, beside Fort Erie, in order to enable Smyth's main invasion force to land without facing artillery fire.

[13] The British commander-in-chief in North America, Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost, had forbidden any offensive action on the Niagara Frontier.

[14] In a floridly worded proclamation, published on 10 November and addressed "To The Men of New York", Smyth wrote that, "in a few days the troops under my command will plant the American standard in Canada" and he urged New Yorkers not to "stand with your arms folded and look on in this interesting struggle" but to "advance…to our aid.

Captain William King of the 13th U.S. Regiment of Infantry[16] was detailed to attack the Red House with 150 troops and 70 U.S. Navy sailors under Lieutenant Samuel Angus.

Further along the Chippawa Road, about four-and-a-half miles from Fort Erie, lay the post at Frenchman's Creek, garrisoned by 38 more men of the 49th Regiment under Lieutenant J. Bartley.

[1] Only part of Captain King's force, including 35 of Lieutenant Angus's 70 sailors, succeeded in making a landing at the Red House.

[26] Boerstler's men were then attacked by Captain Bostwick's two companies of Norfolk Militia, who had advanced from Black Rock Ferry.

Finding that Boerstler's invaders had already gone, and being unable to determine any other enemy presence in the pitch dark, Ormsby's 300 men remained in position until daybreak, when Lieutenant Colonel Bisshopp arrived from Fort Erie.

Winder ordered his men back to their boats and cast off for Buffalo but his command came under a severe fire as they rowed away, costing him 28 casualties.

[3] In spiking the guns at the Red House battery, the Americans had accomplished the more important of their two objectives: an invading force could now land between Chippawa and Fort Erie without facing artillery fire.

[6] The New York Gazette of December 15, 1812, reported that, of Lieutenant Angus's 35 sailors who assaulted the Red House, 28 were killed or wounded, 2 were captured and only 5 escaped unscathed.

Amid torrential rain and freezing cold, a council of war headed by Smyth decided to postpone the invasion pending more thorough preparations that would enable the embarkation of whole force.

This, and widespread illness among the troops, persuaded a second council of war called by Smyth to suspend all offensive operations until the army was reinforced.

[35] The Army of the Centre went into winter quarters without attempting any further offensive operations and General Smyth requested leave to visit his family in Virginia.

Three months later, without Smyth either resigning his commission or facing a court-martial, his name was dropped from the U.S. Army rolls by President James Madison.

[11] Unaware of the American intentions, the British and Canadians thought that King, Boerstler and Winder had been intended as the first wave of Smyth's invasion rather than as a preparatory raid.

[36] In his dispatch to Prevost, Major General Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe, the British commander in Upper Canada, wrote that "Lieut.-Colonel Bisshopp deserves high commendation for the spirit and activity he displayed, and great credit is due the officers and men who acted under his orders.