[1] The lack of proper military governance led to wide-scale raiding and skirmishing along the Niagara frontier in late 1813, and many American sympathizers living in Upper Canada gave aid to these raiders.

The men decided to attack the cabin of John Dunham, an American sympathizer who had lived in Dover but had relocated to Nanticoke Creek.

[2] Although almost all of the men who attended the meeting were members of the Norfolk and Oxford militias, the planned attack was not a sanctioned military action, and there were no official orders to march against the sympathizers.

McCall of the 1st Norfolk Militia took a small party through the woods to the other side of the house to prevent the Americans from escaping in that direction while Capt.

[3] Before all the militia were in place, Captain Bostwick and Lt. Austin entered the front of the house and surprised the Americans who were crowded inside.

"[2] Robert Nichol praised the action of the militia, claiming that they had saved 7,000 barrels of flour, which otherwise would have been stolen or destroyed by invading Americans.

[2] Major-General Francis de Rottenburg, commander of the army in Upper Canada and acting lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, was appalled by the American raiding in the Niagara region and by December 14 a special commission was created to investigate treasonous activities of the sympathizers in the London and Home Districts.

[2] John Beverly Robinson, the Attorney General of Upper Canada, was assigned to determine what charges could be laid against American sympathizers, including those captured at Nanticoke.