This was checked early in October 1812 when the Americans reinforced the militia with some of the regular 1st U.S. Rifle Regiment under Major Benjamin Forsyth, who occupied a fort and barracks alongside the Oswegatchie River at the western edge of the town.

During the next few months, Forsyth's riflemen made several raids across the river, sniping at British troops and occasionally capturing boatloads of supplies on their way to Kingston, Ontario.

He appointed local Lieutenant Colonel "Red George" MacDonell as commandant of British troops in Prescott and left him instructions that he was to attack Ogdensburg only if the Americans weakened their garrison.

The regimental Chaplain of the Glengarry Light Infantry, Alexander Macdonell, is reputed to have accompanied the attack, wielding a crucifix to encourage lagging soldiers.

The American riflemen in the fort held out against the frontal attack, mainly because the British guns became stuck in snow drifts, and American artillery, under Adjutant Daniel W. Church of Colonel Benedict's regiment and Lieutenant Baird of Forsyth's company, fired on the British with mixed results.

American militia who had been dislodged from their position fell back while conducting a harassing fire by shooting at the British from behind houses and trees.

The remaining American militia ran farther into the village where some of them took cover in or behind houses while providing harassing fire against the British.

[12] The normally cautious Prevost amended MacDonell's despatch reporting the victory to make it appear that the attack had been carried out on, rather than against, his orders.