The following was taken from "History of Northwestern New York . . ." by Horton, Williams & Douglas, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., NY, 1947, Vol. II, pg. 52 Note: Navy Island is in the west branch of the Niagara River, about a mile above the entrance to Chippewa Creek in Canada. It is now owned by Canada. THE PATRIOTS' WAR OF 1837 Navy Island was . . . made famous by the Mackenzie Rebellion, or Patriots' War of 1837. William Lyon Mackenzie was a "public-spirited agitator" who had long complained of the political abuses that then existed in Canada. He was a strenuous advocate of Responsible Government and bitterly opposed to the Family Compact system of government that prevailed at the time. Thousands of United States Loyalists realized the abuses and were in accord with Mackenzie, but when it came to taking up arms many were alienated. That was in a day when criticism of the government amounted to libel. However, he went ahead, escaped to Buffalo and gathered a large following, got supplies, and took possession of Navy Island. It was inhabited by one old woman and her daughter who were given a temporary home on Grand Island. From here the Patriots planned to invade Canada. Captain Ussher whose farm lay opposite Navy Island was very active and was assassinated at his home. Boats were badly needed so, the sleighing being good, they soon arrived from various points. However, American military authorities intervened and insisted upon the return of the field pieces taken from the Buffalo arsenal, and caused the Patriots to evacuate the island. They took possession December 13, 1837, and retired January 15, 1838. . . . THE CAROLINE INCIDENT The following is taken from "Souvenir History of Niagara County, New York," Pioneer Assoc. of Niagara County, 1902, pg. 16-17. In 1837, during the Canadian Patriot Rebellion, a small steamer, the "Caroline," claimed by her owners to be employed only in carrying sightseers to the patriot camp on Navy Island, but claimed by the Canadians to be carrying arms and ammunition to that camp, lay moored one night at the dock at Schlosser. At midnight on December 29 seven boatloads of British soldiers, crossing over from Chippewa, suddenly boarded her. Her crew and some strangers, who unable to obtain lodgings at the inn nearby, were sleeping on board, were quickly driven off by force. Her fastenings were cut and the attacking party entered their boats, attached a line to her and towed her across to the main channel of the river; then they set her on fire, and abandoned her to destruction, both by fire and the Falls. One man, Amos Durfee, had been killed in the attack. Such an invasion of our territory by an armed force aroused the indignation of the Frontier, of the state and of the Nation. The British Government assumed the full responsibility for the attack made by her militia, and it was only by that Government's apology that another war with her was averted.