A small French garrison at Fort Lévis delayed the British advance on Montreal by over a week, sinking two British warships during the 1760 Montreal Campaign.
Key Facts
- Duration
- 16–24 August 1760 (9 days)
- Location
- Fort Lévis, upper St. Lawrence River
- British warships sunk
- 2 sunk, 1 crippled
- Delay imposed on British
- Over one week
- Campaign context
- Montreal Campaign, Seven Years' War
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the closing phases of the Seven Years' War, British forces launched the Montreal Campaign, advancing along the upper St. Lawrence River from the west. A small French garrison held Fort Lévis, positioned about one mile downstream from the present-day Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge, to contest the British approach.
From 16 to 24 August 1760, British and French forces clashed among the Thousand Islands at Fort Lévis and Pointe au Baril. The outnumbered French garrison resisted the much larger British army for over a week, successfully sinking two British warships and crippling a third before the position was overcome.
The French resistance delayed the British western advance on Montreal, though it could not ultimately prevent it. The battle was one of the final engagements before Montreal fell to British forces, effectively ending French military power in Canada during the Seven Years' War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent