Lt. Col Henry Bostwick, Malcolms Mills

Malcolms Mills was the last action of the War of 1812 fought on Canadian Soil.   Some 400 soldiers of the 1st Regiment Middlesex Militia under Major John Eakins, 1st Regiment Oxford Militia under Lt. Col. Henry Bostwick, 1st Regiment Norfolk Militia under Lt. Col. Joseph Ryerson and Major William D. Bowen, 2nd Regiment Norfolk Militia under Major George C. Salmon became engaged in a skirmish with Brig. General Duncan McArthur and a force of 700 American troops at Malcolms Mills now called Oakland south west of Brantford.

The Oxford Militia under the command of Lt. Col Henry Bostwick set up a defensive position along the long crest of a hill which gave them a view of a bridge surrounded by marsh.   The bridge had been sabotaged and the road barricaded to force the Americans off the road.

The American Cavalry were able to ford the stream and skirmish the Oxfords by surprise and pin the force down as other American troops flanked the Oxfords.  This move scattered the Oxford Militia and broke their defense of the position.  The Oxfords outnumbered, lost several men dead and wounded and the remainder escaped in the confusion of the battle.

This action despite the losses effectively cut off McArthurs force and prevented him from going further North as he had plans to attack and burn Burford.  McArthurs force turned south then west continuing to burn and pillage along the Lake Erie shore and eventually retreated to Detroit.