Fort Niagara stood only 1200 metres from Fort George, well within artillery range. In May, 1813, combined artillery fire from Fort Niagara, its detached batteries, and American warships at the river's mouth completely destroyed Fort George and forced the British to abandon it to the invading Americans. Only the powder magazine survived. By the end of the war, the British had reoccupied Fort George and captured Fort Niagara.