On February 22, George Washington's birthday, British forces about 800 strong attacked Ogdensburgh after Colonel "Red George" McDonnell, convinced that the American stronghold there and Major Benjamin Forsyth's Rifle Company threatened the British, turned a planned demonstration on the ice into an assault. McDonnell led 500 men against the village while Captain Jenkins led a separate force from the upstream side of what is now Lighthouse Point, intending to cut off any retreat or attack from the downstream side after McDonnell subdued the village. British accounts held that the Americans saw both columns crossing the ice but lost time because Forsyth believed the troops were only conducting a customary drill. The rifle regiment in the fort soon recognized Jenkins's approach and opened heavy fire from the fort, the point, and nearby positions. The first cannonade overturned Jenkins's only cannon and killed the only two artillerymen with his force who could fire it. His men pressed on under fire, but near the American shore deep snowdrifts forced them into exposed positions where Forsyth's riflemen could easily hit them. Already under fire and unable to land farther from the fort as intended, Jenkins's force had to assault the rifle regiment directly. Jenkins was struck by grapeshot that shattered his left arm, rose and urged his men onward, then was hit again and his right arm was shattered, leaving him unable to rise. After seeing their commander fall and enduring intense rifle and cannon fire, his men broke and retreated to the Canadian shore, carrying Jenkins but leaving their dead and some wounded behind. There Bishop MacDonnell rallied them and sent them back across to join Colonel McDonnell's main force, which had entered the lightly defended village largely because Jenkins's attack had drawn most of the American fire and attention.