The British attacked the U.S. navy base at Sackets Harbor to destroy the shipyard and gain relief from continued American military pressure on the Niagara frontier. If the navy base were destroyed, the American fleet would be hard pressed to resupply the American troops stationed at Niagara for the summer campaign of 1813. After capturing the navy yard, the British planned to ship supplies and ammunition back to their base in Kingston, Upper Canada, and burn what remained. The Americans planned to slow the enemy approach until reinforcements arrived from the outlying villages. At the time of the attack, most American forces based at Sackets Harbor were attacking Fort George at the western end of Lake Ontario.