Category Archives: 1812 and all that

On the eve of the War of 1812, British and American commanders joined in a toast to King and President, then went off to battle one another in a four-year bloodbath that decided the future of Canada. Dramatic sequences reveal lives disrupted by the clash for control of the North American continent. (Photo: Courtesy Niagara Parks)

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1812 – Part 18: Aftermath — Military Settlements

Posted on June 28, 2012 by On Top Of The World

The British Government has run out of money and rather than have the soldiers who have fought in the War of 1812 return home, they decide to offer them land in the new country. This action guarantees a standing army to protect Upper Canada in the event the Americans invade again and sees the development of new towns.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged 100th Regiment, American, Blockhouse, British veterans, ByTown, ByWard Market, Captain Burke, Chippewa, Clyde, Court House, Duke of Richmond, Fenian Raids, Garrison Church, Goulbourn Township, Governor General, Immigrant policies, Irish, Lanark, Loyalists, Lt Roderick Matheson, McMartin House, Merrickville, Military Settlement, militia, museum, Ottawa, Perth, Perth Town Hall, Rideau Canal, Sam Jakes Inn, Scots, St. James, standing army, Tay Canal, UNESCO, Upper Canada, War of 1812 | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 17: Aftermath – Fort Frederick

Posted on June 28, 2012 by On Top Of The World

It’s the Aftermath of the War of 1812. Along with the Rideau Canal and Fort Henry, Fort Frederick is built as one of the Martello Towers in a unique interacting fire system aimed at protecting Upper Canada from a possible return of the Americans. Fort Frederick combines a variety of engineering elements to protect the soldiers and is remarkable in the world of Martello Towers for its “snow roof”. Its function today as the Royal Military College Museum features some intriguing artifacts.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged Addison Hot Shot Stove, caponier, carronades, Commandants House, curtain wall, draw bridge, dry ditch, earth works, Fort Frederick, Fort Henry, gun batteries, hot shot, Kingston, Kingston Harbour, Martello Towers, museum, Rideau Canal, Roof Top Artillery, Royal Military College Museum, Royal Navy Dockyard, Snow roof, Stone Frigate, tourism, UNESCO, War of 1812 | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 16: Aftermath — Fort Henry

Posted on June 28, 2012 by On Top Of The World

It’s the Aftermath of the War of 1812. In 1832 the British are still concerned that the Americans might return to attack Upper Canada. They decide to build Fort Henry to protect the entrance to the Rideau Canal and the Lower Great Lakes. Soldiers and their families move in and experience the discipline of living under British military rule. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Fort and Martello Towers are part of a unique system of interacting arcs of fire.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged Americans, bagpipes, barracks, British, bugle, casemates, discipline, do den tap toe, drill, drums, Dry moat, England, Fort Henry, Garrison, Great Lakes, Kingston, lock stock and barrel, Martello Towers, military school room, Naval base, Naval dockyard, Officer’s Quarters, parade grounds, paymaster, re-enactors, Rideau Canal, soldiers, St. Lawrence River, Tattoo, tourism, UNESCO, Upper Canada, War of 1812, Welsh Fusiliers, Welsh goat mascot | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 15: Aftermath — Building the Rideau Canal

Posted on June 28, 2012 by On Top Of The World

Although the War of 1812 is over there is still concern that the Americans might invade again and the British remain vulnerable to attack at the narrow stretch of the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Kingston. They needed a safe supply route to move troops and supplies into the Great Lakes and the solution was to build a canal in the interior. Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers is chosen to handle the project and links the natural waterways between Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal. The building of the 47 locks proves to be an incredible feat of engineering and the Rideau Canal is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some unexpected benefits.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged aboriginals, America, Battle of Chateauguay, Bytown Museum, Cataraqui River, Celtic Cross, Chrysler’s Farm, Colonel John By, English, French Canadians, Guinness records, Hoggs Back, India, Irish, Jones Falls, Kingston, locks, malaria, military, Montreal, Napoleonic War, Newboro, Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal, Rideau River, Royal Engineers, Sappers, Scots, skating rink, St. Lawrence, steamboats, tourism, UNESCO site, Upper Canada, Upper Canada Village, War of 1812, weirs | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 14: Discovery Harbour and Penetanguishene

Posted on May 29, 2012 by On Top Of The World

Even though the Treaty of Ghent had been signed at the conclusion of the War of 1812, the British were still concerned that the Americans might try to invade Upper Canada again. This vignette deals with the Aftermath and features stories on: the founding of Discovery Harbour; how the little town of Penetanguishene became a bilingual oasis in Ontario; the fate of the Insect Fleet and War Ships of the Upper Great Lakes; and the School of the Sailor.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged Admiralty Longboat, Americans, British, British Naval Base, Canada, Discovery Harbour, documentary, Drummond Island, French, Fur Traders, Genealogy, history, Insect Fleet, James Keating, John Graves Simcoe, Metis, Natives, Ontario, Penetanguishene Museum and Archives, Provincial Marine, Rev George Hallan, Rush-Baggot Agreement, St. James on the Lines, Surveyor Henry Bayfield, Upper Great Lakes, voyageurs, War of 1812 | Leave a comment

1812: Part 13 – The Final Days of War at Fort Erie

Posted on April 16, 2012 by On Top Of The World

For six weeks in the late summer of 1814 Fort Erie has the unenviable distinction of becoming Canada’s bloodiest battlefield.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged American, battlefield, black powder, British, Buffalo, Canada, Chippawa, First Nations, Fort Erie, Hudson's Bay Company, Light Infantry, militia, Niagara, nurses, Ontario, Surgeons, traders, War of 1812, wives | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 12: The Siege of Fort Erie

Posted on April 13, 2012 by On Top Of The World

Re-enactors portray the wives, nurses, surgeons, soldiers, suttlers, natives and officers who participated in the Siege of Fort Erie and tell some of the little-known stories from the War of 1812.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged American, battlefield, British, Buffalo, Canada, Chippawa, First Nations, Fort Erie, Hudson's Bay Company, light infrantry, militia, Niagara, Ontario, traders, War of 1812, wives, women | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 11: The Sinking of the Nancy

Posted on November 29, 2011 by On Top Of The World

A former Canadian fur trading vessel, HMS Nancy was the only ship left in the Upper Great Lakes after the Battle of Lake Erie. Attacked and sunk by American ships, her captain and crew reached Fort Michilimackinac and then returned to capture two of the ships that had sunk the Nancy.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged aboriginal allies, American squadron, Americans, Battle of Lake Erie, British fleet, Detroit, First Nations, Fort Michilimackinac, fur trade, Georgian Bay, Great Lakes, HMS Nancy, Lake Huron, Lieutenant Worsley, Mackinaw Straits, Nancy Island Historic Site, Nottawasaga depot, Nottawasaga River, re-enactment, Royal Newfoundland Regiment, the Scorpion, the Tigress, Upper Great Lakes, voyageurs, War of 1812, “Siege of Wasaga” | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 10: Relief of Fort Michilimackinac

Posted on November 23, 2011 by On Top Of The World

Following the Battle of Lake Erie when the British fleet was defeated by the Americans, Fort Michilimackinac in the Mackinaw Straits was isolated. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment made an incredible journey in the midst of winter to deliver supplies to the troops and their native allies.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged Americans, Amherstburg, Battle of Lake Erie, British Army, British Navy, British Provincial Marine, Canadian winter, Fort Michilimackinac, Georgian Bay, Holland Landing, Kingston, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Simcoe, Lower Detroit River, Mackinaw Straits, native trails, Nine Mile Portage, Nottawasaga River, Royal Newfoundland Regiment, tall ships, Upper Canada, Upper Great Lakes, War of 1812, York | Leave a comment

1812 – Part 9: War and the Settlers

Posted on November 14, 2011 by On Top Of The World

After the Americans had defeated the British at the Battle of Lake Erie and the Battle of the Thames – the south western region of Ontario was vulnerable and ripe for pillaging. Members of the militia were torn between harvesting their crops and defending the crown. American incursions aimed at preventing the local inhabitants from supplying the British Army took direct aim at the livelihood of farmers and townsfolk, destroying cattle and burning the homes, mills and farms.

Posted in 1812 and all that | Tagged Amelia Ryerse, backgammon, Battle of Lake Erie, Battle of the Thames, British Army, Colonel Tom Talbot, Detroit, Eldon House, Fairfield, Fanshawe 1812, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, First Nations, Fort L’Hernoux, Francois Baby, General Brock, Ghost stories, Idlewyld Inn, John Harris, John McCrea’s home, London, Moravian missionaries, Ontario, Royal Scots Grenadiers, South Western Ontario, Upper Canada, Walkerville, War of 1812, Windsor Community Museum | Leave a comment

Category Archives: 1812 and all that

1812 – Part 18: Aftermath — Military Settlements

1812 – Part 17: Aftermath – Fort Frederick

1812 – Part 16: Aftermath — Fort Henry

1812 – Part 15: Aftermath — Building the Rideau Canal

1812 – Part 14: Discovery Harbour and Penetanguishene

1812: Part 13 – The Final Days of War at Fort Erie

1812 – Part 12: The Siege of Fort Erie

1812 – Part 11: The Sinking of the Nancy

1812 – Part 10: Relief of Fort Michilimackinac

1812 – Part 9: War and the Settlers

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