Flames across the Niagara

In May 1813, the Americans captured Fort George and began their occupation of the Town of Newark. At first, U.S. General Dearborn described the civilians of Newark by reporting, “A large majority are friendly to the United States and fixed in their hatred to the Government of Great Britain.”

As the occupation continued, the civilians of Newark became discontent with their occupiers. U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Irvine described the attitude as, “The inhabitants hereabouts are almost altogether very inimical to the Yankees – the men would scalp them, and the women of Newark are loyal enough to eat their hearts and drink their blood. … I hope these villains will be put to death and their estates confiscated.”

Irvine got part of his wish. On December 10, Brigadier-General George McClure, with British forces advancing and his militia enlistments ending, ordered a withdrawal to Fort Niagara. Before abandoning Fort George, McClure’s Canadian Volunteers roused the inhabitants of Newark and torched some 130 homes, leaving about 400 women, children and elderly men to fend for themselves in the cold winter.

McClure justified his actions by stating he was depriving the British of winter quarters. However, his forces left several buildings and tents standing in Fort George. In retaliation, the British crossed the river and captured Fort Niagara on December 19 before burning many communities along the American side of the Niagara.

This weekend you can join the communities of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Fort Erie and Buffalo for the Flames Across the Niagara events. Each community is holding events to remember the 200th anniversary of the burning campaigns of December 1813. Don’t miss this Niagara Signature Event; click here for more information.

High treason – Joseph Willcocks

Joseph Willcocks emigrated from Ireland in 1800 and when he arrived in Canada, he served as the sheriff of the Home District of Upper Canada from 1803-1807. In 1808, Willcocks began serving as a member of the Upper Canada Legislative Assembly. During his time in the legislature, he made a name for himself as a critic of British policies.

With the outbreak of war, Willcocks initially supported the British by helping to secure Iroquois support, recruiting men for the militia and even fighting at the Battle of Queenston Heights on October 13, 1812. Despite initially helping the British, Willcocks switched his allegiance when the Americans invaded the Niagara in May 1813. By July 1813 Joseph Willcocks, joined by Banajah Mallory and Abraham Markle who were both former members of the Upper Canada Legislative Assembly, created the Canadian Volunteers. This group of militiamen served as scouts for the Americans and spoke to the loyalty of various citizens.

The most infamous act perpetrated by Willcocks and the Canadian Volunteers was their participating in the burning of Newark. On December 10, 1813, General McClure commanding American forces at Fort George ordered the destruction of Newark at the behest of Willcocks. Many inhabitants of Newark recalled the participation of the Canadian Volunteers during the burning.

For his actions, Willcocks was charged with high treason in absentia in the spring of 1814 during the Bloody Assize trials in Ancaster. Willcocks managed to escape the hangman’s noose, but he did not go on to live a prosperous life. In September 1814 during a skirmish around Fort Erie Willcocks was shot and killed. After his death, the Canadian Volunteers melted away as an influential force and they were disbanded in 1815 after their numbers fell and the US government denied further recruiting funds.

On November 7, you can head to the Niagara Historical Society Museum for “In the Grip of the Eagle.” The event combines dinner, period music and a light-hearted military tribunal to address those subjects who are resistant to American occupation. Click here for more details and don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Flames Across the Niagara event happening on December 6 and 7. Click here to find out more about that event.

A most horrid slaughter

It was a frigid night on December 18, 1813 when the British prepared for a daring attack on Fort Niagara. A British force under Lieutenant-Colonel John Murray waded across the Niagara River and crept upon the shore just below Fort Niagara in preparation for their assault.

The capture of Fort Niagara Plaque

The American burning of Newark (modern-day Niagara-on-the-Lake) precipitated the daring assault upon Fort Niagara. This action saw the destruction of about 150 private homes and forced many inhabitants into the below freezing weather. The burning of these homes has been blamed on a group of former Canadians serving in the U.S. army as part of the Canadian Volunteers.

In retaliation for the burning of Newark, General Drummond ordered the assault on Fort Niagara. The Canadian militia eagerly produced enough boats for the crossing. As the British made it across an advanced guard quickly dispatched with the American sentries and forced their way into the fort. The Americans were caught off guard and suffered nearly 65 dead and 350 captured in the engagement, mostly preformed by the bayonet. Brigadier General George McClure, the commander of the American forces and the one who ordered the burning of Newark, reported, “Our men were nearly all asleep in their tents, the Enemy rushed in and commenced a most horrid slaughter.”

The British victory at Fort Niagara was the first action by the British in their winter campaign that saw the destruction of the American Niagara frontier and the capture of much needed weapons and supplies.    

If you want to see the recreation of this engagement, make sure you visit Fort Niagara on September 1 and 2 for their annual 1812 event. The highlight of the weekend begins on Saturday at 7 p.m. with a performance by the MacKenzie Highlanders Pipes and Drums. Following the performance there will be a battle re-enactment of the British capture of the fort in December 1813. Click here for more details.