Four Years on the Great Lakes, 1813-1816. Don Bamford
a war, might be described as follows.
At the time, British North America was very sparsely settled, particularly Upper Canada, which covered a large part of present-day Ontario. The total population of Canada was some 300,000, while in the United States of America there were almost eight million persons. The border that really mattered in this war extended from Michilimackinac in the west to Quebec City in the east, some nine hundred miles in total. To defend this border, Sir George Prevost, governor general and commander-in-chief of His Majesty’s forces in the Canadas, 1811–15, commanded only around three thousand regular British soldiers and whatever militia he could organize. There were, of course, the Native tribes, as noted before, willing to fight on either side, but generally for their own interests. From the European perspective they were often considered unreliable, and at times a little more eager to kill the enemy than to take prisoners. Used to being independent, rarely could they be persuaded to obey orders given by the military officers. Both sides used the Native warriors, more for their ability to create terror than to fight the more regimented style of European warfare.
Settlement in Canada immediately adjacent to some of the border areas, particularly in the St. Lawrence River Valley and along the shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie was somewhat denser than in the Northern States. A large percentage of the population of Upper Canada — some historians estimate as much as 60 percent — were from America. These were settlers in search of land grants or opportunities not open to them south of the border. Except for the United Empire Loyalists, who had come as refugees from the American Revolution, these people had no loyalty to the Crown. The majority just wanted to be left alone, to get on with the heavy work of clearing land, planting and harvesting their crops, and building a sound future for themselves.
On the Great Lakes, the British had a larger fleet of vessels, but principally run by local men with very little naval training and even less experience in fighting. The British also had more ports and shipbuilding facilities along this part of the border. Kingston on Lake Ontario was the principal harbour, but York, the capital of the colony, generally seen as indefensible, and Fort Malden, located on the Detroit River, were also important. Chippawa, at Niagara Falls, was not used as a port until 1815.
On the other hand, the United States had no ships functioning on Lake Ontario until war was seen to be imminent, but they did have a small shipyard at Detroit. However, once the war got underway, the yards at Sackets Harbor in New York, near the east end of Lake Ontario, and Presque Isle, along the American shore of Lake Erie, in Pennsylvania, became extremely important. The outcome of the war on the Great Lakes depended largely on which side could build and arm ships the faster.
Both sides made extensive use of the local militia, comprised largely of farmers and tradesmen, who were expected to serve and fight as called upon. Many did not do so, and many settlers on both sides made it clear that they wanted nothing more than to hold to their peaceful civilian life. There were some cases reported where a general and his officers would hold a war council and make plans for an attack to take place the next morning. Come the appointed time, many of their forces had either disappeared or, at times, some refused to obey the order to march. Situations like this happened on both sides. Desertion was not uncommon, even desertion to the enemy. Spying and other forms of disaffection resulted in arrests and, in some cases, sentences to jail, exile, or even to death by hanging.
Since military supplies for the British forces came primarily from England, they were slow to arrive. There were never enough provisions or munitions. Even some of the food for the troops, and fodder for the horses were transported from overseas. The situation was helped somewhat by settlers in New York, Vermont, Ohio, and Michigan providing additional supplies to the British forces. It was the American forces that had a great advantage in the matter of supplies. Almost all of their requirements for shipbuilding, fighting, and general sustenance could come from New York or Boston to Sackets Harbor, or from the Pittsburgh area to Presque Isle, Pennsylvania.
The war had not progressed appreciably up to May 16, 1813, when David Wingfield arrived on the scene at Kingston. There had been some skirmishes on Lake Ontario but nothing of consequence. Shipbuilding rushed on apace at Kingston, Fort Malden, Sackets Harbor, and Presque Isle.24
Military activities on land were another matter. On July 12, 1812, the Americans, under General William Hull, invaded Canada at Sandwich, now Windsor, but retreated on August 6 without accomplishing anything of importance. A week later, on July 17, 1812, the British, under Captain Charles Roberts, advancing from his base at Fort St. Joseph, immediately north of Passage de Tour in the St. Marys River, captured Fort Michilimackinac on Mackinac Island. A month later, on August 16, 1812, the British, under Sir Isaac Brock, captured Detroit.
Post at St. Joseph Island, 1804. The watercolour image, by Edward Walsh, illustrates a well-developed settlement on the island, with a number of out-buildings located beside the protective palisade. Daily visits from the Native people would supply needed fresh meat and seasonal fruit. The post was captured and burned by the Americans in 1813.
In the following spring, on April 29, 1813, the American fleet, under Commodore Isaac Chauncey attacked York. Major General Henry Dearborn captured the town, but Brigadier General Zebulon Pike and more than three hundred Americans were killed. The Americans withdrew to Sackets Harbor a few days later. On September 10, 1813, at the Battle of Lake Erie, the American Captain Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British fleet under Captain Robert Heriot Barclay and captured the entire British fleet. This was the only major sea battle on the Great Lakes during the war.
Perry’s Victory on Lake Erie, September 10, 1813. This Currier and Ives print shows the American ships Lawrence and Niagara fighting various vessels from the British fleet during the Battle of Lake Erie.
Key Figures
The principal actors appearing on the war stage are identified below.
For the Canadian and British side:
Askin, Captain John: A member of a successful trading family based at Sandwich, now part of Windsor, across from Detroit. Askin was the Indian agent at Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island. Although his title as captain is debatable, he was ranked a captain by the Indian Department of the British Army.
Barclay, Commander Robert Heriot: He joined the Royal Navy in 1797, and was commandant of the British naval forces on Lake Erie in 1813. Barclay led the British fleet at the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was defeated, and badly injured. He returned to England, where he died in 1837.
Brock, Major General Sir Isaac: Administrator of Upper Canada and commander of the forces there in 1810–12. He led the forces to capture Detroit on August 16, 1812, and led the attack against invading American troops at Queenston Heights on October 13. Although the British were victorious, Brock was mortally wounded and died on the battlefield.
Bulger, Lieutenant Andrew H.: A member of the Royal Newfoundlanders, he served in many parts of Upper Canada, including Fort Mackinac.
Collier, Captain Edward: He joined the Royal Navy in 1796. He commanded a detachment in the Great March (see chapter one, note 1) in January 1813. Collier also served as captain on a number of vessels on Lake Ontario in 1813–14, and later on Lake Huron.
De Watteville, Major General Louis: Along with his regiment of 1,300 men, he was shipped from Spain to Quebec in the spring of 1813. He served in many campaigns.
Downie, Captain George: Commander of the British naval forces, Lake Champlain, 1814.
Drummond, Lieutenant General Sir Gordon: Appointed president of the colonial government and commander of the troops in Upper Canada in 1813. He took Sir George Prevost’s place as governor general for a short period in 1815, Prevost having been recalled to explain his conduct of the Plattsburgh campaign of 1814.25 He oversaw the British relocation,