About the Engagement at Bradley House
Various engagements happened along the north and eastern shore of Lake Ontario during the war of 1812. Small towns and settlements were constantly at risk of being looted or burned by American forces. The Bradly House site has several buildings from the 19th century and is a good representation of life in Upper Canada.
On a much larger scale the town of York (now Toronto) also came under attack during the war of 1812.
More information is as follows:
The Americans appeared off York late on April 26, 1813. Chauncey's squadron consisted of a ship-rigged corvette, a brig and twelve schooners. The embarked force commanded by Brigadier General Zebulon Pike numbered between 1,600 and 1,800 troops.
The defence of York consisted of a fort a short distance west of the town, with the nearby "Government House Battery" mounting two 12-pound guns. A mile west was the crude "Western Battery", with two obsolete 18-pound guns. Further west were the ruins of Fort Rouillé and another disused fortification, the "Half Moon Battery", neither of which was in use. Major General Sheaffe, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, was present at York to transact public business. He had under his command only four companies of regulars. The Militia was ordered to assemble, but only 300 could be mustered at short notice. There were also about 40 to 50 natives (Mississaugas and Ojibwa) in the area.
The spring of 1813 marked a change in the fortunes of the Army of the United States. The capital of Upper Canada, York (present day Toronto) had been captured, looted, jails opened public buildings damaged and military structures destroyed. However the victory had come at an expensive price with the death of the US’s most able general, Zebulon Pike.
When the fort's magazine exploded, Pike and the leading American troops were only 200 yards (180 m) away, or even closer. The flag had been left flying over the fort as a ruse, and Pike was questioning a prisoner as to how many troops were defending it. Pike was mortally injured by flying stones and debris. The explosion killed 38 American soldiers and wounded 222.
The amphibious attack on York had showed to the British how vulnerable their supply line was to the Niagara peninsula and had forced badly needed reinforcements back to Kingston, 200 miles further away from Niagara’s principal garrison, Fort George. To the American General Henry Dearborn across the river at Fort Niagara the time was right for an all-out invasion of Upper Canada.
On a much larger scale the town of York (now Toronto) also came under attack during the war of 1812.
More information is as follows:
The Americans appeared off York late on April 26, 1813. Chauncey's squadron consisted of a ship-rigged corvette, a brig and twelve schooners. The embarked force commanded by Brigadier General Zebulon Pike numbered between 1,600 and 1,800 troops.
The defence of York consisted of a fort a short distance west of the town, with the nearby "Government House Battery" mounting two 12-pound guns. A mile west was the crude "Western Battery", with two obsolete 18-pound guns. Further west were the ruins of Fort Rouillé and another disused fortification, the "Half Moon Battery", neither of which was in use. Major General Sheaffe, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, was present at York to transact public business. He had under his command only four companies of regulars. The Militia was ordered to assemble, but only 300 could be mustered at short notice. There were also about 40 to 50 natives (Mississaugas and Ojibwa) in the area.
The spring of 1813 marked a change in the fortunes of the Army of the United States. The capital of Upper Canada, York (present day Toronto) had been captured, looted, jails opened public buildings damaged and military structures destroyed. However the victory had come at an expensive price with the death of the US’s most able general, Zebulon Pike.
When the fort's magazine exploded, Pike and the leading American troops were only 200 yards (180 m) away, or even closer. The flag had been left flying over the fort as a ruse, and Pike was questioning a prisoner as to how many troops were defending it. Pike was mortally injured by flying stones and debris. The explosion killed 38 American soldiers and wounded 222.
The amphibious attack on York had showed to the British how vulnerable their supply line was to the Niagara peninsula and had forced badly needed reinforcements back to Kingston, 200 miles further away from Niagara’s principal garrison, Fort George. To the American General Henry Dearborn across the river at Fort Niagara the time was right for an all-out invasion of Upper Canada.
Photos from previous event:
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