Early Amherstburg And Fort Malden

Source

"A paper on the history of Fort Malden would hardly be complete without a short account of the place where it was originally built. Amherstburg has been called a town for more than a hundred years and is therefore nearly as old as the original fort. It is today, and has been for many years, a unique town in some respects, the situation is beautiful overlooking the entrance to the Detroit River...".

"The name of the town is decidedly English, whilst in another respect it is characteristic of a town in the Province of Quebec, It has a considerable French population...".

"After the evacuation of Detroit in 1796, many of the British civil and military removed to Amherstburg."

"On the 24th of August 1908, Earl Grey, Governor General of Canada, visited Amherstburg and was shown the remains of the Fort Malden."

"...a number of United Empire Loyalists ex-members of Butler's regiment of Rangers formed a settlement in the vicinity of the present town of Amherstburg. Among the settlers were the Caldwells... .  Captain Caldwell had command of the company of Butler's Rangers in the war of 1812." [Source]

Couche Should Be Hanged

"Edward Couche, deputy commissary general.  The "means" was a local currency to pay 4,000 militia ordered out by Brock.  He needed 1,500 pounds and couldn't get the funds.  Hence we find, December 12, 1813, Col. Nichol writing to Talbot, remarking: "Couche should be hanged."  He made good in many other ways later on." [Source]

Source

"On the sixth of August the deputy-commissary at Amherstburg wrote as follows to Edward Couche, the commissary-general for the province of Upper Canada: 'If the Indians remain and continue their wanton and extensive depredations on cattle, a short period will put an end to our supplies.'"
"'I could easily have supplied provisions for 2,000 troops in conformity with your letter of the 18th of July. Since then I have been feeding 15,000 troops Indians &c I find such difficulty in procuring flour corn etc to feed such hordes...'" [Source]

 

Early Amherstburg

Source

"...to search the title to Lot No. 11, First Street, or Lot No. 3 on Dalhousie Street, in the Town of Amherstburg.  This lot fronts on what is still known as Dalhousie Street, the main street in the town, and on the southeast corner of said street and Gore Street, and about ____ yards from the remains of the old fort.  I found that this lot, or rather a portion of it, was conveyed by deed dated July 22nd, 1799, by Richard Pattinson and Co., of Sandwich, merchants, and is described as 'the undivided half....being in the Town near the Garrison of Amherstburg, and containing 30 feet in front by 120 feet in depth, with the dwelling-house and stable erected thereon.'  In the deed which follows this, dated 23rd September, 1808, from Robert Innes to William Duff... ." [Source]

"...three different forts had been constructed, or partly constructed, at Amherstburg at different times, and that the first was officially known as Fort Amherstburg, the second was known both as Fort Amherstburg and as Fort Malden, and that the third, constructed subsequent to 1837, bore the name Fort Malden." [Source]

To The Petite Cote

Source (Page 266)

Taken from The War On The Detroit The Chronicles Of Thomas Vercheres de Boucherville....:

"During the month of July we had several skirmishes with the enemy [Americans], the most important one being at the bridge over the Canard River, between Sandwich and Amherstburg and about three miles from the latter village."  "Here we had a picket composed of a company of infantry and some artillery men in charge of the fieldpieces stationed there, besides some [Indians] for patrol duty."  "The Americans attacked this picket but were forced to retire in great haste."

"One day in July a band of Indians composed of Shawnees with Tecumseh at their head, besides some Ottawas and Potawatomi came to my store...and asked me if I would go with them to Petite Cote, three miles beyond our picket at River Canard, to deliver a blow to the enemy."

From the American perspective:

Source

Skirmish At The River Canard

Taken from the War on the Detroit - the chronicles of Thomas Verchères de Boucherville and The capitulation, by an Ohio volunteer, edited by Milo Milton Quaife:

The war began with the Detroit campaign of General Hull, and its first blood was shed in one of the tiny skirmishes at the River Canard, where the highway from Windsor to Amherstburg crosses this unimpressive stream.

According to Wikimapia:

"River Canard was the site of an engagement between British and American forces on July 16, 1812, during the War of 1812. An American force of 280 men under Colonels Cass and Miller skirmished with British troops near the bridge. Two British soldiers, James Hancock and John Dean were captured. Hancock would die of his wounds later in the day, becoming the first British casualty of the war. Dean was taken prisoner to Detroit where his left arm was amputated due to wounds. He would be liberated with the capture of Fort Detroit by the British one month later."

One Of The Select Few

From the Life of Sir John Beverly Robinson: BART., C.B., D.C.L., chief-justice of .., by Charles Walker Robinson:

Fort Malden And Amherstburg

Source

Fort Malden and Amherstburg in 1812

From The Original Painting By Catherine Reynolds

Operations Of The Detroit Frontier Map

The Canadian magazine, Volume 20:

The Man Who Would Be Quartermaster For Canada

The life of Robert Nichol (1774 - 1824) from the Ontario [Canada] Historical Society:

"The first record I have found of his life in Canada, is contained in a certificate over his signature, dated at Amherstburg on January 21, 1798, in which he states that he had been employed by Mr. Askin, a British merchant of Detroit and had transacted all his mercantile 'business at Amherstburg...".  

Was it his business acumen learned from working with Mr. Askin and elsewhere that proved invaluable in the eyes of Sir Isaac Brock?

"He [Brock] sent for Nichol...and offered him the important and responsible office of Quartermaster-General of the Militia. This would involve the entire organization of a new department, charged with all the duties of supply and transport for a considerable body of men suddenly called into service, for whose equipment, subsistence, quarters, and movements, no previous arrangements of any kind had yet been made. Everything must be improvised. Nichol said that at first he refused to accept this appointment on the ground that his private business would be neglected and ruined... . Brock insisted on his acceptance, saying that Nichol was the only person in the province whom he considered fit for the office... ."

Brock Leading The Way

Source of Portrait Of Sir Isaac Brocki

When in our national gallery of the future, miles of canvas attest the progress of Canadian art, no picture will compel more attention than Brock erect in his canoe leading the way to battle at Detroit, or the same gallant captain, shouting while the fatal lead whizzes to his heart: "Push on the brave York Volunteers." 

Battery On Bois Blanc

Source

"During last war, a small battery was erected on the lower point of Bois Blanc, which is now deserted, and the island now serves as a camping ground for the [Native Americans] who visit Amherstburg. This island will be one of he most important points which the commissioners, under the treaty of Ghent, will have to determine." [Source]

Both Sides Of The Detroit River

Map of Detroit River circa 1812, showing both the Canadian and American sides from the Robert Lucas journal.

Source

General Proctor's Efforts To Secure Detroit

Correspondence between Colonel Proctor and Major General Sheaffe:

Source

A partial transcription:

Sandwich Jany 13th 1813
Nothing can be more gratifying to me than to find effectual measures taken to ensure the [British] superiority on the Lakes, so requisite to the security of the Country.  Every exertion is making and shall be preserved in, as far as depends on me, to attain that object.
The Gun Boats are to be built on the Thames.....

After General Hull's surrender of Detroit, [British] General Isaac Brock, from his Headquarter's in Detroit, wrote to Sir George Prevost on August 17, 1812.   Brock left Proctor in charge of Detroit.

All through the winter of 1812-13 General Proctor, with his division of the 41st Regiment at Amherstburgh, the militia of Essex, and the Indians under Tecumseh had been kept busily employed in devices for preventing or retarding the American forces on the other side of the river from crossing into Canada. [Source]

General Brock* left to Colonel Proctor the task of carrying out his promises [to the people of Michigan that their lives, propery, and religious observances would be respected].  In his perplexity, Proctor turned to Judge Woodward, the sole remaining representative of the American Government for advice and aid. The request was made with great hesitation on Proctor's part, and was accepted with equal reluctance on the part of Woodward. [Source]

*General Brock was killed at the Battle of Queenston Heights in October of 1812.

Adventures Of The Nancy - Part Two

See Part One

Tall Ship Replica On Lake Huron - NOT Nancy

From AN EPISODE OF THE WAR OF 1812. THE STORY OF THE SCHOONER "NANCY."

The next recorded incident in her history is narrated in a letter from her commander, Captain Alexander Mcintosh, to Captain Richard Bullock of the 41st Regiment, commanding the garrison at Mackinac, dated "5 miles from St. Joseph's," on the 16th of October, 1813. On the 4th of that month he had sailed from St. Joseph's for Amherstburg to obtain a much needed supply of provisions, and arrived at the mouth of the St. Clair river on the following afternoon when he sent two men ashore to ascertain whether it would be safe for him to enter the river. As they were prevented from returning by rough water, he decided to venture as far as the foot of the rapids. There he learned that the whole of the British squadron on Lake Erie had been taken and that the Americans were in possession of Detroit and Amherstburg. It was also reported that two of their armed schooners and two gun-boats were awaiting his appearance in the river below.


"Next day about noon," Captain Mcintosh wrote, "a white nag was seen coming towards us in a canoe. About half an hour afterwards I was hailed from the shore by a Canadian, ordering me to give up the vessel and that my property, as also that of the crew, should be respected. I went ashore to see who this man was. It was Lieutenant-Colonel Beaubien, of the militia, who wished me to surrender the vessel to him, repeating what he had already said. I told him I would give an answer in an hour's time.

I immediately went back and got all ready to defend the vessel. After the time had elapsed I went to him, gave him my answer, which was that I would defend the vessel until necessity compelled me to give her up, and that if the wind proved strong enough, I would attempt going back to the lake. He then replied, 'We shall fire on you.' 1 asked what number of men he had. 'Fifty,' was his answer. I returned to the vessel, made sail and was fishing the anchor when they commenced firing. I returned the fire as quickly as I received it, which continued for a quarter of an hour or more. They then ceased, whether from want of ammunition or that we had killed any, I know not.

During the action I was placed at the helm and exposed to the whole of their fire, but luckily escaped. Several shots struck the main boom and railing. No person was injured from their fire, but the blowing up of a couple of cartridges burnt one of the men severely on the face and hands. Whether it was from a piece of the cartridge or their lire, our main sail was blazing which was no sooner seen than extinguished. During the engagement my men behaved with the greatest coolness, and I cannot say too much for them.

As early as the 3rd of October, Captain Bullock had received information of the disastrous result of the battle on Lake Erie from Major-General Proctor, who informed him that he had already recommended that supplies for his garrison should be forwarded from York to Matchedash Bay.

The Nancy arrived on the 18th with her sails and cables so badly damaged as to render her unfit to navigate the lake during the storm of autumn, and Captain Mcintosh determined to take her to the Northwest Company's post, at Sault Ste. Marie, in the hope of procuring the necessary materials to refit her during the winter.

Here's a nice blog post about the Nancy and another from the Friends of Nancy Island and Wasaga Beach Park here.

Incorporating some archaeological aspects of the Nancy is a paper entitled "His Majesty's Hired Transport Schooner Nancy."

Adventures Of The Nancy - Part One

Tall Ship Replica On Lake Huron (Near Port Huron) - NOT  Nancy

From AN EPISODE OF THE WAR OF 1812. THE STORY OF THE SCHOONER "NANCY."

In the summer of 1789, the firm of Forsyth, Richardson and Co., fur merchants of Montreal, undertook the construction of a schooner for the navigation of the upper lakes.

By 1793, the Nancy had become the property of George Leith Co., and is described as being of sixty-seven tons burden. Sometime before the end of the century, she passed into the possession of the Northwest Fur Company, by whom she was employed in the transportation of furs and merchandise on Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan.

On July 1st, 1812, when the declaration of war by the United States became known to Lieutenant-Colonel St. George, the commandant of the British Garrison at Amherstburg, she was still lying at Moy waiting for a favorable wind to carry her into Lake Huron, and he at once ordered her to be brought down under the guns of that post to secure her from capture. Some light brass guns with which she had been armed were mounted in row-boats to patrol the river, and the schooner was impressed into the government service as a transport. On July 30 she sailed for Fort Erie under convoy of the Provincial schooner, Lady Prevost. Five days later she left Fort Erie on her return voyage, in company with the armed brig General Hunter, having on board sixty soldiers of the 41st Regiment and a quantity of military stores. The timely arrival of this small reinforcement had considerable weight among the reasons which induced General Hull to evacuate Canada.

During the summer and autumn of that year the Nancy was constantly employed in the important service of transporting troops, stores, and provisions between Detroit and Fort Erie.

On April 23rd, 1813, she was included in the small squadron assembled to transport General Procter's division from Amherstburg to Miami Bay, to undertake the siege of Fort Meigs.

Richardson's Maps Of Michigan

Major John Richardson was a member of the 41st Regiment (Canadian) which was garrisoned at Fort Amherstburg, right across the river from Detroit.  Included in his book were maps of a theater of war.

Richardson's War of 1812: with notes and a life of the author, by Richardson (John, Major), contained a map of Michigan (with part of Canada included), a map of the Detroit river area, and also a map of Detroit circa 1812.

Maps Of Operations of The Canadian Army

From the Richardson War of 1812 book:

 Sketch Map of the Operations of the

 Right Division of the Canadian Army

 and the

Left Division of the American Army

1812 - '13

Operations on the Detroit River  1812-13