Fort Erie National Historic Site, on a stamp issued in 1985.

Fort Erie National Historic Site was the first British fort to be constructed as part of a network developed after the Seven Years' War (or in the United States the French and Indian War) was concluded by the Treaty of Paris (1763) at which time all of New France had been ceded to Great Britain. It is located on the southern edge of the Town of Fort Erie, Ontario, directly across the Niagara River from Buffalo, New York. Location of Fort Erie in the Niagara Region Fort Erie (2001 population 28,143) is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain and its American Colonies Electorate of Hanover Iroquois Confederacy Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Philippines Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and... Combatants France First Nations allies: Algonquin Lenape Wyandot Ojibwa Ottawa Shawnee Great Britain American Colonies Iroquois Confederacy Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) Casualties 3,000 killed, wounded or captured 10,040 killed, wounded or captured The French and... The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. ... Capital Quebec Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy King See List of French monarchs Governor See list of Governors Legislature Sovereign Council of New France Historical era Ancien Régime in France  - Royal Control 1655  - Articles of Capitulation of Quebec 1759  - Articles of Capitulation of Montreal 1760  - Treaty... Location of Fort Erie in the Niagara Region Fort Erie (2001 population 28,143) is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government - Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... Satellite image of the Niagara River. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State County Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ...

Early history

The British established control by occupying the French forts and by constructing a line of communications along the Niagara River and Upper Great Lakes. The original fort, built in 1764, was located on the Niagara River’s edge below the present fort. For the following 50 years, Fort Erie served as a supply depot and a port for ships transporting merchandise, troops and passengers via Lake Erie to the Upper Great Lakes. The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... Satellite image of the Niagara River. ... Lake Erie (pronounced ) is the tenth largest lake on Earth[2] and, of the five Great Lakes of North America, is the fourth largest by surface area, the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume. ... The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ...

Development

The fort first saw action as a supply base for British troops, Loyalist Rangers and Iroquois Warriors during the American Revolution. The little fort at the water’s edge suffered considerable damage due to continuous winter storms. In 1803, planning was authorized for a new Fort Erie on the heights behind the original post. The new fort was made more formidable being constructed of the Onondaga Flintstone that was readily available in the area. The name United Empire Loyalists is given to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War. ... For other uses, see Iroquois (disambiguation). ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Onondaga is the name of some places in North America: Onondaga, Michigan Onondaga, New York Onondaga, Ontario Onondaga County, New York Onondaga Lake Onondaga Reservation, New York Onondaga Township, Michigan Other meanings: Onondaga Native American Iroquois First Nations group Onandaga Cave State Park in Leasburg, Missouri Onondaga Camp Minden,Ontario...

War of 1812

This new fort was unfinished when the United States declared war on June 18, 1812. The garrison of Fort Erie fought at the Battle of Frenchman’s Creek against American attacks in November 1812. In 1813, Fort Erie was held for a period by U.S. forces and then abandoned on June 9, 1813. The fort had been partially dismantled by the small garrison of British troops and Canadian militia as they withdrew. British reoccupation followed American withdrawal from the area in December 1813. The British attempted to rebuild the fort. On July 3, 1814 another American force landed nearby and again captured Fort Erie. The U.S. Army used the fort as a supply base and expanded its size. At the end of July, after the Battles of Chippewa and Lundy’s Lane, the American army withdrew to Fort Erie. In the early hours of August 15, 1814, the British launched a four-pronged attack against the fortifications. A well-prepared American defence and an explosion in the North East Bastion destroyed the British chance for success with the loss of over 1,000 of their men. A full scale siege then set in and was only broken on September 17 when American troops sortied out of the fort and were able to capture or damage the British siege batteries. Shortly after the American sortie, the British lifted the siege lines and retired to positions to the north at Chippawa. After unsuccessful attacks at Cook’s Mills, west of Chippawa, news reached the American forces that the eastern seaboard of the U.S. was under attack. On the November 5, 1814, with winter approaching, the Americans destroyed the fort and withdrew to Buffalo. Fort Erie is the site of the bloodiest battlefield in the history of Canada. See Siege of Fort Erie This article is about the U.S. – U.K. war. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the overture by Tchaikovsky, see 1812 Overture; For the wars, see War of 1812 (USA - United Kingdom) or Patriotic War of 1812 (France - Russia) For the Siberia Airlines plane crashed over the Black Sea on October 4, 2001, see Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 1812 was a leap year starting... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Battle of Chippewa (sometimes spelled Chippawa) was a decisive victory for American militia units which allowed for the invasion of Canada along the Niagara River. ... Combatants Britain United States Commanders Gordon Drummond Phineas Riall Jacob Brown Winfield Scott Strength At start: 2,200, 5 guns Reinforcements: 1,800, 3 guns At start: 2,000, 3 guns Reinforcements: 1,000, 6 guns Casualties 84 dead 559 wounded 193 missing 42 captured 171 dead 572 wounded 110... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State County Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... Combatants Britain United States Commanders Gordon Drummond Edmund P. Gaines Jacob Brown Strength 2,200 3,000 Casualties 966 dead, wounded, or captured 540 missing 630 dead or wounded The Siege of Fort Erie was one of the last engagements between British and American forces during the Niagara campaign of...

Aftermath of war

The Treaty of Ghent was signed December 24, 1814, ending the War of 1812. Fearing further American attacks, the British continued to occupy the ruined fort until 1823. Some of the stones from the fort were then incorporated into the construction of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, which stands today on the Niagara Parkway 3 km (2 miles) north of the fort. The Fort Erie area became significant as the major terminus in Canada for slaves using the Underground Railroad in the middle of the 19th century. The town of Fort Erie began to grow north of the fortifications when a rail terminus and station were constructed. Signing of the Treaty of Ghent. ... is the 358th day of the year (359th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... This article is about a 19th-century slave escape route. ... Location of Fort Erie in the Niagara Region Fort Erie (2001 population 28,143) is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. ...

The Fenian Raid (1866)

In 1866, a brigade of Fenians (Irish Republicans) used the ruins of the old fort as a base for their raid into Ontario. The Fenian Brotherhood invaded Canada on June 1, 1866 with more than 500 American Civil War veterans by crossing the Niagara River a little north of Fort Erie. Their first order of business was to occupy the town of Fort Erie and demand food and equipment from the local population. The invaders offered Fenian bonds as payment but were refused by the townsfolk. Fenian is a term used since the 1850s for Irish nationalists (who oppose British rule in Ireland). ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government - Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish nationalist organization based in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Satellite image of the Niagara River. ...

The Fenians then marched north to try and capture the town of Chippewa at the north end of the Welland Canal. Before reaching their goal, and discovering a British and Canadian force had reached the town before them they turned to face a weak Canadian militia brigade that was approaching Fort Erie from the west, routing it at the Battle of Ridgeway. The Fenians returned to Fort Erie where they defeated a second small force of local Canadian militia, including a naval detachment from Dunnville. Unable to get reinforcements across the river and concerned over the approach of a large number of Canadian Militia and British regulars, the Fenians retreated from Fort Erie for Buffalo. See Battle of Fort Erie (1866) Chippewa is a town in Ontario, Canada, located just south of Niagara Falls. ... A ship transits the Welland Canal, with the Homer Lift Bridge and Garden City Skyway in background. ... Lebanese Kataeb militia A Militia is an army composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... Battle of Ridgeway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Battle of Fort Erie (1866) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Dunnville is a farming community in southern Ontario of approximately 13,000, about 45 minutes from Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Fort Erie and Buffalo, New York. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State County Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... Battle of Fort Erie (1866) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Around the same time visitors to the ruins included the Prince of Wales and Mark Twain. As the 20th century approached, the Old Fort was used as a park and picnic area by local families. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ...

Redevelopment of the fort

The reconstruction of the fort was started in 1937. The reconstruction was jointly sponsored by the Provincial and Federal governments and the Niagara Parks Commission. The fort was restored to the 1812-1814 period and officially reopened on July 1, 1939. During the restoration, a mass grave of 150 British and 3 American soldiers was uncovered and currently lies beneath a monument which was originally erected in the fort's ruins in 1904. The fort and surrounding battlefield are owned and operated by the Niagara Parks Commission, a self-funded agency of the Ontario Provincial Government. The Parkway starts at Fort Erie and continues 56 km (35 miles) north to Lake Ontario. Sir Winston Churchill was quoted saying that the parkway was "the prettiest Sunday drive in the world." Each year, during the second weekend of August, hundreds of historical re-enactment enthusiasts come together to reenact the siege of Fort Erie. The Niagara Parks Commission, or Niagara Parks for short, is an agency of government of Ontario (Canada) which maintains the Canadian shoreline of the Niagara River. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Niagara Parks Commission, or Niagara Parks for short, is an agency of government of Ontario (Canada) which maintains the Canadian shoreline of the Niagara River. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government - Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... Lake Ontario, bounded on the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south by Ontarios Niagara Peninsula and by New York State, USA, is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ... Churchill redirects here. ... Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...

See also

• List of forts
• Fenian Brotherhood
• Niagara Parks Commission
• War of 1812
• United Empire Loyalists
• Upper Canada
• Fort Mississauga
• Fort George, Ontario
• Navy Hall

This is a list for articles on notable historic forts which may or may not be under current active use by a military. ... The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish nationalist organization based in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. ... The Niagara Parks Commission, or Niagara Parks for short, is an agency of government of Ontario (Canada) which maintains the Canadian shoreline of the Niagara River. ... This article is about the U.S. – U.K. war. ... The name United Empire Loyalists is given to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War. ... Flag Map of Upper Canada (orange) Capital Newark 1792 - 1797 York(later renamed Toronto in 1834) 1797 - 1841 Language(s) English Religion Anglican Government Constitutional monarchy Sovereign  - 1791-1820 George III  - 1837-1841 Victoria Lieutenant-Governor See list of Lieutenant-Governors Legislature Parliament of Upper Canada  - Upper house Legislative Council... Fort Mississauga is a fort along the shores of Lake Ontario and steps away from the Niagara River. ... Fort George is a historic military structure at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, that was the scene of several battles during the War of 1812. ... Navy Hall is a wooden structure that served as Ontarios first provincial Parliament in 1792–1794 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Ontario, Canada. ...

External links

• Old Fort Erie - Niagara Parks
• Town of Fort Erie
• Battle Re-enactment
• Images from the Historic Niagara Digital Collections at the Niagara Falls Public Library

Coordinates: 42°54′46″N, 78°55′15″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...