Fort Wellington is a military fortification located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River at Prescott, Ontario, Canada. It was originally built in 1813 on land owned by Major Edward Jessup, a prominent Loyalist from Connecticut who was the founder of Prescott in 1784. Table of Fortification, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... The Saint Lawrence River (French: fleuve Saint-Laurent) is a large west-to-east flowing river in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... Prescott is a town of approximately 4,200 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Ontario, Canada, directly across from Ogdensburg, New York. ... Prescott is a town of approximately 4,200 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Ontario, Canada, directly across from Ogdensburg, New York. ...

Construction

Fort Wellington was commissioned by the British government during the War of 1812 to protect the head of the Gallop Rapids in the St. Lawrence River. Prior to the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 1950s, a series of rapids ran downriver from Prescott to Montreal. Shipping of freight and passengers on regular lake ships was impossible through these rapids, and so freight and passengers who travelled downriver to Prescott from Kingston would be "forwarded" to smaller bateaux which could travel through the rapids. Likewise, freight travelling upriver from Montreal would be unloaded from smaller bateaux and loaded onto larger lake ships for carriage upriver. At the time, the Rideau Canal had not been constructed and the Colony's road network was primitive. The only means of shipping heavy cargo and passengers into the Great Lakes from the lower St. Lawrence was by way of Prescott. Combatants United States United Kingdom Strength United States Regular army : 99,000 Volunteers: 10,000* Rangers: 3,000 Militia: 458,000** Naval and marine: 20,000 Indigenous peoples New York Iroquois: 600 Northwestern allies: ? Southern allies: ? United Kingdom Regular army: 10,000+ Naval and marine: ? Canadian militia: 86,000+** Indigenous... The Eisenhower Locks in Massena, NY. The St Lawrence Seaway is the common name for system of canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as far as Lake Superior. ... City motto: Concordia Salus (Latin: Well-being through harmony) Province Quebec Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area  - % water 366. ... Kingston, Ontario, is a historic city in Ontario, Canada, located in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, where the lake runs into the St. ... A portion of the worlds largest skating rink Canal during Winter The Rideau Canal, also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ...

Since Prescott is located only a mile from the town of Ogdensburg, New York, it was especially vulnerable to military action by the United States Army. As a communications hub upon which the rest of the Colony of Upper Canada relied, the town had to be defended. Ogdensburg is a city located in St. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Map of Upper Canada (orange) Upper Canada was a British territory in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario. ...

The first Fort Wellington

The Fort was built with earthen ramparts reinforced with horizontal freize pickets. The ramparts were surrounded on the east, west and south facades by a dry ditch with a vertical palisade fence and a glacis. A masonry gate on the north facade of the Fort was the only entryway. Inside the fort, timber buildings were constructed and designed to be concealed behind the ramparts. Casemates were tunnelled into the inside of the ramparts and these were used for storage. Palisade and Moat A palisade is a Medieval wooden fence or wall of variable height, used as a defensive structure. ...

The Fort's main armament was a pair of 24 pounder iron cannons mounted on the southeast and southwest corners of the ramparts. These guns had a range which permitted them to fire on buildings across the river in Ogdensburg, and consequently any ship or boat passing the fort was (and is) within range of these guns. Smaller guns defended other points on the ramparts walls.

The War of 1812

A six pounder field gun and, in the background, the 24 pounder gun at the southwest corner

Unusually for a fortification of its age in Ontario, Fort Wellington was never attacked. During the War of 1812, Prescott remained an important communications point.

The fort's guns and garrison saw action in November, 1813 when an American army under General Wilkinson descended the St. Lawrence River in an attempt to capture Montreal. Wilkinson feared Fort Wellington's guns enough that he unloaded his army upriver from Ogdensburg and marched it through the town at night while his boats slipped past, empty of passengers. General James Wilkinson James Wilkinson (1757 - December 28, 1825) was a U.S. soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. ...

Once Wilkinson passed Ogdensburg, Prescott's garrison followed along the King's Highway (the modern Highway 2) along the north shore of the river. On November 11, 1813, the two armies fought at Crysler's Farm, near modern Morrisburg, Ontario. Wilkinson's army was decisively defeated by a much smaller British and Canadian force, and retreated across the River to Fort Covington, New York. The attack on Montreal was abandoned, and Canada saved. Highway 2 was the major east-west provincial highway in Southern Ontario, running from Windsor in the west to the Lancaster in the east and joining together the towns and cities of the western two thirds of the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... External links Morrisburg & District Historical Society Categories: Canada geography stubs | Ontario communities ... Fort Covington is a town located in Franklin County, New York. ...

After 1814

The end of the War of 1812 in December, 1814 led to a rapid demobilization of British fortications in Upper Canada. Fort Wellington was quickly abandoned, although the land itself remained the property of the Board of Ordnance of the British Crown. Built quickly, the buildings and casemates inside the fort deteriorated. The British Board of Ordnance was responsible for the design, testing and production of armaments and munitions. ... This article describes the British monarchy from the perspective of the United Kingdom. ... A Casemate is a heavy duty structure originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress. ...

In 1837, political dissidents in Upper Canada launched a rebellion at the City of York (modern Toronto). With few British regular soldiers in the Colony, the Upper Canadian militia was quickly mobilized and Fort Wellington became the main depot for the militia in the Prescott area. The Crown commissioned a reconstruction of the Fort using the original earthworks from 1813, and work commenced in the spring of 1838. A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively opposes an established opinion, policy, or structure. ... Map of Upper Canada (orange) Upper Canada was a British territory in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario. ... Look up rebellion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... York was the original name of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

The buildings in the modern Fort Wellington survive from this period. The three-storey stone blockhouse was completed in 1839, as was the officer's quarters, latrine, cookhouse, and guardhouse. The original 24 pounder cannons first installed in 1813 were remounted on the southeast and southwest corners of the ramparts, as were two 12 pounder cannons on the northeast and northwest corners, a 36 pounder carronade over the gate, and two 14 inch mortars on the parade behind the southern rampart facade. In addition, an enclosed, stone caponiere was constructed in the dry ditch outside the palisade on the south facade. This was accessed through a tunnel from the interior of the fort.

The Battle of the Windmill

12 pounder gun at northwest corner and carronade over main gate

After their defeat at York in the autumn of 1837, many of the Upper Canadian political dissidents fled to the United States. Among the citizens of the northern states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, these exiles found much sympathy and anti-British sentiment. Overnight, an army of sympathizers was organized. Styling themselves as members of Hunters' Lodges, the "Patriot Hunters" combined a neo-Masonic organizational structure with militant republicanism. Their propaganda machine convinced many Americans in the northern states that the citizens of Upper and Lower Canada were being oppressed by undemocratic British government, and were simply waiting for the intervention of liberty-loving American sympathizers. Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 160 miles (255 km)  - Length 280 miles (455 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... The Hunter Patriots or Hunters Lodges were an obscure secret society of filibusters in the United States during the mid-19th century. ... The Masonic Square and Compasses. ... Republicanism is the idea of a nation being governed as a republic. ... U.S. propaganda poster from WWII depicting a Nazi stabbing a Bible. ... Lower Canada was a British colony in North America, at the downstream end of the Saint Lawrence River in the southern portion of the modern-day province of Quebec. ...

Early in 1838, these hunters conducted insurgent operations in the Niagara Region, the area around Windsor and Amherstburg, Ontario and on Pelee Island. At one point, Navy Island, upriver from Niagara Falls, which was and remains Canadian territory, was occupied by a sizeable army of Patriot Hunters. Heraldic Motto: Unity, Responsibility, Loyalty Corporate Motto: Building Communities, Building Lives Location of the Niagara Region within Ontario Area: 1,852 sq. ... Flag Seal Motto: Location Coordinates , Government Country Province County Canada Ontario Essex* Founded 1854 (as village) 1892 (as city) City Mayor Governing Body Members of Parliament: Provincial Representatives: Eddie Francis Windsor City Council Joe Comartin (NDP) Brian Masse (NDP) Dwight Duncan (LIB) Sandra Pupatello (LIB) Geographical characteristics Area     City 120. ... Map of Essex County with Amherstburg in red Amherstburg (2001 population 20,339; Urban population 10,849) is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. ... Pelee Island. ... Navy Island. ... For other uses, see Niagara Falls (disambiguation). ...

Tensions escalated when a force of Upper Canada militia seized a Hunter vessel, the Caroline, in the Niagara River and burned it. Although officially opposed to the actions of the Patriot Hunters, the United States government soon found that most of its local agents and officials were either themselves members of the Lodges or complicit in their activities. For example, the New York State militia "lost" several cannons from its armouries in New York State and Michigan.

In November, 1813, a force of Patriot Hunters met at Sacket's Harbour, New York and then travelled downriver on civilian vessels to Ogdensburg. They planned to seize the militia strongpoint at Fort Wellington and organize the disaffected citizens of Upper Canada into a Patriot-led insurgent army with the goal of deposing the British Governor of the Colony.

The Patriots' attempt to land at Prescott proved farcical. The local militia commander had been warned that trouble was afoot. When a Hunter vessel attempted to land early on the morning of 12 November at a wharf in Prescott, it was challenged and fired upon by alert Canadian militiamen. Attempting to withdraw, it and a companion vessel ran aground off Ogdensburg. Later in the morning, both vessels were freed and drifted downriver, past the incredulous sentries at Fort Wellington, and landed two miles downriver at Windmill Point, a promontory on the north short of the St. Lawrence River. Windmill Point was the sight of a hamlet called Newport and -- most prominently -- a tall, stone windmill. The Hunters disembarked and occupied the village and windmill. Their commanding officer returned by ship to Ogdensburg, promising that a larger force of Hunters would be embarked there and brought as reinforcements. He left a Swedish immigrant named Nils von Schoultz in command at the windmill.

With no regular British forces in the area, the local commander of the Upper Canadian militia summoned all available militiamen in Grenville, Leeds and Dundas Counties and began preparations to assault. He established a cordon of militiamen around New Jerusalem and Windmill Point. He also opened communications with the American military commander at Ogdensburg, who had arrived on the scene and had begun to restore order in that town.

A small American naval vessel arrived to cooperate with an even smaller British naval vessel, HMSV Experiment, in isolating Windmill Point from reinforcement. During the course of this blockade, a civilian vessel, the United States, commandeered by the Hunters attempted to run the blockade and was fired on by the Experiment. In what may have been the last naval action on the St. Lawrence River, the helmsman of the Patriot Hunter vessel was decapitated by a British cannon ball, and the Hunters withdrew into Ogdensburg Harbour, where their vessel was interned.

Meanwhile, sufficient numbers of militia and a small party of British regulars had arrived in Prescott to allow an assault on Windmill Point, and this was attempted on 13 November. The militia were successful in driving in the Patriot outposts and capturing many of the outlying farm buildings, but the Hunters held the windmill and some of the surrounding buildings. Casualties on both sides had been significant, and the British commander elected to await regular reinforcements. He reestablished the cordon around the Point while the main body of Militia withdrew to Fort Wellington.

Regular reinforcements arrived on 14 November in the form of British regulars of the Royal Artillery and the 83rd Regiment as well as Royal Marines from the Royal Navy facility at Kingston. aving appreciated that the windmill structure would be impervious to small arms and light artillery fire, heavy artillery was brought by ship from Kingston. A detachment of Highlanders from the 93rd Regiment arrived from Montreal just at the second assault was about to begin on 16 November. More small naval gunboats also arrived to shell the Hunters from the River while the United States Navy kept the rest of the Hunters bottled up on the American side. RGA redirects here. ... Her Majestys Royal Marines, also known as the Royal Marines (RM), are the United Kingdoms amphibious force and Naval Infantry. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... // There are a large number of places named Kingston: Jamaica Kingston, Jamaica, the capital United Kingdom Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England Kingston, Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire, England Kingston, Devon, Devon, England Kingston, Dorset, Dorset, England Kingston, East Lothian, East Lothian, Scotland Kingston, Hampshire... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ...

During the second assault, the Hunters were quickly driven from the outlying buildings in New Jerusalem and forced back into the windmill itself. The heavy artillery opened fire against this building, but were unable to penetrate the thick stone walls. Nonetheless, Von Schoultz and his men now realized that the Upper Canadians were not going to join the insurgency and that the promised reinforcements from Ogdensburg had more pressing matters to attend to safely across the border. Surrounded by wounded men, running short of supplies, ammunition and food, Von Schoultz surrendered unconditionally. The survivors were taken to Fort Henry in Kingston, where they were tried. Von Schoultz and several others were convicted and hanged, while the rest were either pardoned or transported to Australia. Fort Henry, Ontario, is a National Historic Site of Canada. ...

Fort Wellington 1838 to present

The Blockhouse and Latrine at Fort Wellington

Fort Wellington retained a regular garrison of British soldiers after the Rebellion. If you visit today, the Fort is restored to its condition in 1846, when the garrison comprised a modest detachment of Royal Artillerymen and a company of riflemen from the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment.

This Regiment was composed of veterans of the British Army who volunteered to serve in the border fortifications in Canada. Because of the close proximity of the United States, the British garrison in Canada suffered from high rates of desertion. British deserters who could reach the United States were not deported back to Canada. The Army's solution was to only recruit veterans into the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment, offer them a better rate of pay as well as pension benefits and the possibility of land grants upon the completion of their service. Consistent with the Duke of Wellington's suggestion that light infantry and rifle units would be most useful in Canada, the Regiment was also raised as an elite, rifle-armed unit. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

The task of the Fort's garrison was to occupy the Fort and prevent it from being seized by surprise by insurgents or other belligerents. The Fort's main purpose was to hold the military stores of the Upper Canadian militia for the region.

The British Army left Fort Wellington in 1863, when the Fort became the sole responsibility of the militia. It was a regular site of militia operations, and was garrisoned during the Fenian Raids of 1866. The Fenian raids were attacks by members of the Fenian Brotherhood based in the United States, on British army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada in order to bring pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland, between 1866 and 1871. ...

During the First World War, the Fort was used as a depot for military personnel travelling between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Prescott was the terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway line north to Ottawa and this was the point where travellers from Ottawa joined the main railway line between Toronto and Montreal. Many Canadian soldiers on their way to Europe stayed temporarily at the Fort. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR; AAR reporting marks CP, CPAA, CPI), known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a Canadian Class I railway operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited. ...

After the War, the Fort was transferred from the Ministry of Militia to the National Parks Service. Today, it is owned by Parks Canada and -- along with the windmill at Windmill Point --is operated as a National Historic Park. During the summer, it is open daily from the Victoria Day weekend until Labour Day. The buildings are restored, and uniformed guides conduct tours of the fortifications and buildings, including the storerooms and barracks in the blockhouse. An excellent Museum is located on the third floor of the blockhouse. The Windmill is also open during the summer months, and visitors can climb the interior staircase to enjoy the building's commanding views of the River. Parks Canada is a Canadian government agency whose purpose is to protect and present nationally significant examples of Canadas natural and cultural heritage and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations. ...

References

• Graves, Donald E., Field of Glory: the Battle of Crysler's Farm, 1813, Toronto: Robin Brass Studio, 1999.
• Graves, Donald E., Guns Across the River: The Battle of the Windmill, 1838, Toronto: Robin Brass Studio, 2001.
• Burns, Robin, Fort Wellington: A Narrative and Structural History , 1812 to 1838, Ottawa: Parks Canada, 1979.
• Burns, Robin, Fort Wellington: A Narrative and Structural History, 1838-1870, Ottawa: Parks Canada, 1983 and 1995.

External links

• Official Government of Canada site
• Fort Wellington in the War of 1812 site