1812 in Canada
Encyclopedia
Events
- June 18 - The U.S. declares war on Britain, beginning the War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. There are but 4,000 British troops in Canada. Sir George PrevostGeorge PrevostSir George Prévost, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the eldest son of Swiss French Augustine Prévost, he joined the British Army as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary...
is Governor. Four Canadian battalions are assembled, and the Citadel at Quebec is guarded by the inhabitants. - July 11 - Americans under General William HullWilliam HullWilliam Hull was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolution, was Governor of Michigan Territory, and was a general in the War of 1812, for which he is best remembered for surrendering Fort Detroit to the British.- Early life and Revolutionary War :He was born in...
invade Canada from Detroit. - August 16 - Sir Isaac BrockIsaac BrockMajor-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
with a force of 1,350, nearly half Indians, takes Detroit. He paroles many of Hull's 2,000. - August 20 - Launch of John MolsonJohn MolsonJohn Molson was an English-speaking Quebecer who was a major brewer and entrepreneur in Canada, starting the Molson Brewing Company.-Birth and early life:...
's second steamboat, the Swiftsure, at MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - August to October - The Red River settlement is begun in Canada's northwest on lands granted to Lord Selkirk by the Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay CompanyThe Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. - October - Almost half of VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
's Legislators regard war as needless and impolitic; but Vermont imposes a penalty of $1,000 for every unauthorized communication with Canadians. - October 13 - Stephen Van RensselaerStephen Van Rensselaer IIIStephen Van Rensselaer III was Lieutenant Governor of New York as well as a statesman, soldier, and land-owner, the heir to one of the largest estates in the New York region at the time, which made him the tenth richest American of all time, based on the ratio of his fortune to contemporary GDP...
's command is repulsed, on Queenston HeightsQueenston Heightsthumb|Brock's Monument|250px|Brock's Monument at Queenston HeightsThe Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada. Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River...
by Gen. Sheaffe and Governor Brock, who is killed. Of the 10,000 under Van Rensselaer, many were unwilling to invade, though willing to defend the United States. - Fighting on the same side as British militia and Mohawk IndiansMohawk nationMohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
, a group of black soldiers helps force American invaders to retreat in the Battle of Queenston HeightsBattle of Queenston HeightsThe Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812 and resulted in a British victory. It took place on 13 October 1812, near Queenston, in the present-day province of Ontario...
. - October 25 - Battle at St. Regis.
- November 20 - Henry DearbornHenry DearbornHenry Dearborn was an American physician, a statesman and a veteran of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Born to Simon Dearborn and Sarah Marston in North Hampton, New Hampshire, he spent much of his youth in Epping, where he attended public schools...
's command cross the Lacolle. Charles de SalaberryCharles de SalaberryLieutenant Colonel Charles-Michel d'Irumberry de Salaberry was a French-Canadian of the seigneurial class who served as an officer of the British army in Lower Canada and won distinction for repelling the American advance on Montreal during the War of 1812.-Early years:Born at the manor house of...
eludes them, and, in the haze, U.S. troops fire upon each other. - David ThompsonDavid Thompson (explorer)David Thompson was an English-Canadian fur trader, surveyor, and map-maker, known to some native peoples as "Koo-Koo-Sint" or "the Stargazer"...
retires to MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - The Americans gain several victories, on the water, as Napoleon engages the British attention.
- The United States calls out 175,000 men, Canada 2,000.
- For all purposes Canada votes 87,000 pounds.
Births
- November 2 - William James AndersonWilliam James AndersonWilliam James Anderson was a physician, amateur geologist, and historian of Scottish descent.He studied medicine at Edinburgh, where he obtained the degree of MD. Anderson was a physician in the Maritimes in the 1830s. At that time he developed an interest in the history and geology of Nova Scotia...
, physician, amateur geologist and historian (d.18731873 in CanadaEvents from the year 1873 in Canada.-January to June:*February 26 - Gédéon Ouimet becomes Premier of Quebec, replacing Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau*April 1**Prince Edward Island general election, 1873...
) - November 6 - Louis-Victor SicotteLouis-Victor SicotteLouis-Victor Sicotte was a lawyer, judge and politician in Lower Canada.He was born Louis Cicot in Boucherville, Lower Canada in 1812. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1839...
, lawyer, judge and politician (d.18891889 in Canada-Events:*August 1 - Alexander Davie, Premier of British Columbia, dies in office.*August 2 - John Robson becomes premier of British Columbia.*September 19 - A rock slide in Quebec City kills 45...
) - December 12 - John Sandfield MacdonaldJohn Sandfield MacdonaldJohn Sandfield Macdonald, QC was the first Premier of the province of Ontario, one of the four founding provinces created at the confederation of Canada in 1867...
, Premier of Ontario (d.18721872 in CanadaEvents from the year 1872 in Canada.-Events:*March 14 - Henry Joseph Clarke becomes premier of Manitoba, replacing Marc-Amable Girard*March 25 - The beginning of the Toronto Printers' Strike for a nine-hour day....
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Deaths
- January 12 - James Henry CraigJames Henry CraigGeneral Sir James Henry Craig KB was a British military officer and colonial administrator.-Early life and military service:...
, officer, colonial administrator (b.17481748 in Canada-Events:* Louisbourg is returned to France by the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle.* Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle returns Ile Royale and Ile Saint-Jean to French.* Treaty of Logstown...
) - March 11 - John BurbidgeJohn BurbidgeJohn Burbidge was a soldier, land owner, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Halifax Township from 1759 to 1765 and Cornwallis Township from 1765 to 1775 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly....
, soldier, land owner, judge and political figure in Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. (b.17181718 in Canada-Births:* September 8 - Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, military officer. * September 17 - Joseph Fairbanks, merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia. born in Sherborn, Massachusetts-Full date unknown:...
) - October 13 - Sir Isaac BrockIsaac BrockMajor-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
, military commander, administrator of Upper Canada (b.17691769 in Canada-Events:* The American colonies begin their westward expansion, settling Tennessee.* Prince Edward Island becomes a separate colony from Nova Scotia.* April 20 - Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa is killed by a Kaskaskia Indian in Illinois.-Births:...
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