Most of the battlefields of Upper Canada are marked with at least an historical plaque or monument. Where a park or restored wartime facility is present it is noted in the description below.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Amherstburg

A town in Upper Canada on the Detroit River at Lake Erie. It was the main naval base and shipyard for the British on Lake Erie. A replica of the British flag ship at the Battle of Lake Erie, HMS Detroit, is on display at Amherstburg.

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Ancaster

Small community in Upper Canada at western end of Lake Ontario, now part of the City of Hamilton. It was the site of the treason trials held in the summer of 1814, 15 men were sentenced to death for aiding the United States, 8 were executed.

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Beaver Dams

A small community in Upper Canada, now part of the City of St. Catharines, it was the site of a battle in 1813 which saw the capture of an American detachment. Laura Secord provided the warning to British forces of the approaching Americans.

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Blackrock

A small Village in New York state just north of Buffalo. It was burned in 1814 in retaliation for the destruction of Niagara.

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Blandensburg

Village near the American capital Washington, it was the site of a battle between British and American forces. The defeat of the Americans led to the partial destruction of Washington in retaliation for the destruction of York the year before.

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That part of North America which did not separate from the British Empire as part of the United States in 1783. The colonies of Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland were the individual components of British North America.

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Buffalo

A town in New York state on the Niagara River at Lake Erie. It was burned in 1814 in retaliation for the destruction of Niagara.

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Burlington

A town in Upper Canada at the western end of Lake Ontario. After the defeat at Fort George in the Spring of 1813 the British forces in Niagara concentrated at Burlington and built defence works. This position was maintained even after the Niagara area was recaptured late in the year.

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Châteauguay

Location of an 1813 battle in Lower Canada that led to the retreat of an American army threatening Montreal.

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Chippewa

A small community in Upper Canada on the Niagara River, where the Welland River flows into it, the site of a small British fort. The Battle of Chippewa was fought just south of there. A battlefield park has been established and is open to visitors.

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Cooks Mills

Location of an 1814 battle in the Niagara area, the last hostilities in that region.

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Cornwall

A town in Upper Canada on the St. Lawrence River near the border with Lower Canada (Quebec). It served as a shipping point to forward supplies to the rest of Upper Canada during the War of 1812.

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Crysler’s Farm

Location of an 1813 battle on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence between Gananoque and Cornwall. The actual battlefield was flooded in the 1950s during the development of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The monument was moved to higher ground at that time.

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Fort Dearborn

American fort in the Illinois Territory, now Chicago. It was destroyed by the First Nations in 1812.

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Fort Detroit

American military post on the Detroit River where it meets Lake St. Clair. A large fort, it was captured by the British early in the war. It was retaken by the United States in 1813 and served as the base for the invasion of western Upper Canada by General Harrison that same year. It served as the headquarters for the various American expeditions sent into the Western District in 1814 to destroy provisions and capture Upper Canadian militia officers.

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Fort Erie

A small British military post at the south end of the Niagara River at Lake Erie. It was captured by American forces in 1813 and 1814 and was the scene of a major battle in August of 1814. When the Americans again evacuated the area in November 1814 the fort was blown up.

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Fort George

British military post at the town of Niagara. It was captured by American forces in 1813, but evacuated late in the year.

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Fort Malden

British military post at the town of Amherstburg on the Detroit River where it meets Lake Erie. It protected the naval base and shipyard at the town. It served as Brock’s base when he captured Detroit in 1812. The following year it was captured by American forces and remained under occupation until after the signing of the peace treaty in 1814.

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Fort Meigs

An American fort on the Maumee River in the Ohio Territory General Proctor attempted to capture or destroy the fort in 1813 to keep it from being used as a base of operations against Detroit. The attack was repulsed.

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Fort Michilimackinac

An American military post on the narrows between Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Michigan. It was captured by the British at the beginning of the war and held until after the peace was signed in 1814. It was an important point for sending supplies to the First Nations allies of the British. The post was also known as Fort Mackinac.

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Fort Niagara

American military post on the Niagara River at Lake Ontario. It was the headquarters of American forces in that area in the early stages of the war. It was captured by British forces in December of 1813 and held until the end of the war.

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Fort Stephenson

An American fort on the Sandusky River in the Ohio Territory, General Proctor attempted to capture or destroy the fort in 1813 to keep it from being used as a base of operations against Detroit. The attack was repulsed.

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Fort Wellington

A British military post on the St. Lawrence River at Prescott. The earthwork fort was built to protect British shipping on the St. Lawrence River.

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Fort York

A British military base at York it was partially destroyed during the American raids and rebuilt after the war.

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Frenchman’s Creek

A Creek flowing into the Niagara River a few kilometres north of Fort Erie. It was the site of an American landing in the fall of 1812, the attack was repulsed by Upper Canadian militia and British regulars.

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Frenchtown

The site of General Winchester's defeat early in 1813, near Fort Detroit.

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Gananoque

A town in Upper Canada, on the St. Lawrence River. It served as a supply depot throughout the War of 1812. American raiders burned the warehouse of military supplies in the fall of 1812.

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Grand River

Upper Canadian river flowing into Lake Erie from the north, the location of the 6 Nations (Iroquois) Reserve.

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Kingston

A town in Upper Canada where Lake Ontario flows into the St. Lawrence River. It served as the main British naval base and shipyard in the province during the war. The fortifications built here were destroyed after the war by the construction of new forts.

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Lake Champlain

A lake primarily in New York State and Vermont south of Montreal.

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Long Woods

The location of a battle between British troops and American raiders near the present village of Thamesville on the Thames River west of London, Ontario.

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Lower Canada

In 1791 the Province of Quebec was split into two parts, the eastern portion was Lower Canada and the western Upper Canada. Lower Canada was combined with Upper Canada in 1841 to form the United Province of Canada, and in 1867 they split again, the eastern portion became the Province of Quebec.

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Lundy’s Lane

Site of the 1814 battle near Niagara Falls in Upper Canada.

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Mackinaw Island

A small island post on the narrows between Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Michigan. It was the site of Fort Mackinac.

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Moraviantown

A small community in the southwestern portion of Upper Canada, the location of the Battle of Moraviantown or Battle of the Thames were Tecumseh was killed.

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Newark

See Niagara (Town)

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New Orleans

An American city at the southern end of the Mississippi River, it was the location of the bloodiest British defeat of the War of 1812.

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Niagara (Town)

A town in Upper Canada, also known as Newark, at the north end of the Niagara River. It was the site of many battles and skirmishes over the course of the War of 1812. When American forces evacuated the area late in 1813 they burned the town to the ground. Now known as the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

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Niagara District

The part of Upper Canada bounded on the east by the Niagara River, the north by Lake Ontario and the south by Lake Erie. It was a major battlefield during the War of 1812.

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Ogdensburg

A town in New York State, on the St. Lawrence River. A major point for smuggling during the War of 1812.

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Penetanguishene

A small community in Upper Canada on Lake Huron. In the closing months of the war it was developed as a naval base to replace Amherstburg. It continued to fill this role until the 1840s.

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Plattsburgh

An American town and naval base on Lake Champlain, the location of the Battle of Lake Champlain where the British fleet on the lake was defeated.

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Queenston

A small village in Upper Canada north of Niagara Falls, now part of the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was the home of Laura Secord. Many historic buildings, including Laura Secord’s home, have been preserved in this community.

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Queenston Heights

The high ground on the Niagara Escarpment above the Village of Queenston. It was fortified early in the war and was the object of an American attack in 1812. The defeat of the Americans and the death of General Brock had an important affect on the remainder of the war. nhs/on/queenston

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Rideau Canal

A canal system stretching from the St. Lawrence near Kingston to the present city of Ottawa. It was built in the decade after the war to provide a more secure route for the shipment of supplies to Upper Canada.

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Sackets Harbor

A town in New York State at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. It served as the main American naval base and shipyard during the War of 1812. In 1813 an unsuccessful attack was launched on this place from Kingston under the command of General Prevost.

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Sandwich

A small community in Upper Canada on the Detroit River now part of the City of Windsor. It was the place briefly occupied by American forces in 1812 when General Hull launched the first invasion of Upper Canada. It was again occupied in 1813 and remained under American control until the end of the war.

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St. Davids

A small village in Upper Canada, now part of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, it was burned by American forces in 1814.

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Stoney Creek

A small community in Upper Canada, now part of the City of Hamilton, it was the site of a battle in 1813 that brought the American advance after Fort George to a halt.

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Thames River

Upper Canadian river flowing into Lake St. Clair from the east, it was used as the route for General Procter’s forces when he retreated from Detroit in the fall of 1813. The Battle of Moraviantown, or the Battle of the Thames, was fought on its banks.

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Upper Canada

In 1791 the Province of Quebec was split into two parts, the eastern portion was Lower Canada and the western Upper Canada. Lower Canada was combined with Upper Canada in 1841 to form the United Province of Canada, and in 1867 they split again, the western portion became the Province of Ontario.

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Washington

The capital of the United States, it was partially destroyed in 1814 in retaliation for the destruction of York the year before.

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Welland River

Upper Canadian river flowing into the Niagara River from the west, it was frequently the front line between British and American forces during the summer of 1814. Also known as the Chippewa Creek.

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Western District

The part of Upper Canada bounded by the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River to the west, Lake Erie to the South and Lake Huron to the north. The area was the scene of many battles during the war.

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York

A town in Upper Canada on the north shore of Lake Ontario, now the City of Toronto. The capital of Upper Canada it was attacked twice by American forces in 1813 and many of the public buildings, including the original parliament building, were destroyed. The charred remains of the Parliament building has been recently excavated by archaeologists.

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