Fort George, Ontario

Fort George National Historic Site is a historic military structure at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, that was the scene of several battles during the War of 1812. The fort consists of earthworks and palisades, along with internal structures, including an officer's quarters, blockhouses to accommodate other ranks and their families, and a stone powder magazine, which is the only original building on the site. Opposite the fort, across the Niagara River, stands Fort Niagara in New York, which can be seen from Fort George's ramparts.HistoryFort George was built by the British Army after Jay's Treaty (1796) required Britain to withdraw from Fort Niagara. The new fort was completed in 1802 and became the headquarters for the British Army and the local militia. Major General Sir Isaac Brock served here during the War of 1812, until he was killed in the Battle of Queenston Heights on October 13, 1812 while trying to regain the heights. (That goal was achieved after his death by troops under Major-General Roger Hale Sheaffe.)During the Battle of Fort George the fort was taken by American forces in May 1813 after a two-day bombardment by cannon from Fort Niagara and the American Fleet, followed by a fierce battle. Most of the buildings were destroyed. Brigadier General John Vincent ordered the troops to evacuate the fort to minimize the number of casualties. Afterwards, the Americans built their own fortifications here and used the fort as a base to invade Upper Canada. They were repelled at the Battles of Stoney Creek and Beaver Dams. The fort was retaken by the British Army in December 1813 after U.S. forces abandoned the British side of the river. It was then left to fall into ruins and was eventually abandoned.