GALLERY 1793–1815

WILLIAM JARVIS UNIFORM, AN OFFICER IN THE QUEEN'S RANGERS, 1791
City of Toronto Museums Collections

A Queen's Rangers jacket with silver gilt buttons made for Capt. William Jarvis in 1791 is one of the rarest items in the fort's collections. Originally it cost
only £1/1/11.

GALLERY 1793–1815

PORTRAIT OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR JOHN GRAVES SIMCOE, 1791
Jean Laurent Mosnier (1743–1808)
Toronto Public Library

John Graves Simcoe (February 25, 1752–October 26, 1806) was the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior. He founded York (now Toronto) and was instrumental in introducing institutions such as the courts, trial by jury, English common law, freehold land tenure, and in abolishing slavery. He ended slavery in Upper Canada long before it was abolished in the British Empire as a whole in 1834.

GALLERY 1793–1815

PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH SIMCOE, ca. 1790
Mary Anne Burges (1763–1813)
Library & Archives Canada, C-081931

Mary Anne Burges, a noted author, linguist. and naturalist, was Mrs. Simcoe's closest friend.

GALLERY 1793–1815

ENGRAVED PORTRAIT OF THE GREAT SAIL, 1796
Based on sketch by Elizabeth Simcoe (1762-1850) made 1794
Archives of Ontario and Toronto Public Library

The Great Sail, a Mississauga headman, and his family lived at Oak-Land (now De Grassi) Point on Lake Simcoe. He succeeded his father, Canis or Keenes, who died suddenly in Oct. 1793 of an unknown disease probably acquired from the Europeans at York. At a ceremony at Fort York on 24 Aug. 1793 when Toronto was renamed York, Canis took up two-year-old Francis Simcoe in his arms, thinking the boy might be frightened by the firing of the cannon. Instead, Francis was delighted by it.

GALLERY 1793–1815

PLAN SHOWING CLOSER VIEW OF TORONTO HARBOUR, 1793
University of Toronto Library

Note the small area of only 10 blocks planned for town and park lots marked out to the north of the town.

GALLERY 1793–1815

YORK HARBOUR LOOKING WEST, 1793
Elizabeth Simcoe (1762–1850)
Toronto Public Library, TRL 970-7-2

GALLERY 1793–1815

QUEEN'S RANGERS UNDER LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR JOHN GRAVES SIMCOE, CUTTING OUT YONGE STREET, ca. 1795
C.W. (Charles William) Jefferys (1869–1951)
Library & Archives Canada, C-073665

This and other images by C.W. Jefferys in these galleries are conjectural sketches that bring early history to life long before photographs or film existed to record everyday events.

GALLERY 1793–1815

VIEW FROM YORK BARRACKS (detail), 1796
Elizabeth Simcoe (1762–1850)
Archives of Ontario, 0006353

GALLERY 1793–1815

FORT YORK GOVERNMENT HOUSE, 1800
Library & Archives Canada, C-16016

Plan and Front Elevation of the Lieut.-Governor's House at York commissioned by Lieut. General Peter Hunter shortly after he succeeded John Graves Simcoe as Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. The vice-regal residence was built to plans by Capt. Robert Pilkington in 1799–1800 within Fort York on the west bank of Garrison Creek, opposite the main part of the fort. It was burned by the American invaders in 1813.

GALLERY 1793–1815

PART OF YORK, UPPER CANADA, 1804
Elizabeth Frances Hale (1774–1832)
Library and Archives Canada, C-040137

There is no evidence Mrs. Hale visited York in 1804 when she dated this watercolour, leading many to believe she copied it from someone else's sketch, possibly one by Edward Walsh. William Cooper's Inn is the building shown full-face at the left margin.

GALLERY 1793–1815

YORK BARRACKS, LAKE ONTARIO, MAY 13, 1804
Lieut. Sempronius Stretton (1781–1842)
Library & Archives Canada, C-14905

This drawing depicts the fort when it was situated on the east side of Garrison Creek. It was burned by the Americans in July 1813 and rebuilt directly opposite this location.

GALLERY 1793–1815

MAJOR GENERAL SIR ISAAC BROCK, 1809/10
(President and Administrator of Upper
Canada, 1811–12)
Gerrit Schipper (1775–ca. 1832)
Guernsey Museums & Galleries, The States
of Guernsey

Isaac Brock's portrait by Gerrit Schipper is the only one known to have been painted while he was alive.

Major General Sir Isaac Brock KB (6 Oct. 1769–13 Oct. 1812) was a British Army officer and administrator assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) successfully for many years. Promoted to major general, he became responsible for defending Upper Canada against the United States. While many in Canada and Britain believed war could be averted, Brock began to ready the army and militia for what was to come. When the War of 1812 broke out, people were prepared, and quick victories at Fort Mackinac and Detroit crippled American
invasion efforts.

Brock's actions, particularly his success at Detroit, earned him a knighthood, membership in the Order of the Bath, accolades and the epithet "The Hero of Upper Canada". His name is often linked with that of the Native leader Tecumseh, although the two men collaborated in person only for a few days. Brock died at the Battle of Queenston Heights, which was nevertheless a British victory.

GALLERY 1793–1815

TECUMSEH, ca. 1812
Engraving by Benson J. Lossing (1813–1891), copied from a sketch by Pierre Le Dru, and coloured or copied by an anonymous artist
Toronto Public Library, JRR T-16600

Tecumseh (Mar. 1768-5 Oct. 1813) died in the Battle of the Thames, near Moraviantown, U.C., almost exactly a year after Brock's death. Lossing's engraving has been often copied and coloured; all copies show the epaulettes typical of a British officer's uniform which were a fanciful addition by the artist.

GALLERY 1793–1815

THE MEETING OF BROCK AND TECUMSEH, 1812
C.W. (Charles William) Jefferys (1869–1951)
Library & Archives Canada, C-O73719

This meeting took place at Amherstburg in August 1812. Both men came away much impressed by
the other.

GALLERY 1793–1815

BRITISH UNIFORMS; WAR OF 1812
C.W. (Charles William) Jefferys (1869–1951)
Library & Archives Canada

GALLERY 1793–1815

THE 49TH REGIMENT OF FOOT, PRIVATE 1812
J.C.H. (John Clifton Henry) Forster (1910–1993)
City of Toronto Museums Collections

Commissioned by the Toronto Historical Board in the 1970's, this watercolour is sometimes on display at Fort York National Historic Site, Toronto. The 49th Regiment was garrisoned at York (Toronto), 1803–1815.

GALLERY 1793–1815

THE 8TH (THE KING'S) REGIMENT OF FOOT, GRENADIER COMPANY OFFICER, 1813
J.C.H. (John Clifton Henry) Forster (1910–1993)
City of Toronto Museums Collections

Commissioned by the Toronto Historical Board in the 1970's, this watercolour is sometimes on display at Fort York National Historic Site, Toronto. The 8th Regiment was garrisoned at York (Toronto), 1812–1815.

GALLERY 1793–1815

THE 8TH (THE KING'S) REGIMENT OF FOOT, GRENADIER COMPANY PRIVATE COATEE, 1813
Courtesy of Fort York Collection, photo by Matt Blackett

This coatee is an accurate reproduction for re-enactments at Fort York of the uniform worn by privates of the Grenadier Company of the 8th (or King's) Regiment of Foot at the time of the 1813 Battle of York, where the unit distinguished itself and sustained heavy losses.

The uniform is made from a dull, madder-red woolen broadcloth with royal blue cuffs, collar and shoulder straps, the whole trimmed with regimental lace shot through with a yellow and dark blue stripe. It has 32 pewter buttons which helps explain why buttons are found so frequently in archaeological excavations of military sites. Each line regiment in the Napoleonic era had its own distinctive uniform that contributed to the pride its men had in their unit and, by extension, their fighting spirit.

GALLERY 1793–1815

YORK, ON LAKE ONTARIO
William S. Leney (1769–1831), published by
S.F. Bradford, Philadelphia
Toronto Public Library, JRR scrapbooks

This view shows the so-called Town Blockhouse built in 1798 near the Parliament Buildings. Today the site is on Berkeley Street at the east end of The Esplanade. The Americans burned York's blockhouses during their occupation in 1813.

GALLERY 1793–1815

ATTACK ON YORK, 1813
Benson J. Lossing, 1869, The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812
Archives of Ontario Library: 971.034 LOS, page 59

GALLERY 1793–1815

PORTRAIT OF PIKE
19th century engraving
Found on the internet

General Zebulon Pike was the commanding officer of the American forces at the Battle of York. The engraving was based on an 1808 oil portrait of Pike by Charles Wilson Peale in the collections of Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia.

GALLERY 1793–1815

DEATH OF PIKE, 1813
Engraving from Charles J. Peterson's The Military
Heroes of the War of 1812 and the War with
Mexico, 1848
Library & Archives Canada, C-007434

American General Zebulon Pike commanded the first attack on York on 27 April 1813. He was killed by falling debris when the Grand Magazine was blown up by the British defenders of Fort York as the Americans attacked.

GALLERY 1793–1815

BLOCKHOUSE AND BATTERY IN OLD FORT, TORONTO
C.W. (Charles William) Jefferys (1869–1951)
Government of Ontario Art Collection, 621228

Following the destruction of Fort York by American soldiers and sailors in April-May, 1813, the two blockhouses within the present-day fort were the first buildings constructed in the fort's renewal.

GALLERY 1793–1815

100TH REGIMENT, 1813
Frederick M. Milner (1889–1939)
Library & Archives Canada, acc. no. 1937-441

Although the 100th Regiment of Foot was never stationed at Fort York, it was active in the Niagara theatre during the War of 1812.

GALLERY 1793–1815

FORT AT YORK, 1821
John Elliot Woolford (1776–1866)
Library & Archives Canada, C-99558

This view is of the fort's great east gate overlooking Garrison Creek. It was built in 1814 and taken down in the 1830's. A footprint of it appears on G. Nicolls' plan of 1816 (see Gallery 2 below). In Toronto of Old, Scadding mentions "the arched gateway" with its "strong iron-studded portals."

GALLERY 1793–1815

GUARD HOUSE, 1823
From a series of record done under the direction of
Lt. Col. Elias Walker Durnford, R.E.
Library & Archives Canada, NMC 5352

Built in 1814 and located along the east wall, south of the gate. Square-timber or frame construction, one-storey and very simple in style. Porch carried on posts ran full length of front. Interior contained three rooms and the "Black Hole." with four windowless cells. This structure was replaced circa 1860 by structures whose purposes are unclear.

GALLERY 1793–1815

SPLINTERPROOF COOKHOUSE, 1823
From a series of record done under the direction of
Lt. Col. Elias Walker Durnford, R.E.
Library & Archives Canada, NMC 5351

Built in 1814 and located along the south wall immediately west of the circular battery. Squared-timber construction, probably clad in weatherboards. One storey in height with floor at or near grade. The only light to interior came from doors and windows along front wall. Divided inside into two rooms by a transverse wall. One room contained a cooking fireplace, the other a bake oven and boilers.

GALLERY 1793–1815

COMMANDANT'S HOUSE, 1823
From a series of record done under the direction of
Lt. Col. Elias Walker Durnford, R.E.
Library & Archives Canada, NMC 5356

Built in 1815, it was between the brick Officer's Barracks and the Blue Barracks where it dominated the Parade Square. Brick-built with well lit basement surrounded by areaway, main floor, and second floor with dormer windows. Each floor had four rooms and central hallway. Ceiling heights were lower in basement and on second floor. Usually occupied by some officer, not the commandant, until 1829 when converted to soldiers' barracks. Burned to ground in 1869 when fire started in basement canteen, The basement, which had terrible water and drainage problems, is likely a major archaeological site.

GALLERY 1793–1815

SPLINTERPROOF BARRACKS NOS. 1 AND 2
(each accommodating 70 men), 1823
From a series of record done under the direction of
Lt. Col. Elias Walker Durnford, R.E.
Library & Archives Canada, NMC 5351

Built in 1814, they were located along the south wall east of the circular battery. Square-timber construction, probably clad in weatherboards. One storey in height with floor at or near grade. The only light to the interior was provided by two doors and four windows in the front (north) wall, which also had loopholes. Interior of each barrack was divided into two rooms by transverse wall incorporating back-to-back fireplaces using one central chimney. Back and end walls were lined with bunks. By 1848 the timbers of all the barracks along the south ramparts had rotted and they were taken down.

GALLERY 1793–1815

EXISTING STRUCTURES DATING FROM 1815
Image courtesy of ntvwebfolio.com

Four brick and stone buildings constructed in 1815 are situated at the west end of the fort, seen here from the south. The South and North Soldiers' Barracks are to the left, the Officers' Brick Barracks and Mess Establishment in the centre, and the Stone Magazine to the right. With the timber blockhouses and the brick magazine these structures are the largest group of buildings from the war of 1812 surviving anywhere. 

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