Document généré le 25 sept. 2021 07:25 Ontario History “This Period of Desperate Enterprise” British efforts to secure Kingston from rebellion in the winter of 1837-1838 Robert W. Garcia Consequences of Rebellious Acts: The 1837 & 1838 Rebellions Résumé de l'article Volume 101, numéro 2, fall 2009 Nous étudions dans cet article les mesures prises par les autorités militaires britanniques en poste à Kington, pour répondre au déclenchement de la URI : https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1065616ar rébellion du Haut-Canada en décembre 1837. Cette rébellion eut lieu à un DOI : https://doi.org/10.7202/1065616ar moment particulièrement difficile, la plupart de la garnison régulière de Kingston venant d’être envoyée au Bas-Canada pour y éteindre la révolte, Aller au sommaire du numéro laissant ainsi la ville ouverte aux attaques des Patriotes. De plus, la construction de Fort Henry, commencée en 1832, n’était pas encore achevée; or ce fort devait être l’un des éléments essentiels d’un système de fortifications qui visait à protéger le principal dépôt militaire de la province, les entrepôts de Éditeur(s) la Marine Royale et l’entrée du canal Rideau. Commandé par Richard The Ontario Historical Society Bonnycastle, du régiment Royal Engineers, un petit nombre d’officiers britanniques d’active et des vétérans du cadre de réserve, prirent des mesures énergiques pour organiser et entraîner les volontaires et les recrues encore ISSN inexpérimentées de la malice canadienne. L’efficacité de cette préparation fut 0030-2953 (imprimé) mise à l’épreuve à la fin de février 1838, quand les Patriotes lancèrent une 2371-4654 (numérique) attaque majeure en vue de s’emparer de la ville de Kingston. Découvrir la revue Citer cet article Garcia, R. W. (2009). “This Period of Desperate Enterprise”: British efforts to secure Kingston from rebellion in the winter of 1837-1838. Ontario History, 101(2), 142–163. https://doi.org/10.7202/1065616ar Copyright © The Ontario Historical Society, 2009 Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d’auteur. L’utilisation des services d’Érudit (y compris la reproduction) est assujettie à sa politique d’utilisation que vous pouvez consulter en ligne. https://apropos.erudit.org/fr/usagers/politique-dutilisation/ Cet article est diffusé et préservé par Érudit. Érudit est un consortium interuniversitaire sans but lucratif composé de l’Université de Montréal, l’Université Laval et l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. https://www.erudit.org/fr/ 142 ONTARIO HISTORY “This Period of Desperate Enterprise” British efforts to secure Kingston from rebellion in the winter of 1837-1838 by Robert W. Garcia I felt it my duty to recommend the immediate enclosing of that part of the Ordnance Yard which has become insecure and easy to access, from the forming of the slopes of the glacis from the fort…which has reduced the picket fence to ¼ of it’s former height thereby in opposing no obstruction to persons disposed to make a short cut from the fort towards the town, otherwise feel inclined to trespass on this establishment in which is partly enclosed one of the principal powder magazines so exposed to the de- signs of the evil disposed during this period of desperate enterprise.1 o wrote James Windsor, Kingston’s have serious consequences. Despite the Ordnance Storekeeper, early in storekeeper’s worries the British mili- 1839, just over a year after the on- tary in Kingston had made tremendous Sset of rebellion in Upper Canada. Wind- advances since December 1837 to better sor, the Ordnance Department officer defend this key city against attack. This responsible for the enormous range of article will examine the efforts made by materiel—uniforms, tools, small arms, a small group of British officers, senior artillery and ancillary equipment and non-commissioned officers and civilian gunpowder—stored in Kingston’s mili- officials to improve the security of King- tary warehouses was rightly concerned. ston’s vital military depot, to train and The town was the major military depot house the eager Upper Canadian mili- of the province and its loss to the rebels tia and to improve the town’s fortifica- and their American sympathizers would tions. 1 Library and Archives Canada (hereafter LAC), RG8 I vol. 447, 55. James Windsor to Fitzgerald, 16 January 1839. Ontario History / Volume CI No. 2 / Autumn 2009 143 Abstract “The Key to the Province” This article looks at the reaction of the British military ichard Bonnycastle, the Com- authorities in Kingston to the outbreak of the Upper manding Royal Engineer in Canada Rebellion in December 1837. The revolt had R come at an awkward time. The vast majority of Kingston’s Kingston during the rebellion, regular garrison had been earlier dispatched to quell used this phrase when describing the uprising in Lower Canada leaving the town open the town.2 What made Kingston so to Patriot attack. As well, Fort Henry, whose construc- important that it became a target tion had begun in 1832 and the lynch pin of a proposed system of fortifications designed to protect the province’s of the rebels? The town’s strategic chief military depot, Royal Navy dockyard and the significance dated back to the sev- entrance to the Rideau Canal, was not yet complete. enteenth century when the French Lead by Richard Bonnycastle of the Royal Engineers, a established Fort Frontenac on the small cadre of British regulars and retired veterans took vigorous steps to organize and train the eager but raw west side of the Cataraqui River. Canadian militia and volunteers. The effectiveness of the The good natural harbour and the training was realized in late February 1838 when the town’s location at the eastern end Patriots made their major attempt to capture Kingston. of Lake Ontario, the mouth of the Résumé: Nous étudions dans cet article les mesures prises Cataraqui and the head of the St. par les autorités militaires britanniques en poste à King- Lawrence River made it a transpor- ton, pour répondre au déclenchement de la rébellion du tation and communications hub Haut-Canada en décembre 1837. Cette rébellion eut lieu in an era before adequate roads. à un moment particulièrement difficile, la plupart de la garnison régulière de Kingston venant d’être envoyée au When the British took control in Bas-Canada pour y éteindre la révolte, laissant ainsi la the eighteenth century they re-es- ville ouverte aux attaques des Patriotes. De plus, la con- tablished facilities on the site of the struction de Fort Henry, commencée en 1832, n’était pas old French fort and, by the 1790s, a encore achevée ; or ce fort devait être l’un des éléments es- sentiels d’un système de fortifications qui visait à protéger naval yard on Point Frederick across le principal dépôt militaire de la province, les entrepôts the Cataraqui from Kingston.3 de la Marine Royale et l’entrée du canal Rideau. Com- During the War of 1812 the British mandé par Richard Bonnycastle, du régiment Royal vastly expanded operations of the Engineers, un petit nombre d’officiers britanniques d’active et des vétérans du cadre de réserve, prirent des mesures naval yard launching increasingly énergiques pour organiser et entraîner les volontaires et les larger warships to combat those recrues encore inexpérimentées de la malice canadienne. constructed by the Americans at L’efficacité de cette préparation fut mise à l’épreuve à la Sackets Harbor, New York. By war’s fin de février 1838, quand les Patriotes lancèrent une at- taque majeure en vue de s’emparer de la ville de Kingston. end the Royal Navy squadron on the lake provided Upper Canada with security from naval or amphibious western portions of the province. attack and protected the shipment of To guard the naval yard, defences supplies to the military garrisons in the were established around Kingston.4 The 2 LAC, MG13, WO55/874, 263-264. Bonnycastle Memorial to Sir James Colborne, 20 May 1839. 3 Richard A. Preston, Kingston before the War of 1812, (Toronto: Champlain Society), lxxviii-lxxxix. 4 Stephen D. Mecredy, “Some Aspects of Kingston’s Development during the War of 1812,” (MA Thesis, Queen’s University, 1982), 79-80. 144 ONTARIO HISTORY Figure 1. Kingston 1829. The plan illustrates the locations of the fortifications proposed in 1829. The following rebellion era military facilities are indicated: 1. Fort Henry, 2. Ordnance and Engineer Department Yards, 3. Naval Yard, �. Fort Frederick, �. Cataraqui Bridge, �. Tete du Pont Barracks, 7. Royal Artillery Yard, 8. Missis- sauga Point, 9. Blockhouse No. 2, 10. Blockhouse No. 3, 11. Blockhouse No. �. LAC, NMC 11381. town was enclosed within a log pali- the Commissariat Department.5 sade and interspersed at intervals were After the war, activity at the naval wooden blockhouses or earthen batter- yard decreased, but the importance of ies. At the tip of Point Frederick the Brit- Kingston did not lessen. Senior British ish erected a battery and blockhouse. To military planners saw the city, and its the east on Point Henry, a promontory military assets, as central to their control that rises thirty metres above the lake, of Upper Canada. As early as 1818 the the Royal Engineers constructed a sub- Duke of Richmond, Governor-in-Chief stantial fortification that was named Fort of the Canadas, wrote home to the Co- Henry. On the western slopes of the point lonial Secretary of Kingston’s signifi- under the protection of the fort were the cance.6 In 1825 the Duke of Wellington, workshops of the Royal Engineer De- the most successful British general of the partment, which directed military con- Napoleonic era and Master-General of struction projects.