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Canada's Fur Trade and the War of 1812 Jean Morrison Document generated on 10/01/2021 2:55 a.m. Ontario History To promote the Interest and Security of the North West Company Canada's Fur Trade and the War of 1812 Jean Morrison Special Issue: The War of 1812 Article abstract Volume 104, Number 1, Spring 2012 While the traditionally-known elements of the War of 1812 deserve recognition, they are not the whole story. The British fought to save the URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1065393ar Canadas from conquest by the Americans, but they also strove to save and DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1065393ar expand the territorial base of the fur trade, a vital element in the British North American economy, a goal shared by the North West Company. Since Fort See table of contents William was located in Upper Canada and many NWC actions took place in Upper Canada, the roles of both the Company and the Fort are an integral part of Ontario history. This article examines actions at Sault Ste. Marie, the roles of the schooners Nancy and Perseverance, the development of Yonge Street and Publisher(s) the route from Lake Simcoe to Wasaga, the struggle to maintain the fur trade The Ontario Historical Society canoe route between Fort William and Montreal, NWC involvement in the taking of Prairie du Chien and the decision made to take Astoria from the American Fur Company which led to British rule over the Columbia ISSN Department on the Pacific coast. 0030-2953 (print) 2371-4654 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Morrison, J. (2012). To promote the Interest and Security of the North West Company: Canada's Fur Trade and the War of 1812. Ontario History, 104(1), 162–184. https://doi.org/10.7202/1065393ar Copyright © The Ontario Historical Society, 2012 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ 2 ONTARIO HISTORY To promote the Interest and Security of the North West Company Canada’s Fur Trade and the War of 18121 by Jean Morrison ost Ontarians associate the dian War Museum, for example, focuses TWar of 1�12 with Sir Isaac entirely on the Lower Lakes and the St. Brock, Laura Secord and per- Lawrence River with no hint of fur trade Mhaps with Chief Tecumseh. The war may involvement.3 In response to this author’s also bring to mind victories at Niagara, comments on its display, the Museum re- Crysler’s Farm and Châteauguay. Little sponded: “American victories at Queen- or nothing is known by the general pub- ston Heights or Châteauguay could have lic, however, of the Canadian fur trade’s made Canada part of the United States, equally vital part the in the war, in its so these ‘decisive’ battles were highlight- causes, conduct and outcome. ed to visitors.”4 This can hardly be surprising. Maga- Equally “decisive” at the war’s start, zine articles, school texts and museum however, were the British seizure of Fort displays on the war rarely mention its Michilimackinac by a combined military, inextricable link to Canada’s fur trade.2 fur trader and Native force and the Fort’s The War of 1�12 exhibit at the Cana- continued occupation until it ended. 1 Many thanks to Ontario History’s anonymous reader whose constructive critique of this article’s first draft led to much needed revision. Others who offered welcome advice and corrections include Brian S. Jae- schke, Mackinac State Historic Parks and Professor Emeritus Ernie Epp, Lakehead University. Peter Boyle, �avid Else and Joe Winterburn of Fort William Historical Park made useful comments and introduced me to �avid Hrycyszyn’s well researched staff report of 1997, “The North West Company in The War of� 1 12”. Thanks also to staff at Fort St. Joseph National Historic Site of Canada, McCord Museum, Nancy Island Historic Site; Sault Ste. Marie Museum and Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site for images and information. Special gratitude goes to OH editor, Tory Tronrud, for his help with maps and for his usual gen- erous co-operation. My apologies to any agencies or individuals who inadvertently are not acknowledged. 2 Stephen Marche’s otherwise perceptive review of the war, “That Time We Beat the Americans: A citizens’ guide to the War of 1�12.” The Walrus (March 2012), 24-31, fails to mention its fur trade connec- tion. 3 For text of CWM War of 1�12 display, see www.civilization.ca/cwm/exhibitions/war of 1�12. 4 �r. �ean F. Oliver, �irector, Research and Exhibition, CWM to author, 19 �ecember 2005. Ontario History / Volume CIV, No. 1 / Spring 2012 Abstract coast far beyond the While the traditionally-known elements of the War of 1812 de- Canadas, the North serve recognition, they are not the whole story. The British fought West Company’s to save the Canadas from conquest by the Americans, but they [NWC] purchase of also strove to save and expand the territorial base of the fur trade, a vital element in the British North American economy, a goal Astoria and its subse- shared by the North West Company. Since Fort William was lo- quent capture by the cated in Upper Canada and many NWC actions took place in Royal Navy were also Upper Canada, the roles of both the Company and the Fort are “decisive” moments an integral part of Ontario history. This article examines actions at Sault Ste. Marie, the roles of the schooners Nancy and Perse- for Canada’s future. verance, the development of Yonge Street and the route from Lake Barely noted east of Simcoe to Wasaga, the struggle to maintain the fur trade canoe the Rockies, these route between Fort William and Montreal, NWC involve- events at Astoria led ment in the taking of Prairie du Chien and the decision made to Canada’s dominion to take Astoria from the American Fur Company which led to British rule over the Columbia Department on the Pacific coast. from sea unto sea. Résumé: Les aspects de la guerre de 1812 qui sont traditionnel- Why lement discutés, quoique méritant d’être reconnus, ne constituent pas toute l’histoire de cette guerre. Certes, les Anglais ont com- Michilimackinac? battu pour sauver le Canada d’une conquête américaine, mais ils ews that the ont essayé en même temps d’aggrandir la base territoriale de leur United States commerce de fourrures, qui était un élément vital de l’économie N de l’Amérique Britannique du Nord. C’était un but partagé par Congress had declared la compagnie du Nord-ouest. Comme le Fort William se situait war against Great Brit- dans le Haut-Canada, et comme plusieurs combats auxquels la ain on 1� June 1�12 compagnie a participé ont eu lieu dans le Haut-Canada, le rôle reached Quebec City de la compagnie et du fort fait partie intégrale de l’histoire ontari- enne. Nous examinons ici les combats de Sault-Sainte-Marie, le on 25 June “by an Ex- rôle des goélettes Nancy et Perseverence, le développement de la press received by the rue Yonge et la route du lac Simcoe à Wasaga, la lutte pour main- North West Com- tenir la route de la compagnie par canoë entre Fort William et pany.”6 British North Montréal, la participation de la compagnie à la prise de Prai- America’s Governor- rie du Chien, et la décision de saisir l’Astoria de l’American Fur Company, qui a mené à la domination britannique du départe- in-Chief, Lieutenant- ment de Columbia sur la côte pacifique. General Sir George Prevost, immediately sent a communiqué to Although some academic and popular Fort St. Joseph, the British military gar- historical works on the war make men- rison on St. Mary’s River and to Fort Wil- tion of Michilimackinac, its role remains liam, the North West Company’s inland generally unfamiliar.5 And on the Pacific headquarters on Lake Superior. Prevost 5 The excellent PBS documentaryThe War of 1812 (2011) mentions Michilimackinac as does �onald E. Graves, “The War that Saved Canada”,Legion Magazine, Jan-Feb 2012, 21-31. 6 William Wood, ed., Select British Documents of the War of 1812, (Toronto: Champlain Society, 1920), I, 42�; McCord Museum, William McKay Fonds P17�, McKay Memorial. ONTARIO HISTORY ordered both establishments to seize McGillivray contended: Michilimackinac, an island in the strait be- The fur trade is the link between the Brit- tween Lakes Huron and Michigan, from ish Empire and the Indians whose ‘fidelity the Americans without delay. The duty of & attachment are essential to the safety and the military, he told the St. Joseph’s com- integrity of British rule in North America.’� mander, Captain William Roberts, was One key to preserving good relations “To promote the Interest and Security of between Indians and traders and thus the North West Company.” For its part, “the safety and integrity of British rule in the NWC assured Prevost “of their Cor- North America” was Michilimackinac, dial and active Cooperation... by every site of a US military fort and customs fa- means in their Power.” cilities as well as assorted fur trade posts Recognizing Michilimackinac’s key and depots. Also key to amicable rela- role in Canada’s defence before the war, tionships were the former “Indian Ter- Upper Canada’s administrator, Major- ritories” now in the United States lying General Isaac Brock urged that British east of the Mississippi and south of the forces seize the island, and �etroit, once Great Lakes.
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