Fort Amherstburg

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Fort Amherstburg
Type	Fort
Built	1796
In use	1796-1850's
Controlled by	King George III/Queen Victoria

Fort Amherstburg was built by the Royal Canadian Volunteers at the mouth of the Detroit River to replace Fort Detroit, which Britain was required to cede to the United States of America in 1796 as a result of the Jay Treaty.

Built in the years before the War of 1812, Fort Amherstburg included "King's Navy Yard" for shipbuilding on the upper Great Lakes (Lakes Erie, Huron, and Superior). The war began in 1812 and escalated quickly with US General William Hull invaded Canada in July 1812. Soldiers from the fort repelled the Americans at River Canard. After General Hull retreated back to Fort Detroit, British General Isaac Brock and the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh met at Fort Amherstburg to plan the attack of Fort Detroit in the British Indian Department building located outside of the fort grounds. After losing the Battle of Lake Erie (including the flagship HMS Detroit, which was built at Fort Amherstburg), the British/Canadians destroyed the fort and retreated as most of the cannons normally placed in the bastions were put onto the ships to be used for the engagement on Lake Erie and subsequently were lost.

The Americans built a new, smaller fort on the same site and called it Fort Malden. After the end of the war, the British/Canadians reclaimed (what is now) Southern Ontario and Fort Malden.

After the War of 1812, the British had let the fort fall into disrepair until the threat of rebellion was growing in Upper Canada, the fort was repaired to full military use where it was garrisoned with men from the 34th Regiment of foot (made famous for their routing the French 34th regiment during the Napoleonic wars).

After the rebellion was ended, the Fort again was not necessary as a military installation and it was changed from a military institution for a psychiatric institution where the employees resided in the smallest barracks building and the two large remaining barracks' were divided up for gender accordingly, measures were also made to plant trees on and around the fort property to provide much needed shade which was not present from the military as it would obscure their view of an attacking force. After some time, the fort was no longer necessary as a psychiatric institution and it moved to St. Catherines Ontario where it still exists today.

After that second purpose for the grounds was completed, the fort property was then used as a woodmill until the property was sold off as private residences. The two large barracks buildings are no longer on the grounds as one was moved into the town of Amherstburg where it burned down while being used as a stable during the 1920's. The other barracks building technically still exists today, but has been since moved from the fort grounds, divided up into three and sold as individual residences which still maintain the same shape and in at least one of the houses original walls were still found intact.

Fort Amherstburg still continues today in a military tradition, but is now a historic site which is frequently visited by tourists from around the world. Every Canada Day, an 1812 6-pounder field cannon is fired before a large display of fireworks is commenced.

Tourists can now visit Fort Malden in Amherstburg Ontario during July and August and even find the Fort garrisoned with summer staff who wear the same pattern of uniform and ladies who wear the many layers of clothing and one can see what fort life was like in the early 19th century through cooking demonstrations and the ever popular musket firing demonstrations as well. The biggest event at Fort Malden would be on the Canadian Civic Holiday weekend where re-enactors of time periods ranging from Ancient Rome to World War Two gather and perform combat demonstrations and have a full encampment.

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"Fort Amherstburg in the War of 1812" by Bob Garcia

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