Events from the year 1813 in Canada.
Incumbents Monarch: George III
Federal government Parliament of Lower Canada: 7th Parliament of Upper Canada: 6th
Governors Governor of the Canadas: Robert Milnes Governor of New Brunswick: George Prevost Governor of Nova Scotia: John Coape Sherbrooke Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: Richard Goodwin Keats Governor of Prince Edward Island: Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres then Charles Douglass Smith
Events January 22 – General Henry Proctor's 1,300 British and natives capture 495 U.S. troops, under General Winchester. February 7 – Raid on Elizabethtown. March 30 – Engagement at Lacolle. April 27 – Battle of York: The Americans, under Henry Dearborn, take York, but the explosion of a magazine kills many of them. Americans burn York. May 5 – Battle of Fort George. June 1 – The English frigate "Shannon" takes the "Chesapeake," in 15 minutes, off Boston. June 3 – The "Growler" and the "Eagle," which left Plattsburg, yesterday, are taken by the British gun-boats they pursued June 6 – Capture of Generals Chandler and Winder and 120 U.S. troops, at Stoney Creek, by Sgt. Alexander Fraser. The Battle of Stoney Creek is a Canadian victory. June 23 or June 24 – Battle of Beaver Dams is a Canadian victory, in part due to Laura Secord's famous 32 km. walk to warn Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon, who had already been warned by Natives. July 30 – The British destroy Plattsburg's barracks, and fire at Burlington, but avoid the reply. September 10 – The Battle of Put-in-Bay, Lake Erie is an American victory. October 5 – The Battle of Moraviantown, also known as the Battle of the Thames, is an American victory. British supporter and Shawnee Indian Chief Tecumseh is killed. October 25 – The Battle of Chateauguay, with mostly French-Canadian soldiers is a Canadian victory over larger numbers of American troops. October 26 – General Hampton, commanding 7,000 U.S. troops, ignorant of Col. Charles de Salaberry's experience, and expecting French desertions, divides his force. Part lose their way; the rest spend their strength in a maze of obstructions. De Salaberry gains the thanks of the commander-in-chief and of both Houses, and decoration by then prince regent George IV . November 11 – The Battle of Crysler's Farm, with English-Canadian soldiers, is a Canadian victory over larger American troops. December 19 – Col. Murray takes Fort Niagara. Quebec City has a shipping year involving 198 vessels, of 46,514 tons. Angus Bethune witnessed the North West Company's purchase of Fort Astoria from the Pacific Fur Company.
Births March 5 – Casimir Gzowski, engineer (d.1898) June 5 – François Bourassa, farmer and politician (d.1898) August 4 – George Luther Hathaway, 3rd Premier of New Brunswick (d.1872) August 7 – John Ostell, architect, surveyor and manufacturer (d.1892) September 30 – John Rae, doctor and explorer (d.1893)
Full date unknown James Austin, businessman (d.1897)
Deaths February 5 – William Berczy, painter, architect, author, and colonizer (b.1744) April 27 – Zebulon Pike, American-born general and explorer (b.1779) October 5 – Tecumseh (b.c1768) November 26 – John Craigie, businessman and political figure (b.c1757) December 19 – James McGill, merchant, philanthropist (b.1744)
Historical documents House of Representatives foreign relations committee acknowledges withdrawal of orders-in-council, but impressment remains cause for war"Report of the Committee of Foreign Relations" (January 29, 1813), Facts and Documents, Relative to the State of the Controversy, between America and Great Britain (Boston, 1813), pgs. 21–5 Douglas Library, Queen's University. Accessed 7 March 2025
War policy in Washington not based on prudence, justice and patriotism, but desire to retain power by promoting old anti-British prejudices"Answer of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, to the Governor's Speech," Public Documents of the Legislature of Massachusetts (1813), pg. 32 Accessed 7 March 2025
"From Maine to Delaware we have one common interest[--]the preservation of commerce, which[...]southwards they are determined to destroy""Introductory Remarks," Perpetual War, the Policy of Mr. Madison (Boston, 1813), pg. (3) Accessed 7 March 2025
Even pro-U.S.A. British won't "surrender the maritime rights of" U.K., though Madison says "freedom of the seas must be conquered through Canada""Boston, January 29; England was never[....]" The (Saint John, N.B.) Royal Gazette and New Brunswick Advertiser (March 1, 1813), pg. 2 (4th column), University of New Brunswick Libraries. Accessed 17 March 2025
British government sets out its version of events and motivations that led to war with U.S.A."London; Manifesto against America; From the London Gazette, Jan. 9, 1813," The Royal Gazette, and Newfoundland Advertiser (April 29, 1813) pg. 1 of 2 (righthand page). Accessed 5 March 2025
People of British possessions are mere petitioners who should not assume right of people of Great Britain to criticize imperial government"The right of the People of Great Britain[....]," The Quebec Gazette, July 22, 1813 pg. 2 (3rd column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. See also editorial (pg. 3, 2nd column) claiming "the people of British America have the unalienable rights of Britons." Accessed 25 March 2025
Prince Regent, at meeting in London tavern to raise funds for "sufferers in British North America," notes his long residence in B.N.A. provinces"London, June 30; Sufferers in British North-America," The Royal Gazette, and Newfoundland Advertiser (November 11, 1813) pg. 7 of 7. Accessed 6 March 2025
War of 1812 Map: Canada – U.S.A. frontier, including Upper and Lower Canada on main map and New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on insetCharles Smith, "A Map Exhibiting the Frontiers of Canada and the United States, intended to Illustrate the Operations of the British and American Armies" (1813), Toronto Public Library. Accessed 28 March 2025
"[In Upper Canada, the enemy's] defeats, bad pay, bad clothing, bad feeding, bad lodging, sickness, disunion and insubordination [help us.]""Quebec, January 12, 1813; In the Upper Province[....]," The Quebec Mercury, January 12, 1813 pg. 15 (right column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. See also Pres. Madison's letter of September 30, 1813 setting out initial war plans and subsequent problems. Accessed 24 March 2025
Amb. John Quincy Adams tells Russian count that U.S. troops "were all too raw and unskilled in War to make much progress in Canada""1 February 1813" John Quincy Adams Digital Diary, Massachusetts Historical Society. See also Adams letter at this time to his mother in which he says U.S.A. is "the scorn and laughter of all Europe." Accessed 29 March 2025
Official report of British victory at Frenchtown, Michigan under command of Col. Henry Procter and Chief Round Head"Adjutant General's Office, Quebec, 8th February, 1813," The Quebec Mercury, February 9, 1813 pg. 47 (centre column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 24 March 2025
"Tory feelings[,] newspapers & pamphlets supported by foreign[ers,] mercantile credit" - John Adams accounts for opposition in U.S.A. to warLetter of John Adams (February 9, 1813), U.S. National Archives. See also U.S. officer's description (pg. 1, centre column) of favour toward British in New England. Accessed 3 March 2025
"A force is now prepared or preparing that will compel [Americans] either to keep in port or subject them to be captured if they venture out""E.G. Lutwyche to Judge Edward Winslow" (March 1, 1813), Winslow Papers; A. D. 1776–1826 (1901), pg. 677–8 (frame 699). Accessed 29 March 2025
Comparison of British and U.S. frigates finds former are crewed by fewer men and they are less skilled (about 6/7ths are landsmen)"From a late Bermuda Paper; A Comparative View[....]," The Royal Gazette, and Newfoundland Advertiser (September 23, 1813) pg. 1 of 2 (lefthand page). Accessed 6 March 2025
Congress offers bounty to "burn, sink, or destroy" British warships with "torpedoes, submarine instruments, or any other destructive machine"An Act to Encourage the Destruction of the Armed Vessels of War of the Enemy ("Approved March 3, 1813"), Lillian Goldman Law Library. See also short description (4th column) of deployment of torpedoes and long description (4th column) of torpedo attack. Accessed 3 March 2025
British American merchants in London warn that troops currently in Upper and Lower Canada would not be enough even to defend Quebec City"To the Gentlemen composing the British American Committee" (March 18, 1813), Acadian Recorder (August 7, 1813), pg. 1 (3rd column), Nova Scotia Archives. See also letter of "the Committee of Merchants interested in the Trade and Fisheries of the British North American Colonies" in 4th column. Accessed 14 March 2025
Letter writer on St. Lawrence River notes British military's mobility, saying one unit got from Plymouth, England to Prescott, U.C. in 6 weeks"Boston, June 1," Acadian Recorder (June 12, 1813), pg. 1 (2nd column), Nova Scotia Archives. Accessed 13 March 2025
Broadside describes combined U.S. Army and Navy forces' capture of York, Upper Canada"Victory by Gen. Dearborn" (May 1, 1813), Toronto Public Library. See also two official U.S. descriptions of York capture (pg. 2 of 2, lefthand page) and British description (pg. 2, 4th column) of action following York surrender and U.S. general quoted (pg. 2, 3rd column) as saying attack on York was in disobedience of orders to take Kingston, which "had ruined the plan of the Campaign." Accessed 10 March 2025
U.S. commander at Fort Erie invites Canadians "anxious to obtain special protection [to come in] that they may be distinguished from the enemy""Address to the Canadians" (May 30, 1813), The (Saint John, N.B.) Royal Gazette and New Brunswick Advertiser (July 13, 1813), pg. 2 (2nd column), University of New Brunswick Libraries. Accessed 20 March 2025
Outnumbered British Regulars use bayonets to push through "impetuous confusion" of night fight at U.S. camp near Stoney Creek, Upper Canada"Battle of Stony Creek" (June 8, 1813), The John Askin Papers; Volume II: 1796-1820 (1931), pgs. 757-9. See also British commander's brief description (3rd column) of battle and description of troop movements (pg. 2 of 2, righthand pg., 1st column) from U.S. reports. Accessed 5 March 2025
After so many U.S. disasters, "we should think that 'the most enlightened people in the world' would begin to be sick[...]of the idea of 'taking Canada'""Boston, June 29," The (Saint John, N.B.) Royal Gazette and New Brunswick Advertiser (July 13, 1813), pg. 1 (1st column), University of New Brunswick Libraries. See also Pres. Madison letter saying he's aware of discontent, and that "success alone" will end it. Accessed 20 March 2025
Lengthy account of Beaver Dams victory centres on Lt. Fitzgibbon and includes actions by specific civilians (but not Laura Secord)"Montreal, July 6; Immediately after[....]," The Quebec Gazette, July 15, 1813 pg. 2 (2nd column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. See also another account titled "Battle of Beaver Dams" (pgs. 763-5) and announcement from British headquarters and account (1st column) by U.S. commander and Montreal editorial (pg. 3, 2nd column) praising Fitzgibbon and civilians. Accessed 4 March 2025
Witness to British raid on Black Rock, N.Y. is captured by men of 49th Regiment amid musketry, destruction of warehouses and sharing of liquor"Col Bishops Atack un [sic] Black Rock July 11th 1813," "Letter from James Sloan, 1813-07-11" Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. See also official account (pg. 2, 4th column) of raid. Accessed 3 March 2025