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Fort Henry History

Our Experience :: History :: Past Activity

Location: Kingston, Ontario
Date: August , 2007
Members: Amanda, Rachel, Paula, Crystal, Donny, Jay, Jeff & Dan
Equipment: 4 Digital cameras, 2 camcorders, 3 voice recorders, 1 digital thermometer, 1 EMF detector, 1 audio enhancer, 1 Infrared Camera

History

Fort Henry was originally built during the War of 1812 (1812-1814), though the structure that exists today does not look anything like the original.  The Fort was built because the British has anticipated an attack on Point Henry due to its location near the Royal Navy Dockyards (now the site of the Royal Military College), and the St Lawrence River.

Between 1832 and 1837, the Fort was rebuilt, and this is the same structure you can visit today.  It was felt necessary to reinforce Point Henry at this point in time, as it was located at an intersection of three major waterways:  The Rideau Canal, The St. Lawrence River, and Lake Ontario.  Fort Henry became the largest fort west of Quebec City, costing 70,000 British pounds sterling to construct – which would equal to $35,000,000 in modern Canadian currency.

In 1870, the British Army abandoned the Fort.  It was then garrisoned by Canadian troops until 1891.  The Fort was then left in disrepair until 1936.  It was then restored by a man names Ronald L. Way (1908-1978) and opened as a museum on August 1, 1938.

Fort Henry was never attacked, but it did witness many amazing things.  It witnessed the founding of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, one of the first units in the Canadian Army, whose B Battery was based at the Fort.  The Fort was also used as a Prisoner of War camp during the First World War (holding Ukrainian detainees), and the Second World War (holding Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine personnel).

During the construction of the Martello Tower on Cedar Island in 1847, a group of 23 workers were returning home [from working on the tower] when their boat capsized.  Two of the workers were able to swim to safety, while four others hung on to the overturned boat.  When the ordeal was over, 17 workers had lost their lives.  As a result, the waters between Cedar Island and Point Henry was renamed “Deadmans Bay.”  Before this, following the War of 1812, a number of British naval vessels were sunk in this same location.

 

History of Nils Von Schoultz

 

On November 12, 1838 two boats approached Prescott with Americans on board.  They attempted to land at Prescott Wharf, but when the alarm sounded, both took off, but one managed to run aground at Windmill Point.  With the defection of General Birge, command now fell to Nils Von Schoultz.  Von Schoultz envisioned a quick victory, but soon found out differently, as he stumbled into a hotbed of loyalism.  Von Schoultz though that the mill would be a great place for sniper activity and with its think stone walls, it would make a veritable fortress..

200 invaders took refuge in the mill and surrounding stone houses.  The mill was a terribly uncomfortable place and they ran out of supplies.  The escape and supply routes on the riverside were blocked by British gun boats.  A land attack was launched against the invaders by British regulars and militia on November 13, 1838.  Eventually 2000 regulars and militia launched a direct frontal assault, but were beaten back after sustaining heavy casualties.  Finally Von Schoultz and his men were pushed back under the relentless pressure from the British forces.  After 4 days of fighting, running short of food and water, with no medical supplies, the invaders surrendered on the evening of November 16, 1838.

The prisoners were taken to Kingston.  Out of the 159 prisoners, 11 were executed, 3 died of wounds, and 60 were convicted and sent to Australia.  The remainder of prisoners were boy (ages 15 – 18), who were given their release papers and send home.  Nils Von Schoultz was one of those executed.  He was hanged at the gallows at Fort Henry.

 

Taken from parks.on.ca