The Beginning of Fort Erie

Fort Erie’s Beginning Earl Plato
Dig into Louis McDermott’s historical collections and you never know what you will find! I did recently and came up with
this article from the Toronto Mail and Empire. Globe and Mail, yes, but Empire! No date given to the article by Fred Williams.
Could be early 1900‘s. He wrote, “Do you know…. that Fort Erie is one of the most ancient of Ontario’s outposts? A military post was founded there 1764 by Captain John Montresor, nearly 20 years before the first settlement at Niagara. From its inception it played a prominent part in commerce and war. For a time it was “on its own” as a military post but gradually came under Fort Niagara control when Simcoe arrived in 1792. Fort Erie was subordinate in a military sense to Fort Niagara. It drew its garrison from the British Army 5th Foot from there.”
Writer’s Note: Was Williams a military historian? I don’t know. How accurate are his views? Check them out.
“In the very early days of Upper Canada (Ontario) it (Fort Erie) was the place where the Indians met for conferences with British officials and twice with American commissioners. In the War of 1812-14 it was fought over every inch of he ground. Abandoned in 1813 after the capture of Fort George by the Americans it was re-occupied for a few months in 1814 by the British, but in July it fell again into American hands. A month later its fate seemed in balance. In August of that year British naval captain Dobbs portaged boats from lake Ontario to Lake Erie.
Writer’s note: Go to Crystal Beach Derby Circle and see the historic plaque about Dobb’s great feat.
The invaders (Americans) were given a body blow by Dobbs cutting out and capturing the American frigates, Ohio and the Somers. Three days later General Drummond at the head of a small but determined force attacked Fort Erie. It would have possibly captured the fort had not a premature explosion of an ammunition chest given alarm to the garrison and played havoc with the attacking party. Despite this mishap Drummond kept the fort in a state of siege for months.
Writer’s note: In my novel the Destroyer- The Siege of Fort Erie-1814 I disagree with Fred Williams. I agree with Pierre Berton that the explosion in the northwest bastion of the fort was probably no accident. It was by design. Remember over 800 British soldies lost their lives in that horrendous explosion.
The Americans made a fruitless sortie September 17th, but had to draw back. Joseph Willcocks, the traitor, met his death in that sortie while wearing the uniform of an American colonel. They finally abandoned the fort and laid the whole place to waste.