Americans landing at Fort George. |
This story is about a young
ghost that haunts Fort George located at Niagara-on-the-Lake * in Ontario,
Canada.
The Americans destroyed this
fort during the War of 1812.
America began this
war with Canada after being provoked. The British Royal Navy had taken to
forcefully “press-ganging” American sailors into service with their fleet. The
British were undermanned at the time because of the Napoleonic Wars, which were raging across Europe.
The British were also trying
to prevent the U.S. from trading with France.
Also, the British
were arming Native American tribes that were standing in the way of
American expansion. During this time, American extended from
the Mississippi basin to the Great Lakes.
In one battle in the spring of 1813, an
American fleet appeared at the mouth of the Niagara River. These warships
bombarded Niagara-on-the-Lake with cannonballs. Two days later they sent
hundreds of rowboats ashore at Lake Ontario close to Fort George.
The Canadians and British were
outnumbered 10 to l so they could not hold back the Americans. They were forced
to retreat, and U.S. troops took control of the town.
American Patriots who were
loyal to King George lll during the Revolutionary War, populated Niagara-on-the-Lake, so its residents held a robust anti-American sentiment
already.
Many of these Patriots lost
their property and were ostracized after the Revolutionary War so most of them
then headed north to the Niagara region.
Fort George played a vital
role as the Americans attacked Niagara-on-the-Lake, but it was ultimately destroyed
during the fighting.
A depiction of Fort George in 1812. |
The U.S. hoped this conquest
would help them gain control of Upper Canada but their defeat at the Battle of Stoney
Creek, later that June, halted their ambitions.
When winter arrived the
Americans finding themselves vulnerable to attack had no choice but to retreat
back to the American side of the Niagara River.
But before they did this, on
December 10, 1813, they burned Niagara-on-the-Lake to the ground. Which left the
residents out in the freezing cold.
Part of Fort George today. |
Within a decade this town was
rebuilt and is today a thriving tourist area. Fort George was restored in more
recent years and is today a National Historical site that offers tours.
It contains several buildings
including barracks, officer’s quarters, and craftsmen shops. Many witnesses
feel this fort’s Palisades and earthen parapets are haunted.
In fact, the fort is
considered one of Canada’s most haunted.
There have been many
sightings of ethereal soldiers standing guard along the parapets. Witnesses
have heard drum rolls across the grounds, and phantom gunfire is also heard
rumbling.
But by far the fort’s most
active ghost is not a soldier but rather a young girl who was the daughter of
one of the families that lived at Fort George.
* The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has had many
names over the past 200 years. It was first named Butlersburg, then New
Niagara, West Niagara, Lenox and then Newark. It wasn’t until the late 19th
century it was called Niagara-on-the-Lake.
In Part ll of Sara Ann and Fort George sightings of
this young ghost is shared.
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