Canadian Military History Gateway

Title: British 'India Pattern' musket, 1797-1839

Select

Type:

Description: The 'India Pattern' was an economy version of the earlier 'Short Land' pattern muzzle-loading smoothbore flintlock musket. During the 1790s, the British colonial army in India was increasing rapidly in size, and the new pattern of musket was created as a relatively inexpensive of arming these men. As the French Revolutionary Wars dragged on, the India pattern was adopted for all new production in 1797. These weapons found their way to every continent. The British infantry used them until the late 1830s. The Canadian militia did not replace these weapons until the mid-1850s. (Parks Canada)

Site: National Defence

Title: Barracks

Select

Type:

Description: The British garrison in Canada lived almost exclusively in barracks during the 18th and 19th centuries, unlike troops during the earlier French regime. This made British troops a somewhat isolated society within the colony as a whole. The authorities felt that this improved discipline.

Site: National Defence

Title: 32 pounder guns mounted on traversing wooden garrison platforms

Select

Type:

Description: These early 19th century British artillery pieces are mounted on platforms that allow guns to swing in a wide arc and thus follow a moving target such as a ship. These reconstucted carriages are found at the Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site near Montreal, Quebec. The fortifications were built to defend the canal lock - the first built in North America.

Site: National Defence

Title: Weapons

Select

Type:

Description: This section illustrates a selection of firearms and bladed weapons used by British and Canadian military units during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Site: National Defence

Title: British iron mortar, circa 1810

Select

Type:

Description: Mortars were designed to shoot an exploding shell at a very high angle, 45 degrees or more. They were used in the siege and defence of fortifications. An explosive shell was fired up into the air and arced downwards to drop within the enemy defences. When the shell's fuse burned down, it exploded. These projectiles are the 'bombs bursting in air' mentioned in the American national anthem, where they were being fired from a British fleet attacking Baltimore.

Site: National Defence

Title: Fort Chambly

Select

Type:

Description: The third fort on this site, construction began on Fort Chambly in 1709. It was made of stone and looked rather like a castle. This made it different from the low-lying, bastioned fortresses of Europe. The fort was built to be impressive and all but impregnable to Indian enemies and raiding American colonials. The fort wall facing the Richelieu River was pierced for artillery. During the War of 1812, Fort Chambly was the HQ for British and Canadian troops guarding the area south of Montreal against an advance by American armies. The complex fell into ruins during the 19th century. Its walls were stabilized in 1885 when it was made a Canadian government historic park. Recognized as a unique surviving example of military architecture, Fort Chambly was given a major restoration in the 1980s by Parks Canada. This returned the fort to its appearance of the mid-18th century.

Site: National Defence

Title: The Board of Ordnance - a Separate Fiefdom

Select

Type:

Description: In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Board of Ordnance was a separate government department. It supplied weapons and ammunition to the army and Royal Navy, and built fortifications and all other military buildings. It was also responsible for the Royal Artillery and the Royal Engineers.

Site: National Defence

Title: 'Cat of nine tails' whip

Select

Type:

Description: The 'cat of nine tails' was a whip used to flog soldiers. This one was used in the British 83rd Regiment of Foot. The length of the wooden stick was 43cm (1' 5"), its tails 53cm (1' 9"), and it weighed 141,75 g. (5 ounces). (Library of the Canadian Department of National Defence)

Site: National Defence

Title: The Crossing

Select

Type:

Description: British troops crossing the Atlantic during the 18th and 19th centuries were never comfortable. Transports were very crowded, with men sleeping 4 to a bunk. If bad weather prevented exercise on deck, epidemics were a real possibility. By sail, the trip took 2 or 3 months.

Site: National Defence

Title: A Very Mixed Organization

Select

Type:

Description: Before 1854, the British army was governed by a complex series of overlapping bodies. Horse Guards (army headquarters) controlled most troops, but the civil Treasury ministry handled supplies, transportation and (in Canada) barracks through the Commissariat Department.

Site: National Defence

1800	1801	1802	1803	1804	1805	1806	1807	1808	1809
										Soldiers, Warriors and Leaders
										Wars, Battles and Conflicts
										Armed Forces
										Strategy and Tactics
										Weapons, Equipment and Fortifications

Common menu bar links

Institutional links

CMHG

My Gateway

Search

Timeline
(1000-2000)

Timeline

SELECT A CENTURY

SELECT A DECADE

SELECT A YEAR / SUBJECT BY YEAR

Common menu bar links

Institutional links

CMHG

My Gateway

Search

Timeline(1000-2000)

Timeline

SELECT A CENTURY

SELECT A DECADE

SELECT A YEAR / SUBJECT BY YEAR

Timeline
(1000-2000)