The Bloody Assize in
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of th ...
was a series of trials held at
Ancaster during the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...
. The trials resulted in treason convictions and subsequent execution of Upper Canada residents who were found to have violently aided the enemy.
History
During the war, a number of settlers from the
Niagara and
London District
London District (LONDIST) is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. It was established in 1870 as ''Home District''.
History
In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in ...
s took up arms against their neighbours in aid of American raiders.
[Martin L. Friedland. ]
Courts and Trials: A Multidisciplinary Approach
'. University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division; 15 December 1975. . p. 162–. Many were American born and later fled to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
Searching for the Forgotten War - 1812 Canada
'. Xlibris Corporation; 15 February 2011. . p. 89–.
In 1813, several groups were taken prisoner. In 1814, nineteen people were charged with
high treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
and charges were also filed against a number of persons then living outside Canada.
Daily Lives of Civilians in Wartime Early America: From the Colonial Era to the Civil War
'. Greenwood Publishing Group; 2007. . p. 106–. In May of that year, a special court was established at Ancaster and a series of trials were held in June. The judges presiding over these trials were Chief Justice
Thomas Scott Thomas Scott may refer to:
Australia
* Thomas Hobbes Scott (1783–1860), Anglican clergyman and first Archdeacon of New South Wales
* Thomas Scott (Australian politician) (1865–1946), member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
* Thomas Sco ...
, Justice
William Dummer Powell
William Dummer Powell (November 5, 1755 - September 6, 1834) was a Loyalist lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.
Early life and education
Born at Boston, Massachusetts, he was named for his grandmother's brother William Dummer, ...
, and Justice
William Campbell. The prosecutor was the attorney general for the province,
John Beverley Robinson
John Beverley Robinson (February 21, 1821 – June 19, 1896) was a Canadian politician, lawyer and businessman. He was mayor of Toronto and a provincial and federal member of parliament. He was the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario between ...
.
Fifteen men were convicted and sentenced to death.
[Mary Ellen Perkins. ]
Discover Your Heritage: A Guide to Provincial Plaques in Ontario
'. Dundurn; 30 June 1989. . p. 83–. Eight were hanged at the
Burlington Heights British military camp on July 20, 1814 and their heads chopped off and displayed on poles. Their heads were later paraded across the local villages. The bodies were buried in an unmarked grave close to the gallows. Seven others were banished. Of those, three died of
typhus
Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure. ...
while still in captivity and one escaped and was not recaptured.
The eight executed were Aaron Stevens, Adam Crysler, Dayton Lindsey, Noah Payne Hopkins, George Peacock, Jr., Isaiah Brink, Benjamin Simmons and John Dunham. Their possessions were confiscated.
[''Vol. XX. Records and Papers of Canadian Historical Society'' ] Others convicted included Jacob Overholser, Garrett Neil and Isaac Petit, who died of typhus.
References
{{reflist
External links
Historical Plaque Photo
Corvallis Community Pages
"Ancaster Bloody Assize of 1814"
''The Canadian Encyclopedia''.
War of 1812
1814 in Upper Canada