Events from the year 1814 in Canada.
Incumbents Monarch: George III
Federal government Parliament of Lower Canada: 7th (until March 22) Parliament of Upper Canada: 6th
Governors Governor of the Canadas: Robert Milnes Governor of New Brunswick: George Prevost Governor of Nova Scotia: John Coape Sherbrooke Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: Richard Goodwin Keats Governor of Prince Edward Island: Charles Douglass Smith
Events March 3 – The Governor refuses to suspend Chief Justices Sewell and Monk, on suggestion of one branch of the Legislature. James Stuart moves, affirming the Assembly's right to inform the Governor of irregularities, without concurrence of the council; and that the Governor has violated the Constitution. March 7 – The Assembly votes confidence in the Governor, apart from his advisors. March 8 – The council sustain their Clerk's refusal to show their minutes to a Committee of the Assembly. March 9 – The Assembly vote 2,000 pounds, for impeachment of Chief Justices Sewell and Monk. The council will not pass the item. March 17 – The Assembly resolve that the council's disallowance of a money bill is contrary to English and Canadian usage. May 6 – The British, under Henry Drummond, burn Fort Oswego, on Lake Ontario. May 25 – Louis-Joseph Papineau is unanimously elected speaker. July 5 – Battle of Chippewa. July 25 – The United States lose about 1,000 of 3,000 at the Battle of Lundy's Lane. August – 4,000 of Wellington's veterans have reached Canada. August 1 to November 5 – The Siege of Fort Erie. August 11 – Battle of Lake Champlain. August 14 – At Fort Erie, the British lose many lives, by the explosion of a magazine. August – General Ross takes Washington, D.C. August 25 – The seaboard of the United States is blockaded by ships released from European service. August – Envoys consider terms of peace, at Ghent. September 12 – An expedition of 11,000 under Governor George Prevost, supplied to winter at Plattsburg, N.Y., seeing its fleet dispersed and the enemy gathering, retreats, abandoning stores. In 1813, Wellington desired that Prevost should not abandon his policy of defence for petty advantages, to be gained by invasion, which he could not possibly maintain. October – Martin Chittenden, Governor of Vermont, regards the war "as unnecessary, unwise and hopeless, in all its offensive operations." December 22 – Treaty of Commerce, between the U.S. and Great Britain, signed at Ghent. December 24 – Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812. December 27 – Then prince regent George IV ratifies both treaties. One relates to boundaries and the slave trade. David Thompson delivers his map of western North America to partners of North West Company. Canadian Army bills, 1,500,000 pounds. Chief Justice Sewell, while in England, to defend himself, advises uniting the Canadas with one Parliament. The Assembly re-proposes representation in London. The Council objects. The Home Government declares that the Governor is the constitutional medium of communication between the Colony and the Imperial Government.
Births February 10 – David Anderson, Church of England priest and bishop of Rupert's Land (d.1885) May 3 John Hamilton Gray, Premier of New Brunswick (d.1889) Adams George Archibald, politician (d.1892) May 20 – William Steeves, politician (d. 1873) July 21 – Jacques Philippe Lantier, businessman, author and politician (d.1882) September 6 – George-Étienne Cartier, politician and statesman (d.1873)
Full date unknown Thomas-Louis Connolly, Archbishop of Halifax (d.1876) William Kennedy April 1814
Deaths September 4 – Joseph Willcocks, diarist, office holder, printer, publisher, journalist, politician, and army officer (b.1773)
Historical documents "What constitutes the greatness and happiness of a nation:" people's spirit, education, "the political constitution under which they live" etc.James Somerville, "A Discourse, delivered in the Scotch Church at Montreal[....]" (April 21, 1814), pg. 17 Accessed 7 April 2025
Indigenous people's "firm attachment to our interest[...]adds greatly to our means of defending and securing our Canadian possessions"David Anderson, "The firm attachment of the Indians to our interest[....]," Canada, or, A View of the Importance of the British American Colonies, pg. 241 Accessed 7 April 2025
London-based charity for poor children's education in Upper and Lower Canada funds school intended for 3–400 boys in Quebec City"Education of the Poor in Canada," The Quebec Gazette, October 6, 1814 pg. 3 (1st column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 14 April 2025
Cartoon: William Charles shows "Iohn" Bull as King George "baking" more ships to replace ones taken on "the Lakes," including by "Mac Do-enough"William Charles, "Iohn Bull making a new Batch of Ships to send to the Lakes" (Philadelphia, 1814), Toronto Public Library. Accessed 7 April 2025
War of 1812 Pres. Madison informs Congress of U.S. acceptance of U.K. proposal to begin peace negotiations; but not with any relaxation of war preparations"Important; Peace Tidings; To the Senate[....]" (January 6, 1814), The Royal Gazette, and Newfoundland Advertiser (February 24, 1814) pg. 2 of 2 (lefthand page). Accessed 4 April 2025
Maryland House of Delegates fears "barbarity" of U.S. forces burning Newark, U.C. may bring "upon our coasts the most direful vengeance""To James Madison from the Maryland House of Delegates, ca. 25 January 1814" U.S. National Archives. See also Thomas Jefferson letter in which he advises government to justify or disavow burning of Newark. Accessed 21 April 2025
Editorial says U.S.A. must capture Kingston, Upper Canada; "anything done to the westward [is] taking the lion by the tail only""Quebec, March 15, 1814; The capture of Kingston[....]," The Quebec Mercury (March 15, 1814) pg. 7 (left column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 11 April 2025.
Regarding reports of armistice, Secretary of State tells President "the affair [is] unsettled, and might terminate in nothing.""To James Madison from James Monroe" (April 10, 1814), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 22 April 2025
Print: Attack on Ft. Oswego, N.Y., with rescue of wounded British soldiers (foreground) and warships firing on promontory (background)"Storming Fort Oswego, on Lake Ontario, North America. May 6th, 1814" (1817), Musée McCord Stewart Museum. See also British and U.S. documents (pgs. 463–79) on Oswego battle. Accessed 18 April 2025
With Napoleon's fall, U.K. concludes conventions with other Allied Powers, including one keeping them (and France) out of War of 1812"The Royal Gazette; Thursday, June 2, 1814; Vienna, April 9," The Royal Gazette, and Newfoundland Advertiser (June 2, 1814) pg. 2 of 2 (righthand page, 1st column). Accessed 4 April 2025
Editorial: "The war must soon we think change from an offensive to a defensive one on the part of the States[....]""Quebec, July 12, 1814; Things appear to continue quiet[....]" The Quebec Mercury (July 12, 1814) pg. 6, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 15 April 2025.
"Obstinate and sanguinary contest" - Bloody Battle of Lundy's Lane leaves "vast numbers of[...]dead upon the field""Montreal Herald Extra" (August 2, 1814), The Quebec Gazette, August 4, 1814 pg. 2 (2nd column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. See also U.S. account of battle. Accessed 14 April 2025
"The power of England was never displayed in Canada like at present. The troops which arrive daily are[...]brigades moved from [France]"Quebec; Thursday, August 4, 1814," The Quebec Gazette, August 4, 1814 pg. 2 (3rd column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. See also John Quincy Adams letter expressing his pessimism about U.S.A.'s prospects. Accessed 14 April 2025
Royal Navy surgeon from Nova Scotia, with British forces in Washington, witnesses burning of Capitol, White House and other sites"A Nova Scotian Observer at the Burning of Washington, August 1814," pgs. 2–3 See also John Quincy Adams letter exploring reasons for British policy of burning. Accessed 11 April 2025
U.S. General Macomb reports defeat of British squadron on Lake Champlain and rout of Gen. Prevost's army in Battle of Plattsburgh"H. Q. Plattsburgh, September 14, 1814; General Orders," The Quebec Gazette, September 29, 1814 pg. 2 (2nd column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. See also Master Commandant Macdonough's report (pg. 5; frame 9) of battle with British squadron and several documents (pgs. 607–17) about battle. Accessed 14 April 2025
John Quincy Adams and 4 other U.S. negotiators assume British are delaying peace treaty talks until after Congress of Vienna"The ministers plenipotentiary[...]to the secretary of state" (October 25, 1814), "Message from the President of the United States[....]," pg. . Accessed 23 April 2025
Opinion: U.S. war aim seems to have changed from conquering Canada to preserving "that ascendency which they acquired by the peace of 1783""Quebec; Thursday, November 17, 1814; The efforts[....]," The Quebec Gazette, November 17, 1814 pg. 2 (3rd column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 16 April 2025
Treaty of Ghent ends war and returns captured territory (including lands of First Nations at war) and seized property (including enslaved people)Treaty of Peace and Amity between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America (December 24, 1814), Lillian Goldman Law Library. See also "A Compressed View of the Points to be Discussed, in treating with the United States of America; A.D. 1814" Accessed 3 April 2025
"Demagogues [exploiting] hatred to England,[...]popular favour, the obsession of power, money [etc., will lead] to eternal war with England""From the United States Gazette; Reflections," The Montreal Herald, December 10, 1814 pg. 2 (5th column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 17 April 2025
Lower Canada Map: Lower Canada from Lake St. Francis to Quebec City, with districts, counties, and towns (settler and Indigenous), plus mills, roads and battles"New Correct Map of the Seat of War in Lower Canada" (1814), Toronto Public Library. Accessed 18 April 2025
Absence of 15,000 farming men in military and related services, troop movements and camping impede soil tillage and thus good harvests"To His Royal Highness the Prince Regent; A short time before[....]" Journal of the House of Assembly of Lower-Canada[...]1814, pg. 162 Accessed 10 April 2025
Troop transport carrying almost 200 soldiers and 21 women and children strikes rock in Gulf of St. Lawrence, leaving 37 survivors (all men)"Loss of the Transport Sovereign," The Quebec Gazette, November 10, 1814 pg. 3 (1st column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 16 April 2025
Editorial hopes that building Lachine Canal will draw investment from not just merchants and real estate men but "persons of every profession""Canal to Lachine," The Montreal Herald, December 3, 1814 pg. 3 (1st column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 17 April 2025
Act to establish post houses is for travellers' accommodation "and for rendering more certain the communication between different parts" of L.C.An Act to establish Post-Houses in the different parts of this Province (March 17, 1814), British North American Legislative Database, 1758-1867. Accessed 3 April 2025
Following death from bite of "a mad dog," court orders dogs and other animals bitten and running loose to be killed or confined by ownerCourt of Special Sessions of the Peace (District of Quebec), "Order; Of the Magistrates of the City and District of Quebec(....)" (August 5, 1814), Bibliothèque nationale du Québec. Accessed 7 April 2025