Citadel Hill (Fort George)
Halifax Citadel | |
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Fort George (1796–1828) | |
Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
Coordinates | 44°38′51″N 63°34′49″W / 44.64750°N 63.58028°W |
Built | 1749 (first Citadel) 1828–56 (present Citadel) |
Official name | Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada |
Designated | 29 May 1935 |
History of Halifax, Nova Scotia |
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Citadel Hill is a
The Citadel is the fortified summit of Citadel Hill. The hill was first fortified in 1749, the year that Edward Cornwallis oversaw the development of the town of Halifax. Those fortifications were successively rebuilt to defend the town from various enemies. Construction and leveling have lowered the summit by ten to twelve metres. While never attacked, the Citadel was long the keystone to defence of the strategically important Halifax Harbour and its Royal Navy Dockyard.
Today,
Predecessors
First Citadel (1749–1776)
The English founded Halifax in 1749 to establish a presence in Nova Scotia as a counterbalance to the French stronghold of Louisbourg, which the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) had returned to France. Halifax was a strategic centre during the next decade in the continuing Anglo-French rivalry in the region.[2] The English had recruited Protestant settlers from England, the Palatine, and Switzerland, and constructed fortifications to protect them against raids by the French, colonial Acadians, and allies from the Wabanaki Confederacy (primarily the Mi'kmaq). This conflict is known to some historians as Father Le Loutre's War.
The war began shortly after Edward Cornwallis, appointed Governor of Nova Scotia, arrived on June 21, 1749, to establish Halifax. He traveled on a sloop of war, followed by 13 transports (some sources say 15) that carried a total of 1,176–2500 settlers.[3]
On September 11, 1749, Cornwallis wrote to the Board of Trade, which supervised this colonial effort:
- "The Square at the top of the Hill is finished. These squares are done with double picquets, each picquet ten foot long and six inches thick. They likewise clear a Space of 9 metres (30 feet) without the Line and throw up the Trees by way of Barricade. When this work is compleated [sic] I shall think the Town as secure against Indians as if it was regularly fortify'd."[4][5]
The first fort was a small redoubt, with a flagstaff and guardhouse near the summit just east of the south ravelin of the present citadel.[6] It was part of the western perimeter wall for the old city, which was protected by five stockaded forts. The others were Horsemans Fort,[7] Cornwallis Fort, Fort Lutrell, and Grenadier Fort. The British also built Fort Charlotte - named after King George's wife Charlotte - on Georges Island in 1750.
The fortified city walls, guarded by five stockaded forts to protect against Mi'kmaq, Acadian, and French attacks, was the centre of a network of fortifications Cornwallis built. Others included Bedford (Fort Sackville) (1749), Dartmouth (1750), Lunenburg (1753) and Lawrencetown (1754).
During Father Le Loutre's War, the soldiers guarding Halifax were constantly on alert. The Mi'kmaq and Acadians raided the capital region (Halifax and Dartmouth) 12 times, four times against Halifax itself. The worst of these raids was what the British call the Dartmouth Massacre (1751). The first raid was in July 1750: the Mi'kmaq scalped Cornwallis' gardener, his son, and four others whom they had caught in the woods near Halifax. They buried the son, left the gardener's body exposed, and carried off the other four bodies.[8]
In 1751, two attacks were made on blockhouses surrounding Halifax. The Mi'kmaq attacked the North Blockhouse (located at the north end of Joseph Howe Drive) and killed the men on guard. They also attacked near the South Blockhouse (located at the south end of Joseph Howe Drive), at a sawmill on a stream flowing from Chocolate Lake into the Northwest Arm. They killed two men.[9] (Map of Halifax Blockhouses)
In 1753, when Lawrence became governor of Nova Scotia, the Mi'kmaq again attacked the sawmills near the South Blockhouse on the Northwest Arm, where they killed three British. The Mi'kmaq made three attempts to retrieve the bodies for their scalps.[10]
Prominent Halifax business person
The stockaded forts were also instrumental to the British during the
By 1761, the condition of the Halifax Citadel had deteriorated, and the British built a new one.[1] Although plans were drafted in 1761, construction was delayed due to events of the Seven Years War.[1] Given the threat of attack from rebels in the British Thirteen Colonies after the American Revolutionary War started in 1776, the British constructed the Second Citadel in an enlarged version of the 1761 plans.[1]
Second Citadel (1776–1795)
The first major permanent fortification were completed on Citadel Hill during the American Revolution.
Neither French nor American forces attacked Citadel Hill during the American Revolution. But the garrison remained on guard because of the numerous rebel American
By 1784 the fortification was in ruins except for the blockhouse.[1] During the French Revolutionary Wars, the British Commander-in-Chief, North America, Prince Edward, found the fortifications inadequate for the city's defence.[1] Although plans for the Third Citadel were drafted in 1795, construction for the new fortification did not begin until 1796, after the Second Citadel was dismantled.[1]
Third Citadel (1796–1828)
The French Revolutionary Wars that began in 1793 raised a new threat to Halifax. A new citadel was designed in 1794 and completed by 1800. Much of the work was inspired by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria, who was posted to Halifax as Commander-in-chief from 1794 to 1800. The top of the hill was levelled and lowered a further 4.5 metres (15 feet) to accommodate a larger fortress on the summit. It resembled the outline of the final Citadel, comprising four bastions surrounding a central barracks and magazine, but used mainly earthwork walls.[16] One bastion was constructed by Jamaican Maroons, who were transported from the Caribbean.
The Third Citadel received hasty repairs and a new magazine during the War of 1812 in case of an American raid, but the British did not construct new fortifications. The significant British Royal Navy presence in this area made an American siege unlikely. By 1825 all the works except the powder magazine were in ruins, and a new citadel was being designed.[1]
Present Citadel (1828–present)
Construction for the present citadel began in 1828.
The soldiers at the Halifax Citadel were on alert when Nova Scotia became the site of two international incidents during the American Civil War: the Chesapeake Affair, when Maritime Confederate sympathizers captured a United States ship, killing an American in the process. American warships entered these waters to recapture the ship. In addition, Confederate John Taylor Wood escaped from Halifax Harbour on the CSS Tallahassee.[21]
The Halifax Citadel was constructed to defend against
The 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot were stationed at Halifax for almost three years (1869-1871). The regiment arrived in Halifax on the afternoon of May 14 aboard the troopship HMS Crocodile. A total of 765 men disembarked in full dress uniform. The Regiment was divided into two depots and eight service companies, consisting in all of 34 officers, 49 sergeants, 21 drummers, 6 pipers, and 600 rank and file.[23]
For two years, the regiment was billeted at the Halifax Citadel and at Wellington Barracks. The latter is now known as Stadacona and is part of Canadian Forces Base Halifax. Each summer, men from the regiment camped at Bedford to practice musketry at the military range.[24]
Before their departure in 1871, a farewell ball was arranged for them, complete with a musical tribute composed in their honour. It was hosted by
When the Great War began in 1914, there was widespread suspicion in Canada that immigrants from enemy countries might be disloyal. The federal government passed regulations allowing it to monitor and intern anyone who had not become naturalized British subjects. These people were labelled "enemy aliens." In total 8,579 men were held as
There were three Internment camps in Nova Scotia: Amherst Internment Camp (April 1915 to September 1919); one on Melville Island in the Northwest Arm of Halifax Harbour, and one in Citadel Hill (Fort George) (September 1914 to October 1918).[26] Unlike the rest of Canada, where internees were mostly of Eastern European origin, the internees in Nova Scotia were mainly ethnic German reservists.[25]
Fort George's final military role was to provide temporary barracks, signaling, and the central coordinating point for the city's anti-aircraft defences during the Second World War.
Recent history
In 1935, the hill and fortifications were designated a National Historic Site and received some stabilization as a works project during the Depression.[27] The fort was not restored and began to decay after the end of the Second World War. In the late 1940s, Halifax downtown business interests advocated demolishing the fort and leveling Citadel Hill to provide parking and encourage development.[28]
But recognition of the fort's historical significance and tourism potential led to the fort's preservation and gradual restoration. Historian Harry Piers conducted research that supported this case and helped raise funds to restore the Citadel.[29]
In 1956, the partially restored fort opened as a historic site and home to the Halifax Army museum. Before the construction of new purpose-built museums, it also served as home to the Nova Scotia Museum and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. In the 1990s the Citadel was fully restored to its 1869 appearance by Parks Canada. It was common during the early 1980s for restoration workers to place dated coins in mortar or under replaced stones as the walls were rebuilt, these coins were left as an "unofficial" indication of what areas had been worked and when. Much of the restoration work involved removing stone and breaking down walls, re-engineering, installing 100 mm (4 in) PVC conduits for wiring and waterproofing, then restoring each stone to its original location. The mortar used for re-pointing and techniques were correct to the origin, although modern material of the era were used inside the walls along with plasticised cements. Even the tops of wall were deliberately shaped to the original dimension, angles and material with 200 mm (8 in) thick staggered layers of sod secured by 300–410 mm (12–16 in) cedar spikes.
The site continues to be managed by Parks Canada. The fort is amongst the most visited National Historic Sites in Atlantic Canada.
The grounds of the Halifax Citadel are open year round. From spring to fall, a living history program features animators (re-enactors) portraying the 78th Highland Regiment (stationed at Halifax between 1869 and 1871), the 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) Pipe Band, the Third Brigade of the Royal Artillery, soldiers' wives, and civilian tradespeople. Parks Canada also hosts several re-enactment events each year by volunteers of the Brigade of the American Revolution and the two living history associations.[30]
Guided and self-guided tours, and audio-visual presentations and exhibits communicate the Citadel's role in the history of Halifax and North America. A year-round daily ceremonial firing of the noon gun is conducted, as a reminder of the fort's role in the city's history. The artillery is also used for formal occasions such as 21-gun salutes.
The "Army Museum", located in the Citadel's Cavalier Block, displays a rare collection of weapons, medals, and uniforms exploring Nova Scotia's army history. It is an independent non-profit museum and staff work in close partnership with the Citadel staff of Parks Canada.
In July 2006, Halifax Citadel celebrated the 100th anniversary of the withdrawal of the last British military forces from Canada. The Citadel hosted over 1,000 re-enactors from around the world. Approaching the Christmas season, Citadel Hill annually hosts a "Victorian Christmas". Visitors are treated to crafts, carolers, and games.
Ghost tours are held at the fort in the weeks leading up to Halloween.[31]
Halifax Defence Complex
The Halifax Citadel and its predecessors were the focal point of the defence complex that made up the British imperial fortress of Halifax. Other fortifications that form the defence complex include:
- Fort Needham
- HMC Dockyard
- Fort Massey
- Fort Ogilvie
- Prince of Wales Tower
- Connaught Battery
- York Redoubt
- Practice Battery
- Sandwich Point
- Camperdown
- Fort Chebucto
- Fort Charlotte on George's Island
- Fort Clarence
- Devil's Battery / Hartlen Point
- Five forts on McNabs Island:
- Fort Ives
- Fort Hugonin
- Sherbrooke Tower
- Strawberry Hill
- Fort McNab
In popular culture
The
See also
- Military history of Nova Scotia
- History of the Halifax Regional Municipality
- List of oldest buildings and structures in Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Royal eponyms in Canada
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada". National Historic Sites. Parks Canada. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ Johnston, A.J.B. (2013). Louisbourg: Past, Present, Future. Nimbus Publishing.
- ^ Grenier, John. The Far Reaches of Empire. War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760. Norman: U of Oklahoma P, 2008; Thomas Beamish Akins. History of Halifax, Brookhouse Press. 1895. (2002 edition). p 7
- ^ Bell Twatio. Battles without Borders. p. 157
- ^ Cornwallis letter 11 September 1749, Internet Archive
- ^ a b Thomas B. Akins. History of Halifax City. Brook House Press. 2002 reprint. p. 209
- ^ Named after a member of the Nova Scotia Council.
- ^ Atkins (1895/2002). History of Halifax City, p 334
- ^ Piers, Harry. The Evolution of the Halifax Fortress Archived 2012-11-02 at the Wayback Machine (Halifax, PANS, Pub. #7, 1947), p. 6. As cited in Peter Landry's The Lion and the Lily. Vol. 1. Trafford Press. 2007. p. 370
- ^ Atkins (1895/2002), History of Halifax City, p 209
- ^ Fischer, L. R. (1979). "Francklin, Michael". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. IV (1771–1800) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ J.S. McLennan. Louisbourg: From Its Foundation to Its Fall (1713-1758). 1918, p. 190
- ^ Earle Lockerby. "Pre-Deportation Letters from Île Saint Jean", Les Cahiers. La Societe hitorique acadienne. Vol. 42, No2. June 2011. pp. 99-100
- ^ Beamish Murdoch. History of Nova Scotia. Vol.2, p. 366
- ^ Piers, p. 16-17
- ^ Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (August 18, 2021). "Halifax Citadel National Historic Site - index". parks.canada.ca.
- ^ "NOVA SCOTIA'S FIRST TELEGRAPH SYSTEM" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-08-09.
- ^ "Halifax Coast Guard Radio VCS".
- ^ "Camperdown, Halifax, Nova Scotia Plans and sections of Barracks and Signal Station". March 21, 1878 – via The National Archives (UK).
- ^ "THE DUKE OF KENT's SIGNAL STATIONS" (PDF). www.coastalradio.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
- ^ Marquis, Greg. In Armageddon's Shadow: The Civil War and Canada's Maritime Provinces. McGill-Queen's University Press. 1998.
- ISBN 9780771072468.
- ^ "The 78th Highlanders or Ross-Shire Buffs 1796 - 1817". www.electricscotland.com.
- ^ a b c "The Halifax Citadel - Bringing Life to History". www.halifaxcitadel.ca.
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Internment Camps in Canada during the First and Second World Wars, Library and Archives Canada".
- ^ Halifax Citadel. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ISBN 9780771072468.
- ^ ""Who was Piers", Harry Piers Museum Maker, Nova Scotia Archives". Archived from the original on 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2013-05-20.
- ^ "The Atlantic Canadian Military History Association". The Atlantic Canadian Military History Association.
- ^ Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (2020-08-26). "Ghost tours at the Halifax Ciatdel National Historic Site - Halifax Citadel National Historic Site". www.pc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
Further reading
- Cuthbertson, Brian, The Halifax Citadel: Portrait of a Military Fortress, 2001, Formac Publishing Company, Ltd., Halifax.
- The Evolution of the Halifax Fortress, 1749-1928 Piers, Harry, Self, G.M., Blakeley, Phyllis R. (Phyllis Ruth)