From Ellesmere Island to Pelee Island, from Tofino to St. John’s, we’ll show you where it all happened. You’ve read about all kinds of interesting people and events in Kayak. Get clicking to see where in Canada you’ll find them.

Forgotten Moments of the War of 1812

Many people have heard of the Battle of Queenston Heights and the attack on York. Some know about the Battle of the Châteauguay or the burning of Newark. But how about the Battle of Matilda, the Battle of the Longwoods or the site where an 1812 warship was stuck for good?

Off Cape Race, Newfoundland and Labrador The Americans were overjoyed when their sailors defeated the mighty British navy in a battle south of Cape Race and east of Halifax on Aug. 19, 1812. The USS Constitution and HMS Guerrière fired cannons back and forth. The crews even started to board each other’s ships when they came close. The American attack was too much for the British ship. The Guerrière caught fire and its ammunition exploded, sending the ship to its doom. The Constitution’s captain, Isaac Hull, was a hero and the early victory cause for huge celebrations.

Sandwich (Windsor), Ontario Less than a month after the Americans declared war, General William Hull crossed the Detroit River on July 12, 1812 to invade Upper Canada. He stationed himself and his troops in Sandwich (now Windsor), setting up headquarters in the home of his old friend, François Baby. He intended to attack Amherstburg to the south, which overlooked the important point where the Detroit River meets Lake Erie, but he retreated back to the U.S. in just a few days, fearing he didn’t have enough supplies and firepower to hold out.

Gananoque, Ontario On Sept. 21, 1812, about 70 American riflemen under Captain Benjamin Forsyth attacked this small town on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. A group of 60 surprised and half-dressed local militia — non-soldiers who formed fighting units — under Colonel John Stone met them as they advanced on the town. After a short fight, the Americans grabbed some weapons and ammunition, and set fire a store before taking off back across the river, not wanting to face troops on their way from nearby Kingston.

Toussaint Island (near Prescott), Ontario More than 30 boats were sailing up the St. Lawrence River toward Kingston on Sept. 16, 1812. They were full of passengers — mostly family members of men in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment — and supplies. Americans had raided the island and taken the Toussaint family prisoner, but Mr. Toussaint escaped and warned the ships. They changed course but still came under attack by the Americans, who fired on soldiers as well as women and children. Eventually British reinforcements arrived and the Americans retreated back to their side of the river. The skirmish is now known as the Battle of Matilda because it took place in Matilda Township.

Wasaga Beach, Ontario The Nancy was a schooner used in the fur trade before she was turned into a warship. On August 14, 1814, the ship was at the centre of a battle near what is now the Wasaga Beach, Ontario; a blast set it afire and it burned down to the water and sank. Over time, sand and silt built up around the wreck and turned it into an island. In 1925 the remains of the ship were discovered and in 1928 they were raised and placed on what is now called Nancy Island. Today, you can visit the Nancy Museum there.

Cook’s Mills, Ontario A stone cairn and plaque mark the site of this little-known battle that took place near modern-day Welland, Ont., on Oct. 19, 1814. American troops under Major-General George Izard were heading for a battle with Lieutenant-General Gordon Drummond, whose men were settled in along the nearby Chippawa River. Izard wanted to test their strength, so he sent 900 troops to attack near Cook’s Mills. The commander there, Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Myers led British and Canadian forces to defeat the Americans, who had to retreat to Fort Erie.

Wardsville, Ontario Preserved as Battle Hill National Historic Site, this spot west of London was the site of the Battle of the Longwoods. The British, together with First Nations and Canadian militia, were defeated in battle here on March 4, 1814, and were forced to retreat nearly 40 kilometres east. The Americans didn’t advance, though — despite their victory, they headed back to Detroit.

Lacolle, Quebec With a force of 4000 — more than eight times his opponents — American Major-General James Wilkinson probably felt pretty confident his troops would win the Battle of Lacolle Mill. But when he attacked on March 30, 1814, he didn’t brought guns strong enough to smash the thick stone walls of the mill where British troops and Canadian militia were based. The Americans were trounced, and Wilkinson’s attempts to make it sound like a victory prompted another officer to say, “His talent is in writing his own exploits as they did not happen.” You can visit the battle site, which is barely 10 kilometres north of the U.S. border and about 60 km southeast of Montreal.