Background Interest in Point Henry as a defensible strategic location was first noted by the British in 1783. At that time, the British military established a post in what is now Kingston by partly refurbishing and garrisoning the ruined French fort (
Fort Frontenac). The garrison and the developing townsite near the fort were deemed difficult to defend and so
Captain John Ross, the British officer in charge of settling
Loyalist refugees in the area following the
American Revolutionary War, proposed moving the stronghold along with the townsite to the more defensible Point Henry. British-American hostilities still concerned the British, and the high promontory of Point Henry was considered to be a good location for a defensive fortification. In 1794,
Lord Dorchester ordered the survey of Point Henry, Point Frederick, and "the adjacent Country and Coves taking in whatever may lye near enough to affect the Security or convenience of the Port" to investigate the location of a navy base.
Lt. Alexander Bryce of the
Royal Engineers preferred Haldimand Cove (now Navy Bay) as a navy base and recommended a fortification on Point Henry to defend it. However, a fortification was not built on the hill until the beginning of the
War of 1812.
Early fortification At the beginning of the War of 1812, local militia erected a
blockhouse and battery on Point Henry to defend the important naval base on Point Frederick, located across Haldimand Cove to the west, and to monitor maritime traffic on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. On November 10, 1812, this battery was involved in repelling several American warships that were attacking the
Provincial Marine sloop
Royal George as the ship was taking refuge in Kingston Harbour. This naval action strengthened the view that a stronger fortification was needed and so the militia and regular army began building batteries and barracks in 1813. The fort was one of several defensive structures built in and around Kingston during the war. By 1820 the fort consisted of earth and stone ramparts,
demi-bastions,
redans, ditches, magazines, barracks, signal towers and support batteries.
Second fort Distrust between the Americans and British continued after the War of 1812. This led to the original fort being demolished to make way for a more extensive fort, which was constructed between 1832 and 1836 to defend the Lake Ontario end of the strategic
Rideau Canal, the harbour, and the naval dockyard. In 1843, the advanced battery overlooking the lake to the south was completed when the
casemated commissariat stores and magazines were built. These stone buildings connected the advanced battery to the main
redoubt. A system of more elaborate defensive works was planned but cost overruns in the construction of the canal limited the fortifications to four
Martello towers and the fort itself. At the time, these fortifications were the strongest defences in Canada west of
Quebec City. Neither the original nor the second Fort Henry was ever attacked. The fort was once referred to as the "Citadel of
Upper Canada". until 1871, and the
Canadian Militia until 1891. Imperial (British) troops were deployed at the site of Fort Henry from 1813 to 1870. The
Canadian Militia then garrisoned the fort until 1891. British garrisons included the
Royal Regiment of Artillery,
24th Regiment of Foot,
Black Watch, the
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the
Royal Welch Fusiliers and the
Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment. Canadian units who used the fort include "A" and "B' Batteries of Garrison Artillery, and the
14th Battalion, Princess of Wales' Own Rifles. As relations with the United States continued to improve, the need for defences along the border ceased. Abandoned by the military, the fort fell into disrepair. Fort Henry temporarily held prisoners of the
1837–38 Rebellions. German, Austrian and Turkish prisoners of war and some civilians, including Ukrainian immigrants described as "enemy aliens" during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914–1920 were also held at the fort. During the
Second World War, the fort served as a prisoner of war camp for German
Luftwaffe and
Kriegsmarine personnel. ==Present use==