06/09/2026
June is National Indigenous History Month.
Indigenous allies were crucial to British forces in the War of 1812.
For example, during the Battle of Queenston Heights Kanyen’kehà:ka (Mohawk) leader, Teyoninhokarawen (John Norton), led an indigenous force over the escarpment and engaged the enemy, allowing for the recapture of the position.
Likewise, Tecumseh’s Confederacy included First Nations such as the Shawnee, Potawatomi, Ojibwa, Odawa, Delaware, Winnebago, Wyandot, and Kickapoo. The presence of these warriors was essential to the capture of Detroit in August of 1812.
Indigenous forces also played key roles in the capture of Fort Mackinac, the Battle of Beaver Dams, and many others.
Learn more about Indigenous contributions to the war effort on your next visit to the museum at Fort Malden: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/malden/visit