Crysler's Farm Battlefield National Historic Site
Adjacent to Upper Canada Village

THE BATTLE

The battle of Crysler's Farm, fought on muddy fields beside the St. Lawrence River on November 11, 1813 marked the end of the most serious American attempt to conquer Canada during the War of 1812.

In the fall of 1813, two powerful American armies crossed the border with the intention to take Montreal. The British and Canadian force led by Colonel Joseph Morrison chose a defensive position on John Crysler’s farm to wait for the American attack. Outnumbered nearly three to one, Morrison’s army defeated the American troops.

Of the 1229 soldiers commanded by Colonel Joseph Morrison, 929 were British regulars, 270 were Canadian regulars, 60 were local militiamen and 30 were Mohawk warriors from Tyendinaga near Belleville. The battle of Crysler’s Farm is a rare moment in Canadian history when members of the three founding peoples fought side by side to preserve their nation’s independence.

THE BUILDING
Open Victoria Day Weekend through August

In 1895, the federal government erected a 38-foot gray granite obelisk on the site of the battle. The completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 1950s and the consequent flooding of the riverbank forced the memorial to be moved to its present site near Upper Canada Village. In 1961, the Battlefield Memorial Building was opened beneath the memorial to commemorate the historic events of 1813. Visitors to this nationally significant site are invited to watch an audio-visual presentation which shows the strategies and struggles during the bloody confrontation on the banks of the St. Lawrence. The building also houses a magnificent panoramic mural, painted by the Canadian artist Adam Sheriff Scott, highlighting the climax of the action at Crysler’s Farm.

THE FRIENDS

The Friends of the Crysler’s Farm Battlefield is committed to the preservation and promotion of this battlefield site. The Friends’ goal is to aid in the operation and upgrading of the Battle Memorial Building, the Memorial site and the surrounding grounds.

Over the past years, the Friends have sponsored the yearly Battle Re-enactment Weekend, attracting thousands of visitors to the site.

You can help the organization realize its goals by becoming a member of the Friends of Crysler's Farm Battlefield.