Canadian Military History Gateway

Subject > Weapons, Equipment and Fortifications

Title: British iron guns mounted on iron carriages, circa 1815

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Description: Iron carriages were introduced in the British artillery in 1810. They were to be placed 'in such parts of fortifications as are least exposed to the enemy's fire' as it was feared they would shatter if hit by enemy artillery. The examples seen in this photograph are found at the Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site.

Site: National Defence

Title: British 'India Pattern' musket, 1797-1839

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Description: The 'India Pattern' was an economy version of the earlier 'Short Land' pattern muzzle-loading smoothbore flintlock musket. During the 1790s, the British colonial army in India was increasing rapidly in size, and the new pattern of musket was created as a relatively inexpensive of arming these men. As the French Revolutionary Wars dragged on, the India pattern was adopted for all new production in 1797. These weapons found their way to every continent. The British infantry used them until the late 1830s. The Canadian militia did not replace these weapons until the mid-1850s. (Parks Canada)

Site: National Defence

Title: Fort Lennox, 1896

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Description: Because it is situated on the island of Île-aux-Noix, Fort Lennox has changed very little from the time of its construction, which started in 1819. The fort was built in reaction to the construction of American Fort Montgomery, 15 kilometres to the south. This view shows Fort Lennox as it appeared in 1896. After its regular garrison was withdrawn in the late 1860s, the fort was used as a training camp, a school, and detention camp during both world wars. It is now restored to its appearance in the 1820s and 1830s as a National Historic Site. (Library and Archives Canada, C-036685)

Site: National Defence

Title: Barracks

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Description: The British garrison in Canada lived almost exclusively in barracks during the 18th and 19th centuries, unlike troops during the earlier French regime. This made British troops a somewhat isolated society within the colony as a whole. The authorities felt that this improved discipline.

Site: National Defence

Title: 32 pounder guns mounted on traversing wooden garrison platforms

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Description: These early 19th century British artillery pieces are mounted on platforms that allow guns to swing in a wide arc and thus follow a moving target such as a ship. These reconstucted carriages are found at the Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site near Montreal, Quebec. The fortifications were built to defend the canal lock - the first built in North America.

Site: National Defence

Title: British Army folding iron barrack bed

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Description: This type of bed gradually replaced wooden double bunks from 1824. Every day, the bed was folded and the mattress rolled up for inspection. Army Circular Memorandum of 12 June 1860.

Site: National Defence

Title: From Smoothbore Musket to Breechloading Rifle

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Description: The musket was the infantry soldier's main firearm. Starting in the 1830s, the weapon was improved by a series of inventions. By the 1860s, muskets were more reliable, fired faster, more accurately, and at a longer range. This was part of a general revolution in military technology.

Site: National Defence

Title: Colt .36 caliber model 1851 Navy Pistol, 1851-1861

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Description: American Colt revolvers were purchased by the Canadian government to issue to the newly raised cavalry companies of the Canadian Volunteer Militia in 1856. These six-shot percussion weapons allowed their users to produce a hail close range fire, and replaced the sword as the cavalryman's best weapon at close range. The revolver shown in this photograph is what is known variously as the 'model 1851 Navy'. Colt's 'Navy' pistols were military weapons, larger than the 'Pocket' (or 'Baby Dragoon') pistols favoured by civilians. (Parks Canada)

Site: National Defence

Title: Weapons

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Description: This section illustrates a selection of firearms and bladed weapons used by British and Canadian military units during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Site: National Defence

Title: The Infantryman's Weapons: His Rifle

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Description: During the period from Confederation to the First World War, the infantryman's rifle had undergone a series of transformations including barrel rifling, breech loading, metal cartridges, smokeless powder, and clip magazines.

Site: National Defence

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