HALIFAX

During the American Revolution, Halifax played a vital role. The location made it important to the British navy and military. Author Thomas H. Raddall called it the Warden of the North.  

In the Halifax Regional Municipality, outside a Ferry terminal, is a monument to the United Empire Loyalists who came to the area in 1783.

 Monument Outside Dartmouth Ferry Terminal 

The monument was placed in 1983 by the Dartmouth Heritage Museum.  It was the bicentennial anniversary of the arrival of United Empire Loyalists who were evacuated from New York in 1783.

The King's College Library  has a fascinating collection of porcelain and pottery which originaly belonging to Loyalists including a dish and plate of Brigadier - General Timothy Ruggles and pitcher of Major Samuel Vetch Bayard.

On the waterfront in Halifax is the  Samuel Cunard Statue. Sir Samuel Cunard was the son of a United Empire Loyalist. His father, Abraham Cunard, moved to Halifax with his wife Margaret in 1783. He was a member of a Quaker family that fled religious persecution in England to Pennsylvania in the 17th century before emigrating again after the American Revolution. 

Some other reminders of the importance of the American Revolution to Halifax, and the United Empire Loyalist refugees who came, are:

1) Forts

Halifax Citadel The first major permanent fortification appeared on the Citadel’s summit during the American Revolution. The threat of attack at this time required a much larger fortification to protect the city from the Americans or the French. Built in 1776, the new fort on Citadel Hill was composed of multiple lines of overlapping earthen redans backing a large outer palisade wall. At the center was a three-story octagonal blockhouse mounting a fourteen-gun battery and accommodating 100 troops. These works required that the hill be cut down by 40 feet. The entire fortress mounted 72 guns.

Fort Charlotte located on Georges Island in the middle of Halifax Harbour.   During the American Revolution the defences were improved with various earthworks and armament increased to a total of 48 guns.  These consisted of six pounders, twenty - nine 24 pounders, three 18 pounders, nine 12 pounders and one six pounder. 

Fort Clarence On 17 November 1778, the King's Orange Rangers arrived at Halifax and assigned to protect the Eastern Battery. It was renamed Fort Clarence by Prince Edward on 20 October 1798 in honour of his brother. It was on the shore of Halifax Harbour on site later occupied by Imperial Oil Refinery in Dartmouth.

Fort Coote built in 1775 as a blockhouse to protect the Halifax Navy Yard. It was on a hill north of the Yard and was demolished about 1800 to make space for a parade space. 

Fort Massey was built in 1776 to protect the harbour and named after General Eyre Massey who was the commander - in - chief of the troops in Halifax from 1776 to 1780.  It was a square redoubt with a central blockhouse and barracks for 250 men.  The site is now occupied by the Fort Massey Cemetery. 

2) Buildings 

Lawrence Hartshorne Home

Located in Dartmouth, at 53 Ochterloney Street, is the former home of Lawrence Hartshorne (1755 - 1822), a United Empire Loyalist from Shrewsbury, New Jersey, who came to Halifax in 1783. He became a merchant and politician who also was the chief assistant to abolitionist John Clarkson in helping Black Loyalists emigrate to Sierra Leone in 1792. It is a registered heritage site.

Government House was constructed between 1795 and 1805 for Sir John Wentworth, Colonial Governor of Nova Scotia from 1792 to 1808. He was a Loyalist and former Governor of New Hampshire from 1767 to 1765. It is Canada's oldest official residence. 

King George III supported the construction of St. George's Round Church with a contribution of 200 pounds. His son, Prince Edward, while stationed in Halifax from 1794 to 1800, spearheaded the campaign to build the Church.  The first service was held on July 19, 1801 by the Reverend George Wright, born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, who previously had officiated at St. Mark's Church in Brooklyn, New York.

At Province House  where the Nova Scotia House of Asssembly meets, in the Red Chamber, are paintings of King George III and Queen Charlotte hanging on a wall.  The building is the oldest legislative one in Canada and was constructed between 1811 and 1819.  It bears the seal of King George III carved above the main entrance. 

Another building in Halifax with Loyalist connections is the Carleton Hotel that now operates as a live music venue, restaurant and bar on Argyle Street. It was originally built as a home in 1780 and is the oldest building in Halifax.  In 1786 it was named for Sir Guy Carleton upon his visit while acting as Governor General of British North America. 

3) Streets

Almon Street was named for  United Empire Loyalist Dr. William James Almon, a physician who came to Halifax from Rhode Island in 1783.

Bishop Street was named after United Empire Loyalist Anglican Bishop Charles Inglis who resided in a house on the street in 1787.

Blowers Street. Sampson Salter Blowers served as the province's Attorney General and later as Chief Justice. He was a United Empire Loyalist who arrived in Halifax after the American Revolution and became a leading figure in the city. 

Inglis Street remembers Bishop Charles Inglis, first Anglican Bishop of Nova Scotia and prominent United Empire Loyalist.

Prince William Street was named after Prince William, son of King George III, who served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy during the American Revolution.

Robie Street Thomas Robie (1729 - 1811) was a Loyalist merchant in Marblehead, Massachusetts who was forced to flee to Halifax in 1777 with his family. Later he went to England and eventually returned to Massachusetts, however his son Simon Bradstreet Robie (1770 - 1858) became a lawyer, judge, and political figure who represented Truro Township and then Halifax County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. 

4) Cemeteries

i)  Old Burying Ground

Many United Empire Loyalists were buried in the oldest cemetery in Halifax known as the Old Burying Ground which was established in 1749.  These included John Howe who arrived from Boston and was the father of Joseph Howe, Premier of Nova Scotia from 3 August 1860 to 5 June 1863.  His headstone can be visited.

 ii) Camp Hill Cemetery

In this cemetery is gravestone of  Elizabeth Miller , who died in 1857 and was born in New York, the daughter of United Empire Loyalist Jacob Miller. Also buried in Camp Hill Cemetery which was opened in 1844, replacing the Old Burying Ground, are Joseph Howe, Premier of Nova Scotia and son of United Empire Loyalist John Howe, and Elizabeth Lichtenstein Johnston , daughter of United Empire Loyalist John Lichtenstein and mother of Nova Scotia Premier James William Johnston.

iii) St. Paul's Church

St. Paul's Anglican Church was significant to United Empire Loyalists.  The first Bishop, Charles Inglis, was a United Empire Loyalist and was buried in the crypt underneath it.   A plaque on the floor of the Church marks the location.  Another prominent Loyalist buried there was  Charles Greville Montagu, the last Colonial Governor of South Carolina and commander of the Duke of Cumberland's Regiment during the American Revolution.  The Church also contains a royal pew as a reminder of loyalty to the Crown. 

Further Reference:

Raddall, Thomas H., Halifax - Warden of the North, Garden City, NY, Doubleday and Co., 1965