Commentary
For nearly 70 years, visitors to Fort York in Toronto have been greeted by the trill of fifing, the beating of drums, the crash of muskets, and the boom of cannon. These authentic 19th-century sounds, along with the colourful sight of red-coated soldiers of the Fort York Guard, have brought Canadian history to life for countless tourists and residents alike.
The most significant episode recalled by these costumed re-enactors is the Battle of York when, during the War of 1812, 1,800 American troops landed near what is now Sunnyside Beach and overwhelmed a few hundred British, Canadian, and indigenous defenders. The invaders went on to capture Fort York, loot the town—then the capital of Upper Canada, now Toronto—and burn several public buildings, before leaving five days later….