Historical Development of the Fort
Fort Niagara, 1814
The War of 1812 was a turning point in the development of Fort Niagara. Long-standing concern about the weakness of the position and its vulnerability to artillery fire from the Canadian shore proved entirely justified. Although the years following 1815 would see several plans to adjust the fortifications to deal with this situation, none were effective, and the War of 1812 spelled the end of Fort Niagara as a defensible fortification. The conflict also finished off most of the wooden eighteenth century buildings. Only one survived the war.
It is unfortunate that the only good plans of Fort Niagara from this period come from the later stages of the conflict after substantial change had already occurred. It must be assumed that the Fort Niagara of 1812 resembled the post depicted in 1810. Many details remain unresolved, however, and it is not known whether the two long barracks (427b and 428b) and the ordnance storehouse (422) disappeared before or after the outbreak of hostilities. This plan is based on George Williams' "Sketch of Fort Niagara in its present state - July 6, 1814" and shows the place seven months after its December 19, 1813 capture by the British.
Fort Niagara, described in the first week of the War of 1812 as "in a miserable and decayed situation, and can make but a feeble defence," required much work. The summer of 1812 was spent bolstering the river walls with new batteries to oppose guns on the opposite shore. The roofs of the Castle and the two redoubts were removed in the fall of 1812 to convert the buildings to elevated gun platforms which could counter the natural advantage of elevation enjoyed by Fort George. Although Fort Niagara proved exposed to enemy fire, its stone buildings were relatively impervious to round shot and most of the wooden structures were preserved from fire by the energetic efforts of the garrison.
The British capture of Fort Niagara put a new perspective on the defense of the place. Williams' 1814 plan reflects this. The land fortifications once again faced the chief threat, and new "splinter-proof barracks" (465) were dug into the earth of the rear of the land-side curtain to provide shelter in the event of an American siege. The British also seem to have constructed a small officers' quarters (463a) adjacent to the "Castle". Most of the other buildings predated the war. It is unclear, however, whether the Americans or the British rebuilt the addition to the old commandant's quarters (441c).