William McKay
Encyclopedia
William McKay was a noted trader and traveler in Upper Canada
, who subsequently served as a military officer during the War of 1812
.
William was actually born along the Mohawk River
valley, where his father, Donald, had settled after being discharged from the British Army
. After the American War of Independence, Donald, who was a United Empire Loyalist, migrated to Canada, eventually setting the family in Glengarry district.
William joined the North West Fur Company as a voyageur
and fur trader
in about 1790, and travelled widely in the regions north and west of the Great Lakes. He became a partner in the company in 1796 and retired from it in 1807.
When war broke out with the United States of America
, McKay almost immediately offered his services to the British army. His first major contribution was to make a journey of 500 miles (804.7 km) by canoe from Montreal
to the British military post on St. Joseph Island
on Lake Huron
via York
, the provincial capital, in only eight days. The news of the declaration of war he carried, along with orders from Major General Isaac Brock
, the Commander in Upper Canada, allowed the British detachment to take the American detachment at Fort Mackinac
by surprise. This victory encouraged many Native Americans
to side with the British, resulting in further British victories in the west during the following year.
Later during the autumn and winter of 1812, McKay returned to Montreal to help raise the Canadian Voyageurs, a corps which transported supplies to Upper Canada. When this corps was transferred to the Commissariat
, McKay became an officer in the Select Embodied Militia. During 1813, McKay was promoted to Major and given command of the Michigan Fencibles, a local quasi-regular unit recruited in the North West.
Early in 1814, the Americans had captured the isolated post of Prairie du Chien. This threatened the morale and allegiance of the Indians. Supported by the newly-appointed Commander at Fort Mackinac, Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDouall
, McKay (who now held the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel) mounted a scratch expedition of Fencibles, voyageurs and Indians which recaptured the post at the Siege of Prairie du Chien.
McKay was later appointed to head the Indian Department at Mackinac. When the war ended, he (and McDouall) opposed returning Mackinac and Prairie du Chien to the Americans, as it would place many Indians at their mercy, but was overruled.
McKay died of cholera
in 1832. He was married, with one son.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, who subsequently served as a military officer during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
William was actually born along the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
valley, where his father, Donald, had settled after being discharged from the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. After the American War of Independence, Donald, who was a United Empire Loyalist, migrated to Canada, eventually setting the family in Glengarry district.
William joined the North West Fur Company as a voyageur
Voyageur
Voyageur is a French word meaning "voyager" or "traveler".Voyageur can refer to:*Voyageurs, persons who transported furs by canoe during the fur trade era....
and fur trader
North American Fur Trade
The North American fur trade was the industry and activities related to the acquisition, exchange, and sale of animal furs in the North American continent. Indigenous peoples of different regions traded among themselves in the Pre-Columbian Era, but Europeans participated in the trade beginning...
in about 1790, and travelled widely in the regions north and west of the Great Lakes. He became a partner in the company in 1796 and retired from it in 1807.
When war broke out with the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, McKay almost immediately offered his services to the British army. His first major contribution was to make a journey of 500 miles (804.7 km) by canoe from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to the British military post on St. Joseph Island
St. Joseph Island
St. Joseph Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, near the mouth of the St. Marys River which connects Lake Huron with Lake Superior. It is the second largest island in Lake Huron and the third largest in the Great Lakes overall, trailing Manitoulin and Lake Superior's Isle Royale.St...
on Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
via York
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, the provincial capital, in only eight days. The news of the declaration of war he carried, along with orders from Major General Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
, the Commander in Upper Canada, allowed the British detachment to take the American detachment at Fort Mackinac
Fort Mackinac
Fort Mackinac is a former American military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century near Michilimackinac, Michigan, on Mackinac Island...
by surprise. This victory encouraged many Native Americans
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
to side with the British, resulting in further British victories in the west during the following year.
Later during the autumn and winter of 1812, McKay returned to Montreal to help raise the Canadian Voyageurs, a corps which transported supplies to Upper Canada. When this corps was transferred to the Commissariat
Commissariat
A commissariat is the department of an army charged with the provision of supplies, both food and forage, for the troops. The supply of military stores such as ammunition is not included in the duties of a commissariat. In almost every army the duties of transport and supply are performed by the...
, McKay became an officer in the Select Embodied Militia. During 1813, McKay was promoted to Major and given command of the Michigan Fencibles, a local quasi-regular unit recruited in the North West.
Early in 1814, the Americans had captured the isolated post of Prairie du Chien. This threatened the morale and allegiance of the Indians. Supported by the newly-appointed Commander at Fort Mackinac, Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDouall
Robert McDouall
Major-General Robert McDouall was a Scottish-born officer in the British Army, who saw much action during the Napoleonic Wars and the Anglo-American War of 1812...
, McKay (who now held the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel) mounted a scratch expedition of Fencibles, voyageurs and Indians which recaptured the post at the Siege of Prairie du Chien.
McKay was later appointed to head the Indian Department at Mackinac. When the war ended, he (and McDouall) opposed returning Mackinac and Prairie du Chien to the Americans, as it would place many Indians at their mercy, but was overruled.
McKay died of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in 1832. He was married, with one son.