When the United States and the United Kingdom went to war against each other in 1812, the major land theatre of war was Canada, which was then divided for administrative purposes into Upper Canada (broadly the southern portion of the present day province of Ontario), Lower Canada (roughly the southern part of present day Quebec) and the Atlantic Provinces, consisting of the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Bre...
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When the United States and the United Kingdom went to war against each other in 1812, the major land theatre of war was Canada, which was then divided for administrative purposes into Upper Canada (broadly the southern portion of the present day province of Ontario), Lower Canada (roughly the southern part of present day Quebec) and the Atlantic Provinces, consisting of the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton (colony between 1784-1820). Each of these separate administrations formed regular and fencible units, and both full-time and part-time militia units, many of which played a major part in the fighting over the two and a half years of the war.
Note that the Fencible units were raised on the same terms as regular troops, but liable only for service in North America.
Two militarised bodies were in existence before any of the Canadian land units which participated in the war were raised.
This consisted of 100 officers, whose purpose was to act...
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