Battle Honour 'NIAGARA'.
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| The Battle Honour 'NIAGARA' on the Regimental Colour. |
The Battle Honour NIAGARA is a Theatre Honour and is emblazoned on the Regimental Colours of The Royal Irish Regiment.
The 'War of 1812' between Britain and the United States was brought about by the American declaration of war on 18 June 1812. The Americans were retaliating to the perceived British impediment of trade and succour between the United States and France during the Napoleonic Wars. However, those American politicians known as 'War Hawks' had ambitions to expand into the Great Lakes, the British colonies of Upper and Lower Canada and also westwards into the Indian Nation territories where resistance was supported by the British.
The 2/89th arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 13 October 1812 and would play an important part in the campaigns to defeat the American invasion of Canada. This would include:
On the 25 July 1814, the 89th Regiment was awarded the distinction NIAGARA for their gallant actions during the War of 1812. The Treaty of Ghent ending the war was signed on 24 December 1814, but fighting continued into 1815 as news across such great distances travelled slowly.
