Revised September 11, 2015 2nd Edition Published February 9, 2017 The Coloured Corps and Corps of Artificers History and Muster Roll At the Time of the War of 1812 Compiled by Fred Blair On Oct. 13, 1812, the Coloured Company was among the last group to leave Fort George for Queenston (V pg. 179). The corps fought at Queenston Heights and was commanded by Captain Robert Runchey as part of the 1st Regiment of Lincoln Militia. The some of the sergeants and all of lower ranks were Coloured. Sgt. William Thompson and thirteen other men were transferred from the 3rd York (MC pg. 61)(NAH). The thirty-eight men of Coloured Company were on the western flank of General Sheaffe's force on the Heights (V pg. 186, 274). Captain Runchey was absent from the Battle of Queenston Heights and resigned his commission after the battle (Run). Sometime in 1813, the corps was under the command of Lieut. James Robertson, formerly of the Provincial Artificers. Near the end of the war the corps was attached to the Quarter Master General's Department under the command of Captain George Fowler of the 41st Regiment. He was later a lieutenant (MC pg. 61)(NAH). In 1813, the Corps helped defend Fort George and Newark from the American Landing at 2 Mile Creek (NAH). On May 27, 1813, the Coloured Company was among the companies who tried to oppose the American landing at Captain James Crooks' farm (SF pg. 19). On May 29th, there were thirty officers and men in Runchey's Corps of Artificers which were part Brigadier General Vincent's retreating army (SF pg. 52). A June 3, 1813 statement of Troops in cantonments at the head of Burlington Bay reported the Corps consisted of one captain, three sergeants, twenty-nine rank and file fit for duty and one sick (NAH). On June 4, 1813, after the Battle of Stoney Creek, Runchey's artificers were retained while most of the militia was sent home (SF pg. 70). On June 13, 1813, the week after the Battle of Stoney Creek the Corps mustered two sergeants and twenty-seven rank and file (NAH). During the blockade of Fort George, the unit was at St. David's on Aug. 22nd with twenty-six rank and file (NAH). On June 22, 1814, the "Abstract of Weekly Distribution Return of the Right Division, Major-General Raill, Headquarters, Fort George" reported that the Coloured Corps stationed at "Fort George and dependencies" consisted of "one officer, two sergeants, twenty rank and file four sick" (DH1 pg. 28-29). In July, 1814 all or part of the corps was stationed at Fort Mississauga (MC pg. 58).