Not only professional soldiers but also citizens serving as militiamen participated in the War of 1812.

The militia's contribution to the War of 1812 is not well understood. Even now, 200 years later, we don't know how many Upper Canadian militia men died defending their home.

York's Sacrifice profiles 39 men who lost their lives during the war. They include 19 residents of the Town of York, five residents of York County, and 11 residents of Halton, Peel, and Wentworth Counties. Where possible, biographies include information about each man's origin, residence, occupation, civic life, family, militia service, and circumstances of death. A section on records provides detailed guidance in finding and using records from the period to trace an ancestors militia service and life in this difficult time period.

A complete list of men who served in the three York regiments during the war identifies those who were killed, injured, captured, or deserted.

Janice Nickerson is a professional genealogist who specializes in Upper Canadian history. She provided research for the CBC Television program Who Do You Think You Are? and is a regular contributor to Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and Your Family Tree magazines. Janice is also the author of Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada. She lives in Toronto.