Tom McNeely print of a British Redcoat, (believed to be) 8th King's Regiment circa War of 1812. With tensions raising between Great Britain and the United States, the regiment was ordered back to British North America in April 1809. When tensions turned to war, the 8th Regiment was moved to Montreal to protect Lower Canada from an expected invasion from Lake Champlain. This did not materialize. February 1813 marked the first action for the King's Regiment during the war with the successful assault of Ogdensburg, NY by a daring charge across the frozen waters of the St. Lawrence. More battles were to come. The King's Grenadiers alone attempted to stop the landing of the US Army during the Battle of York (Toronto) in April 1813, but were unsuccessful. In May, several companies of the 8th were present at another invasion spot, this time Fort George on the Niagara frontier. With fixed bayonets, the 8th repaid the US for York and Fort George, during the surprise night raid of the US encampment at Stoney Creek in June 1813. Later that month the Regiment's light company was present at the surrender of the 14th US Regiment of Infantry at Beaver Dams. By the end of 1813, the 8th Regiment reoccupied Fort George from the Americans and made two raids across the Niagara river at Lewiston and Black Rock. The King's Regiment service in war did not lessen in 1814. In July 1814 the regiment were lightly engaged at the battle of Chippewa. Later that month, the 8th Regiment fought long into the night in the most intensely contested battle of the war, Lundy's Lane. During this battle, which ended in a stalemate, the regiment was in the thick of the fighting, emptying their cartridge pouches, retaking positions with the bayonet, and struggling inch-by-inch in hand-to-hand combat. The last engagement the 8th were involved in was the failed siege and assault of Fort Erie. In June 1815, after six years of service, the King's Regiment left Canada for England. For their extensive service, the Regiment was given the battle honour "Niagara". The regiment would return but only briefly in Halifax in 1830 and 1839. The focus date of the recreated 8th Regiment of Foot is 1813-1814. In those years the regiment had been issued with the new 1812 regulation grey trousers and gaiters and the 1812 pattern 'Belgic' or 'Waterloo' shako. The rest of the clothing included the regimental red coat, leather stock, linen shirt, white fatigue jacket, and period shoes "which come high around the ankle". The regimental distinctions on the red coat included blue collar and cuffs, single square-ended loops of lace containing blue and yellow stripes. Distinctive of the grenadier coats are the shoulder wings of cloth trimmed with lace and white woolen fringe. The accouterments consist of buff leather bayonet belts with the regimental crossbelt plate, and cartridge pouch and belt. All are made after originals. The King's Regiment, being one of the old corps, was permitted to wear the badge of the running horse of Hanover which was displayed prominently on the regiment's shako and belt plates. It was printed by the Rolph-Clark-Stone Limited, a Toronto-based lithographic and fine printing company. It was founded in 1849 by Joseph Thomas, Frank Rolph and David Smith under the name Rolph, Smith & Co. In 1904, a merger with T.J. Clark resulted in Rolph & Clark Limited. It was in 1917 that a final amalgamation with William Stone produced Rolph-Clark-Stone Limited.