Captured, Burned, and Reborn: The Remarkable Tale of Fort Niagara’s Flag

The Flag That Refused to Die: Fort Niagara’s Forgotten Survivor

From War-Torn Fort to Scottish Castle to Fiery Rescue and Home Again

At Old Fort Niagara, flags have flown through snowstorms, sieges, and centuries. But none have a story quite like the massive 15-star, 15-stripe American flag that once rose above its ramparts—a flag that witnessed invasion, was captured in battle, taken across the ocean, nearly lost in fire, and ultimately, returned home.

This isn’t just a story of history. It’s a story of survival.

Captured in Chaos

In the early morning hours of December 19, 1813, during the War of 1812, British troops launched a surprise attack on Fort Niagara. It was cold, violent, and fast. Among the chaos, the Americans were overwhelmed—and the British took control of the fort.

As a symbol of their victory, they lowered the great American flag and carried it off. It was no ordinary flag—it stretched a staggering 24 by 28 feet, one of the largest of its kind, similar to the “Star-Spangled Banner” that flew over Fort McHenry.

Instead of burning it or leaving it behind, the British treated the flag like spoils of war. It was shipped across the Atlantic, presented to the Prince Regent (the future King George IV), and eventually given to British commander Sir Gordon Drummond, who led the attack on the fort. He brought it back to his family’s ancestral home: Megginch Castle in Scotland.

And that’s where the story might have ended.

A Castle Fire and a Narrow Escape

For over 150 years, the flag rested in quiet obscurity inside the Scottish castle. But in 1969, disaster struck. A fire broke out at Megginch Castle, threatening to destroy everything inside—including the historic American banner.

Miraculously, the Drummond family rescued the flag from the blaze. It was singed and fragile, but intact—scarred yet still recognizable, like the story it carried.

The fire nearly erased it from history. Instead, it gave the flag a second life.

Coming Home

In the 1980s, word of the flag’s survival began to spread. American historians and members of the Old Fort Niagara Association tracked it down. In 1994, after careful negotiations, they succeeded in bringing it back to where it belonged: Fort Niagara.

But time and fire had taken their toll. The flag was too delicate to be handled, let alone displayed. So began a careful and expensive process of restoration, undertaken by textile conservation experts.

Finally, in 2006, after almost 200 years, the flag was placed on permanent display in a climate-controlled glass case at the Fort Niagara Visitor Center. It no longer waves in the wind—but it stands as a symbol of endurance, just like the fort itself.

A Silent Witness

This flag saw war. It crossed an ocean. It survived a fire. It came home.

It’s not just a piece of fabric—it’s a piece of us. A reminder that the past never really disappears. Sometimes, it’s waiting in a castle attic. Sometimes, it’s pulled from the flames. And sometimes—just sometimes—it makes its way home again.

📍 Come see the flag for yourself at Old Fort Niagara. And while you’re here, book a tour with Go Niagara Tours. We don’t just show you the sights—we show you the stories that refuse to burn.