Soldiers of the British Army in garrison in Canada were often tempted to flee to the United States from which they would not be deported.
[3] In order to combat this problem, the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment only recruited veterans of at least 15 years' service in the British Army.
They were also offered the prospect of a pension upon completion of 21 years of military service and free grants of land.
After the War of 1812, the Duke of Wellington opined that light infantry and rifle-armed skirmishers would prove of great value in any future campaigns in North America.
Fort Wellington is a national historic site operated by Parks Canada and depicts the period 1846.