The Battle of New Orleans

Although the War of 1812 came to an end with the Treaty of Ghent signed on December 24, 1814, it took a while for that news to reach North America from Europe. Consequently, continued skirmishes and attacks between the British and Americans occurred until mid-February 1815, when word of the peace treaty finally arrived.

The most famous of these late-breaking hostilities was the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. Heavily outnumbered American soldiers and militia under Major-General Andrew Jackson ("Old Hickory") defeated the British who attacked the Louisiana city both by land and sea. The victory boosted Jackson's profile and reputation, ultimately helping to propel him to the White House as president in 1829.

I mentioned before that the most famous song to come out of the War of 1812 is the American national anthem. The second most famous song is the 1959 hit "The Battle of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton. Who doesn't remember that catchy banjo-and-martial-drumbeat music with its down-home lyrics?

            We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.
            There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.
            We fired once more and they began to runnin' on
            Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

            Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
            And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
            They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
            Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

I can't embed it from YouTube for copyright reasons but click here for a fun little video of the song.

So this post concludes my series on the War of 1812 -- thanks for persevering with me over the past couple of years! And may I just say to our American neighbours -- I'm glad everything ended well and we're all friends now, but please don't invade Canada again, eh? Just come as tourists and spend your money here instead. The loonie is low right now so you'll get an extra good deal!

The Treaty of Ghent

The War of 1812 ended two hundred years ago today when Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814. No territory changed hands. No borders were redrawn. No one really won and no one really lost. The war ended essentially as a draw, a stalemate. Both sides were frankly just glad to be rid of the hassle.

Historically, the war is significant only to Canada. By successfully repelling various American attempts at invasion, colonial Canada retained its English and French identities and forged a firm resolve never to be American. This reinforcement of a unique identity led 50 years later to the successful creation of the independent dominion of Canada.

There was only one small problem. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Europe. News of the war's end had to reach North America by ship.

A very slow ship.

This means there will be one more blog post about the War of 1812 . . . stay tuned!

[Painting by A. Forestier, Signing of the Treaty of Ghent, shows Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier of Britain shaking hands with the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, John Quincy Adams]

O Say Can You See

The best thing the Americans got out of the War of 1812 is their truly great national anthem. Its lyrics were written 200 years ago today.

A young Baltimore lawyer named Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by a fleet of 19 British warships. The attack started on the evening of September 13, 1814 and continued all night. As dawn broke on September 14, he could see the enormous garrison flag still flying through all the smoke and debris and was inspired to write his famous poem.

This photo of the battle-scarred Fort McHenry flag was taken 50 years later --

Francis Scott Key's poem was later set to the music of a popular song called To Anacreon in Heaven and renamed The Star-Spangled Banner. I think it is one of the world's great national anthems of freedom and defiance, right up there with La Marseillaise of France and The Internationale of pre-Stalinist Soviet Russia.

              O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
              What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
              Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
              O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
              And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
              Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
              O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
              O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Today, the original Fort McHenry flag is preserved and displayed at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

Belated Gloating

I must apologize to you, dear American cousins, for missing an important War of 1812 Bicentennial date earlier this week. Yes, 200 years ago on August 24, 1814, British troops came down from Canada to Washington and burned your White House to the ground.

Now I KNOW we shouldn't gloat about this. And generally speaking, Canadians are NOT big gloaters. But JEEZ, give us this one little crumb of passive-aggressive schadenfreude, willya? After all, you guys came to York (Toronto) in 1813 and burned down OUR Legislative Assembly FIRST. You HAD to expect SOME kind of small tit-for-tat, didn't you?

So in honour of this momentous historical anniversary, I thought I'd post this jaunty little commemorative song --



Oh MY.

Well, THAT video doesn't seem very politely Canadian AT ALL, does it? Plus it has all these weird historical anachronisms and inaccuracies in it.  Like, even if he WAS an ass-kisser while Prime Minister of Britain, surely that doesn't justify portraying Tony Blair as an actual AMERICAN! Really, it's kinda disturbing.

Catchy little tune though!

Stoney Creek Music Video

Just one final post on the Battle of Stoney Creek!

Mark McNeil, a veteran journalist at The Hamilton Spectator and a talented singer-songwriter, wrote a wonderful song about the battle to mark its bicentennial. In this recently-posted video, he performs it against a backdrop of locations that you will recognize from my previous posts -- the Gage House, the Battlefield Monument, Smith's Knoll, the battle re-enactment field complete with re-enactors -- and even the actual trickling water of Stoney Creek!



Many thanks to Kay G. of Georgia Girl with an English Heart who found this video on YouTube and passed its link along to me!

Memorials at Stoney Creek: Battlefield House and Monument

This very British-looking castle tower was built as a monument to memorialize the Battle of Stoney Creek. Battlefield Monument was officially dedicated and opened to the public on the centennial of the battle in 1913.

Battlefield Monument is located on a rise behind Battlefield House, the restored two-storey home where the Americans imprisoned the Gage family on whose farm the battle was fought. This photo of Battlefield House was taken looking down from the Monument.

Here's the Monument as photographed through a window inside Battlefield House . . .

. . . and as it appears behind the battle re-enactment field.

[Photos by Debra She Who Seeks, except for photo #2 which comes from the internet]

Memorials at Stoney Creek: Smith's Knoll

Aboriginal and militia casualties at the Battle of Stoney Creek were claimed by their relatives and taken home for burial. But British and American soldiers did not have the luxury of a return to their home countries. They were buried where they fell.

British and American soldiers were all laid to rest in mass graves at Smith's Knoll in Stoney Creek. Here is the British memorial, replete with cannons, the Union Jack, an impressive plaque and the imperial lion on top.

The American memorial was erected later and is much more modern in appearance. The fresh floral wreaths on both monuments were recently laid in commemoration of the battle's bicentennial.

You can see that someone (an American re-enactor perhaps) has left a couple of tributes for the US fallen, including a flask undoubtedly used to toast their memories.

Although the plaque was laid on behalf of an American Legion branch, clearly it was engraved locally in Hamilton, judging from the Canadian/British spelling of "honour."

[Photos by Debra She Who Seeks]

The Battle of Stoney Creek

Two hundred years ago, Stoney Creek was a small village on the shore of Lake Ontario near the Niagara Escarpment. Today it is part of the large city of Hamilton, Ontario. In 1813, invading American forces arrived and established a camp of 3000 soldiers on the farm of James Gage. The American officers commandeered the Gage farmhouse as their headquarters, imprisoning the family in the cellar but not otherwise harming them.

Shortly thereafter on the night of June 5-6, 1813 under cover of darkness, 700 British troops who were stationed nearby launched a surprise attack. They had strict orders not to fire any muskets but to use only their bayonets when silently ambushing the American camp.

The British soldiers were accompanied by members of the local militia comprised of area farmers and merchants.

Iroquois warriors were there as well, led by Mohawk Major John Norton.

The silent ambush plan didn't really work out. Musket fire and native war cries soon filled the air and the battle was on! In the darkness, the fighting was fierce and confused. The Americans mistakenly thought they were outnumbered. Due to a couple of crucial American tactical mistakes, the British were able to capture their two senior officers. In 45 minutes it was all over and the Americans surrendered. While darkness remained, the British forces quickly dispersed back into the woods so the defeated Americans wouldn't learn how few in number they actually were.

Once again, Upper Canada was saved. And once again, may I say: Huzzah!

My Rare One and I took these photos at the Bicentennial Re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek held in Hamilton on the weekend of June 1-2, 2013. We enjoyed the Re-enactment tremendously. The re-enactors are unpaid history enthusiasts who come from all over Ontario and the USA. They pay for their own uniforms, equipment and travel costs. Many set up camp at Battlefield Park and live there all weekend in an authentic period manner without cell phones, electricity or any other modern conveniences. Re-enactors talk the talk and walk the walk!

Samuel Green and the War of 1812

Two hundred years ago today on July 6, 1813, my great-great-great-grandfather Samuel Green died. He was a farmer and miller in West Flamborough, Upper Canada (today part of Hamilton, Ontario). Samuel belonged to a large United Empire Loyalist family which had fled to Upper Canada from New Jersey during the American Revolution. He was 43 when he died, leaving a wife and 11 children. Samuel died performing military service in the War of 1812 with his local militia unit, the 2nd York Regiment. His wife Margaret later received a war widows pension for his loss.

Most accounts say that Samuel Green was a casualty of the Battle of Stoney Creek which was fought during the night of June 5-6, 1813. Some accounts say he was killed in action but the later stated death date of July 6 would indicate that he must have instead died of wounds received in the battle. Or perhaps that death date on the pension application was simply a clerical error and "July" should have read "June."

Or did Samuel survive the Battle of Stoney Creek but die performing another kind of military service? An entry in the Militia Muster Roll and Pay List of the 2nd York Regiment says a Samuel Green was paid for "batteauxing to York" from June 25 to July 6, 1813. Batteauxing was how the British moved military goods, supplies and ammunition over water from one strategic point to another by the use of large flat-bottomed boats. Did Samuel in fact drown in Lake Ontario or die accidentally while loading or unloading military supplies? The pay record itself makes no mention of death while on duty. Could it perhaps have been a different Samuel Green doing that job? Records were often spotty or inaccurate in those days.

It's probably impossible to know now. I prefer to subscribe to our traditional family history that Samuel Green was a casualty of the Battle of Stoney Creek. It was on this basis that My Rare One and I went to Hamilton in June to attend the Bicentennial Re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek. More on that to come!

[First photo of a Hamilton statue honouring the United Empire Loyalists comes from the internet. Second photo of militia re-enactors of the Battle of Stoney Creek was taken by My Rare One.]

Laura Secord Chocolates

So many of you commented about Laura Secord Chocolates on yesterday's post, I thought I'd expand a bit on this cultural phenomenon for the benefit of non-Canadian readers.

In 1913 on the centennial of Laura Secord's historic walk, Frank P. O'Connor established a chocolate store in Toronto and named it in her honour. The popular business expanded and today there are 120 stores across Canada. The Laura Secord line of products includes fine chocolates and rich ice cream. Now in 2013, the company is celebrating its own centennial. If you want to check out its website, click here.

Laura Secord Chocolates has probably done more to keep Laura Secord's name alive in the minds of Canadians than any other thing. Sad but true, LOL! Canadians tend to ignore our own history on the mistaken assumption that it is boring. I beg to differ, but that's another subject.

When I first decided to write this series on the War of 1812, I thought I'd do a giveaway for the Laura Secord post of . . . you guessed it . . . a box of Laura Secord chocolates. But then I discovered that Edmonton no longer has a Laura Secord store -- too much competition here in Alberta from Purdy's of British Columbia, I guess.

Oh well, if you're craving chocolate, you'll just have to enter my Chocolate Stanley Cup giveaway instead (even though it's Hershey's) but hurry! The Chicago Blackhawks could win the Stanley Cup tomorrow night and then the contest will close. Click here!

A LATE-BREAKING POST SCRIPT -- Hey everyone! Be sure to check out today's fun blog post from Francie of a North End Journal -- she participated in the Bicentennial Laura Secord Walk yesterday and has great photos to share! Click here!

All Hail Laura Secord!

When I was a girl growing up in pre-feminist times, female heroines and role models were hard to come by in school. Usually, teachers could only dredge up a standard handful like Joan of Arc, Good Queen Bess, Marie Curie or Helen Keller. But here in Canada the biggest name of all was Laura Secord, heroine of the War of 1812!

Laura Secord was a Queenston farm woman whose husband was in the militia defending Upper Canada. In October 1812 after the Battle of Queenston Heights, she went out to search the battlefield, found her seriously wounded husband among the dead and dying, got him home and nursed him back to health. That's the kinda gal she was.

In June 1813, the lower Niagara peninsula was occupied by American troops. Their northern progress had recently been thwarted at the Battle of Stoney Creek but they were planning another offensive.

Like other locals, the Secords were forced to billet American officers in their home. While serving them dinner on the evening of June 22, 1813, Laura Secord overheard them discussing plans for a surprise attack in 2 days' time. So that night she sneaked away to warn the British commander, Lieutenant James FitzGibbon. She "walked alone nearly 20 miles by a circuitous, difficult and perilous route, through woods and swamps and over miry roads" to reach the British camp the next morning. Because of her timely warning, the dramatically outnumbered British and Mohawk warriors were able to repel the Americans at the Battle of Beaver Dams on June 24, 1813. Huzzah!

Tradition says Laura Secord took a cow with her in order to get past American sentries without raising suspicion. Today the cow's presence is doubted by many historians but I remain a true believer. The story's just not the same without the cow! Current historians also say Laura Secord got hopelessly lost and had to be rescued by the Mohawks who took her to FitzGibbon.

Some historians, however, go so far as to say that the British had already got wind of the Americans' plans and so Laura Secord's warning didn't really save the day after all. Heresy! Blasphemy! I will never believe such revisionist lies. Laura Secord will always be a heroine in my heart. Two hundred years ago tonight, she saved Canada. That's what I was taught in school.

[Illustration #1 by Lorne Kidd Smith, 1920. Illustration #2 by J.R. Skelton, 1908. Illustration #3 by Henry Sandham, 1910.]

[And don't forget to enter my Chocolate Stanley Cup giveaway, if you haven't already -- click here. The contest is open to Americans too. We're all friends now.]

Sheaffe's Shame

Today it is easier to see that Sheaffe's tactical retreat was for the best. It meant that the British retained sufficient strength to guard the most militarily important locations in Upper Canada, like Kingston. Even the Americans recognized that it would have been foolhardy to sacrifice many British soldiers in a fight against such heavy odds. As the U.S. Secretary of War wrote: ". . . we cannot doubt but that in all cases in which a British commander is compelled to act defensively, his policy will be that adopted by Sheaffe – to prefer the preservation of his troops to that of his post, and thus carrying off the kernel leave us the shell."

Upper Canadians, however, were not so understanding nor forgiving. Many members of the Legislative Assembly and other prominent citizens severely criticized Sheaffe and blamed him for abandoning York to its destruction. As a result of his defeat, Sheaffe lost his military and public offices in Upper Canada and was later sent home to Britain.

Back in England, Sheaffe resumed his military career and was ultimately appointed as a full General in 1835. He enjoyed a long life, marriage and children, a pleasant retirement and died in bed in 1851 at the age of 88.

But despite his victory at Queenston Heights and his prudence at York, Sheaffe remains the Rodney Dangerfield of the War of 1812. At least in Canada, the poor bugger can't get no respect.

The American Occupation of York

After Sheaffe's retreat, the victorious American forces occupied York. The town immediately offered its surrender in return for protection of property but the Americans delayed signing the terms of capitulation. In the meantime, they spent April 28-30 looting and burning.

The Americans paid particular attention to destroying symbols of British authority. Government House, the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor, was torched. So was the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada (pictured below). Outraged American troops claimed they found a scalp hanging on a chair in the Legislative Assembly, but it is now believed to have simply been the parliamentary Speaker's wig. The printing presses at the Printing Office were also smashed and destroyed.

Among the items looted from the Legislative Assembly was this carved lion statue, now repatriated to Ontario and displayed along with an American uniform at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

Tomorrow: Whatever became of Sheaffe?

[Photo of looted lion by David Kawai, Maclean's Magazine]

The Battle of York

At daybreak on April 27, 1813, an American fleet of 14 ships arrived at York carrying 1800 soldiers under the command of Brigadier-General Zebulon Pike. He was the handsome and popular young explorer who had discovered Pike's Peak in Colorado.

Major-General Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe immediately engaged the Americans in a land battle but the British forces were outnumbered four to one. The York Militia was not involved in the fight because it was busy evacuating the town. Sheaffe knew the battle was lost so he decided not to squander his remaining forces and to retreat to Kingston.

But before abandoning the York garrison, Sheaffe ordered that its Grand Magazine (the ammunition storehouse) be blown up so it would not fall into the approaching enemy's hands. The resulting mega-blast and shockwave killed 25 American soldiers and wounded 200 others, many of whom died later. One immediate fatality was Brigadier-General Pike.

Tomorrow: Things get worse.

Meanwhile, back at the War of 1812

Major-General Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe was a poor schmuck who couldn't catch a break. He had essentially saved Upper Canada by winning the Battle of Queenston Heights after Sir Isaac Brock was killed early in the battle, but did that make Sheaffe a hero? Noooooo. Everyone was too broken up about the loss of Brock to lionize Sheaffe. Brock got all the glory out of that victory, then and now.

Sheaffe succeeded to Brock's position as Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and commander of British Forces in the Niagara region. This sounds pretty grand but remember that Upper Canada was small and rural. Its capital was a colonial backwater of 800 people on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Then known as "muddy York," today it is called Toronto.

In April 1813, the Americans decided to try to invade Upper Canada again with a plan to sail across Lake Ontario and capture York. This time, would Sheaffe finally get his due as a hero by driving them off once more?

Tomorrow: The Battle of York

[Portrait of Roger Hale Sheaffe by Mather Brown, 1778; Map of York from the Ontario Archives]

Queenston Heights' Second Memorial

In distinct and pointed contrast to the Imperial British grandiosity of Brock's Monument, First Nations people have erected their own Memorial right at its base to honour their warriors of the Battle of Queenston Heights. After all, Brock died early on in the battle but they were there right to the bitter end, equally helping to save Upper Canada from American takeover.

The First Nations Memorial is made of wooden branches bound together with strips of red cloth to form a kind of tripod. A willow wreath rests at its centre in a manner reminiscent of Remembrance Day memorials. Laminated pictures of native leaders from the War of 1812 are displayed along with statements explaining the Memorial's significance.

I felt more moved by the First Nations Memorial than by Brock's Monument, actually, because "fair is fair," eh? Everyone's contribution to the history of Canada needs to be acknowledged, honoured and respected.

So, patient blog readers, this concludes my very long series of posts about the Battle of Queenston Heights. My War of 1812 series will resume in about six months time.

[All photos from the internet]

Memorializing Brock, Part 2

Later in the mid-1800s, the battlefield of Queenston Heights was transformed into a beautiful park and a huge stone monument was erected to honour Major-General Sir Isaac Brock. In fact, he is actually buried beneath it. A few years ago when My Rare One and I were in Ontario to visit Niagara Falls, we took a little detour and went to Queenston Heights to see Brock's Monument as well.

In typical 19th century style, Brock's Monument is intimidating in size, phallic in nature, rather grandiose and oh so very British. It reminded me a lot of Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square. It is definitely worth seeing. I think every Canadian should visit Queenston Heights and Brock's Monument at least once, if possible. It is such an important site in Canadian history.

But we discovered that there is also another important Memorial on Queenston Heights!

Tomorrow: Queenston Heights' Second Memorial

[All photos from the internet]

Memorializing Brock, Part 1

Sir Isaac Brock's death while defending Upper Canada from invasion guaranteed him major hero status in Canadian history. Brock's military tunic and other artifacts from the Battle of Queenston Heights are on permanent display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. See the bullet hole right underneath the black lapel? That's where the fatal musket ball got him.

The city of Brockville in Eastern Ontario is named for him, as is Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, the largest city on the Niagara peninsula. There's a township in Ontario and a village in Saskatchewan which also bear his name, as do numerous schools across Canada.

When I was a kid, I learned to sing a Canadian folk song celebrating the Battle of Queenston Heights. Its romanticized lyrics were written in the 1800s but the melody was composed in the 1960s by Canadian folklorist Alan Mills. Here's the first verse:

Upon the heights of Queenston one dark October day,
Invading foes were marshalled in battle's dread array.
Brave Brock looked up the rugged steep and planned a bold attack;
"No foreign flag shall fly," said he, "above the Union Jack."

You can hear the melody in an excerpt of Alan Mills singing the second verse by going here, scrolling down to #19 and clicking on the little play button.

Tomorrow: Memorializing Brock, Part 2

The Battle of Queenston Heights

Two hundred years ago today on October 13, 1812, American forces invaded Canada at the tiny village of Queenston in Upper Canada. The village consisted of 20 houses, surrounding farms and a military barracks.

Under cover of darkness at 4:00 a.m., some of the many American troops led by Major-General Stephen Van Rensselaer were ferried in boats across the Niagara River to the Canadian side. Navigating through direct cannon fire from the British soldiers stationed at the barracks, the Americans landed and started to scale the Niagara escarpment in order to take the high ground of Queenston Heights.

But Van Rensselaer was unable to get the bulk of his invasion force across the river. Partly it was because of the heavy artillery fire. But mostly it was because his troops were undertrained and inexperienced militia who were reluctant to go into battle.

Major-General Sir Isaac Brock arrived at dawn with more British troops and the York Volunteers militia units. They proceeded to charge up the steep escarpment under American fire. On the way up, Brock was shot first in the wrist and then in the chest. He died almost instantly.

The battle nevertheless went on, of course. More British reinforcements arrived by noon, as did 300 Mohawk warriors, and they all fought their way up the escarpment. The fierce Indian war cries were yet another reason why the rest of the militiamen on the U.S. side of the river continued their refusal to cross.

Even so, the battle was actually going quite well for the Americans until about 4:00 p.m. That's when Brock's second-in-command, Major-General Roger Hale Sheaffe, arrived on Queenston Heights by a circuitous overland route, having detoured fresh British troops and more Mohawk warriors so as to arrive behind the American line.

And that made it pretty much game over. The American troops scattered but, with nowhere to go, had to surrender at the very edge of the precipice.

Upper Canada was saved, huzzah!

Monday: Memorializing Brock, Part 1

Notes:
--First painting by James B. Dennis, 1866
--Second painting by John David Kelly, 1896

What Was the Upper Canada Militia?

Apart from Brock's trained British soldiers and Tecumseh's native warriors, Upper Canada was also defended by local militia units. These volunteer units were composed of men from 16 to 60 who were local farmers, tradespeople and merchants.

. . . [T]hese citizen soldiers were drilled about three days in a month. They were called up when needed, placed away from the centre of the line, on the flanks (when the line existed at all), and, after an engagement, sent back to their homes and farms until needed once more. *

Although the militia was certainly not intended to be, nor was used as, the first line of defence, a kind of "militia myth" soon developed that the militia was the real saviour of Upper Canada. The British actively encouraged this myth because it was good propaganda, promoted British values over American ones and fostered enthusiasm and loyalty among the citizenry of Upper Canada. After all, the vast majority of the populace were United Empire Loyalists born south of the border, now being expected to fight against former American countrymen. **

The most famous militia units were the York Volunteers who fought with Brock and Tecumseh at the Siege of Detroit and at the Battle of Queenston Heights. York (now Toronto) was the capital of Upper Canada.

Tomorrow: The Battle of Queenston Heights

Notes:
* Pierre Berton, The Invasion of Canada 1812-1813, p. 22.
** Steven D. Bennett, "The Militia Myth in the War of 1812" found here.
--the photo of contemporary Upper Canada Militia re-enactors comes from the internet.