War of 1812

Friday, June 28, 2013

Friday June 28, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 28, 2013

Ahoy, tall ships arriving

If you hear cannons blasting on the bay Friday afternoon, don’t be alarmed.

It will be friendly fire to signify the start of an amazing weekend of maritime history.

Between 2 and 4 p.m., six majestic tall ships from around the world will sail into and around Hamilton Harbour in a stunning display of marine history to officially begin the Tall Ships Hamilton event.

As each vessel enters the bay, those with armaments will fire their cannons in salute and the Haida, a Second World War destroyer permanently docked at Pier VIII, will blast return charges from its four-inch guns to welcome the arrival.

Unfortunately, rain is expected during the Parade of Sail, but officials say they plan to continue with as much of the ceremony as possible. The ships will be on display Saturday and Sunday at Pier 8. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Saturday, June 1, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, June 1, 2013

The Battle of Stoney Creek: Red coats to the Rescue

For SaleThe Battle of Stoney Creek is regarded as one of the most important events in Canadian history. Despite the fact it took place 200 years ago, visitors to Battlefield Park in Stoney Creek got a chance to step back in time on the weekend to experience what it might have been like that early morning of June 6, 1813 when 700 British regulars from the King’s (8th) Regiment of Foot and the 49th Regiment of Foot and a small contingent of native warriors advanced from the site of what is now Dundurn Castle to surprise 3,500 American troops who were camped at the Gage family homestead (where Battlefield Park is now located). After an intense 40-minute battle, the British captured two American generals and two field guns. The Americans were forced to retreat, never to advance as far into the Niagara Peninsula again.

Close to 700 re-enactors from as far away as Wisconsin, Thunder Bay and the Maritimes re-created the famous battle to the delight of thousands of spectators. There were cannons, musket fusillades and even period music demonstrations in the main field of the park (where the actual battle took place). Situated throughout the rest of the park were more than 30 vendors specializing in period goods and historical demonstrations of what life would have been like at an encampment in the War of 1812.

Despite the less than ideal weather this year, organizers were expecting the 200th anniversary edition of what is the longest continually run War of 1812 re-enactment in North America, would double last year’s numbers of 10,000 visitors over the course of the weekend. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Tuesday June 19, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday June 19, 2012

First Nations role in the War of 1812 ‘critical’

The Shawnee chief Tecumseh had gathered 10,000 warriors in what is now southern Ontario in 1812, hoping to unify First Nations peoples into a confederacy with their own land and government.

With Americans pushing aboriginal people off their lands to the south, Tecumseh and his supporters agreed to join the British and Canadian side during the War of 1812. British troops in North America were stretched and the participation of native warriors was a key to defending the country that would later be Canada.

“There’s no question that the role of native warriors in the southwest corner of Upper Canada, at Queenston Heights and throughout the War of 1812 is absolutely critical. They were indispensible,” says James Laxer, a political science professor at York University.

As Canada marks 200 years since the conflict, there are efforts underway to draw attention to First Nations involvement, which is too often ignored, CBC’s Deana Sumanac reports.

At Fort York, the garrison used to defend the tiny town of York, which later became Toronto, an art installation is telling the stories of natives involved with the war. The Encampment gathered 200 stories of people of all backgrounds and stations in life who were affected by the war and asked artists to create installations based on those stories.

Each exhibit is installed in a tent and the tents fill the grounds of the old fort. More than 30 stories are about aboriginal men and women.

Contributing artist Sarena Johnson, who is of Cree and Ojibway background, devoted her tent to the story of Tecumseh’s second in command, Stiahta, also known as Roundhead. (Source: CBC News) 

 

March 6, 2010

Saturday, March 6, 2010The 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 is creeping up on us. How are we going to commemorate it? Apparently some are giving it some serious thought. The state of Maryland has been working on doing something since 2007, as has the Washington D.C. based War of 1812 Commission. Then there’s Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and even the state of Georgia. It seems the Governor of New York, David Paterson doesn’t seem to be much of a fan of history after vetoing the money needed to run its own state bicentennial commission. In Canada there’s something called the Niagara Legacy Council which appears to be a big partnership. Provincially there’s Discover1812.com, on local levels there’s something from the Niagara Falls Museum thinking about how to memorialize the War of 1812, Fort Erie’s on board, and I’m glad to see that Hamilton, where several key events of the war occured, such as the Battle of Stoney Creek and the Bloody Assize in Ancaster, has been considering an action plan since 2007.

The above cartoon, obviously doubting a truly memorable commemoration prompted Jim Hill of the Niagara Parks Commission to send me an email: “What should we do for 1812? Seriously.” My response:

“Hi Jim,

To answer your question, something better than what we’ll probably get my cartoon may not be far off the mark. I know some money is slated for fixing up some of the monuments and forts from the War of 1812, but seeing that almost 40% of Canadians don’t even know who fought in the war it’s probably too much of a challenge to adequately commemorate the anniversary the way it was done in 1912. If I had the choice I’d have a fancy landmark museum built to house and display an extensive archives of period related documents and relics. I’d put it along the Niagara River at Fort George, the Brock Monument, or somewhere in between and I’d promote it like crazy across Ontario NY, and Ohio, and of course the millions of tourists who visit the area each year. But again, that’s wishful thinking. A government grant won’t do it, and I doubt enough interest could be drummed up for significant private dollars.

What do you think we should/could do?”

…and he responded:

Hello Graeme

Thanks for the response and your work, always enjoyable. I appreciated your sentiments. <p> As you can see, I work for the Niagara Parks Commission. We have saved, restored and protected virtually every 1812 site between Stoney Creek and Fort Erie, when others couldn’t or wouldn’t and we operate without the assistance of tax dollars. We rely on tourism and tourism has not been great. There are still some great plans in the works. Brock’s Monument received a face lift and has re-opened and Parks Canada is also giving Fort George about 25 years of maintenance in one winter. The City of Niagara Falls is giving the Lundy’s Lane Museum a major overhaul. We are planning a new visitor centre at Old Fort Erie.

However, none of these places are profitable, therefore we don’t market them. They are seen as old, expensive millstones.

We then blame new Canadians for not showing any interest when in fact I find it is middle-aged white dudes who are not much interested in highlighting one of our greatest generations when we might pale in comparison.

The Province is looking at spending marketing dollars but without citizens getting behind these places and their past, we will give it a miss and blame it on the dollar, passports, wars we shouldn’t talk about (1812 and Terror), exploding underpants, debt, the economy, new Canadians, etc.

Call your MP, MPP, Mayor, Regional Folks. In Hamilton, some great people are working on Stoney Creek and the Hamilton and Scourge project. They are working with The Niagara 1812 Legacy Council.

Keep giving people a gentle (or not so gentle) nudge to remind them that these places belong to them. They should check out how their properties are doing and get involved. Without 1812, there wouldn’t be a Canada.