Laura Secord, the heroine of 1812 Part 35

Of the career of the 49th Regiment in Canada during the war of 1812-15, it is impossible to speak too highly. From their brilliancy of attack and energy in action the American soldiers dubbed them the "Green Tigers," and on the fatal day at Queenston, those of the wounded who had pa.s.sed over "had described the charge of the 'Green Tigers' and militia in the morning, and had warned them what they might expect if they came in contact with troops infuriated by the loss of their beloved General"

(Auchinleck, p. 106.) That the 49th revelled in the honour conferred by such a _soubriquet_ is clear from the fact that Fitzgibbon's company dubbed themselves "Fitzgibbon's Green 'Uns," and one of them, the late Judge Jarvis, of Cornwall, then a cadet of eighteen, says, over the _nom de plume_' "A Green 'Un," in Auchinleck: "We were all dressed in green uniform made from clothing which had been taken from the enemy."

In a private letter to the writer Judge Jarvis says, under date _Cornwall, 7th November_, 1876: "The uniform of the 49th was, of course, of a scarlet colour with green facings, rather a light green.

Around the edges of the cuffs and collar was a band of gold lace one inch wide, thus (a drawing is given).

"The militia had no uniform during the War of 1812; they were furnished with a blanket only." At the taking of Fort Detroit the militia are generally said to have been in uniform, but these were only a few and in the first engagement.

"The Americans wore coa.r.s.e grey or blue cloth, mostly the former."

Homespun; in pursuance of the line of action required by the blockade.

"One regiment, the Irish Greens, wore dark green cloth, but they were not at either Stony Creek or Beaver Dam."

NOTE 30, page 59.

--and the Queen's, too, Who loves all n.o.bleness.

Queen Charlotte's intense admiration for all n.o.bility of character is well exemplified by Sir Walter Scott in Jennie Deans ("Heart of Midlothian"), to whom she showed the most marked kindness and sympathy.

This was but one instance out of many which were well known and duly appreciated by the British people.

NOTE 31, page 60.

You, c.u.mmings, mount.

James c.u.mmings, of Chippewa, was engaged in the Indian trade. He accompanied Clark's plucky expedition on Black Rock, when they surprised the work, captured the guard together with several stand of arms, one bra.s.s six-pounder, and a large store of provisions. On Bishopp hearing of this exploit, he fired up, "Hang the fellow, he has got before me. By Jove, it was well done; we'll try it again." And he did, as history tells.

NOTE 32, page 60.

Twelve-Mile Creek.

"The site of St. Catharines, formerly known as the Twelve-Mile Creek or s.h.i.+pman's Corners, after the oldest inhabitant of the place, was first selected as a country residence by the Hon. Robert Hamilton, father of the Hamilton who gave his name to the flouris.h.i.+ng and rising city which still bears it, so early as the year 1800, at which period he owned the mills afterwards known as the Thomas's Mills, upon the Twelve-Mile Creek, up to which point boats at that time ascended. But it was not until after the war, viz., in 1816, that the town-plot of St. Catharines was first purchased and laid out as a village by the Hon. W. H. Merritt and Jonathan H. Clendennen, and received the name of St. Catharines, in honour of Mrs. Robert Hamilton, whose name was Catharine."

--_Anglo-American Magazine_, vol. 3, p. 129.

NOTE 33, page 60.

I have friends beyond.

These were the household of Miss Tourney, an intimate friend of Mrs.

Secord, and owner of a large farm some three miles beyond Beaver Dam. To this house Mrs. Secord proceeded, accompanied by an escort furnished by Lieut. Fitzgibbon, but, it need hardly be said, not exactly in the manner described. Here "she slept right off, for she had journeyed on foot twenty miles, and safely, G.o.d be praised." Mrs. Secord returned to her anxious husband on the third day after having started on her perilous undertaking, but neither through the woods, nor on foot, thanks to her brave deed, and the success of British arms.

NOTE 34, page 63.

Ye Yankee rogue! ye coward!

This incident, which Col. Coffin places as preceding the occupation of Beaver Dam by Fitzgibbon, is thus described by Judge Jarvis in a letter subsequent to the one already quoted, and which was apparently dictated by the awakening of did memories by the enquiries that led to the former letter: "Although I write with great labour and pain" [the result of rheumatism] "I cannot refrain from giving you the following incident.

Lieut. Fitzgibbon, who always preferred going on any dangerous expedition to sending any other person, on receiving the information of the patriotic woman, went forward to reconnoitre. On approaching a small tavern two American soldiers came out of the door, and immediately presented their rifles. He seized the rifles, and crossed them in front of his person" [Col. Coffin says: He seized the musket of the more advanced man and by main strength threw him upon his fellow, whose musket he also grappled with the other hand'] "so that neither could fire without shooting his fellow-soldier. Here he held them until one of them drew Lieut. Fitzgibbon's sword, and held it up over his head, of course intending to stab him forthwith. The woman of the house saw the position, and rushed out and seized the sword, and got it from the soldier's hand. Fitzgibbon then tripped up one of the soldiers and felled the other with a blow, then took them both prisoners and marched them into the line occupied by his company."

It is a pity this brave woman's name cannot be discovered in order that it might be added to the roll of those patriotic women whose names adorn Canadian history.

NOTE 35, page 64.

Lieut.-Col. Thomas Clark.

Lieutenant-Colonel Clark, of the 2nd Lincoln Militia, was, says Colonel Coffin, "a Scotchman by birth." He "was an Indian trader and forwarder of goods to the Western hunting grounds; a member of the firm of Street & Clark.... From the first outbreak of the war Clark was foremost in frontier frail. He had acquired the confidence of his men, and obtained the cordial co-operation of those who, like Bishopp, understood volunteers, and could appreciate the merits of the extemporaneous soldier."

NOTE 36, page 64.

"But twenty sir, all told."

These were militia. "Old Isaac Kelly," says Colonel Coffin (Chronicles of the War of 1812), "born and raised on 48 Thorold, a septuagenarian, hale and hearty, who still [in 1864] lives not a mile from the spot, tells how, when he was a boy of eighteen, and was in the act of 'hitching up' his horses for the plough, he heard the firing in the wood, and outcries of the Indians; how he ran to his two brothers, both a-field; how the three got their muskets--they were all militiamen--men home to put in a crop; how, led by the sounds, they crossed the country to the beech grove, meeting eight or ten more by the way, suddenly roused, like themselves; how, from behind the trees, they opened fire on the American train, and on the guns which were then unlimbering to the rear, and how the Americans, more worried and bothered than hurt, changed their position, and took-up ground in David Millar's apple orchard."

NOTE 37, page 64.

Boerstler's lost his head.

Not altogether without reason. "We frightened the enemy," says Judge Jarvis, in a letter before quoted, "with our Indians, and from sounding the bugle on different positions to make them suppose we were numerous, and had them surrounded."

NOTE 38, page 65.

Terms generous and honourable, sir.

"Particulars of the capitulation made between Captain McDowell, on the part of Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler, of the United States Army, and Major De Haren, of his Britannic Majesty's Canadian Regiment, on the part of Lieutenant Colonel Bishopp, commanding the advance of the British, respecting the force under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler:

"Article 1.--That Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler and the forces under his command shall surrender prisoners of war.

"Article 2.--That the officers shall retain their arms, horses and baggage.

"Article 3.--That the non-commissioned officers and soldiers shall lay down their arms at the head of the British column, and shall become prisoners of war.

"Article 4.--That the militia and volunteers with Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler shall be permitted to return to the United States on parole.

"ANDREW MCDOWELL,