200 Years Ago: British Recapture Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Territory

JULY 18TH, 1814:

British and First Nation allies capture Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin territory.

Prairie du Chien was a small fur trading post at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers and was occupied by French-Canadians and managed by British merchants.

On June 2, 1814, the governor of Missouri Territory, William Clark, afraid that the British would use the post to launch an expedition down the Mississippi River, seized control of the post without incident and built Fort Shelby.

Under prominent fur trader William McKay, a force of about 120 voyageurs, Michigan Fencibles, and officers of the British Indian department and over 500 fighters from nations including the Ho-chunk (Winnebago), Menominee and Arishnabe (Ojibwe) set out to retake it.

With little ammunition and only 60 regulars to defend the post, the Americans surrendered after a short siege and returned home on parole.

--Brock-Perry

Meeting Our Friends, the Enemy, Here in Florida-- Part 2

As I said in the last post, you go to Hollywood Beach, Florida, and that lace is full of the French-Canadians down from Quebec.  English is a second language.

But go to Panama City Beach here in the Florida Panhandle and it is a different story.  There are Canadians here, but of a different sort.  These would be the ones from what they call Upper Canada, mostly Ontario, but I have seen one British Columbia tag here at the Driftwood Lodge/Osprey where we are staying.

We ran into a bunch of them the first night at Reggae J's at Pier Point.  They, like their F-C brethren were sure having a great time.  Of course, with the price of booze in Canada, they must have been thinking we were giving it away.

We talked a lot with one guy from Sault Ste. Marie.  It turns out he is 100% First Nation (Indian).  We talked some about the War of 1812.  Since then, we have run into him another couple times at Reggae J's, then Friday at Hammerhead Fred's for the fish fry and again last night at Dusty's.  We must run in the same circles.

Great Folks, Those Canadians.  --Brock-Perry

Meeting Our Friends, the Enemy, Here in Florida-- Part 1

And, we've met them before, but this is the first time during the War of 1812's bicentennial.

First, it was all of the French Canadians from what I now know to be Lower Canada, in the Hollywood, Florida, area.  As of yet, I am not sure whose side they were on during the War of 1812.  I'm sure they didn't like the British, but also don't think they would have liked to be a part of the United States either.

In Hollywood, I like to say that English is a second language, with a lot of stuff posted in both French and English.  The motels are sure to post that they speak French.

You see a lot of Quebec license plates.

Brock-Perry