Ten Strange Tales From America's Second War For Independence-- Part 1: Big Role for Kentucky

From the December 5, 2015, Listverse by Debra Kelly.

Of course, you can find much more information at the site.

10.  Kentuckians accounted for 60 percent of the American casualties.  With a population of 400,000, some 25,000 served.  A total of 1,876 Americans were killed in battle and of that, 1,200 were from Kentucky.

9.  Laura Secord was Canada's Paul Revere.

8.  Uncle Sam came about because of the war.

--Brock-Perry

11 Canadian War Heroes

From the Nov. 9, 2015, Huffington Post Canada "11 Canadian War Heroes We Can't Forget on November 11" by Jesse Ferreras.

Two of them were from the War of 1812.

LAURA SECORD

Laura Secord walked more than 30 kilometers and into Canadian history after she overheard talk of an American attack on the British at Beaver Dams in the War of 1812.  She managed to warn the English and their Mohawk allies, who were able to prepare for the attack and defeat the Americans.

TECUMSEH

Tecumseh, a Shawnee chief, became a hero in the War of 1812 for his instrumental role in forcing an American surrender.  He helped British Gen. Isaac Brock attack Detroit by leading his own men through a forested area, as the English approached directly.  Today, he's considered a folk hero.

I am kind of surprised that Isaac Brock wasn't on the list.

--Brock-Perry

Laura Secord Honored with Coin

From the June 21, 2013, MENAFN.com "War of 1812 hero Laura Secord commemorated on Royal Canadian Mint 25-cent circulating coin."

Some 12.5 million were made.

--Brock-Perry

DeCew House and the Battle of Beaverdam-- Part 2

Had Laura Secord not warned of the Americans coming, the battle might have gone the other way and been a British loss.

After the war, DeCew lived at the house with his family and operated a nearby mill at DeCew Falls.  He sold it in 1834.

The next owner lived there until 1942 when it was purchased by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario.

The original house burned down in 1950, but the lower stone walls were restored and a plaque installed to tell of its significance.

It is now a designated historic site.

--Brock-Perry

DeCew House a Focal Point in the Battle of Beaverdam-- Part 1

From the June 22, 2013, Welland (Can.) Tribune by Jeff Blay.

Thorold, Canada.

The Battle of Beaverdam is best-known for Laura Secord's famous walk or the crucial effort of the Six nations' warriors who won the battle.    But the stone house used as British headquarters, now called the DeCew House, has its own story.

John  DeCew was captured at Fort George in May 1813 and was held as a prisoner of war in Philadelphia.

he had built the house, known as the site where Laura Secord warned British Lt. James Fitzgibbon of the American advance on his position prior to the battle.

--Brock-Perry

Walk in Laura Secord's Footsteps

From the Niagara Now News "1812 Bicentennial: Walk in the footsteps of Laura Secord this June" by Jeff Johnston.

Niagara-on-the-Lake.

June 21-23rd the Friends of Laura Secord will retrace the twenty miles walked by her from Homestead to Queenston to the Decew House in Thorold.

There will be 5 stages of the walk and  6 way stations.  Shuttle buses will be running between the areas.

The organization is using the best approximation of the path Secord took.

Brock-Perry

Some War of 1812 Facts-- Part 2

**  Women often traveled with their husbands' military units and sometimes acted as spies.  Canadian Laura Secord walked 20 miles in the winter to warn British troops of an American attack in the Niagara Falls area.  Many Canadians now recognize her name in connection with a chain of candy stores named in her honor.

I wonder if any women served in the capacity of soldiers or sailors?

**  The Treaty of Ghent, named after the Belgian city it was signed in, ended the war.  This treaty essentially ended the war about where it started.  The British still took American sailors off ships and Canada was still a British colony.

**  The final fight, the Battle of New Orleans, took pace January 8, 1815, after the Treaty of Ghent was signed Dec. 24, 1814.  Hey, news traveled much, much slower back then.

Brock-Perry

Sorting Out Laura Secord's Role

From the April 29, 2012, Niagara Gazette by Don Glynn.

Laura Secord is credited for putting her life at risk after overhearing American officers dining at her house in Queenstown that they intended to surprise the British outpost at Beaver Dam and also capture the British officer Lt. James Fitzgibbon.

She walked twenty miles and was captured by British Indian allies, the Caughnawaga and then taken to Fitzgibbon.

The Americans did not attack February 23rd as she had said and she was questioned.

Three hundred Caughnawaga and 100 Mohawks attacked Lt. Col. C.G. Boerstler's rear guard and they surrendered.

Laura Secord's American counterpart, Betsy Doyle, escaped the fall of Fort Niagara in December 1813 and walked 300 miles to the American camp near Albany where she worked as a nurse.

Filling in the Blanks.  --Brock-Perry

War Hero Rests in Pauper's Grave-- Part 2

From the May 17th Hamilton (Canada) Spectator.

Continued from September 14th.

James Fitzgibbon was an Irish farmer's son and was a special protegee of Sir Isaac Brock until his 1812 death.  He rose through the ranks by merit rather than by buuying commissions as was the common practice.

During the early days of the War of 1812, he ran supplies along the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to Kingston, past American forces. 

His group used guerrilla tactics they learned from their First Nation (Indian) allies and wore gray-green uniforms and earned the name Bloody Boys, the Green 'Uns or the Bully Boys.  There is a story about how they captured two Americans in a tavern with the help of the owner's wife.

Americans at Fort George decided they were going to destroy the Bloody Boys and 600 set off to Queenstown.  Several officers stayed at the home of James and Laura Secord who overheard them boasting about a surprise attack on Fitzgibbons.  James was recovering from wounds, so Laura began her "legendary overnight trek" to warn the British.

The Story of Laura Secord's Night Trek.  --Brock-Perry