Major Andrew Hunter Holmes-- Part 3: War of 1812 Service

During March 1814, the commander of American forces at Detroit, Colonel Butler, ordered Captain Andrew Holmes of the 24th Tennessee Regiment on a raid into the British Western District in Upper Canada.  His objective was to capture a British military post.  

He won a skirmish/battle near Longwood, a heavily forested tract of land that lay between Delaware and the present town of Thamesville, near present-day Wardsville, Ontario.

Exactly five months later the American forces tried to attack the heavily fortified Fort Mackinac in August 1914.  Major Holmes was killed while leading a force of troops in the attack.

The British ambushed them in a bloody skirmish which left 13 Americans dead including Holmes.

On the 30th of the same month, Andrew Jackson wrote Governor David Holmes a note of condolence saying:  "I sympathize with you most cordially in the afflicting loss of your brother, Major Holmes."

(David Holmes was the governor of the Mississippi Territory.)

--Brock-Perry

Fort Mississauga-- Part 1: Defending the Mouth of the Niagara Fiver

From Wikipedia.

Fort Mississauga National Historic Site is a fort located on the shore of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Niagara River by the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

It consists of a box-like brick tower surrounded by a star-shaped earthworks.

It was built from 1814-1816 during the War of 1812 to replace the nearby Fort George (which was considered to be too far from Lake Ontario).  It was built on a foundation of brick and stone salvaged from rubble left over  after retreating U.S. forces burned the nearby town of Newark (today's Niagara-on-the-Lake) in December 1813.

It would help in the defense of Upper Canada as a part of the regional network that also included Fort George, Navy Hall and Butler's Barracks.

However, Fort Mississauga was not completed until after the end of the war.

--Brock-Perry

Mary Madden Henry, Canadian Heroine-- Part 8: After the War

Following the war. Mary Henry's acts of courage were recognized by the Loyal and Patriotic Society of Upper Canada.

They referred to her as "a heroine not to be frightened" and she was granted a gift of twenty-five pounds sterling.  When adjusted for time and inflation, that grant would be worth more than 1,000 pound today.

Until this month, I had never heard of Mary Madden Henry.

But, since this is Women's History Month, this fits right in.

--Brock-Perry

Some More on Betsy Doyle-- Part 1

FromWCNY Org. Fort Niagara.

By Cathy Emmerson.

Betsy Doyle was a woman of the Army, one of a small number of military wives who were permitted to accompany their husbands to perform menial tasks like nursing and laundry.  Prior to the War of 1812, she had married  Andrew Doyle, a private in the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment.

He was stationed at  Fort Niagara, an antiquated outpost on the Canadian/U.S. border, about 30 miles north of Buffalo, New York.

When U.S. forces invaded Upper Canada, just seven miles south  of the fort, on October 13, 1812, Private Doyle was among the forces crossing the Niagara River.  The subsequent Battle of Queenston Heights was a disaster for the Americans and Doyle became a prisoner of war.

When he was recognized as a  native of Upper Canada, he was sent to England to be tried for treason.  There he remained for the balance of the war, an inmate at the infamous Dartmoor Prison.

Andrew's capture left Betsy Doyle and her four children  alone at Fort Niagara.

--Brock-Perry

Thirteen Gun Salute for Guernsey Military Hero Isaac Brock

From the October 13, 2022, BBC News.

A thirteen gun salute was fired from Castle Cornet in Guernsey for General Isaac Brock who died in 1812 while leading a Britishh, Cabadian and  First Nation army to victory over an invading American army.

The Guernsey-born British Army general became known as "The Saviour of Upper Canada."

The commemorations mark the 210th anniversary of his death.

Oliver Brock, a first cousin six times removed of General Brock, said his family had been looking forward to the event.  He said:  "The commemorations today are a part of what we can do to show our respect the man that a lot of people of Canada feel started their nationhood."

The Brock in my signoff refers to Gen. Isaac Brock.

--Brock-Perry

How the Horrors at the River Raisin Became a Rallying Call-- Part 1

From the Summer 2022 American Battlefield Trust Hallowed Ground "A National Calamity." 

In 1812, as war between the United States and Great Britain was on its way, the Michigan Territory emerged as a critical theater of operations with its location north of the state of Ohio (admitted in 1803) and its border with the British Upper Canada.  It was an obvious avenue of nvasion, both ways.

American militias were called into service building preparatory roads  even before Congress declared war on June 18, 1812.

While the ongoing war in Europe between Britain and Napoleon kept most British troops occupied, few could be spared for operations against the United States, much to our benefit.  The British commander in North America, Major General Isaac Brock had to rely more on Canadian militia and the cooperation of the Native American Confederation under the Shawnee war chief Tecumseh.

--Brock-Perry

Standing Tall on Lake Erie-- Part 5: 'We Have Met the Enemy and They Are Ours'

Despite losing his flagship, Oliver Hazard Perry was able to disable and scatter the British fleet.

When it came time for their surrender, he had the site moved back to his flagship, the USS Lawrence, so they could see the damage they had done to the ship.

He wrote a letter to General William Henry Harrison with the now famous statement:  "We have met the enemy and they are ours.  Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop."

This enabled Harrison, then, to launch his invasion of the western part of Upper Canada, which ended in the British total defeat at the Battle of the Thames and the death of Indian chief Tecumseh.

Perry was hailed as the "Hero of Lake Erie."

Dedicated in 1931, Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is a testimony of the American victory on Lake Erie and a nod to a long-standing peace among the U.S., Britain and Canada.  Initially, three American and three British military members were buried at the monument as a reminder of the losses suffered by both sides during the fierce 1813 battle.

The bodies were later exhumed and reburied at De Rivera Park.

There is no doubt that the towering structure embodies a history of great proportions.

--Brock-Perry

Three 'Dirty' Tricks the British Used on Americans at Detroit in 1812

From the June 15, 2022 We Are the Mighty "3 dirty tricks Canada used to gain control of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812."

Chief among American  embarrassing moments from the War of 1812 was General William Hull's surrender of Fort Detroit in Michigan to a numerically smaller British force.

The British, led by  Maj. Gen. Isaac Brock (the Brock in my signoff Brock-Perry for each blog entry) used a massive deception ploy to scare Hull into surrendering without firing a shot.  Hull infamously  complied with Brock's surrender demand despite having more troops and a fortified position.

Having taken Fort Detroit (site of present-day Detroit) and having the superior naval force on the Great Lakes meant the British had  control of Upper Canada (today's Ontario), the Great Lakes and the Michigan Territory for part of the war.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander Macdonell-- Part 5: Becomes Catholic Bishop of Upper Canada

A central figure in the religious and political life of the Crown Colony of Canada, Macdonell was appointed vicar general in 1807 and vicar apostolic in 1820 and was  consecrated bishop or Regiopolis in 1826.

During his tenure thousands of Irish immigrants arrived, and by 1840, there were 34 priests and  48 parishes in  Upper Canada (today's province of Ontario) for which Macdonell had secured financial assistance from the local and British governments.

A firm conservative, Macdonell was a legislative counsellor  from 1831, and soon came under fire from the Reform Movement.

He died while in Britain attempting to secure funds for the Regiopolis College and recruiting more Catholic emigrants.  Alexander Macdonell was buried at  St. Margaret's Convent in Edinburgh, Scotland, but his remains were removed to  St. Mary's in Kingston in 1861.

--Brock-Perry

Canada's First Catholic Bishop Alexander Macdonell-- Part 3

By 1822, the Catholic population of York had grown to 1,000 and Macdonell moved from Glengarry to York (Toronto) and built a home at the corner of Jarvis and Richmond in 1832. of Upper Canada's Catholic crusade.

That home is barely noticeable today, but at one time it was the center of Upper Canada Catholic crusade.

Macdonell has been described by  William Foster Coffin as "a medieval churchman, half bishop, half baron, [who] fought and prayed with equal zeal, by the side of men he had come  to regard as  his hereditary followers."  

Thomas D'Arcy  McGee referred to him as the "greatest Tory of Canada."

Macdonell was definitely a man of many talents, despite his allegiance to the Crown and chief among him were his power of political persuasion.  As a member of the Legislative Assembly, he would eventually push for government salaries to be paid to Catholic priests and teachers in the colony in return for their loyalty to the Crown.

However, this effort met with resistance from Anglican Church heads of Upper Canada and John Strachan in particular.

It turns out that  the political ties between Strachan and Macdonell were not enough to overcome their religious differences.

--Brock-Perry

Gen. Hull's Proclamation-- Part 3: A British Proclamation

William Hull also believed that his invasion would frighten the native tribes.  In a letter to the Secretary of War, he wrote,  "It is likewise  probable that when the Indians see the American standard erected on both sides of the river it will have a favorable effect."

Like many Americans who lived on the  frontier, Hull was wary of native warriors.  In his proclamation, he wrote that their method of warfare "respects no rights  & knows no wrong."

To persuade locals from joining with indigenous warriors to resist  the American invasion, Hull informed them that any white man fighting alongside the warriors would receive no quarter.  Instead, "Instant destruction will be his Lot."

Hull intended his proclamation to coerce its inhabitants of Upper Canada into accepting the authority of the United States.   

The British commander (Isaac Brock), in turn, issued his own proclamation promising to defend Upper Canada -- and, in later  engagements, took advantage of Hull's fear of indigenous warriors to force his surrender.

--Brock-Perry

Gen. Hull's Proclamation-- Part 2: To Liberate Upper Canada from British Tyranny

To announce his presence in Upper Canada, William Hull printed a proclamation to  distribute amongst its inhabitants.  "This army under my Command has invaded your Country," he wrote, "and the standard of the United States waves on the territory of Canada."

Hull was convinced that the inhabitants of Upper Canada would welcome the Americans as liberators from oppressive British rule.  His experience in the American Revolution had taught him to hate the British and to believe in American freedom.  he reassured the people, "I come to find enemies not to make them, I come to protect not to injure you."

Convinced hat being an American citizen was better than being a British subject, Hull offered to battle the British  army on behalf of its inhabitants.  

"You will be emancipated from Tyranny and oppression," he assured them, "restored  to the dignified position of freedom."

--Brock-Perry

'I Come to Find Enemies Not to Make Them': Gen. Hull's Proclamation to the People of Canada-- Part 1

From the National Park Service.

As I said in the last post, I need to find out about General William Hull's Proclamation that his son, Captain and Aide de Camp Abraham Fuller Hull (who I have been writing about) witnessed in official capacity.

The whole quote from the headline:  "I come to find enemies not to make them, I come to protect not to injure you."

When American General William Hull made an early invasion of Upper Canada he was convinced that the inhabitants there desire freedom from the tyranny of the British.  He also feared attack by native warriors.  In one sweeping proclamation, Hull tried to impress  and threaten the entire region into compliance.

On July 11, 1812, American Brigadier General William Hull led his army across the Detroit River into Upper Canada, capturing  the town of Sandwich.  Hull's invasion was the first major offensive since Congress declared war on Britain in June 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Canada's Coloured Corps-- Part 11: Black Canadians in the British Service

In addition to serving in militia units, other black Canadians enlisted in the regular British forces defending Upper Canada (Ontario).

One of the most common roles they fulfilled was that of percussionist in military bands.  An officer of the 104th Foot recalled the regiment's bass drummer, Private Henry Grant, accompanying his regiment's epic march through the snow from New Brunswick to Upper Canada between February and April 1813.

After reaching Kingston, he and his regiment took part in the Battle of Sackets Harbor on 29 May 1813, in which several band members were killed.

Other British  regiments garrisoned in Canada for long periods of time recruited black Canadian  musicians in a similar manner, including the 100th Foot, whose cymbal player was Black.

--Brock-Perry

Canada's Coloured Corps-- Part 4: Captain Robert Runchey

But, instead of making Richard Pierpont commander of the corps,  that went to a local white officer,  Captain Robert Runchey.

Characterized as a "worthless, troublesome malcontent" by his superiors, Runchey fulfilled his  reputation for poor leadership by segregating  black men from  other militiamen.  In  some cases, Runchey hired out black soldiers as domestic servants to  other officers.

Not surprisingly, recruitment in  the Niagara Peninsula proved to be very difficult and "Runchey's Company of Coloured Men" remained small.    In early October 14, 1812,  14 black soldiers were transferred to the unit from the 3rd York Militia.

The majority of the men of the unit lived in Upper Canada -- in towns and villages in the Niagara region, in York (Toronto) and Bay of Quinte, near Belleville.  One of the men, George  Martin, from Niagara, had been freed from slavery by his father, Peter, in 1797.

Four years before that, Peter Martin had witnessed and reported the Chloe Cooley Incident to Lt.-Gov. Simcoe--  an event that led to the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada.

Once raised to about 40 men, the unit began training at Fort George.

--Brock-Perry

Canada's Coloured Corps-- Part 2: A Move Toward Abolition

The first substantial settle of Blacks in Canada occurred at the end of the American Revolution.  Some like Richard Pierpoint am enslaved man who had gained his freedom by fighting for the British in that war.  Most, however, were enslaved people brought there as spoils of war or as property of Loyalists.

About 500-700 Blacks lived in Upper Canada (Ontario)  by the time Lieutenant-Governor John Simcoe arrived there in 1792.  He wished to abolish slavery entirely, but the legislature of Upper Canada  opposed many of his reforms.

Many of the members of both houses either had slaves themselves or were from slave owning families and were concerned over the economic impact of abolition.  As a result, when the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada passed on 9 July 1793, it severely limited Simcoe's intentions.

It banned the further importation of slaves and limited the terms of enslavement to nine years.

--Brock-Perry

The Coloured Corps: Black Canadians and the War of 1812-- Part 1: Free and Enslaved Blacks

Since I have been writing a lot about the Black Experience in the United States  in many of my other blogs lately in honor of Black History Month, I'll will be exploring one of their roles in the War of 1812.

From the Canadian Encyclopedia.

The Coloured Corps (also known as Runchley's Company of Colored Men, or Black Corps) was a militia company of black men raised during the War of 1812.

Created in Upper Canada, where enslavement had been limited in 1793,  the corps consisted of free  and enslaved black men.  Many of them were veterans of the American Revolution, in which they fought for the British and were called Black Loyalists.

The Coloured Corps (British/Canadian spelling) fought in the Battle of Queenstown Heights and the Battle of Fort George before it was attached to the  Royal Engineers as a construction company.

In later years, it was reactivated  during the Rebellions of 1837-38 and also served as a police force during the construction of the Welland Canal.

--Brock-Perry

Tenth Year of This Blog

This marks the beginning of this blog's tenth year.

This post is the 3,447th.

The very first post was April 16, 2012.

This blog grew out of my Cooter's History Thing blog and I started it because 2012 was the bicentennial of the War of 1812.  I knew more about this war than most people, but that's not saying too much as most Americans know very little about the war.

I figured I would learn more about it with this blog, and I sure did, starting with where Upper and Lower Canada (as the British colony was called back then) were not where I thought they would be.  I always thought upper meant north and lower meant south.  But not so in Canada.  The locations refer to the St. Lawrence River which flows from south to north.

I was looking for a signoff name and couldn't think of one so temporarily used the last names of two heroes of the war:  Isaac Brock of Britain and Oliver Hazard Perry of the U.S.

Things You Learn.  --Brock-Perry

3,188 Posts and Nine Years Later

As of this post, this blog is now nine years old and this is my 3,188th post.

I started three new blogs in 2012, this being one of them.  The other two are my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy and Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog.  2012 was a significant anniversary year for the wars:  200th for the War of 1812, 70th of World War II and 150th of the Civil War.

Even though I was supposed to teach the War of 1812 to my 7th grade students, I usually didn't get there.  I also knew that I didn't know a whole lot about the War of 1812 so this looked like a perfect way to gain some knowledge.  And, I have learned a lot about it.

The very first thing was the difference between Upper and Lower Canada.  Here in the United States, we would regard Lower as being southward and Upper northward.  But, in Canada, this is based on the St. Lawrence River which flows south to north, so Upper Canada is the part by the United States.  I didn't know that.

The sign off, by the way, Brock-Perry stands for a hero on each side during the War of 1812.  Brock is Sir Isaac Brock and Perry is Oliver Hazard Perry.

Learning All the Time.  --Brock-Perry

Fort Malden-- Part 7: Fort is Abandoned By the British

Again, the official name of the fort is Fort Amherstburg, but most everyone refers to it as Fort Malden.

Throughout the War of 1812, the Detroit Frontier (where Fort Malden is located)  was considered as an afterthought to British strategy.  It was "a distant and expendable outer branch"  of Canada.  One that Britain would sacrifice in order to protect Montreal and Quebec in Lower Canada, and Niagara, York and Kingston in Upper Canada.

The losses of York and Niagara in the spring of 1813 placed the Upper Canada's western border in jeopardy.  Resources were directed at the Niagara region and with no chances of receiving significant reinforcements,  General Proctor was forced to abandon Fort Malden in September 1813.

With the British defeat at the Battle of Lake Erie the fort was burned and the fort's inhabitants were forced to flee with American forces hot on their heels.  After the American victory at the Battle of the Thames, general Proctor was able to continue his retreat to Niagara.

--Brock-Perry