The World is a Stage
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Two hundred years ago, to the day, which is tomorrow, June 22nd, one of Canada’s first heroines, began a walk, before dawn, on a hot day, in enemy occupied territory.
Laura Secord’s walk was through dense forest filled with wolves, bears and other predators. She spent hours in the Black Swamp which stretched from the Niagara Escarpment to Lake Ontario, where she was lost several times, trying to follow faint Native trails.
As dark descended, she ascended up the escarpment at 12 Mile Creek, a perilous climb for a strong man in daylight, let alone a delicate woman of 38 years.
Achieving the heights, did not end her adventure, in fact it became most terrifying when she stumbled upon and encampment of Caughnawaga warriors, who were unsure at first whether to kill the white woman or help her to warn Lieut. James Fitzgibbon of the impending American attack the next day. Fortunately for all of us, they helped her.
Laura’s 32-kilometre walk left her bedraggled and exhausted; her clothing was in tatters and her bare feet bloodied. What was the message she carried?
Laura had overheard the Americans planning to attack the British near DeCew’s home on the escarpment on June 23rd. It was not just another battle in a long war; this was a very strategic battle. Brock was dead and York [Toronto] had been burnt to the ground; Ft. George and most of the Niagara Peninsula had been captured and in enemy hands. One small section remained under Canadian [British] control, a small place called Beaver Dams, where Lt. Fitzgibbon was bravely hanging on.
It was an area where beavers had dammed up several creeks. Today it is a couple of large empty fields. Back then there were small fields, beech trees, ravines and creeks. Because of the beech trees, the battle is also called the battle of Beechwoods.
On June 23rd, 1813, Lieutenant Colonel Boerstler had set out from Fort George for Queenston with over 500 soldiers. The actual numbers vary with various accounts. The Americans began marching westward along the top of the Niagara Escarpment. Fortunately Laura did not run into them on her way home. They got lost, and did not arrive near Beaver Dams until the 24th.
Early in the morning the Indian scouts came rushing in to Fitzgibbon at DeCew’s with loud cries announcing Boerstler’s approach. Thanks to Laura, James Fitzgibbon was ready with the 50 men of His Majesties 49th Regiment and 15 militia.
Hummm, that is 65 men, not good odds, eh? But what he did have was Indians who were very mad at the United States and they wanted this battle. Dominique Ducharme a self-proclaimed leader of the Iroquois had asked to set up their men in a ravine to afford an ambush. Fighting with him were 300 Caughnawaga warriors, from Quebec, as well as John Brant [son of Joseph Brant] and John Norton [son-in-law of Joseph Brant], with six nations natives and William Kerr leading 100 Mohawks.
The weather was intensely hot, and as Fitzgibbon neared the ravine the Indians kept up an incessant firing from the woods. The US artillery made ineffectual efforts to drive them out. Their repeated attempts to march forward were baffled. When Boerstler changed his direction, he found that everywhere he turned, he met an invisible enemy. He was wounded twice, his horse was killed, and his men were falling on every side. Enraged by the loss of their brethren, the warriors fought savagely their horrible yells terrifying an enemy desperately fighting, a fearsome, phantom-like foe, they could scarcely see. They fought for three hours.
According to Fitzgibbon, he was able to begin the process of surrender in part because of the terror the natives had instilled in the Americans, and in part because he had convinced Boerstler that his own force of fewer than 50 regulars was simply the vanguard of a larger British contingent lurking behind the trees and that, if the fighting continued, it might be impossible to control the savagery of the warriors.
It worked and he told him truthfully for Major P.W. De Haren of the 104th Regiment would arrive soon. Boerstler capitulated and De Haren tried to steal the honours of the victory.
Later Lt. Fitzgibbon wrote, "…not a shot had been fired on our side by any but the Indians. They beat the American detachment into a state of terror."
However the quote that best describes the honours was given by John Norton: "The Caughnawaga fought the battle, the Six Nations got the plunder, and Fitzgibbon got the credit."