War of 1812 re-enactors live the life at Backus
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The 25th annual War of 1812 Re-enactment at Backus Heritage Conservation Area this past weekend did not replicate the major encounters of 1814.
Two hundred years ago, the War of 1812 was still raging in the Niagara Peninsula with battles at Chippawa, Lundy's Lane – the bloodiest battle of the war – and Fort Erie. The British burned Washington, and attacked Plattsburgh, New York.
The 25th anniversary of the Battle of Backus followed its own script.
"We created a few new events and we changed up the battle scenarios," said Robin DeCloet, heritage programmer and curator.
"This (Saturday) morning when we started our daily chores, tending the cabins, sweeping our floors, doing our laundry, cleaning up after the storm last night, all of a sudden one of the children announced that he saw Americans lingering...
"Next thing we knew they were here and they took over the entire village. They pushed us out of our homes, they turned one of the homes into a tavern, they've been causing ruckus, and they have not let us back in since."
British forces arrived, but were not able to push the Americans from the village in the morning.
"The second battle, this afternoon, the Americans tried to advance to the Mill, but the British were able to hold them," said DeCloet as a group of Mini Militia – children and parents – trained in the background. "We have another battle tomorrow (Sunday) at 2 p.m. and we're hoping the Americans do not make their way to the Mill."
Attendance was down a little Saturday morning, she said, attributing it to the weather. But it rebounded for the 2 p.m. battle.
"This evening we have an artillery barrage, just as the sun begins to set over the pond," said DeCloet. "The British artillery are going to stand ground at the Mill, and what's going to happen is the Natives are going to attack and kill them. They're going to start heading toward the (spectators), who are going to be collected by a British sentry and head into the Mill. From there the night-time candle light tour will start, and then we'll bring them back into the village where a lot of units are going to do a little role-play scenarios. Different things. Some will be rolling cartridges for their muskets tomorrow, some will be having dinner.
"Just camp life in the evening, the life of a soldier," she summed up as the Mini Militia concluded with a series of Huzzahs.
It was estimated about 300 re-enactors, including men and women on the battlefield, camp followers, children, and sutlers were at Backus on the weekend, coming from across Ontario, and some from the US.
"Word's gone out that Backus is the place to go," said Kevin O'Halloran, who provided commentary during Saturday afternoon's battle and the indoor court martial that followed.
Each year the battle scenarios change at the Heritage Village, he said.
"This is our playground. Because there was no battle here, we can set up whatever we want."
Following Saturday's stalemate, a court martial of soldiers was carried out within the schoolhouse.
"This was the first time we've done this here," said O'Halloran. "We wanted to add something new because it's our 25th anniversary. So we thought, 'let's do something different.' We should have had more British officers in there but they're busy... so they asked me to come in and talk."
Talking is something that comes naturally for Simcoe's O'Halloran, a member of the Norfolk militia, who has been re-enacting for 31 years.
"When you start off re-enacting, somebody says, 'will you come to our school and talk to the kids?' Then you've got to know stuff. When I go to schools I dress them up in uniforms and everything, go through the whole life of a soldier. The kids need to know this stuff."
As a hobby, said O'Halloran, it's appealing for the re-enactors to live the life. It also serves the dual function of educating the public.
"You actually get to live history. You hear the guns going off and the cannons, you smell the smoke, and you tend to appreciate what these people went through.
"We get out here and do this re-enacting, we wear the uniforms, we sweat... we try to eat the same food, we sleep in the tents. We try to show the public so they appreciate what Britain did to try to keep us Canadian. I mean, 75 per of the people who lived up here were Americans. (Thomas) Jefferson had said, 'it's only a matter of marching.' Just walk in and they'll welcome us with open arms. Well... sorry!"
Despite having so many recently arrived Americans who had taken advantage of free land grants, the most of southwestern Ontario did not rise up when the US invaded.
"They appreciated the British rule at the time. When the revolution came, a lot of groups had formed up and started tar-and-feathering people and burning people out because they didn't 'believe' the right way. You'd come up to Canada and everyone was more tolerant, equal. So they'd come up here and it was great.
"Now it's 1812, and all of a sudden the Americans are going to come in. They're going to take my farm, and I'd say, 'wait a minute, I just cleared that land, you're not taking this, I don't care where you're from.' I think that's why a lot of them said, no, we're quite happy where we are."