Canadians? What Canadians?

From the threat of war to land grants. This forum is for general discussion relating to the Glens.
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pud
Official historian
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Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:48 pm
Location: Upper Canada

Canadians? What Canadians?

Post by pud » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:54 pm

Leave it to both the British and the Americans to forget to address the fact that a primarily Canadian force attacked, and defeated, an American stronghold in February of 1813.

Have a look at the following quotation taken from Lt. Col. E. Cruikshank's collection edited by/for the Lundy's Lane Historical Society, printed at the Tribune Office in Welland, Ontario, 1902 entitled: Documentary history of the campaign upon the niagara frontier in 1813 (part V January to June, 1813). It's found on page 101:

"(From the Buffalo Gazette, March 9th, 1813.) On the 22d ult. the British 8th Regiment, having previously come up from Montreal in sleighs, passed over at Ogdensburg, attacked Capt. Forsyth and captured 11 pieces of cannon, burnt 2 schooners, 2 small armed boats, a quantity of marine stores, pork, flour, whiskey, burnt the fort, barracks and returned. This account was sent by the British from Fort George to Colonel McFeeley at Fort niagara. They stated that the exercise was only a retaliatory measure, that private property would be paid for."

You decide. Was it propaganda with a purpose? A case of a story changing hands once too many times? British bold/blind story telling? American propaganda? Sentationalism of the most unkind? Or what? Then, like now, Canadians are the silent and patient warriors that everybody else takes advantage of. Ah well,...we soldier on,...absolutely no pun intended :^)

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