September 14, 2013
Death, Hell, or Canada: Dryden and the War of 1812
with guest speaker, Simon St.Laurent
Two centuries ago, Dryden militia crossed the Niagara River into Canada in one of the early battles of this often forgotten war. Thomas Jefferson was wrong: conquering Canada was more than "a mere matter of marching". The attempt on Queenston failed, though British General Brock died in its defense.
Come learn about the perilous adventures of Dryden men and the state and national political whirlpools that were more hazardous than the Niagara River itself. Meet Governor Daniel Tompkins, namesake of our county, as he fought to keep New York State together in difficult times.
The Dryden Village Hall doors open Thursday, July 19th, at 6:30 PM, and, as always, this program is free and open to all with donations gratefully accepted. (The talk will start at 7:00 PM.)
Reaching for a paper cartridge.
I started from this chapter in George Goodrich's Centennial History of Dryden, which made clear that Dryden militia had fought at the Battle of Queenston Heights, and been killed (one), injured (at least one), or captured (everyone who crossed).
Major Dennis' drawing of the battle.
I'll talk about the many ways in which war was different then, and focus on the challenges of a largely militia attack across the Niagara River.
Redcoats firing a musket volley.
Somehow, most Americans have forgotten about the War of 1812. Canadians seem to have put a lot more effort into remembering.
Cenotaph and monument for the fallen General Brock.
I've also posted sets of photos I took while doing research for this last month:
Obviously, I won't be showing all of those pictures!
Posted by simon at September 14, 2013 9:28 AM inNote on photos