A forgotten hero of Canada

[The Wizard of BC]

This article was printed in our local paper this morning.

It tells of Sgt. Alexander Fraser 23, War of 1812, who led a wild charge against American forces at the battle of Stoney Creek. Breaking the back of the battle and capturing two Generals in the process.

I can't copy the article here as it is under copyright but here is a direct link.

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Fo...923/story.html

The photo is grainy but nice.




Sgt. Alexander Fraser

[macwilkin]

I had read of Fraser's charge, but had never seen this photo before. Thanks for posting this, Steve!

T.

[auld argonian]

The photo is grainy? Knowing the photographic processes of the time, that's par for the course...if it was a daguerreotype, it would be amazingly sharp but if it was one of the processes that used a paper negative, it would exhibit the grain of the silver salts and the texture of the paper.

Anyhow...a remarkable guy! We tend to forget that the US and Canada were in opposition in the 1812...at least that seems to be the case down here.

And the fella was 23 years old at the time...even more remarkable.

Best

AA

[BoldHighlander]

Interesting article Steve, thanks for posting it

[Manitoban Keith]

This really makes me proud to Canadian!

[KenB]

Thanks for posting this item. It really is nice as a Canadian to see that our history is not as BLAND as many of my countrymen may think.
I would like to suggest that a quick search of "Sir John A. MacDonald" might be also prove interesting.

[xman]

We tend to forget that the US and Canada were in opposition in the 1812...at least that seems to be the case down here.

Oh they don't let us forget it up here. It's like our battle for independence. At least in Ontario it's sometimes seen that way.

Thanks for the history lesson, Steve.

I am happy to provide for you here some of my play, Canada Jacks.
Here is a small excerpt from Scene 11. Mr Allyson's History Lesson.
Please enjoy:

Mr. Allyson:

In Toronto in 1837 a bunch of revolutionaries wanted to break the back of the ruling elite who were nothing but a bunch of idiots with no more talent than the ability to inherit money and power. The revolutionaries were organized, democratic and drunk, and they let William Lyon Mackenzie be their representative. Mackenzie was a newspaper editor and knew how to get the word out so they figured he was a good choice. I guess he must have been since there was a lot more going on in Quebec at the same time with a lot more people involved, but nobody but Quebec remembers any of it. All anybody talks about is the Mackenzie Rebellion.

After meeting for drinks at Montgomery’s Tavern on Yonge Street 8km north of Toronto, about seven or eight hundred farmers armed with muskets and pitchforks marched south to take over parliament, but were ambushed at College Street by Sheriff Jarvis and 27 men hiding in Mrs. Sharpe's vegetable garden. The drunk rebels all ran away. One guy died.

In the meantime came the war of 1812, during which Canadians sided with the British being still mostly British themselves. The Americans invaded Canada so Canada invaded the U.S., capturing considerable American territory, including Detroit City. We burned up the White House then too. That’s why it’s called the White House, because they had to paint it to hide all the scorch marks. It used to be pink before. … You’ve got Canada to thank for that. … They don’t tell you that in your history classes do they?

The American’s burned down most of Toronto ‘round about the same time so everything was even-Steven except it was called York then. They were looking for a new name so as not to confuse it with the old York but they couldn’t call it New York because that name was already taken. So they called it Toronto which is another native word for something or other.

The war gradually petered out into protracted negotiations when the opposing armies couldn’t find each other any more and the matter was finally settled after the Americans caved in and agreed to take back Detroit. The Canadians tried to get them to take Sarnia, too, but it didn’t stick.

[Ancienne Alliance]

Very impressive, Steve.

Thank you for posting.


Best,

Robert

[MacHummel]

If your ever in the Niagara region they are many stories , in particular a friend of mine lives around the Stoney Creek area, the property he lives on has had battle action from the 1812 and they have found old button and buckles from uniforms that Steve for reminding me what a great place I grew up in being a child of Niagara

[auld argonian]

I wish that I could find some kind of reference to it on line so that I could share it, but Mike Meyers did a hilarious bit while in Second City about a Canadian Border guard who gets fed up with a blow-hard American tourist and tells him that "Canada's closed." ("....yeah...we're redecorating, come back in a couple of weeks...you won;t recognize the place.") Meyers then goes on to cite, among other things, the War of 1812 knowing that this caricature has no idea what he's talking about.

One of the other reasons that MM is p*ssed off is the map..."you make all of your states different colors and you just color our whole country pink!"

Best

AA