Distressed for many days – the last duel fought in Canada

During the war, John Norton and his warriors played a pivotal role in defending Niagara and Upper Canada. When the War of 1812 ended, John Norton and his wife Catherine sailed for Britain in the summer of 1815. The couple first went to Scotland where Catharine took English lessons and by many accounts she was a “very keen student” who could “hardly be prevailed on to quit her Spelling book and writing for anything else.”

In 1816, the Nortons returned to Upper Canada and settled on the Grand River where John Norton received his land grant for retired officers. John and Catharine’s life together appeared to be going well until 1823 when their life together ended. John Norton writes that a young man, who he fostered from childhood and who fought with him during the war, had “offered her [Catharine] the grossest insult a woman can receive.” Apparently, Catharine had succumbed to the young man’s charms, causing John to force both Catharine and her lover to leave the property.

John Norton

The young man returned to John’s home and challenged him to a duel. Pistols were chosen as the weapon for the duel, John Norton writes, “I told him that when he took aim at me and I saw him ready to fire I would treat him as I did my enemies.” John Norton shot and killed the man. “When I saw the poor young man stretched on the ground and the recollections of past times crowded into my mind,” John Norton writes, “pity succeeded to every other feeling and to a much higher degree; I was so much distressed for many days.”

After the “last duel fought in Canada,” as it became known, ended John Norton decided to turn himself in, was found guilty of manslaughter and fined £25 and discharged. Norton refused to see Catharine again but left her a share of his pension. Catharine wrote Norton begging his forgiveness, but Norton refused to see her. Norton decided to head for American territory where he is believed to have died in the 1830s.

As for Catharine, she made her way to Fairfield on the Thames River where missionaries reported that she died in 1827. The woman described by John Norton to be beautiful and the apple of her husband’s eye had become by one account a “dirty old squaw.”

If you want to find out more about John Norton, you can read his journal online. Click here for the website.

He has made the mist disappear for them – John Smoke Johnson

The War of 1812 produced many well-known native leaders that we think of today, such as John Norton and Tecumseh. However, one lesser-known individual, John ‘Smoke’ Johnson, made a large impact during his involvement in the war and after. 

John ‘Smoke’ Johnson was born a full-blooded Mohawk in 1792 in Upper Canada. His native name, Sakayengwaraton, translates to “he has made the mist disappear for them” and this translation helped earn his better-known name as Smoke Johnson. Johnson was well acquainted with Joseph Brant and they both regularly attended the Mohawk Church near Brantford.

 

John Smoke Johnson

At the age of 20, Johnson joined John Norton serving throughout the War of 1812. Johnson fought at Queenston Heights, Stoney Creek and Lundy’s Lane. In addition, legend has it that Johnson kindled the fire that burned Buffalo in December 1813. For his service, he was awarded a pension of $20 per month.

After the war, Johnson took a lead role in the Grand River community. He served as a speaker of the Grand River Council for over 40 years, and although he was a staunch Anglican, he served the community by encouraging traditional Iroquois values. Until his death in August 1886 at the age of 93, Johnson remained physically and mentally active in the community earning the title “grand old man” in the Six Nations community.

If you want to find out more about Iroquois involvement in the War of 1812, come out to Old Fort Erie on February 1 for The Niagara 1814 Campaign Symposium where Richard Hill will talk about the Iroquois involvement in 1814. The symposium will also include presentations by Donald and Dianne Graves, and Doug Kohler. Click here for more information and to register.

Flight and terror – Engagement at the Forty

After the Battle of Stoney Creek, the Americans were left in a tough position. With their two commanding generals, Winder and Chandler, captured by the British there was some question as to who was left in command of American forces. Command fell to Colonel James Burn of the Second Light Dragoons based on seniority. Burns ordered a withdraw of a least one mile from the battlefield to collect stragglers from the woods and to consolidate a new position.

Colonel Burns admitted in a private letter that he was unprepared to take command by writing, “I was so much at a loss on that occasion as you would be if you were to be made President of the U.S. without any previous notice.” Burns called a council of war with most of the senior officers and decided to withdraw to Forty Mile Creek where the army could resupply.

 

Engagement at the Forty 

Upon reaching Forty Mile Creek, the army had lost all its courage and resolve. In the early hours on June 8th the British squadron under James Yeo approached Forty Mile Creek and began bombarding the American position. John Norton’s native warriors attacked the American camp from the rear as the Royal Navy attacked from the lake.  The Americans responded with four 6-pdr. guns positioned along the lakeshore. As the bombardment continued, the Americans received orders to return to Fort George

Aboard Yeo’s ships, five companies of the King’s were preparing to land at Forty Mile Creek when word was received of the American retreat. Major Evans and his troops landed at about 7:30 p.m. to find an abandoned American camp of 500 tents, 200 camp kettles, 150 stands of arms and a large number of burnt baggage. Evans described the scene, “The enemy’s flight and terror is best evidenced by the precipitate manner in which he abandoned everything which was valuable or could be called to constitute his equipment for field operations.” The Americans continued their retreat to Fort George and began contemplating their next move on the Niagara. 

This Saturday, June 8th you can head to Grimsby to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Engagement at the Forty. There will be demonstrations, events for the kids, and a battle re-enactment starting at 3 p.m. Click here for more information about this Niagara Signature Event.

A brave and excellent officer – William Drummond

William Drummond was described as above the medium height, dignified appearance, regular and clear-cut features, and a charming expression. At the beginning of the war, Drummond served with the 104th regiment in New Brunswick until February 1813 when the regiment was ordered to move west. Drummond, along with six companies of the 104th, made a hazardous trek through the Canadian wilderness in the middle of the winter. By April 1813, the 104th made it to Kingston after trekking through 800 miles of wilderness. While in Quebec an officer from the Canadian Voltiguers described Drummond as a “brave and excellent officer with many estimable qualities, together with his reputation for courage caused him to be idolized.”

Drummond participated in the ill-fated attack on Sackets Harbor in late May 1813. Although the assault was described as “a scandalously managed affair,” Drummond distinguished himself by rallying his troops during the battle. Drummond managed to escape death during the battle when a musket ball grazed him.

Aside from Drummond’s courage in battle, he was also a great diplomat. Drummond earned the respect of John Norton and his native allies. Norton presented Drummond with strings of wampum beads that he wore until his death. Due to Drummond’s good relationship with the natives, he was often called upon to settle disputes between Norton and the Indian Department.  

Siege of Fort Erie map

With the American invasion of Niagara in July 1814, Drummond was ordered with the two flank companies of the 104th to proceed to the Niagara. Drummond arrived in time for the Battle of Lundy’s Lane where he had two horses killed under him. After the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, Drummond participated in the failed British attempt to destroy American supply bases at Conjocta Creek. After this failed assault, the British laid siege to the American held defences at Fort Erie. After a few days bombardment, the British launched a daring assault on August 15, 1814.

As Drummond assembled his men for the assault, he bid farewell to the officers as he believe he would not survive the night. Drummond gave his sword to Surgeon William Dunlop before the assault for safekeeping and opted to carry a pike into battle. As Drummond led his men to the North-East demi-bastion they were repulsed by the American gunners inside. After a few attempts, Drummond and his men managed to take the bastion and began pouring into the fort. As Drummond charged into the fort he was shot dead. One American officer describes the incident:

“an officer advanced as far as the door of the mess house . . . [and] gave us orders to kill him - we shot him down and his party gave back at his fall.”  

After Drummond’s death, the British in the bastion managed to turn around a cannon and began firing into the fort. This action caused the gunpowder magazine in the bastion to erupt in a “a jet of flame, mingled with the fragments of timber, earth, stone, and bodies of men, rose, to the height of one or two hundred feet in the air, and fell, in a shower of ruins.”

Explosion of the bastion during the failed British night assault

The British failed to take Fort Erie that night and Drummond lay dead in the American held fort. The next day as the young drummer boy Jarvis Hanks sees the bodies he notes that Drummond’s body was looted and that one of the American officers purchased his gold watch. William Drummond was buried, along with a number of his comrades, in a mass grave in the ditches of Fort Erie.

If you want to learn more about William Drummond and the Siege of Fort Erie, don’t miss the Siege of Fort Erie on August 11 and 12th. There will be battle reenactments all weekend long as well as a lantern tour after the Saturday night battle. All battles are free to watch! Don’t miss Canada’s largest 1812 reenactment. Click here for the schedule of events.

Undaunted courage – Teyoninhokarawen/John Norton

The War of 1812 was full of courageous leaders who inspired and defended their beliefs. One of the noblest leaders was Teyoninhokarawen, better known as John Norton.

John Norton was the son of a Cherokee father and a Scottish mother. Norton was born and raised in Scotland before coming to Canada in the ranks of the British Army. He later become a teacher and an interpreter where he embraced the native culture. Through his work as an interpreter, Norton was accepted into the Mohawk tribe and became the adopted nephew of Joseph Brant. Eventually, Norton became chief under the name Teyoninhokarawen.

John Norton

During the War of 1812, Norton served as an Indian Agent for the British government and held the rank of captain in the British Army. Norton encouraged the Iroquois Confederacy in the Grand River Settlement to join the British against the Americans. Norton fought in many battles throughout the war including Queenston Heights (were he was wounded), Beaver Dams, Chippawa and Lundy’s Lane, among others.

Throughout the war, Norton placed the welfare and interests of the Iroquois on both sides of the Niagara as a top priority. An example of this occurred in July 1814 when Norton allowed nations from the American side of the Niagara to address the Grand River Iroquois in Burlington. The purpose of this meeting was to end the Iroquois involvement in the war.

Near the end of the war, Norton was promoted to the rank of major and granted a pension of 200 pounds annually for his service. In 1815, he traveled to Britain with his wife and son where he wrote a lengthy memoir concerning his experiences and the history of native people. Norton eventually returned to Canada and settled on a large tract of land that overlooked the Grand River where he began to translate the bible into Mohawk. Later in life Norton left Canada and traveled west in order to live with the Cherokee nation. He never returned to Canada and is believed to of died in the late 1820s or early 1830s.

Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond described Norton in 1815 by stating, “This man is of the coolest and most undaunted courage and has led the Indians with the greatest gallantry and much effect on many occasions against the enemy.” John Norton played a crucial role in aiding the British cause during the War of 1812 and his contribution, along with his warriors, helped to stave off American advances in Niagara.