May 2010
Battle of Longwoods - May 1 & 2, 2010
This past weekend saw the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada and the Campfollowers attended the Battle of Longwoods at the Longwoods Conservation Area just outside London Ontario. This annual event, run extremely well by the Royal Scots, is a perennial favourite for the 1812 re-enacting community. This first major event of the year lets us all show what a winter of training has accomplished. Our hosts, the Royal Scots, are to be commended for their organizational skills.
The weekend also allowed the Campfollowers to finish our musket handling safety course which included a chance to participate in a supervised firing.
For more pictures from the Battle of Longwoods go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/10209916@N05/sets/72157623862278983/show/
Rise to Rebellion 1837, Georgina Pioneer Village - Education Days May 6 & 7, 2010
The Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada came into existence in 1813 and was disbanded in 1815. In 1837 they were recalled as a precaution to help with the Rebellions of 1837 in Upper Canada. Because of this connection, several members of IMUC and The Campfollowers came to the Georgina Pioneer Village in Keswick to assist with the site's Rise to Rebellion 1837 School Program. Grade 7 students from Aurora, Newmarket, Queensville and Keswick spent a morning or afternoon as rebels under the leadership of William Lyon McKenzie or as loyalists with representatives of the Family Compact! The staff and volunteers at The Village work long and hard each year to organize this important event.
Additional Rise To Rebellion 1837 pictures can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/10209916@N05/sets/72157623893465509/show/
Fort Ontario - Oswego NY, May 7 - 9, 2010
While some of the members of IMUC were at the Georgina Pioneer Village for the Rise to Rebellion 1837 school program, the IMUC Expeditionary Force headed to Fort Ontario in Oswego New York.
http://www.fortontario.com/History/History.html
http://www.fortontario.com/
http://www.revolutionaryday.com/nyroute5/ftontario/default.htm
Our small but effective force, helped bolster the fort forces for their annual War of 1812 weekend. The fort hosts could not do enough for our troops. The weather however, was less than cooperative. High winds, wet weather and even snow in May added to the challenges met by our lads.
Additional pictures can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/10209916@N05/sets/72157624035020300/show/
Glengarry Light Infantry Garrison - Fort Erie Ontario - May 14 - 16, 2010
On the weekend of May 14-16, the GLI held their annual garrison weekend at Old Fort Erie Ontario. Once again, the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada was invited to send members as well. Ties between the GLI and IMUC are very close now and were historically very close in the past. Fitzgibbons at one point saw the Incorporated Militia becoming a light infantry company and had planned to kit them out in green rifleman coatees!
The attending members of the Incorporated Militia would like to thank their hosts, The GLI and Fort Erie Staff for the very hospitable welcome they received. The weekend garrison was an excellent opportunity to get in more full kit drill, animate one of Canada's national treasures and be able to head home without wet canvas!!
Julie and Rachel cooked up a storm, keeping Glens and IMUC very well fed! Our thanks to them again for their much appreciated efforts. Everyone is looking forward to returning next season.
Additional pictures can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/10209916@N05/sets/72157623951813133/show/
Fort Meigs Ohio - May 28 - 30, 2010
Our IMUC Expeditionary Force has been busy again, attending the 1812 event at Fort Meigs. We would like to thank Tom Fournier and the 41st regiment for taking in our 4 militia members.
Fort construction was started in February of 1813 by soldiers under General William Henry Harrison in present-day Perrysburg, Ohio. The work began in harsh climate, the fort being built around land thick with swamp and there was even one documented case of a U.S sentry who froze to death during his guard duty period of two hours. The fort was the largest wooden walled fortification in North America up to that point, named in honour of Ohio governor Return J. Meigs, Jr. for his support in providing Harrison with militia and supplies for the line of forts along the Old Northwest frontier.
On May 1, 1813, the British under General Henry Proctor and Chief Tecumseh laid siege to the fort. It was during that time that Colonel Dudley had lead a party outside of the fort and they were eliminated by the British Native Allies. Similar circumstances befell on many a wood gathering party from the American army. Harrison was able to hold out against the British through the use of long and broad hills made inside the fort known as Traverses which not only absorbed many of the incoming British shells but also provided a sleeping quarters for American personnel. Once damp weather befell these dwellings, several soldiers no longer wished to live in the soggy quarters and resigned themselves to sleeping in canvas Army tents. Proctor raised the siege on May 9, 1813. Harrison, having mobilized the garrison into an army, left General Green Clay in command of the fort. Clay held the fort against a second attempted siege by the British that same year in July. Once the British had retreated from the area for good, General Harrison ordered the fort dismantled.
Additional pictures can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/10209916@N05/sets/72157624218974860/show/
Additional Information can be found at:
http://www.fortmeigs.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_Meigs
This site is one of the Upper Canadian Heritage Websites. IMUC.ORG and this site are under the ownership of the Military Re-Enactment Society of Canada - The Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada (War of 1812 Re-Enactors) and all information, unless otherwise documented, is under the ownership of said group. If you wish to use any images or information on this page, please contact paulkelly@uppercanadianheritage.com and make your request. Students and non-profit organizations wishing to use the information can do so without permission provided proper credit is given to the Military Re-Enactment Society of Canada and/or IMUC.ORG.
© 2004 - Military Re-Enactment Society of Canada
To contact the webmaster of this site, please e-mail him at matthew@uppercanadianheritage.com
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