50 Faces Of War

50 Faces Of War. Bicentennial 1812-2012 - The War of 18 12. Not only are we the best value in Canadian magazines, we are your link to veterans' stories from yesterday and today. In our pages you will find articles and columns by Canada's most prominent historians and noted journalists covering the vast and compelling history of this nation. If you don't already receive Legion Magazine, now is the perfect time to subscribe or give someone special a gift subscription. Anyone can subscribe., The War of 18 12 lasted from the American declaration of war on Great Britain in June 1812 to the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent in February 1815. This poster and the accompanying booklet commemorate 50 key individuals who had a part in defending Canada against American invasion. Some of these men and women are well known while others were average people who made a difference. Many, unfortunately, have faded into obscurity., In the paintings where no historical reference is available we've relied on artist impression and interpretation for the image. , __________ , [Row 1 Column 4] Lieutenant Duncan Clark : Duncan Clark was a militia officer who was stationed at Brockville on the St. Lawrence in November 1813. As an American force under General James Wilkinson came down the St. Lawrence, it was Clark who spotted it on the river and rode to Prescott warning that the Americans were invading. He can thus lay claim to being Canada's "Paul Revere." Clark later fought in the Niagara campaign of 1814. , [Row 1 Column 5] Captain Thomas Coleman : Thomas Coleman, a Montreal businessman and militia officer, was active in raising a cavalry unit, the Canadian Light Dragoons, in 1813. Coleman's unit was one of the first from Lower Canada to serve in Upper Canada and he led his men through the thick of the fighting both there and on the Detroit frontier. , [Row 1 Column 6] Lieutenant-Colonel Charles de Salaberry : From a seigneurial family with military service, Charles de Salaberry served in Europe and the West Indies before being transferred to Canada. He was appointed commanding officer of the Canadian Voltigeurs, a new corps of volunteers recruited in Lower Canada. De Salaberry repelled an American attack at Lacolle Mill in 1812, but won fame in October 1813 at Châteauguay, where he defeated an American force advancing on Montreal. , [Row 2 Column 2] "Blackbird" - Jean-Baptiste Assignack - Aboriginals (c.1768-1866) : Jean-Baptiste Assignack, an Ottawa chief, came to prominence during the war. In July 1813 he led a number of Ottawa to the Niagara peninsula and participated in numerous skirmishes. He may also have taken part in the British capture of Michilimackinac in 1812 and Prairie du Chien in 1814. After the war he became an interpreter for the Indian Department, and a Catholic missionary. , [Row 2 Column 3] "Makataimeshekiakiak" - Black Hawk - Aboriginals (1767-1838) : Black Hawk was a war chief of the Sauk nation who fought on the British side. He participated in several engagements at Forts Meigs and Stephenson, and in campaigns along the Mississippi River. In later years he fought against the American settlement of Illinois and present-day Wisconsin, and left a memoir of his life. , [Row 2 Column 4] Robert Dickson : Born in Scotland, Robert Dickson travelled to North America with his brothers and carved out a career in the fur trade. In 1812 he took part in the British capture of Mackinac Island. Dickson led the western warriors at Detroit in 1812 and after being appointed to the Indian Department, led aboriginal contingents at Fort Meigs, Fort Stephenson and Lake Huron. , [Row 2 Column 5] Captain Dominique Ducharme : A successful fur trader before the war, Dominique Ducharme was commissioned a lieutenant in the Pointe-Claire battalion of militia. In May 1813 he commanded a party of warriors on the Niagara frontier, where he and his men played a key part in the victory at Beaver Dams. Ducharme returned to Lower Canada and fought at the battle of Châteauguay. , [Row 2 Column 6] Lieutenant-Colonel James Kerby : A military officer, businessman, justice of the peace and politician, James Kerby became regimental adjutant of the 2nd Lincoln militia in 1809. When war broke out, he became an officer in the Incorporated Militia Battalion and fought in the Niagara in 1813 and 1814. He was commended for his part in the capture of Fort Niagara, and the battles of Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie. , [Row 3 Column 1] "The Snipe" - John Norton - Aboriginals : John Norton (Teyoninhokovrawen), the son of a Cherokee father and Scottish mother, came to Canada as a soldier but then worked as a teacher and trader to the Mohawk peoples. He became a war chief of that nation and fought in every major campaign on the Detroit and in the Niagara. One of the most effective aboriginal leaders of the war, he left a valuable account of his wartime experiences. , [Row 3 Column 2] Tecumapease - Aboriginals (c. 1763-unknown) : Tecumapease was the sister of the Shawnee warrior, Tecumseh. A leading woman among her people; very influential and respected. She played a major role in her brother's upbringing. Tecumapease travelled with Tecumseh during the War of 18 12, and was present at the Battle of the Thames, where Tecumseh and her husband were killed. In 1814, she visited Quebec City at the invitation of Sir George Prevost. , [Row 3 Column 3] Tecumseh - Aboriginals (1768-1813) : A warrior and leader of the Shawnee people, Tecumseh envisaged an independent native American nation east of the Mississippi. He formed a confederacy of aboriginal nations that allied itself to Britain and helped to capture Detroit. In October 1813, he was killed at the Battle of the Thames, whereupon his confederacy disintegrated. He is remembered as the greatest aboriginal leader of his time. , [Row 3 Column 4] Captain William Merritt : William Merritt was the son of a Loyalist who settled at Twelve Mile Creek (St. Catharines). After completing his education and opening a store, he was commissioned an officer in a militia cavalry unit. Merritt fought at Queenston Heights in 1812 and in the Niagara in 1813 and 1814 before being captured at the battle of Lundy's Lane. He married his American fiancée, and conceived the idea for the Welland Canal. , [Row 3 Column 5] Richard Pierpoint : Richard Pierpoint was brought as a slave from Africa to North America and sold to a British officer. He joined Butler's Rangers during the American Revolutionary War and obtained his freedom. When war broke out in 1812, he joined a coloured unit and fought at Queenston Heights, Lundy's Lane, Fort Erie and other engagements. , [Row 3 Column 6] Captain Jacques Viger : Born and educated in Montreal, Jacques Viger spent time in Quebec City before the war as editor of the Canadien newspaper. With the onset of hostilities, he became an officer in the Canadian Voltigeurs and saw action at Sackets Harbor, N.Y. Viger compiled a chronicle that included his wartime experiences, and in 1833 was elected mayor of Montreal. , [Row 4 Column 1] "Peggy" - Margaret Bruce - Civilians : Keeper of the St. Andrew's and St. Patrick's Inn at Cornwall, Peggy Bruce was the widow of a soldier who had fought in the Revolutionary War. After his death, she ran their business while raising four children and tending the sick and injured in the Cornwall area. Known for her caustic wit, but unfailing kindness, many in her locality had reason to be grateful to her during the war. , [Row 4 Column 2] "Granny Hoople" - Mary Whitmore Hoople - Civilians (1767-1858) : Mary Hoople owned a farm at Hoople's Creek near Cornwall. As a child she had been adopted by the Delaware people and learned their herbal medicine. She became known for her skill as a healer. After a skirmish near her home in November 1813, Mary nursed a badly wounded American soldier and was later compensated for her work by the U.S. government. , [Row 4 Column 3] William McGillivray - Civilians (1764-1825) : William McGillivray was a Scottish fur trader who became chief partner of the North West Company. He enjoyed a leading role in society and was a member of the Legislative Assembly and Council of Lower Canada. During the war, he created the Corps of Commissariat Voyageurs, which provided an important transport service along the St. Lawrence River and Upper Great Lakes. , [Row 4 Column 4] Captain Robert H. Barclay - Royal Navy (1786-1837) : Scottish-born Robert Barclay lost an arm while serving under Nelson at Trafalgar in 1805 and assumed command of the naval squadron on Lake Erie in 1813. He was defeated and his entire squadron captured at the battle of Lake Erie on Sept. 10, 1813. Barclay was badly wounded in his remaining arm and forced to retire from the service. , [Row 4 Column 5] Captain Philip Broke - Royal Navy (1776-1841) : Philip Broke entered the Royal Navy in 1788. By 1812 he had commanded the frigate HMS Shannon for six years and had drilled his crew rigorously in gunnery. On June 1, 1813, Broke captured the USS Chesapeake off Boston, ending a series of American single-ship victories. He was later knighted and rose to the rank of rear-admiral. , [Row 4 Column 6] Rear-Admiral George Cockburn - Royal Navy (1772-1853) : This competent and aggressive officer took command of a squadron off the Atlantic coast of the United States and carried out many raids in the Chesapeake area in 1813-1814. George Cockburn commanded the naval element of the force that captured Washington and burned the White House. He was later knighted and was responsible for conveying Napoleon Bonaparte to exile on St. Helena in 1815. , [Row 5 Column 1] John Molson - Civilians (1763-1836) : John Molson was an English immigrant who set up a successful brewing business in Montreal. He became one of the city's leading businessmen and was a member of the Legislative Assembly. He built the first steamboat to run on the St. Lawrence and his service between Quebec City and Montreal proved an important logistical and communications asset during the war. , [Row 5 Column 2] Anne Elinor Prevost - Civilians (1795-1882) : Daughter of Sir George Prevost, the governor general, Anne spent most of the war in Quebec City. She was an observant witness of people and events and regularly met those involved in the higher direction of military and naval operations. Her wartime diary records both her experiences and the personalities she encountered, and provides informative insight into life at the centre of command. , [Row 5 Column 3] John Beverley Robinson - Civilians (1791-1863) : John Beverley Robinson was educated under the Reverend John Strachan before entering the legal profession. He fought as a militiaman at the battle of Queenston Heights before becoming attorney general for Upper Canada. Robinson prosecuted the Ancaster treason trials, obtaining the death penalty for eight of the 23 men indicted. He was later knighted for his services. , [Row 5 Column 4] Commander Alexander Dobbs - Royal Navy (c.1784-1827) : A veteran naval officer, Alexander Dobbs came to Canada in 1813 to serve on the lakes. In 1814, he commanded a daring "cutting out" expedition that resulted in the capture of two American warships on Lake Erie. He was badly wounded when he led a force of marines and sailors in the night assault of Fort Erie on Aug. 15, 1814. Dobbs married a Canadian girl during the war. , [Row 5 Column 5] Captain William Mulcaster - Royal Navy (1783-1837) : William Howe Mulcaster began his naval career in 1800, and in 1813 was sent to Lake Ontario, where he proved to be one of the most competent and aggressive naval commanders on the inland seas. A brave man, Mulcaster was badly wounded during the attack on Oswego, N.Y., in 1814. He was knighted in 1831 and became an aide to King William IV. , [Row 5 Column 6] Lieutenant Provo Wallis - Royal Navy (1791-1892) : A native of Halifax, Provo Wallis entered the navy at a young age and by 1813 was a lieutenant serving on HMS Shannon. He had temporary command of the ship after her captain, Philip Broke, was wounded, and her first lieutenant killed in the engagement with the USS Chesapeake on June 1, 1813. This action earned Wallis promotion to commander and he later became senior admiral of the RN. , [Row 6 Column 1] Laura Secord - Civilians (1775-1868) : Laura Secord, from a Loyalist family who settled in the Niagara peninsula, is known for having walked about 20 miles through American-occupied territory in June 1813 to warn British forces of an impending enemy attack. Although her deeds were little known until after the conflict, she has been honoured and commemorated in many ways. , [Row 6 Column 2] Lady Katherine Sherbrooke - Civilians (c. 1790-1856) : Wife of the lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia, Katherine Sherbrooke fulfilled an important official role throughout the War of 18 12. She left a journal recording the daily lives of she and her husband at Halifax, a major naval base, which details the high-ranking military personnel and local dignitaries she regularly met and hosted. The town of Sherbrooke, Que., is among the places where her surname is commemorated. , [Row 6 Column 3] Reverend Dr. John Strachan - Civilians (1778-1867) : A Scot who moved to Kingston to tutor the children of other immigrants, John Strachan was ordained into the Church of England. He moved to York (Toronto) just before the war as rector of St. James's Church and headmaster of the local grammar school. During the Battle of York in April 1813, he negotiated the surrender of the town, helped care for casualties, and maintained morale. , [Row 6 Column 4] Admiral Sir John B. Warren - Royal Navy (1753-1822) : John Warren served as a member of the British parliament before embarking on a naval career. He proved a very able squadron commander during the French Revolutionary War and from 1807-1810 and 1813-1814 he commanded the RN's North American Station. In 1813 he led an amphibious raid on Havre de Grace, Maryland. , [Row 6 Column 5] Lieutenant Miller Worsley - Royal Navy (1791-1835) : Miller Worsley joined the navy in 1803 and served at the battle of Trafalgar. He was posted to North America and participated in the 1814 attack on Oswego, N.Y. Later that year he led a daring operation that resulted in the capture of two American warships and ensured British supremacy on Lake Huron for the remainder of the war. , [Row 6 Column 6] Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo - Royal Navy (1782-1818) : James Yeo joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman and was swiftly promoted to the rank of captain. In 1813 he was sent to command British naval forces on the Great Lakes. Intelligent, determined and skilful, Yeo was also responsible for the creation of British squadrons on the inland seas during the war. , [Row 7 Column 1] Lieutenant-Colonel Francis C.B. Battersby - British Army Officers (1775-1845) : An officer in the British Army, Francis Battersby was appointed commanding officer of the Glengarry Light Infantry, a Canadian unit. He saw much action during the war and in 1813 was instrumental in securing Burlington Heights (Hamilton) against American attack. , [Row 7 Column 2] Major-General Sir Isaac Brock - British Army Officers (1769-1812) : A native of Guernsey, sir Isaac Brock was an officer who, in late 1811, was appointed commander in Upper Canada (Ontario). He did much to prepare the province for war and after it commenced, thwarted two American invasions at Detroit in August and Queenston Heights in October 1812. He was killed in the latter battle and is interred beneath an impressive monument atop Queenston Heights. , [Row 7 Column 3] Lieutenant-Colonel William Claus - British Army Officers (1765-1826) : A Loyalist, Willaim Claus was an army officer who entered the Indian Department in 1787. During the War of 18 12 he commanded that department in Upper Canada and led forces of warriors in the field. Claus saw much action during the war. , [Row 7 Column 4] Lieutenant-General Sir Gordon Drummond - British Army Officers (1772-1854) : Gordon Drummond joined the army in 1779 and served in the Mediterranean and West Indies before being appointed lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada in 1813. He proved an aggressive leader, willing to take chances. He commanded the Niagara campaign and saw action at Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie. In 1815-1816, he served as governor general of British North America. , [Row 7 Column 5] Lieutenant-Colonel William Drummond - British Army Officers (1779-1814) : William Drummond entered the British Army in 1793. He saw service in the West Indies, where he was mentioned in dispatches for bravery. During the war Drummond commanded the 104th Foot, raised in Canada. Loved by his men, he fought at Sackets Harbor, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie, where he was killed while leading a dangerous night assault. , [Row 7 Column 6] Surgeon William Dunlop - British Army Officers (1792-1848) : William "Tiger" Dunlop was born in Scotland and studied medicine in London and Glasgow. In 1813 he came to Canada as assistant surgeon in the 89th Foot, and he treated the wounded from the battles of Crysler's Farm, Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie. Dunlop left a detailed account of his wartime experiences and later became an official of the Canada Company and a justice of the peace. , [Row 8 Column 1] Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon - British Army Officers (1780-1863) : Born in Ireland, James Fitzgibbon was enlisted in the 49th Foot as a private soldier. He came to Canada in 1802 and was commissioned by Brock. During the war he fought at Stoney Creek, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie, but is remembered for his victory at Beaver Dams in 1813. He remained in Canada after the war, serving as a public servant and militia colonel. , [Row 8 Column 2] Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey - British Army Officers (1778-1852) : John Harvey entered the army in 1794 and served in Europe, Egypt and India before coming to Canada in 1813. During the war he distinguished himself at Lundy's Lane, Fort Erie and especially at Stoney Creek, where his daring strategy earned him two awards. He was knighted in 1824 and later served as the lieutenant-governor of all four Maritime provinces. , [Row 8 Column 3] Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick G. Heriot - British Army Officers (1786-1843) : Frederick George Heriot joined the 49th Foot in 1801 and come to North America in 1802. Appointed second-in-command of the Canadian Voltigeurs in 1812 and later acting commanding officer, Heriot saw action at Sackets Harbor and Crysler's Farm in 1813. After the war he became a landowner and administrator in Lower Canada. , [Row 8 Column 4] Lieutenant John Le Couteur - British Army Officers (1794-1875) : A native of Jersey, John Le Couteur joined the army in 1810 and transferred to the 104th Foot, a regiment raised in New Brunswick, in 1811. During the war he marched with his regiment from Fredericton to Kingston in 1813 and saw action at Sackets Harbor, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie. He left a memoir of his experiences, which was later published. , [Row 8 Column 5] Lieutenant-Colonel George MacDonnell - British Army Officers (1780-1870) : George MacDonnell, known as "Red George," was posted to Canada in 1805. In 1812 he was appointed major in the Glengarry Light Infantry, a Canadian unit. In February 1813 MacDonnell launched an attack on Ogdensburg, N.Y., that cleared it of an annoying force of American raiders. In 1814 he surveyed the Ottawa River route to the upper lakes, part of which later formed the course of the Rideau Canal. , [Row 8 Column 6] Lieutenant-Colonel Robert McDouall - British Army Officers (1774-1848) : Scottish officer Robert McDouall saw much action after being posted to Canada in 1810. He was appointed to the Glengarry Light Infantry in 1813 and became commandant of the British-occupied post on Mackinac Island, which he successfully defended to the end of the war. He was made a Companion of the Bath in 1817. , [Row 9 Column 1] Major William McKay - British Army Officers (1772-1832) : William McKay, a former fur trader with the North West Company, offered his services to the British army in 1812. He took news of war to the British garrison on St. Joseph's Island, along with Brock's orders to take the American Fort Michilimackinac He helped to raise the Corps of Voyageurs and in 1814 he recaptured the important post of Prairie du Chien. , [Row 9 Column 2] Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph W. Morrison - British Army Officers (1783-1826) : Joseph Morrison joined the army in 1793 and by 1809 was a lieutenant-colonel serving in Trinidad. In 1812 he came to Canada and, on Nov. 11, 1813, commanded a British, Canadian and aboriginal force that defeated the Americans at the Battle of Crysler's Farm. Morrison also fought at Lundy's Lane, where he was severely wounded. , [Row 9 Column 3] Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Pearson - British Army Officers (1780-1847) : A veteran soldier who had fought in Egypt and Europe, Thomas Pearson came to Canada in 1812 and preserved the security of the St. Lawrence with his headquarters at Fort Wellington (Prescott, Ont.). He fought at the battles of Crysler's Farm, Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie and was twice wounded. He was later knighted and rose to the rank of lieutenant-general. , [Row 9 Column 4] Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost - British Army Officers (1767-1816) : A career soldier, George Prevost fought in the Revolutionary War and West Indies. Fluently bilingual and a skilled administrator, he was appointed governor general and commander-in-chief in North America in 1811. Prevost was responsible for the defence of Canada during the war but his untimely death in 1816 has made him a forgottten figure. , [Row 9 Column 5] Major-General Robert Ross - British Army Officers (1766-1814) : Robert Ross joined the army in 1789 and fought in Spain and France where he distinguished himself. In the spring of 1814 he was appointed commander of a force sent to raid the Atlantic coast of America. He defeated the Americans at the battle of Bladensburg and captured Washington, but was killed while leading an attack on Baltimore in September 1814. , [Row 9 Column 6] Lieutenant-General Sir John C. Sherbrooke - British Army Officers (1764-1830) : A career soldier, John Sherbrooke was appointed lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia in 1811. During the war he built up the defences of Halifax and commanded an expedition that captured most of eastern Maine in 1814. His commercial policies resulted in considerable prosperity for Nova Scotia. He served as governor general of British North America from 1816-1818.