Snapshots in History: June 21-24: Remembering Laura Secord and the Battle of Beaver Dams

On June 21-24 and beyond, let us take time to acknowledge the contribution of Laura Ingersoll Secord who set out on foot from her home on June 21, 1813 to warn British forces of an impending American attack during the War of 1812 that resulted in a victory for British troops and allied First Nations forces at the Battle of Beaver Dams on June 24, 1813. 1813 was a pivotal year during the War of 1812 in which American troops had previously captured Fort George in May 1813. Laura Secord was at home in Queenston taking care of her injured husband James Secord who had fought with British troops at the Battle of Queenston Heights. Listening to the conversation of American officers dining at the Secord’s home, Laura overheard the American intention to surprise British troops at the Beaver Dams outpost and capture the ranking officer, Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon.

In order to warn the British troops at Beaver Dams some 19 kilometres (12 miles) away, Laura Secord employed a circuitous, roundabout route to evade capture and detection by the Americans, travelling first to family at St Davids and then on to Shipman’s Corners (present day St. Catharines). In spite of exhaustion, Laura’s adventure continued through forests and fields but followed in the direction of Twelve Mile Creek. Ultimately, she came across a First Nations encampment, managing to overcome her fear and explain what she had discovered about the pending American attack. The indigenous chief took Laura Secord to Lieutenant Fitzgibbon to report what she knew about American intentions. First Nations scouts reported to Captain Dominique Ducharme on June 24, 1813 about the advance of American troops towards Beaver Dams. This information was sent to Lieutenant Fitzgibbon and a trap was being set by the British and their First Nations allies. How things would play out was still up in the air since the Americans, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles G. Boerstler, were aware that First Nations scouts had spotted their troops.

A force of three hundred (300) from the Caughnawaga First Nation attacked the Americans at the rear along a wooded section of the trail near Beaver Dams (present day Thorold, Ontario). The Caughnawaga force was reinforced by one hundred (100) Mohawk warriors under the command of Captain William Kerr. The Americans returned fire but were contemplating surrender after three (3) hours, albeit afraid of how they would be treated by First Nations forces. Lieutenant Fitzgibbon arrived with fifty (50) soldiers of the 49^th regiment to begin negotiating surrender terms with the Americans. He attempted to bluff the larger American force of 462 into surrendering, arguing that more British and First Nations troops were on the way, and offering them protection from the ostensible savagery of First Nations forces. However, formal surrender was reached only after Major P.W. De Haren of the 104^th regiment arrived with additional troops to tip the balance and negotiated the surrender with the Americans himself.

The official account of the Battle of Beaver Dams did NOT acknowledge the role played by Laura Secord in warning British forces of an impending American attack. Some may argue that Lieutenant Fitzgibbon inflated his own role in achieving the victory. First Nations forces also felt that they were not given sufficient credit for their role in the battle, although Fitzgibbon wrote in an 1818 letter to Kerr an acknowledgement that First Nations forces “beat the American detachment into a state of terror...” To his credit, Fitzgibbon issued certified statements three times (in 1820, 1827, and 1837) attesting to the role that Laura Secord played in warning the British forces in 1813 about the American strike at Beaver Dams.

While you are learning about Laura Secord, please enjoy some of the digitized images below from the Special Collections Department’s Baldwin Room at the Toronto Reference Library:

Laura and James Secord continued to live in impoverished circumstances (on a small pension that James received due to his war wound) following the conclusion of the War of 1812. Fortunes changed in 1828 when James Secord was appointed registrar of the Niagara Surrogate Court, followed by a promotion to judge in 1833. Subsequently, he became a customs collector at Chippawa in 1835 but died in 1841, leaving Laura Secord without financial assistance. She briefly ran a school for children and was unsuccessful in obtaining a pension. One of Canada’s heroines was reaching her nadir…Jump ahead to 1860 when Laura Secord was eighty-five (85) years old. The then-Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) was visiting Canada at the time and learned of Laura Secord’s heroic deed during the War of 1812. Upon his return to England, the Prince sent Laura Secord a reward of £100. In 1868, Laura Secord at the age of 93 and was buried beside her husband in Drummond Hill cemetery at Niagara Falls.

Laura Secord is a folk heroine that Canadians of all ages and backgrounds can learn about. Consider a variety of adult and children’s titles that customers can borrow from Toronto Public Library collections with a valid Toronto Public Library card:

Adult Non-Fiction Books: For the history buffs and students…