On August 15, the 200th anniversary of the great victory Brock and his Native allies won over US forces at Detroit, the Hon. Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, came to Fort York to announce that the Government of Canada has awarded the battle honour DETROIT to six Reserve Regiments in southern Ontario. They will now be able to emblazon this honour on their regimental colours. Receiving the award were the 56th Field Artillery Regiment of Brantford; Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment) of Toronto; Royal Canadian Regiment of Petawawa; Royal Hamilton Light Infantry of Hamilton; Lincoln and Welland Regiment of St. Catharines; and Essex and Kent Scottish of Windsor. As well, the honour was accorded to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of St. John’s at a separate ceremony there. All units are successors to those who fought under General Brock and alongside Tecumseh.
On September 14 Mr. MacKay returned to Fort York to announce additional battle honours were being awarded to a wide number of regiments for QUEENSTON, MAUMEE, CHATEAUGUAY, CRYSLER’S FARM, NIAGARA, and the DEFENCE OF CANADA.
Was There a Winner?
Good old Yankee opportunism is found in a pair of bumper stickers being sold at re-enactors’ events and on the Internet by http://cyruswakefield.com/. They are identical except for differing flags to suit US or Canadian purchasers. Bowing to general opinion that the War of 1812 produced no clear victor (but ignoring how much it set back Native interests), both stickers read “War of 1812 Bicentennial—Been There, Won That!”
Ontario Model Soldier Society
The Ontario Model Soldier Society held its annual show at Fort York on September 8, where this diorama by Scott Dummit of the charge led by General Isaac Brock at Queenston on 13 October 1812 was a standout.
Original printed pages
