"Nothing but Ashes ---- The Burning of St. Thomas " Topic

"November 11, 2014 was Remembrance Day, the day to remember those who fell in the service of their country. As I'd done in the past few years, I played with the Aylmer Area Community Band at the Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in Aylmer, ON. The afternoon saw something quite different.

On November 10, 1814 during the War of 1812, American troops under the command of General Duncan MacArthur arrived at the Repelje settlement and camped on the edge of the cultivated land. A few weeks prior to this, this force had come from Detroit in the hope of relieving the pressure of the siege on the American toe-hold at Fort Erie. They had raided up to the Grand River where they were met my the local militia. MacArthur's force, roughly 750 mounted riflemen from Kentucky and Ohio as well as a number of Allied native warriors, scattered the Canadian militia at Malcolm's Mill. Realising that they were alone in a hostile area, chased by units of the local militia and elements of the British 19th Light Dragoons, the US command turned the force around and headed back to Detroit, burning a number of mills on the way. They arrived in what is now St. Thomas, ON and camped for the night. By the next morning, most of the fence rails around had been burned as camp fire fuel. At least one of the local women had been approached but nothing came of it as the US officers worked to maintain discipline. The raider left that same day, making their way back to Sandwich (now Windsor, ON) and over the river to Detroit, Michigan. They had burned an number of mills, depriving the Crown forces (and the local inhabitants as well) of supplies and were reported to have "rustled" as many as 500 head of cattle as well as hogs, geese, chickens, and other livestock. I'm sure much of that went into the cook pot along the way…"
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Armand

Wish I had known about that event. I live just a half hour away.

Morrigan, are you in London ,ON? Do you know about the Hamilton Road Gaming Group? We meet Saturdays in the Crouch branch library.

Yes, I am in London and I hadn't heard of the Hamilton Road group. I used to go down now and then to the group that met at the police station. What time do you usually get together?