The DEFENDERS , livre ebook

DISCOVERING CANADA
The Defenders
ROBERT LIVESEY & A.G. SMITH
Text copyright © 1994 by Robert Livesay
Illustrations copyright © 1994 by A.G. Smith
This edition reprinted in 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Pages 19-22, 53-54, 73-76, and 86-87 may be photocopied for classroom use. All inquiries should be addressed to Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited, 195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario, L3R 4T8.
First published in 1994 by Stoddart Publishing Co. Limited
Published in Canada by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, Ontario L3R 4T8
Published in the United States by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 311 Washington Street, Brighton, Massachusetts 02135
www.fitzhenry.ca godwit@fitzhenry.ca
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Text illustrations: A.G. Smith
Cover illustrations: A.G. Smith
Cover design: Brant Cowie/ArtPlus Limited
Fitzhenry & Whiteside acknowledges with thanks the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council for their support of our publishing program. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) for our publishing activities.
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Livesay, Robert, 1940-
The defenders
(Discovering Canada)
ISBN 978-0-77375-665-6
I. Canada History War of 1812 Juvenile literature.
I. Smith, A.G. (Albert Gary), 1945- . Discovering Canada.
FC442.L58 1994j971.03’4 C94-931321-1 E359.85.L58 1994
Printed and bound in Canada by Webcom
To Cousins Brett and Kara,
with love
A special thanks to Scott Baltjes, Ron Dale, Josie Hazen, Vicky Kosharewich, Elsha Leventis, Warren Simpson, David Webb, the librarians at the Oakville Public Library, the Sheridan College Library, the University of Windsor Library, and all of the 1812 re-enactors (from whom I have learned so much) for their help in producing this book.
The Discovering Canada Series
The Vikings
The Fur Traders
New France
Native Peoples
The Defenders
The Railways
The Loyal Refugees
The Rebels
Contents
Introduction
CHAPTERS
Hero of Upper Canada: General Isaac Brock
Native Allies: Tecumseh
Battle of the Lakes: Sir James Lucas Yeo
Teenage Courage: Billy Green
Heroine of Upper Canada: Laura Secord
Defending Lower Canada: Lieutenant-Colonel de Salaberry
The Final Invasion: General Drummond
Index Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page The Discovering Canada Series Contents Page Introduction Hero of Upper Canada: General Isaac Brock Native Allies: Tecumseh Battle of the Lakes: Sir James Lucas Yeo Teenage Courage: Billy Green Heroine of Upper Canada: Laura Secord Defending Lower Canada: Lieutenant-Colonel de Salaberry The Final Invasion: General Drummond Index i ii iii iv v vi 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
Guide Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page The Discovering Canada Series Contents Page Start of Content Index

Introduction
Canadians are a peace-loving people. Unlike many nations, Canada came into existence without violence or revolution or bloodshed. We consider no country our enemy, and no countries have reason to hate us. Our closest neighbour is the United States of America and between our two nations is the longest undefended border in the world.
But Canadians are not weak or timid. If we are attacked, we are quick to defend ourselves. When our friends around the world have disputes with their neighbours, Canada is one of the first countries to go to their aid or volunteer to act as a peacekeeping force.
It was long ago, in the year 1812, that Canada was invaded by the United States, and we were forced to defend our borders and lives. At that time, Canada consisted of several colonies under British protection. When Britain became involved in a long war with France, the Americans, eager to expand their territory to include all of North America, thought that Canada could be easily conquered because the English would be too busy with the war in Europe to be able to defend their North American colonies. The former American president, Thomas Jefferson, boasted that the conquest of Canada was a "mere matter of marching."
The Canadians were outnumbered ten to one, and there were only 4000 British troops in the Canadas at the time. When President Madison of the United States declared war on June 18, 1812, there were eight million Americans and only three hundred thousand Canadians. To make matters more complicated, more than half of the settlers in Upper Canada had arrived recently from the United States. America had a large, experienced army; Canada had only a small force of tough British professional soldiers, supported by native warriors and untrained volunteers from its farms and towns. It was to be one of the most uneven wars in history. The Canadians would have to use all their intelligence and imagination if they were to successfully defend themselves against such a powerful force.
War Hawks
In addition to the desire to control all of North America, two main issues encouraged the United States to declare war on Britain. One was the American expansion in the Northwest. The new settlers were in conflict with the native tribes who had always lived and hunted in those territories. Many Americans, known as "war hawks," believed that the Canadians, who traded furs peacefully with their native partners, were encouraging them to block the Yankee settlers.
One of the ambitious American leaders, General William Henry Harrison, attacked the native village of Prophet's Town on November 17, 1811, at what was to become known as the Battle of Tippecanoe. It was the home of two Shawnee brothers, The Prophet and Leaping Panther, who dreamed of a native confederacy that would occupy the land from Lake Erie in the north to as far south as Florida. Thousands of braves from a half dozen tribes had joined with the two Shawnee chiefs.
Harrison beat back the natives and burnt their village. He would later use his victory to be elected president of the United States.
Friction on the High Seas
A second cause of trouble leading to the war was that the British had issued orders-in-council that permitted their navy to stop and search American ships at sea. The British wanted to prevent the United States from sending trade goods or supplies to France while they were at war. Also, Yankee shippers and the U.S. navy encouraged deserters from the British navy with higher pay and phony documents stating that they were Americans.