Battle of Beaverdams National Historic Site



Stone monument with plaques installed at Battle of Beaverdams site in 2013.
 


 


Canada, Great Britain, USA, Haudenausaunee flags
 


 

Battle of Beaverdams - audio podcast

Secord Significance

After overhearing American soldiers discussing an attack on the British outpost at Decew House, Laura Secord made her way through enemy lines to warn Lieutenant Fitzgibbon and his troops. Her warning helped to prepare the First Nation warriors and Fitzgibbon's men for the Battle of Beaverdams which happened shortly afterwards on the site where this memorial is located.


Overview of the Battlefield Site

The Battle of Beaverdams occurred on June 24, 1813 between First Nations, American, and British troops near what is now the intersection of Davis Rd and Old Thorold Stone Road in Thorold. The battle ground has changed considerably over the years. Several sections of the original battlefield were flooded during the construction of the First and Second Welland Canals. The battlefield site was originally commemorated with a stone cairn, but the Third and Forth Welland Canals and the businesses and industries that sprung up around them continued to encroach onto the battlefield site.

The Beaver Dams Battlefield (Thorold, Ontario)

The Beaverdams Battlefield (Thorold, Ontario) as it looked in 1913. Detail from a watercolour painting by John Wesley Cotton (1913).
Image courtesy Toronto Public Library.


When a proposal was advanced in the 1960s to expand and relocate the Welland Canal yet again, the original stone cairn and other monuments on the battlefield site were in its proposed path. In the 1970s, in anticipation of the expansion of the canal, several of the monuments that had been placed to mark the battlefield and commemorate those who had died were moved to a new park on Sullivan Avenue near downtown Thorold called Battle of Beaverdams Park, a location some 2.5 km southeast of the original battlefield.The stone cairn commemorating the battle itself was moved in 1976.

 
 


Historical Background

 
 

The Americans captured Fort George and the Village of Niagara on May 27, 1813, occupying both areas. They then marched on Stoney Creek, but they were defeated.The British sent small groups of soldiers to the Twenty Mile Creek, the Ten Mile Creek and to Decew House. Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon, stationed at Decew House commanded the 49th Regiment, approximately 50 men, and a band of Mohawk warriors from the Grand River.

The Americans set out in the evening of June 21st with about 600 soldiers under Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Boerstler to take DeCew House. They remained in Queenston overnight. It was here that Laura Secord overheard several soldiers who had occupied her house discussing the upcoming attack. Since her husband James had not gotten over his injuries sustained from the Battle of Queenston Heights, Laura left early the next morning to bring the news to Fitzgibbon. Laura's information prepared Fitzgibbon and his troops for the upcoming battle.The American troops were spotted by a native scout in St. David's alerting Fitzgibbon to their presence. They were ambushed by 450 Mohawk and Caughnawaga Indians near the intersection of what is today Davis Road and Old Thorold Stone Road. They had been marching along Mountain Road toward Decew house in long columns and were scattered when the attacks began. The soldiers had scattered both because they were quite fearful of the natives and their tactics and because of the unexpected attack. The battle lasted a little over two hours. Realizing that typical battle tactics would not work in that situation, Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler made an attempt to withdraw his troops to allow them to regroup.

Lieutenant Fitzgibbon had his dragoons (approximately 50 men) remain at Decew House to protect the outpost and the cache of supplies. Upon hearing gunfire, Fitzgibbon commanded his troops to the battlefield, where First Nations warriors had already engaged with and intimidated the hapless Americans. Fitzgibbon arranged his men opposite the American troops, grouping them so that they appeared to be a much larger company. Fitzgibbon rode to meet the American forces with a white flag, calling for their surrender. Having (falsely) stated that reinforcements were on their way Fitzgibbon recommended that the Americans surrender because they were badly outnumbered. He also mentioned that he had only limited control over the Indians, playing on the fears of the soldiers.

Ultimately it was the native warriors who brought victory since they did nearly all of the fighting and Fitzgibbon was simply the officer who negotiated the American surrender. Strangely Fitzgibbon is often credited for the victory, although there have been changes to this representation in recent years. The new monument on the Battle of Beaverdams site contains a significant formal recognition of the essential role of the First Nations warriors, in the form of the following plaque:


 
 

As the Americans advanced toward the British stronghold at Burlington Heights, hoping to crush the British's ability to continue the war, the victory at Stoney Creek inspired the native warriors who assembled at Beaverdams in June 1813. Composed primarily of men from Six Nations and Kahnawake, Tyendinaga, and Kanesatake along the St. Lawrence River, the native warriors were able to cause the surrender of the American force.

Led by Ayonwa'ehs (Captain John Brant), his cousin, Captain William Johnson Kerr, and Captain Ducharme, about 400 warriors defeated the 685 Americans. During the heat of the battle, most of the Grand River warriors left the battlefield, unhappy that they had not received promised pay and provisions from previous service. This left their Mohawk cousins from Lower Canada to complete the fighting. Ducharme's warriors were responsible for the great victory; however, they were denied their proper share of the war booty, so they soon left the Niagara Peninsula and returned to their homes.

This plaque finally recognizes the essential contribution made by the St. Lawrence warriors in the victory at Beaverdams.


Accessible at all times: dawn to dusk
Details: Open Access

From Toronto:

1. Head south on QEW toward Niagara/East Hamilton/Fort Erie
2. Take the exit onto ON-406 S toward Thorold/Welland/Port Colborne
3. Drive 10.5 km then take the exit onto ON-58 S toward Thorold/Niagara Falls
12. After 4.9 km turn left onto Davis Rd (signs for Davis Road)

When you reach the interesection of Davis Rd and Old Thorold Stone Rd stop and take a look around. The surrounding land lots are the site of the Battle of Beaverdams. Some parts have been farmed while others became part of the Welland Canal corridor but it is still essentially the area on which the battle took place.

From Fort Erie:

1. Note the QEW exit number you will be taking. Exit numbers ascend as you approach the Toronto area.

2. Take the QEW, getting off at exit 32 for Thorold Stone Road / Regional Road 57 toward Thorold
3. Turn left onto Thorold Stone Road
4. After 5.5 km turn right onto Davis Rd

5. Continue on Davis Rd until you reach the intersection of Davis Rd and Old Thorold Stone Rd.

When you reach this interesection stop and take a look around. The surrounding land lots are the site of the Battle of Beaverdams. Some parts have been farmed while others became part of the Welland Canal corridor but it is still essentially the area on which the battle took place.

See Google Satellite View

Battle of Beaver Dams - June 24, 1813. See http://www.battleofbeaverdams.com/

Canada's History, The War of 1812: A Video Field-Guide. See http://vimeopro.com/canadashistory/1812/video/47612375

Address

Southeast corner of Old Thorold Stone Road and Davis Road
Thorold, Ontario
L0S 1A0

Google Street View


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