The Battle of Beaver Dams was a very important battle in the War of 1812. It took place on June 24th, 1813, near present day Thorold, Ontario (fg. 1). The War of 1812 started when Napoleon tried to conquer the world, after Britain’s Army stopped the US’s trade with France, because Napoleon was getting very annoying. Then the US declared war with Britain, because France was giving them a lot of valuable stuf, by attacking Canada, a British colony (fg. 2). Laura Secord, the wife of a soldier who was wounded in the Battle of Queenston Heights and lived in Queenston, was forced to let some American Ofcers stay in her home. She heard them discussing their plans and quickly learned that they were sending Lieutenant-Colonel Charles G. Boerstler and his army from Fort George, to destroy the post near Beaver Dams. Secord left her daughter to tend to her husband, and set of into the night to warn Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon, a leader of the British Army and was at that post, of the attack. The journey was over 30 km! When she got there Fitzgibbon hesitated frst, but then believed her (fg. 3). Then they prepared for the fght! When the Americans got there in the middle of the night, they were taken of guard by 300 Caughnawaga Warriors, 100 Mohawk Warriors led by Captain William Kerr, and 50 British Soldiers led by James Fitzgibbon (fg. 4). After three hours of terrible fghting in darkness, the Americans fnally surrendered! The British left the battlefeld with about 500 American prisoners, including wounded Lieutenant-Colonel Charles G. Boerstler. This battle weakened the Americans horribly and led them to later surrender fully! Over 100 years later, Laura Secord was fnally acknowledged in the story and plaques were put up all around the area (fg. 5). The Battle of Beaver Dams was a very signifcant part of Canadian history and helped keep Canada strong! Fig. 1
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