War of 1812 Bicentennial

At Queenston Heights

Brock's Monument, Queenston Heights

—From Nursey's "Story of Isaac Brock" (Briggs).

About two thousand people gathered at the foot of the Monument. Colonel G. Sterling Ryerson, President of the General Committee and of the U. E. L. Association, presided. Among those present were the Hon. R. A. Pyne, M.P.P., Minis­ter of Education for Ontario, and Mrs. Pyne; A. Claude Macdonell, M.P., Toronto; W. M. Ger­man, M.P., Welland; Colonel George T. Denison (U. E. L. and British Empire League); J. A. Mac­donell, K.C., Glengarry; A. MacLean Macdonell, K.C. (representatives of Colonel the Hon. John Macdonell, Provincial A.D.C. to General Brock); Dr. Alexander Dame (a relative of Hon. Colonel John Macdonell); James L. Hughes, LL.D. (Cana­dian Defence League); Doctor Jessop, M.P.P., St. Catharines; Mr. Evan Fraser, M.P.P., Niagara Falls, Ont.; Alexander Fraser, LL.D. (Ontario Historical Society, St. Andrew's Society, and S.O.S. Association); Mr. F. D. W. Smith (Cana­dian Club, Toronto); J. Castell Hopkins (Empire Club, Toronto); Miss Helen M. Merrill (Honor­ary Secretary, Brock Centenary, and U. E. L.); Miss C. Macdonell; Miss Kate Fraser, Toronto; Mr. John Stewart Carstairs, B.A. (Honorary Secre­tary, U. E. L. Association of Canada); Mr. Charles E. Macdonald, barrister, Toronto (Honorary Coun­sellor, U. E. L. Association of Canada); Chas. R. McCullough, Hamilton (Union of Canadian Clubs).

Royal Canadian College, Kingston: Colonel J. H. V. Crowe, Commandant.

Royal Canadian Regiment: Captain J. F. Brown (in command), Lieutenant J. W. Cox, and sixty-eight non-coms, and men.

Governor-General's Body Guard: Lieut.-Colonel Frank A. Fleming, officer commanding; Lieuten­ant A. D. Kirkpatrick; A. M. Stretton, Sergt.-Major, W. O.; S.Q.M.S. W. E. Borlace, Sergeant E. Pelletier, Mr. W. E. L. Coleman, Robt. D. Cox, Q.M. Sgt., 1st Cavalry Brigade; Corporal Worsick, Corporal Douglas; Troopers G. L. Collins, E. Lightbody, Sewell, Thos. Preston, G. W. C. Clarke, John S. Kilpatrick, W. Lennox, W. Hill, S. Norse.

9th Mississauga Horse.

St. Catharines Field Battery: Colonel F. King, Lieut.-Colonel Campbell.

Canadian Engineers.

2nd Regt. Q.O.R., Toronto: Sergeant-Major Geo. Creighton, Sergeants J. I. Matthews, A. G. Scovell, R. F. Reed, W. F. Meaforth, Forsyth, Scott; George Sanderson, E. R. Fitzgerald, retired, New West­minster, B.C., and others.

10th Regt., "Royal Grenadiers," Toronto: Edward Johnston, Geo. H. Briggs, Robert Hazel­ton, and seventeen men under Captain Campbell.

12th Regt., "York Rangers": Major Curran.

13th Regt., Hamilton: Lieut.-Colonel Moore, Bt. Lieut.-Colonel Ross, CO., Major Lester.

19th Regt., St. Catharines: Lieut.-Colonel W. W. Burleigh and others.

22nd Regt., "Oxford Rifles."

36th "Peel" Regt.: Royal Grafton, Ensign.

48th Regt., "Highlanders," Toronto: Lieut.-Colonel W. Hendrie, Major J. A. Currie, and thirty-two non-com. officers and men in charge of Sergeant Cameron.

91st Regt., Canadian Highlanders, Hamilton: Lieut.-Colonel John J. Maclaren and others.

York and Simcoe Battalion, Toronto: Corporal Thos. Laird, N.W.F.F., 1885.

North-West Mounted Police: J. W. Scott.

Ridley College Cadets and Bugle Band.

'66 Veterans' Association: P. E. Noverre, Presi­dent; Captain John A. Macdonald, '70; Colonel Belcher; Major J. Beck, 33rd Huron Regt.; Cap­tain Geo. Musson, John Robinson, Walter R. Nur­sey; Captain John Ford (Chicago Volunteers), Past-President; Andrew K. Lauder, Captain F. H. McCallum, A. E. Wheeler.

Niagara District Veteran Volunteers' Associa­tion, St. Catharines: Jamieson Black, President; C. Chapman, Past-President; Robt. J. Black, Vice-President; W. H. Drysdale, Treasurer; J. Albert Mills, Secretary; George Wilson.

His Majesty's Army and Navy Veterans' Associa­tion: Mr. C. H. Robertson.

Canadian Militia Veterans: Captain W. Fahey, President.

Canadian Baden-Powell Boy Scouts: Ed. Nix, J. Gordon Rosser, Toronto.

United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada: Major W. Napier Keefer, Past-President; Mr. R. E. A. Land, Vice-President; Rev. Canon Alex. W. Macnab, Honorary Chaplain, and Mrs. Macnab; Mr. E. M. Chadwick, K.C., Honorary Genealogist; Mr. A. R. Davis, Honorary Treasurer; Mrs. Edwards Merrill, Miss Emily Merritt, Miss Cath­arine Merritt, Miss Laura Clarke, Captain G. S. Ryerson, Miss Laura Ryerson, Miss Flora Powel, Miss J. J. MacCallum (descendant of Laura Secord), Miss Henrietta Loft, Miss Affa Loft, Major J. G. Beam (retired, 44th Batt), Captain M. S. Boehm (30th Regt.), Mrs. Birdsall (descend­ant of Laura Secord) , Niagara Falls.

Central section of a panoramic picture of the gathering at Queenston Heights.

Council of the Six Nations Indians, Oshwegam Brant County (United Empire Loyalists): Mr. Gordon J. Smith (Honorary Chief, De-ha-ka-res, Bear Clan, Mohawk Tribe), Superintendent, Brantford; Chief Josiah Hill (Sa-ko-ka-ryes, Wolf Clan), Secretary; Chief William Smith, Interpre­ter); Chief J. C. Martin, Speaker; Chief J. S. Johnson (Ka-nen-kwe-yah), Deputy Speaker; Chief J. W. M. Elliott (Mohawk); Chief A. G. Smith (De-ka-nen-ra-neh, Bear Clan, Mohawk); Chief Elias Lewis (De-ka-ri-ho-gen, Turtle Clan, Mohawk); Chief Abraham Lewis (Ah-yon-wah-ehs, Turtle Clan, Mohawk); Chief John A. Gibson (Seneca); Chief Peter Isaac (Mudturtle Clan, Seneca); Chief Alexander Hill (Ot-go-taw-yen-toun, Deer Clan, Onondaga), Fire Keeper; Chief Lawrence Jonathan (Sha-ko-ken-he, Eel Clan, Onondaga), Fire Keeper; Chief David Jamieson (Cayuga); Chief Jacob Isaac (Hon-wa-sha-de-hon, Oneida); Chief Joseph Powless (Ha-dya-dho-nen-ta, Wolf Clan, Oneida); Chief Richard Hill (Ra-rih-whi-tyen-tah, Wolf Clan, Tuscarora); Chief Elias Carrier (Tuscarora); Warrior Frederick O. Loft and Mr. Allen W. Johnson, Toronto, Dele­gates to Brock Centenary Committee); Chief Isaiah Sickles (Da-Da-hon-den-wen, Bear Clan, Oneida); Warrior George Aaron; Daniel McNugh­ton (Ha-don-da-he-ha); Dennis Palmerston (Tus­carora, American Indian).

Canadian Club, Toronto: Mr. James M. Sinclair, Mr. W. J. Clarke, G. Frank Beer, P. H. Jennings, J. R. Collins.

Empire Club, Toronto: Mr. Fred B. Fetherston­haugh, K.C., President; Mr. Richard A. Stapells, First Vice-President.

British Empire League, Toronto Branch: James P. Murray.

Sons of Scotland, Toronto: Dr. John Ferguson, Mr. Evan Hugh Fraser, representing Camp Alex­ander Fraser, S.O.S., Toronto.

St. Andrew's Society, Toronto: Captain Herbert M. Mowat, K.C., U.E.L., Vice-President; Mr. James Murray, Manager; Mr. T. C. Irving, Manager; Mr. J. P. Martin, Robert Farquharson.

St. George's Society, Toronto: Mr. John W. Gamble Boyd.

Centre and South Toronto Liberal Conservative Association: Mr. Arthur VanKoughnet; Women's Branch, Mrs. Arthur VanKoughnet.

York Pioneers' Historical Society, Toronto: Daniel Lamb, President; John W. Millar, Secre­tary; John Harvie, J. G. Hughes, Wm. Crocker, J. C. Moor, J. Hawley, E. Gegg, Josiah Rogers, John F. Ellis, A. E. Wheeler, W. D. Mcintosh, W. J. Adams.

Knights of Malta and the Grand Chapter of Ladies of Justice, Toronto: Mr. R. E. A. Land, Mr. A. G. Horwood, Mrs. A. G. Horwood.

British Women's Society: Miss Perkins.

Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, Toronto: Mrs. A. E. Gooderham, Mrs. John Bruce, Mrs. E. F. B. Johnstone, Miss Constance Boulton, Mrs. E. Humphreys, Mrs. Wm. Humphreys, Mrs. E. A. James, Miss Laura Brodigan, Miss Watson, Miss Maud Watson.

Women's Canadian Historical Society, Toronto: Miss M. Agnes FitzGibbon, Miss Mickle, Mrs. Kearn, Mrs. Campbell Meyers, Miss Clara Port, Miss J. J. MacCallum.

Brant Historical Society, Brantford: His Hon­our Judge Hardy, Honorary President; Mr. S. F. Passmore, President; Miss Isabella Gilkison, Mr. T. W. Standing, Vice-Presidents; Mrs. J. Y. Brown, Secretary; Major H. F. Leonard, Curator; Mr. J. J. Hawkins.

Lundy's Lane Historical Association, Niagara Falls: Mr. J. Jackson, Secretary.

Thorold and Beaver Dams Historical Society: T. H. Thompson, President; Miss Amy Ball.

Floral tribute placed on cenotaph, where Brock fell, by the Guernsey Society, Toronto.

Brock Centenary Celebration at Queenston Heights.

Niagara Historical Society, Niagara-on-the-Lake: Miss Janet Carnochan, President; Rev. J. C. Garrett, Mrs. J. C. Garrett, Mrs. Ascher, Mrs. T. F. Best, Miss M. Ball, Mrs. Bottomley, Miss Creed, J. Eckersley, H. Macklem, Mrs. Macklem, Wm. Ryan, J. deW. Randall, Mrs. Randall, E. H Shepherd, Mrs. Shepherd, Miss C. Waters, F Win­throp, Mrs. Winthrop, Niagara; R. Field, Miss E. L. Lowery, Mrs. H. Usher, Queenston; Miss Amy Ball, Thorold; Miss S. Crysler, Niagara Falls; J. C. Ball, C. A. Case, St. Catharines; J. S. Carstairs, A. J. Clark, Miss E. Long, Mrs. Charles Lewis Shaw, Miss Annie Clark, Mr. G. J. Clark Toronto.

Women's Wentworth Historical Society, Hamil­ton: Mrs. John Calder, Miss Calder.

Canadian Club, Hamilton: Mr. C. E. Kelly, President; G. D. Cadeaur, Secretary; Mr. Harry D. Petrie.

Women's Canadian Club, Hamilton: Mrs. Harry D. Petrie.

Women's Institute, Queenston: Mrs. A. A Ram­say.

Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, Ham­ilton: Mrs. Harry D. Petrie, Miss B. Gaviller.

St. George's Society, London: Mr. N. F. Willmot.

St. George's Society, Guelph: Mr. H. J. B. Lead­lay.

Canadian Business Women's Club, Toronto: Miss H. Williamson, Miss Winnifred Macdonald, Miss Effie Telfer, Mrs. Anna Fox.

Others present were: Mrs. (Col.) William Hendrie, Hamilton; D. Macgregor Whyte, artist, Oban, Scotland; Lieutenant-Colonel Fred W. Macqueen, Toronto; Wm. Rea, Mrs. Rea, née Jane Thomas, daughter of Mr. James Thomas, who was one of the contractors for the erection of Brock's Monument, and resided at Queenston during the entire time the Monument was being erected; Rev. S. A. Laidlaw, Ridgeway; Mr. W. H. Banfield, Mr. Benj. P. McKay, Mr. H. E. Wilmot, Mr. Samuel O'Bryen, Miss F. May Simpson, Miss Marjorie FitzGibbon, Miss Perkins, Miss Lulu Crowther, Mr. William Moss, Miss J. E. Douglas, Mr. H. B. Adams, Miss D. F. Waite, Miss Helen J. Sturrock, Mr. James Young, Mr. John Hawley, Mrs. Rees, Miss Amelia Rees, Gonnie Rees, A.T.C.M., Toronto; Mr. Fred Landon, Press Gallery, Ottawa; Mayor J. deW. Randall, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Mrs. A. Servos, Miss Mary Servos, St. Catharines; Mrs. Redhead, Miss Oliver, Niagara; Wm. Milliken, Toronto, and Dr. Campbell Meyers, Toronto.

The stirring interest taken by the public in the celebration was in no way made more apparent than by the large number of costly and beautiful floral offerings sent to decorate the monument. Immediately on assembling on the Heights, these expressive tributes were formally received, one by one, by Colonel Ryerson. The names of the givers were announced by Mr. Chas. E. Macdonald, who also read out the patriotic mottoes and inscrip­tions. The wreaths were then carefully placed on the monument, and so numerous were they that they almost covered its huge base. The luxuriant ivy growing on the lower masonry was richly tinted with autumnal bronze, and on the natural back­ground thus unexpectedly provided, the delighted celebrators worked out an effective colour scheme. It has not been possible to obtain a complete list of those who brought wreaths with them, but the following were noted:

A magnificent Cross of St. George, made of oak leaves, from the Guernsey Society of Guernsey Island, Brock's birthplace, was placed on the ceno­taph which marks the place where Brock fell, by Mr. J. L. Burney, whose father was a lieutenant under Brock and was by his side when the General was fatally stricken.

J. A. Macdonell, K.C., Glengarry, A. McLean Macdonell, K.C., Toronto, and Angus Claude Mac­donell, K.C., M.P., Toronto, as representatives of the family of Colonel the Honourable John Mac­donell, General Brock's aide-de-camp and military secretary, placed on the monument two handsome wreaths of laurel leaves, decorated with white and pink heather and heavily trimmed with purple, one to the memory of Brock, and one, with the motto "From Kith and Kin," to the memory of their kinsman, Colonel Macdonell.

Memorial wreaths on the tombs, at Queenston Heights, of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, Kt., and Colonel John Macdonell P.A.D.C, Attorney-General of Upper Canada.

Placed there by Mr. John Macdonell, K.C., Glengarry, Mr. Angus Claude Macdonell, K.C., M.P., Toronto, and Mr. A. McLean Macdonell, K.C., Toronto (with the motto, "From kith and kin," on that of the latter).

Colonel George T. Denison placed a wreath from the British Empire League (England), he being the President of the Canadian branch.

Mr. J. Murray McCheyne Clark, K.C., LL.B., Toronto, sent a wreath on behalf of the Toronto branch of the British Empire League, of which he is the President.

Wreaths were sent by the Canadian Club, Toronto; the Canadian Club, Hamilton; the Caro­line School pupils, Hamilton; Centre and South Toronto Conservative Club, Ladies' Branch; Gov­ernor-General's Body Guard, Toronto; 91st Regi­ment Canadian Highlanders, Hamilton; Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, Toronto; Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, Hamilton; Chap­ter General of Canada Knights of Malta and the Grand Chapter of Ladies of Justice, Toronto.

Mrs. Fessenden, as founder of Empire Day, sent a sheaf of crimson carnations tied with the national colours. To this was attached, with a League of the Empire brooch, a card bearing this inscription from Palgrave:

Lundy's Lane Historical Society, Niagara Falls, Ont.; 9th Mississauga Horse; Niagara District Vet­eran Volunteers' Association, St. Catharines—Mr. Jamieson Black, as President, placed a wreath on the grave as a tribute from St. Catharines. For many years this Association has placed a wreath at the foot of the tomb of Brock at their annual outing at Queenston Heights.

Niagara Falls City, Ontario, Mayor and Alder­men; Niagara Historical Society, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Niagara Public Schools; Ontario Histori­cal Society; St. Andrew's Society, Toronto; St. George's Society, Toronto; St. George's Society, Hamilton; Sons of Scotland Benevolent Associa­tion; Sons of Scotland, Camp "Alexander Fraser"; Six Nations Indians (Oshwegan), Brantford; United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, Toronto; Upper Canada Old Boys' Association, Toronto; Welland County Teachers' Association; Women's Canadian Historical Society, Toronto— Wreath of scarlet gladioli and carnations tied with scarlet and green, the colors of the Society, the motto in gold on a green band: "Deeds Speak"; Women's Wentworth Historical Society, Hamilton.

Miss Ball, granddaughter of Captain John Clem­ent Ball, carried a lithograph of the battle scene (Queenston Heights) made in 1813 from a sketch by Major Dennis as he lay wounded on the field, October 13th, 1812.

In addition to the wreath placed on the monu­ment the United Empire Loyalists hung a wreath on the portrait of General Brock in the Parliament Buildings, Toronto.

Wreath placed on Brock's Monument in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Eng. by the Government of Canada.

Wreath placed on Brock's Monument, Queenston Heights, by the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire.

Brock Centenary celebration at Queenston Heights.

Conferring tribal membership on Miss Helen M. Merrill, who on adoption into the Oneida Nation received the name "Kah-ya-tonhs" (One who keeps records).

The scene presented was unique, and in many respects a remarkable one. Not the least striking feature was the character of the gathering. Descendants of soldiers who fought with Brock were there, some of them carrying the burden of years, some barely out of childhood's leash. Others, and scarcely less interested in the proceedings, represented loyal and patriotic societies, widely spread over the Province. The Indian contingent from the Six Nations occupied a conspicuous place of honour most worthily, their presence recalling the signal service rendered by their brave fore­fathers at Queenston Heights and in the campaign generally. The military detachments added colour to the animated scene. The men of the Royal Cana­dian Regiment, of the Governor-General's Body Guard, of the Forty-eighth Highlanders, the Queen's Own, the Royal Grenadiers, the Missis­sauga Horse, the Ridley College Cadets, and of other corps, were drawn up on the outside of the crowd, and beyond them, on the escarpment, the St. Catharines' Battery, Field Artillery, was sta­tioned. Over all floated the Union Jack.

An incident of the gathering in which much inter­est was shown was the unfurling of an old, historic Union Jack from the top of Brock's Monument by Miss Helen M. Merrill, Secretary of the Committee. When the first monument erected to Brock at Queenston was destroyed (17th April, 1840) a great indignation meeting was held on the Heights. Among those present was a British sailor from one of the ships that conveyed the Toronto people to the meeting. He had brought with him a Union Jack, and climbing to the top of the broken shaft, waved it aloft, amid the cheers of the assembled patriots. The flag was pre­served, and Mr. Comer, Kingston, Ont., readily loaned it for this special occasion. Accompanying Miss Merrill to the top of the monument with the flag were Misses Marjorie FitzGibbon and Laura Brodigan and Mr. Allen W. Johnson (Six Nations).

Several relics of the War of 1812–14 were shown by their possessors, who held them sacred, among them a Union Jack, carried by Chief Paudash (Johnson) of the Mississauga Indians, from the Ontario Archives Department; early sketches of the Queenston battlefield, and pictures of officers who took part in the war.

At the close of the speeches the Six Nation Indians present formed a Council, and, in recogni­tion of her services as Honorary Secretary of the Celebration Committee, conferred on Miss Helen M. Merrill the honour of tribal membership by the name "Kah-ya-tonhs"—one who keeps records.

The wreaths having been placed, the programme of the day was opened by the firing of a general salute by the 7th St. Catharines Field Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery. This was followed by the playing of a lament for the dead by the pipers of the Forty-eighth Highlanders and Pipe-Major Dunbar, piper to Lieut.-Colonel William Hendrie, of Hamilton.

Letters expressing regret for inability to be present were read by Colonel Ryerson from the following gentlemen: The Right Honourable R. L. Borden, M.P., Prime Minister of Canada; His Honour Sir John M. Gibson, K.C.M.G., Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario; Colonel the Honourable Samuel Hughes, M.P., Minister of Militia, Ottawa; the Honourable Sir James P. Whitney, Prime Min­ister of Ontario; Major-General C. J. Mackenzie, C.B., C.G.S., Ottawa; Major-General W. D. Otter, C.V.O., C.B.; Major-General D. A. Macdonald, C.M.G., Ottawa; Brig.-General F. L. Lessard, C.B.; Colonel R. W. Rutherford, M.G.O.; Dr. R. A. Fal­coner, President, University of Toronto; Hugh Munro, M.P.P., Glengarry.

Six Nation Indians Celebrating Brock's centenary at Queenston Heights.

Abram Lewis (holding silver pipe of peace), Chief Alexander Hill, Chief A. G. Smith.