4 ~ Friday, June 18, 1993 ~ North Shore News /artare STONEY CREEK, ONT. — “Does anyone have a schedule? What time is the batile at?”’ asked a man in full military regalia. Odd. Warfare by the clock? Yes. The gentleman in question was dressed in red tunic, blue breeches, long black boots, and busby-type headgear, and carried a sword. The ‘‘battle’’ was a re-enact- ment to mark the 180th anniver- sary of the Battle of Stoney Creek on June 6, 1813 — an engagement that saved Canada from the grasp of the American eagle. The significance of this event will not be underestimated, even in Greater Tiddlycove, where it is suspecied that world history began only with the Creation of the Lions Gate Bridge in 1939, Ifthe British regulars and Ca- nadian militia had not beaten the Americans here, driving them back in confusion to the Niagara frontier, today we would have cheaper beer and cigarettes and gasoline at $1.19 a U.S. gallon. Aren't you gratefu’ for Billy Trevor Lautens GARDEN OF BIASES action: a disaster, but they won. They actually managed to suffer about 100 more casualties than the slumbering Americans. | add that as a boy I grew up with this thrilling story. As recently as 35-odd years ago, then a young reporter, I cowered around the battlefield at 44 The ‘Indians’ were in fact Newfoundlanders, we were solemnly told. 99 Green — the savior of Canada? Billy was a boy of 13. His fami- ly lived on the ‘mountain’? above where the Americans, marching from Niagara toward York (Toronto) in revenge against the Blue Jays for winning the World Series, were encamped. It’s typically Ontario that, 180 years later, the Green family still live on that land. Billy was a scout for the British, camped a dozen miles away. He learned the American soldiers* password -- ‘‘Will-Hen-Har,”’ for the famed U.S. general, William Henry Harrison. Armed with this intelligence and British sagacity, and a sneak at- tack at 3 a.m., Her Majesty’s troops fell on the dastardly Yan- kees, It was a classic British military j Purchase one custom-made vertical blind at 4 the regular price and receive a second blind [%: of the same style FREE OF CHARGE. Free blind must be of equal of lesser value... 40 % OFF ) Enjoy the natural warmth and beauty of wood veretian blinds and SAVE 40% OFF. The affordable akernative to wood shutters, BS %o8F SAVE 45% OFF pleated stades . Over 100 colours and fabric to choose from. The decorators choice for your faom with a view: NORTH VANCOUVER 1226 Marine Drive 984-4407 midnight on the June 6 anniver- sary to check if any soldierls ghosts appeared, None did. | wrote a doubtless chilling stury anyway. None of the above does justice to the real delight and fascination of the re-enactment staged on the 180th anniversary under sunny skies here. Of course it would hive been awkward to try to dupticate the darkness of the real battle. Instead, a typical battle of the time was recreated, complete with impressive uniforms, reproduction muskets and cannon, fake Indians, even a cavalry charge with pistol fire that frightened one of the horses, and a play-by-play description of proceedings over a modern sound system crisply enunciated in a 55 % ore SAVE 55% OFF custom designer mini § blinds. An incredible selection of designer colours priced to suit your budget. Lifetime Warranty, Sleek and elegant - now 1/2 PRICED § for you to save. Sale price includes all specialty colours. Lifetime Warranty. 30 %orr Robert Allen drapery fabrics are now sate. priced at 30% OFF. Choose from over 300 Ff @ faorics startng from $22 50 per yard {Not all fabrics are available in ail stores ) CANADA'S LARGEST BUNE & ORAPERY SPECIALISTS! CONTOUR WEST VANCOUVER 925-3655 | well-bred English accent by a man in a cocked hat. These were no rink amateurs. The soldiers were seasoned re- enactors very dedicated to such spectacles: some had come from Indiana, Ohio, New York, Loui- siana, even London — at their own expense. (The ‘‘Indians”’ were in fact Newfoundlanders, we were solemnly told.) And the authenticity was spread throughout the battlefield site. There were dozens of tents, coffee and stew were heated over small fires, a carpenter toiled over his vises — all faithful to period utensils, the original stuff being too valuabie and frail now for such use. Many of there people were very well informed and articulate, like a man who in real life works at Toronto’s Old Fort York and cheerfully shared his drinking water with his dog Rodger. Very pioneer. He ruminated spiritedly on whether it was a goad thing for children to see warfare depicted — and, inevitably, glamorized, It's foreign to them. “In other cultures violence is systemic,’” he reflected as he stir- red his boiling stew with an early {9th century (repro) ladle, Face it: this was a marvellous spectacle drawn from Ontario his- tory. Face this too: our B.C, history lacks the patriotic, blood-stirring clement of combat, being almost entirely a kind of cormmercial his- tory: the HBC, Dunsmuir and his coal, the CPR, jumping out of the way of felled trees. It simply doesn’t compare with the saga of the thin lines of red- coats and the sturdy pioneers defending Canada and empire from the presumptuous Yankees. 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