"Suitable candidates" from Whitby needed to fight in War of 1812
Sep 13, 2007 - 01:12 PM
By Lesley Bovie
WHITBY -- If you're male, between the ages of 15 and 65, have two arms, two legs and at least two opposing teeth, you could be called upon to help a young British colony stave off an American invasion.
The Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada will be hosting a War of 1812 recruiting drive in downtown Whitby when Heritage Day returns Saturday, Sept. 15.
"Back in those days, recruiting was a little more of an informal process," explains Glendon Hovey, a member of the group of historical re-enactors.
"Instead of recruits going to a building to sign up, recruiting sergeants would go out in the community and encourage people to join by taking a bounty of a few shillings," he says.
Suitable candidates were also checked by surgeons to ensure they didn't have any skin ulcers or lesions. Having at least two opposing teeth was important for one strategic reason.
"They had to bite off the end of the paper cartridge containing the gun powder and musket before pouring it into the barrel," says Mr. Hovey, a tailor who specializes in historic clothing and lives in Whitby.
His unit includes members from all over the GTA and re-enacts the campaigns of the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, which was involved in every major battle along the Niagara peninsula, including the burning of Buffalo and the White House.
The re-enactors also recreated battles for the CBC television series, Canada: A People's History.
Their recruitment drive is a first for Heritage Day, which celebrates local history while also promoting downtown Whitby, says downtown co-ordinator Kim Tafertshofer.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes horse drawn wagon rides, heritage displays, a petting zoo, pony rides, heritage mercantile vendors, old-fashioned kettle corn and an interactive hand-drumming workshop by Ron Cross.
In past years, Heritage Day has attracted as many as 9,000 visitors to Whitby's downtown core. The following streets will be closed for the duration of the event: Brock Street from Dundas to Dunlop streets, and Colborne Street from Green to Byron streets.
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