1814
Battle of Lundy’s Lane
At Queenston Heights and Lundy’s Lane,
Our brave fathers, side by side,
For freedom, homes and loved ones dear,
Firmly stood and nobly died;
And those dear rights which they maintained,
We swear to yield them never!
Our watchword evermore shall be
“The Maple Leaf forever!”
Those pesky Americans keep trying to invade Canada and keep failing. Yankee intruders were forced to retreat from Montreal during their ill-advised War of Independence and in the aftermath of their Civil War the Fenians were repelled from New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. The only American defeats we actually sing about, however, are those drubbings we dealt them in the War of 1812, at Queenston Heights and Lundy’s Lane.
Lundy’s Lane was along a commanding piece of ground in the Niagara peninsula and there British and Canadian troops were attacked by an American force led by Generals Jacob Brown and Winfield Scott who had been successfully racking up victories in Ontario since early July. This battle was particularly bloody with hundreds of casualties from artillery duels, rocket barrages, friendly fire, and bayonet charges. Ground and guns changed hands several times until the bloodied Americans withdrew. Both sides had exhibited considerable bravery but no military genius. The result of the battle was a thwarted American thrust and a shift in the balance of power in the area to the Canadians and British.