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Un des symboias suivants apparaltra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, salon le cas: la symbols —^ signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols y signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., mey be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to bo entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre filmte d des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich4, 11 est fiimd A partir de I'angle supArieur geuche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombi-e d'image^ n6cessaire. lies diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 A 4 5 6 !■ The Wentworth Pioneer and Historical Society Held their first outing on the Stony Creek battle-ground, the ^tk of June, i8Sg, to commemorate the y6th anniversary of that memorable battle, when quite one thousand ladies and gentlemen were present to greet them. THe President of the Association, Mr. Geo. II. Mills, in his opening addre.'-s, cordially welcomed those present . and said he regarded the large assemblage, though the weather was not very auspicious, as a flattering indioatiun that the objects of the Socitty leceived the hearty endorsement of thn public. He lucidly described the objects of the Association, that the thief of these was the colltction and preser- vation of materials for a truthful record of the historical events of this pare of the country ; to collect iraditions that would prove valuable to luture historians ; *o record with accuracy passing events, and thus aid in welding to- gether a patriotic and distinctively Canadian national sentiment, that will enable us to hand down to I vir children unimpaired this grand inheiitan.e. lur country and our law.<, as we lecejvec' ihcm from our lortfathers who pre- served them with heroic valor against great odds, when they were of immea>urably less value than they are now. Continuing, he said that the influence of Societies like this would go far towards strengthening a determination to maintain, continue, and even enlarge our affectionate relationship with the Mother Land, and this, said the speaker, is the only true course to be adopted, if \«'e desire fulfilment of our aspirations, that Car.ada shall ultimately become a nation among nations ; and if in the future the developments which time produced may render separation necessary, in order that Canada may take an indepeniletween this and our parent land will never be severed, ard the new nation will carry with it in its constitution, the prestige of England's glory, and ihe abiding principles of Canadian liberty. (Applause.) He called upon the Hon. J. M. Gibson to address the audience. The Hon. J. M. Gibson, when moving the first resolution, 'n a brilliant and exhaustive speech, recounted the history of the battle and clearly set forth the causes which led up to the war of 1812 and '13. He said : " I am sure we are ail very much indebted to the Went- worth Pioneer and Historical Society, if for nothing else, at all events, for the opportunity they have to-day given us of assembling here and commemorating the anniversary of that wett'ktiown historical event — the V)attle of Stony Creek. I have often wondered that steps were not taken of a systematic descrip- tion to do something in the way of commemo- orating and rendering permanent the apprecia- tion of the people of the valor of our ancestors who took par*, on that memorable occasion. I am not here by any means to day in the char- acter of an orator on this occasion ; but I have been requested to move a resolution, and I do so with a great deal of pleasure. Around me on the platform and on the grounds are men well up in years, men from 50 to 100 years of age, some of whom, perhaps, were either pres- en*. on that occasion, or, at all events, were so familiarly interested in the events in their childhood as to take a peculiar interest in the proceedings of to-day. Not only the elderly gentlemen, but the women of this district, their daughters and grand daughters, are pres- ent, signifying their interest in what is now going on. It has been to me, sir, a matter of great interest since I came upon the ground to be able to shake hands with an elderly lady whose husband was present and took part in that memorable hght, the battle of Stony Creek." (Applause.) He referred to the bat- tle of Luridy's Lane, one of the most pluckily fought engagements which ever took place in any country, and also one of the most sangiii- naiy, as the records prove. Are we, the Cana- dians of to-day, he asked, ready to fo'ow the examples of our forefathers in standing up for our countr) and in being prepared to shed our last drop of blood in defence of her interests ? I sympathized with the remarks of the Presi- dent. I am true to Biitish connection, and I feel that it is entirely unnecessary for any one to stand on th:s platform and preach loyalty to the Mother Country, because if ever a loyal band of people were gathered together, they are before me now. (Applause. ) Proceeding, he said, we are proud of the great empire of v hich we form a part, and while our sympa- thies will aiways be found in touch with the Motherland, it U right for us to have aspira- tions. Let us be proud of our country and en- deavor to make it what it is destined to be- come—a great country— and in the same pro- portion as we show a resolution to depend upon ourselves will our Mother Country re- spect us and do for us all we can ask or expect to be done by our parent. / MR. p. W. FEARMAN'S remarks. In seconding the resolution Mr. F. W. Fear- man said : Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentle- men — I recognize and acknowledge the honor I partake of in being permitted to ^econd this reiolatiin. I also recognize in the language of the resolution the fact that we to-viay stand on almost sacred ground ; that we have assem - bled here to-day over the ashes of the heroes who 76 years ago loduy took their lives in their hands, and many of them gave tbem for their homes, families, King, constitution and country ; and they are in every sense entitled to our remembrance, gratitude, and what honor we can bestow upon their memories, if we can bestow on them a greater than to proclaim that they died for their country. We do not assem- ble here to-day to erect a Vendome obelisk, to commemorate the ravages of an ambitious Imperial tyrant, or an arch to perpetuate the robberies and rapine of a Roman scouige, but to endeavor to preserve the memories of the brave men who laid down their lives on this never to be forgotten soil on which we now stand, and to cele> rate a victory which has Eroven most important to us Canadians who ave succeded them ; a victory which will not be erased from history in all time ; a victory that has very few equals ; a victory that has secured the home, the family and the country to the British- Canadian people, we trust for all time to come ; a victory that we now assem ble to honor and commemorate, and leave in monumental condition, to be ever after held fresh in the love and memory of the Canadian people. We must acknowledge the neglect of years past, and regret that suitable care and attention have not been given to the memory of the brave and fallen heroes ; and I trust now that a suitable memento will be placed over their remains, and that at last we fulfil our duty. I know, sir, that old men live in the past and young men in the future, and I .cannot refrain from drawing a picture of our country 76 years ago and comparing it with the nation of to-day. The night that these brave men, led by Vincent and Harvey, left the entrenchment? on Burlington Heights (now Hamilton Cemetery), with arms unloaded, poorly fed, worse paid, half clothed, in the darkness of midnight, over a forest covered track— not one-third the number of the well- equipped foe who held possession of all the country east of this to the Niagara River ; who held possession of the strong points of this field ; who had penetrated almost to what are now the suburbs of the city of Hamilton, and that our matchless little army. With all its dis- advantages, should succeed in defeating and destroying the enemy and in a very short time driving them from the face of Canadian soil. It is such recollections as these that>..ead us to value the memories of these men, and that in- spire us to do them honor ; and while we Inok at the possessions, the comfort, prosperity and happiness insured to us by their heroic achieve- ments, by their sacrifices, trials and death, we cannot but feel grateful as a people for all the blessings that Divine Providence has conferred upon us. When we look at this Canada of ours ; its wonderful advance among the nations of the Tvorld ; its increase in wealth, commerce, akd comfort ; the educational advantages and religious tendencies of the people ; the great and rapid means of transit ; the vast extent of territory claimed by the agriculturist from the prairie and forest, we can but wonder and marvel that all this has been done in so short a time. But so it is and so may it long con- tinue I The resolution refers to the moral and material support received in the past from the Mother Country. We acknowledge it most g-atefully, and also acknowledge its influence OD us and on our country ; and may the day be far distant whon that influence will cease. While we here today celebrate the great event that saved this country from the grasp of an invading foe, let us not forget their dead. They lie here in the same graves. They sleep their last sleep side by side with the defenders of our country, and let us as Canadians, whether native born or adopted, remember that they were under orders and led, as they supposed by duty, to their sad end. May this, for all the future, be the last record of strife between us and our neighbors to the south. Let concord, peace, and progress forever reign, and the only contest be which can do the most for the happiness, cordiality and advancement of each other, and thereby benefit owrselves individually, and humanity as a whole. Let our motto be " Peace on earth, good will toward men," and with the poet we will say : Cover them over with beautitui flowers, Deck them with garlands, these brothers of ours, Living so silent, by night and by day, Slf^eping the years of their manhood away ; Years they had marked for the joys of the brave, VTears they must waste in the moldering grave. All the blight Uiurels that waited to bloom Pell from their hopes when they fell to the tomb. Give them the meed they have won in the past, Give them the honors the uiture forecast, Give them the chaplets they wrn in the strife, Give them the laurels they lost with their life. Cover them over, yes, cover th em over. Parent and husband, brother 1 nd lover ; Crown in your heart those dead heroes of ours, And cover them over with beautiful flowers. The motion was put and declared carried unanimously. Mr. A. T. Freed was then called upon. He said : Permit me to say that I am very much pleased with the honor done me in being al- lowed to make a resolution. We in Canada have a history. We cap look around us and say, on these fields our fathers fought and have handed down to us blessing. Let us prove that we are worthy sons of worthy sires. I feel we will not be faithful sons of worthy sires if we do not place upon the battle-field of Stony Creek something to mark and tell of the brav- ery of our fathers. Mr. Peter S. VanWagner, a veteran, in seconding the resolution, said : The ground has been gone over so well that there is little for me to relate, yet I may allude to a few of the details which I learned when at school on the scene of the battle when I was a boy, only twelve years afler the battle, when I and others used to pick up the bullets, bent bayo- nets and swords, and old rusty musket barrels about the battle field. At the time of the bat- tle all the courage was not on our side. Oh, no ! Our big brother to the south was brave, too, and thought he would lick his little brother, but little Johnny Canuck was stub* p ^,. born and wouldn't have it. It has often been wondered how the Americans came to be sur- prised. How did the British get the counter- Rign? Why, it was like this. Mr. Pelet Corman was taken prisoner by the Americans for not telling where the British were camped. He taffied up the soldiers who had him in charge, and they let him go, giving him the countersign to enable him to get home. He gave the countersign to William Green, a scout, who took it to the British. A council of war was held and a surprise arranged. As you know, it was successfully carried out, and the 700 British and Canadians routed the 3,cxx3 or 3, 5C0 Americans. We have just as good Ca- nadain boys now as they had then (cheers), and should occasion ever offer I am sure they will prove themselves to be so. You will naturally ask,Whatsigns remain ofthisimportantevent to arrest the eye, to awaken the memory, to honor the dead, to arouie a country's gratitude, to stimulate our patriotism ? Nought but those apple trees on the hill, which seem to stand sentry over what was once a long trench, in which forty, friend and foe, lie sleeping and waiting the last bugle call. To this date those apple trees, nourished by the mouldering bones of those who lie beneath the sod, are the only monument. For ours^elves, we have carved not a line, we have raised not a stone, but we have left them alone in their glory. The band should play, "My Cottage by the Wood," for to this tune the bi ave boys marched away, and we should see to it that the spot where the battle was fought and won should be properly marked. Major Glasgow was then called upon and read the following poem, written for the occa- sion by himself : Stonev Creek, June sth, 1813 and 1889. The sun had &et on yonder height That heads Ontario's restless might ; The darkness of the summer night Enshrouded the display Where Britons brave, in one appeal, With hearts as trusty as their steel, Longed for the deadly fray. Young Harvey's hand had grasped his sword — The fear of death all there ignored ; Each hero heard the welcome word Proud Vincent uttered low. The signal heard, in British style Had moved each sturdy rank and file To seek the daring foe. No ringing cheer in warlike mood Awoke the inmates of the wood — A silence that was understood Pervaded every man ; The mutiied guns no warning gave To foemen that the gallant brave Toiled at his secret plan. Each heart was like a forge of fire, Half smothered ; yet the inner ire Awoke a strain upon the lyre That plays within the soul, When foreign )oes in fierce array, Usurper lue. seek to essay Man's birthright to control. The vaunting foe had thus designed To force the fieldwork left behind. But Harvey's nerve was of a kii.d That brooked of no delay ; He waited not, but sought the stream, Where the invader loved to dream Of conquest and of prey. But fancy's flig'at in dreams are tame Compared witn deeds by hrarts aflame, When love of flag and Piitain's name Are written on :he shield. For home and hearih and all that's dear Make man a hrro to appear Upon the bloody field. The little host wit'a pluck for mail. In haste marched down the gloomy trail — With vanKuard ready to assail The .'oeman's ramp in view ; Then shot and shell and bayonet keen, Wrought havoc in the midnight scene Where Stony Creek runs through. Our gallant sires, with blood so warm, Gave little time for foes to form — The iron hail, a northern storm. Sent many down to death ; And few there were who safely won Their liberty to homeward run From Britons in their wrath. Thus Britons in their sternest might, Will ever battle for the right. Humanity would feel the plight If tortune here should fail ; For liberty is still their word Engraved on every freeman's sword. Whoever may assail. Oft has thj seasons' ceaseless run Enlivened June's sweet summer sun Since this famed field was fairly won By Harvey's little band. Yet, many now are here to-day Who, in their hearts will fondly say. This is our own loved land. In moving the third resolution Judge Jones said : I am thankful to you, Mr. President, to give me the opportunity to speak here and to see so m iny old friends of my former Stoney Creek home. My earliest recollections are of my father telling me of Queenstown Heights and the battle of Stoney Creek, the battle field being yet the property of my wife and highly prized on account of its history. Let us honor our forefaihera for what they have done, and let us follow in their loyal example. In seconding the motion Sheriff McKellar said he was pleased to be present. He con- gratulated the society upon its successful or- ganization, and alluded to the men of the past who had made Canada what it is. It was to commemorate the deeds of the Canadian pio- neers that the society was organized. In compliance with the request of the Historical Society, the Council of the City of Hamilton has set apart a lot on Burlington Heignts for the erection of a monument, commen. jrative of the Stony Creek battle. mmmmmmmim'mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmimmimmmmflllll''lll^^