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Happy Birthday Laura Secord! 13 September 1775

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:11 pm
by Glengarry Fencible
Laura Secord 1775-1868

Loyalist, heroine of Upper Canada, was born Laura Ingersoll on this day in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in 1775; died in Chippewa Oct. 17, 1868. On the night of June 22, 1813, Secord heard two American officers billeted in her house talking about a surprise attack on the British post at Beaver Dams. She walked 30 km through American lines to warn Lt. Fitzgibbon, sometimes leading her cow as a decoy (disputed), and the US soldiers were ambushed by Fitzgibbon and some loyal Iroquois.

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There was no cow...

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:16 am
by manderson
The cow was definitely a myth. Have you ever tried leading a cow a kilometre, let alone 30 kms? The cow would have slowed her down.

Mike

Laura's Cow

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:54 am
by pud
You know, I think the Cow and Laura and 30 kms would be a good one for Mythbusters!!

Phone it in Bill, or Mike..........

:D

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:04 am
by CPT McMEEKIN
Mike

Leading a cow 30 km would have been a perfect diversion for her to be making her way though enemy lines .
To lead a cow is not as hard as it mat appear .
I my self as a kid led cattle 2 times a day to and from the pasture to be milked .
Let me tell you that 4 legs travel faster than you or I can walk .
Don't forget we aren't talking about the dairy herd cattle of today who live in a barn yard .
200 hundred years ago these people of the time would only have had 1 maybe 3 cattle which were well looked after because they supplied so many different food sorces to the family ( ie milk , cheese , butter , cream , lard for cooking , as well as leather products in there old age .
They would have been hand milked .
Led to a water supply 2 times aday because there was no running water .
In Europe it was not uncommon for cattle to live in the same house as there owners . Downstairs of course .
So I say these animals would have been more like your family dog than the cattle of today that have very little human contact in a feed lot
or milking parlour .
It is not uncommon to see pics even today in third world countries
of very small childeren leading or even riding cattle in much the same way she has been claimed to have done 200 hundred years ago .

Capt Dave

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:29 pm
by Glengarry Fencible
When my cousin was alive, we used to have to go looking for missing cattle in the bush all the time. They could go anywhere they wanted to... As for leading them, it's not too hard, you just whack them on the arse with a switch.

Laura's cow

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:42 pm
by manderson
OK. I think we need to test this theory. As I have had much experience with cattle in my teens (yes, I was an urban cowboy - long story) I still think they cow would have been best left behind especially when trying to walk along the bottom of the escarpment. We need to borrow a milk cow, get it in shape and have one of the ladies walk it 30 kms through the bush. Laura Secord's route still exists in some parts along the Bruce Trail.

Carley are you up for this? A real chance to recreate history!!!

We'll be there to cheer you on!

Mike

Carley, and the cow.......

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:00 pm
by pud
That's a great idea Mike!!
This could become the second Glengarry "Death March"........................................"Death March Two/Too"

I love it!!

Dave, you get the rabbits !!

:^)