Once in the US, Mackenzie found considerable financial and moral support in
states situated along the border. Soon he was occupying a Canadian island
(Navy Island, now a very pretty parkland) in the Niagara River. Harmless
cannon shots were occasionally fired to and fro by both sides as he
consolidated his volunteers. The intent was obvious. He was going to
return to his homeland by way of a revolution. Official Washington D.C.
wanted no part of another war with Britain so the support was all grass
roots. Weapons were secured by burglarizing government armories in cities
such as Watertown and others near Rochester where guards went temporally blinded with a
wink and a nod. Volunteers came from the masses who had recently left
Canada in addition to those on this side of the border who supported Canada's
Independence.
We freedom loving Americans always think we know better than Canadians what is best for
them.
At least that's the way both sides seem to believe at times LOL
So England/Canada became a little too proactive. They invaded the U.S.!
At least that's the way I see it. (Some historians feel otherwise, most
just don't care!) Anyway, it seems that Mackenzie had leased a small
steamboat to provide transport for men and materials to the island. Bottom
line is that British regulars crossed the Niagara River and attacked that
small steamship, called the Caroline, while it was tied to the dock for the
night on the U.S. side. They set her aflame and adrift, while killing the night
watchman (cabin boy) on board and wounding a few others.
News accounts of the day differ. Some say the flaming hulk was swept over the falls,
others say it burned to the waterline and sunk. Needless to say, the Patriot invasion
was thwarted before it began. Mackenzies men disbursed and then went into hiding. Instead
of being insulted at the
outrage perpetrated on our sovereignty, the official U.S. position was to attempt to
hunt down these freedom loving Patriot maniacs as violators of the Neutrality Act!!!!!!!
Politics makes strange bedfellows. So the whole movement went underground, forming
"Hunter's
Lodges" in all the major upstate NY cities. I believe they even got as far
as Detroit, but I could be wrong there.
How does Bill Johnston fit in? He had developed a friendship, a mutual
respect with Mackenzie and was on Navy Island at the time. In fact, he had
engineered some of the burglaries of the Armories that resulted in the
movement becoming armed. What a perfect ally for Mackenzie! A mutual hatred
of British abuses, but not for Canada or her people, a knowledge of the
border, a proven ability at guerilla warfare & spying! So they made him
their "Commodore of the Navy of the Great Lakes". One of Bill's actual
written "commissions" is presently on sale through a private vendor. Pretty
piece of memoraphelia but the asking price is too steep for my blood.
Pity. Oops, Again I digress.
So the "Patriots" as they became known, now had a rallying cry:
"REMEMBER THE CAROLINE"
Sadly, today, hardly anyone does. :(
Next email has the "war" coming to "Bill's turf" among the 1000
Islands.
Jim E