RICHARD PIERPOINT: UNSUNG DEFENDER OF CANADA

WALK OF FAME

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

Welcome back to Walk of Fame, where we look at biographies in the context of museums and heritage! For this edition, I'd like to highlight Richard Pierpoint, a Black Loyalist and an important player in the War of 1812.

But why am I writing about him now, and not any other time of the year? In some ways, my reasons for doing so mirror that of the well-intentioned museums and historic sites in Ontario who routinely commemorate him every February, taking cues from the designation of Black History Month. I find this dynamic interesting at the least; while we should of course commemorate Black individuals and recognize their contributions throughout history, I can't help but wonder if the designation of Black History Month ultimately relegates these important narratives to one month of the year.

Richard Pierpoint. Photo courtesy of the Canadian War Museum 1.E.2.4-CGR2.

I wasn't overly familiar with Richard Pierpoint until I noticed on one of my (many) visits to Fort York National Historic Site that there is a small panel upstairs in one of the blockhouses about his role in the War of 1812. I learned that Pierpoint was born c. 1744 in Senegal and as a teenager was sold into slavery and given the name "Pierpoint". He fought as a private in Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution, after which he settled in the Niagara region in Upper Canada. He is known for petitioning for an all-Black military unit in the War of 1812, aged 68. Though initially rejected, he ended up fighting in the "Coloured Corps", as it was named at the time (the racist legacy of such a term renders it inappropriate today). 

Upon researching Pierpoint, I noted that the majority of events commemorating him were specifically organized for Black History Month programming. Why is Pierpoint only commemorated within this restrictive framework? Why not integrate his story into the widely shared narratives about the war?

Pierpoint isn't overtly celebrated within the commemorative view of the War of 1812. If you saw the Conservative government's commemoration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 between 2012 and 2014, you may have noticed the strategic choices made in featuring leaders from various groups involved in the war: 

On another note, Brock didn't really look like that, did he? 

• Major-General Sir Isaac Brock represents the British military
• Tecumseh represents Indigenous peoples (though as a Shawnee Chief he was from one of many distinct Indigenous nations) 
• Charles de Salaberry is depicted on behalf of French Canadians 
• Laura Secord is included as the only woman, recognized for warning the British of an impending American attack 

Using each of these figures as representative of a whole demographic is somewhat irresponsible. You may also notice that one face/voice is missing from this campaign: Pierpoint petitioned for the all-Black military corps to help repel the Americans, yet he (or any of the Black soldiers in his unit) is nowhere to be seen. The campaign oversimplifies the various cultural communities and their relationships for the sake of nationalism, but the absence of a Black presence is startling. Black Loyalists made up at least 10% of the Loyalist emigration from America after the Revolutionary War, with many defending Canada against invasion. Hence, this reductive depiction of the war minimizes Pierpoint's contribution. 

When Pierpoint is commemorated, he is mythologized as a Black hero, suggesting that he accurately represents a portrait of Black life in early nineteenth century Upper Canada. However, this is another oversimplification which demonstrates the dangers of using an individual to foster an understanding of a varied and complex experience. Our veneration of Pierpoint (no matter how understated) as a Black hero of Upper Canada can lead to oversight in the way we learn about the Black experience as a whole. 

The interesting element of his involvement in an all-Black corps as early as 1812 may also result in the common complacency we often feel when comparing Canadian history to that of our southern neighbours in the United States. Pierpoint is portrayed as an exceptional leader, but his petitioning to defend Canada was rejected and he faced numerous obstacles. The same can be said for his appeal in 1821 for passage back to Senegal, when he was "old and without property; ... he finds it difficult to obtain a livelihood by his labour; that he is above all things desirous to return to his native Country..." This request was also denied, with Pierpoint instead receiving a land grant outside present-day Fergus, Ontario. Pierpoint died there in 1838.

I'll leave you with this Heritage Minute from 2015 describing Pierpoint's significance. 

So what can we learn from the way Pierpoint's life is commemorated? For one thing, in engaging with his story we can gain an understanding of the nuances of interpreting Black history, and what is left out tells us just as much as what's included. We know that Pierpoint is celebrated as a Black hero, but there is still much to be done to illustrate Black life in Upper Canada before, during, and after the War of 1812. The question, I think, isn't when we should remember Pierpoint and his contributions (ideally every time we examine the War of 1812), but rather, how will we remember him going forward?

HUZZAH! RE-ENACTMENT THROUGH THE AGES

THROWBACK THURSDAY

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

When visiting historic sites, I’m always trying to visualize what they might have looked like centuries ago, back when the surrounding area was devoid of parking lots, gift shops, and camera-toting tourists. Many of my fondest museum memories involve military demonstrations or costumed interpretation, which led me to wonder: when and how did re-enactment first begin? Read on to learn how historical re-enactments evolved from an early form of showmanship to an interpretive tool to animate historic sites.

Historic interpreters at the Fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Louisbourg highlights storytelling as an interpretive approach and immerses visitors in the 18th century French fort. Source.

Earliest Re-enactments

The origins of re-enactment date back to the Roman Empire, when re-enactment was a public spectacle involving the recreation of well-known battles. Just as contemporary gladiator films often depict hand-to-hand combat in a crowded amphitheatre, staged battles also served as public entertainment in Roman society. This tradition of dramatizing battles carried on into the medieval period, in which tournaments were fought with thematic elements from Ancient Rome. 

This lithograph by Edward Henry Corbould, titled The joust between the Lord of the Tournament and the Knight of the Red Rose, illustrates the Eglinton Tournament of  1839, a re-enactment of a medieval joust. Source.

Widespread Romanticism

By the 17^th century, these historical displays had become popular in England, specifically as military re-enactments. Both during and after the English Civil War in the 1640s, re-enactments sought to demonstrate recent battles such as the battle at Blackheath in 1645.

Alongside the recreation of high profile military conflicts, the 19^th century saw another shift as the Middle Ages were celebrated once more. In light of the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, a fascination with the medieval era emerged and was perpetuated by shows that romanticized medieval jousts (not unlike the present-day dinner and tournament at Medieval Times). In this sense, nostalgia for centuries gone by informed a cultural phenomenon in Great Britain. But this longing for the glamour of the past did not completely eclipse the present, as the 1815 conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars inspired a public re-enactment of the Battle of Waterloo at Astley’s Amphitheatre in 1824. 

An illustration of Astley's Amphitheatre in London, published c. 1808-1810 and held by the British Library.  Source.

Celebrating Military Efforts

While re-enactment had become prevalent in the United Kingdom and the United States by the late 19^th century, re-enactments now offered a way for military regiments to display specific, more recent conflicts, rather than reflect on the romanticism of past societies. In 1895, the Gloucester Engineer Volunteers re-enacted the famous British victory at Rorke’s Drift (1879).

American Civil War Re-enactment of the Battle of Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Source.

Not all regimental performances were sentimental or self-congratulatory, however. The U.S. 7^th Cavalry Regiment re-enacted their defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn within a year of its occurrence, meaning that the re-enactors were the actual survivors of the battle. In this case, the re-enactment was photographed, and its purpose was more educational than spectacular.

Education and Commemoration

After the American Civil War, veterans demonstrated famous battles to educate people on the conflicts and to pay tribute to their fellow soldiers who had been killed. This tradition developed into commemorative events whereby re-enacting groups continued to stage significant battles for an audience – the 50^th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1913 was attended by 50,000 veterans, both Union and Confederate.

Also in the early 20^th century, re-enactments gained popularity in Russia, with demonstrations of conflicts such as the Siege of Sevastopol (1854 to 1855), re-enacted in 1906. Alongside educating audiences, the re-enactments were a means of forming national identity through military commemoration. They perform similar functions today, as re-enactment groups often partner with historic sites to commemorate military anniversaries. (I myself had the chance to attend the re-enactments of the Battle of Queenston Heights at Fort George in 2012, and the Battle of York at Fort York in 2013, both for the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.) 

Today, re-enactments commemorate significant historical battles, such as the Battle of Queenston Heights (1812) in Niagara, Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Serena Ypelaar)

Despite its origins as a form of visually impressive entertainment, re-enactment has transformed into a storytelling technique we recognize at historic sites and commemorative events today. I'm looking forward to seeing how re-enactment will continue to change in the future!

JOHN MACDONELL: BEYOND KEY HISTORIC FIGURES

WALK OF FAME

BY: MALLORY HORRILL

Major General Sir Isaac Brock is an infamous Canadian hero of the War of 1812. I am sure you are quite familiar with the figure of Brock by now, having learned of him through your primary and secondary school Canadian education. Other 1812 icons that I am sure come to mind include Laura Secord, Tecumseh, and Charles-Michel de Salaberry, all of whom have been recognized by the Canadian mint in a commemorative coin collection.

Over the holidays we marked the bicentennial anniversary of the Treaty of Ghent, the document that officially ended the War of 1812 although naval and land battles did not cease until June 1815. As I reflect upon the bicentennial, iconic names come to mind such as Brock and Secord. While these figures may give commemoration a face, I think it is also important to remember the everyday people that were involved and affected by the historic event. 

Macdonell wounded in Battle of Queenston Heights.

http://www.eighteentwelve.ca/?q=eng/Topic/87

In light of this, I bring to your attention Lieutenant Colonel John Macdonell. Macdonell is an interesting figure as he is buried at a National Historic Site and yet lacks popular recognition because he is buried at the same location as General Brock. The burial place of both Macdonell and Brock are marked with a large monument, titled Brock’s Monument. The omission of Macdonell's name on the cenotaph further encourages his anonymity. The location of the structure is fitting as it is situated in the area where the Battle of Queenston Heights was fought and where both men lost their lives. The structure stands 56 meters tall, making it 5 meters taller than the height of Niagara Falls. The monumental size of the structure is both architecturally stimulating as well as recreational, as visitors can climb the 235 stairs located inside the column where they can enjoy a view of the surrounding Niagara escarpment and river. 

Brock’s Monument in Queenston Heights Park (Queenston, ON)

http://www.friendsoffortgeorge.ca/brocks-monument/index.html

John Macdonell was born in 1785 in Greenfield Scotland. In 1792 his family immigrated to Upper Canada. Not much is known about Macdonell’s early life, only that he trained as a lawyer and became involved in politics. Macdonell made an impression upon General Brock, as he appointed him as his provincial aide-de-camp in April 1812. The Battle of Queenston Heights, being the second battle of the war, took place on October 13 1812. General Brock was killed early in the battle during an attempt to take back the redan battery from the Americans. Following the fall of Brock, Macdonell led a second attack on the battery in which the aide-de-comp sustained injuries which would unfortunately prove to be fatal. Despite the loss of two important leaders, the Battle of Queenston Heights was a victory for the British, Canadian forces through the combined efforts of the British regulars, Canadian Militia, Aboriginal forces, and Runchey’s Coloured Corps.

While the information about Macdonell is not extensive, it does shed light on a specific war contribution and more generally on a life lived. Iconic figures do allow for an easier understanding of events, however, they do not inform on the average or everyday life. I think it is important to remember and commemorate both the ordinary and extraordinary people.

Stone marker where Macdonell fell in battle.

Personal Photo

THE FOLLOWING SOURCES WERE CONSULTED:

http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/macdonell_john_5E.html.

http://www.friendsoffortgeorge.ca/brocks-monument/index.html.

A Very Brilliant Affair: The Battle of Queenston Heights, 1812 by Robert Malcolmson