Re: Opinion - Respect = Re: [OT] Frog Bashing

On Thu, 30 May 2002 14:22:10 -0500 (CDT), DAWGFACE47@webtv.net wrote:

>and of course, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, decided to surrender
>to the Brits, thus gaining the unique distinction of being the only
>American State to formally surrender to a foreign power. i love to
>remind politicians from Massachusetts of this	everytime they get too
>holy . . . . .

They also voted on seceding from the Union. Interestingly enough, the
Hartford
Convention upheld the right of a state to secede...

>soo, ALLAN me lad, it was not quite a crushing defeat inflicted upon us
>by the might of British arms. . . . .

Oh, I didn't say it was. I was just objecting to John's suggestion that
the
British were "whacked" by the Americans in the war. At best, the war was
a
draw. 

The American volunteer troops fought very well, showing what would
happen
during the Civil War. The militia troops fought poorly on foreign soil,
which
is to be expected. Most of the engagements on Canadian soil were
victories for
the British and Canadians. The Warhawks went into the war with the
assumption
that Canada was theirs "for the marching". That turned out to be way
overly
optimisitic. The British and Canadian forces were usually outnumbered.
The
fact that the American invasion was not only repelled but led to British
gains
in territory (gains that Britain gave away in the Treaty of Ghent in
order to
secure relative peace) indicates that the British were hardly "whacked".

As I said, it was a draw...

>but then, look where we mostly came from as colonials: England,
>Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and Germany, with a smattering of other
>Euro-dewds tossed in for seasoning.

Which, of course, was the same of the Upper Canadians and British
forces. The
Upper Canadians also had a good deal of American immigrants who were
attracted
by cheap land (offered by the Governor General, Lord Simcoe I believe).
That
was cause for some concern, but they ended up mostly staying loyal to
the
crown. Oh, and the French Canadians also fought well.

Allan Goodall		       agoodall@hyperbear.com
http://www.hyperbear.com

"At long last, the earthy soil of the typical, 
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