Laura Secord, Legendary Patriot

The third issue in the Canadian folklore series, issued on September 8, 1992, focuses on Canadian heroes whose feats have taken on legendary proportions. Everyone who buys chocolates in Canada is familiar with the name "Laura Secord". But not everyone is aware that there was a real Canadian heroine named Laura Secord. Born in 1775 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Laura Ingersoll moved to Canada with her family in 1795. She met and married local Queenston merchant James Secord in 1798. But the good times began to fade with the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Great Britain. On June 21, 1813, both her home and town were overtaken by American invaders. Overhearing the enemy's battle strategy, she decided she had to warn the British garrison at Beaver Dams. Since the roads would be too dangerous, she undertook a 20-mile trek by swamp, escarpment and woods. Following many near-fatal mishaps, she encountered a band of Caughnawaga Indians who guided her the rest of the way. Reaching the garrison with her story, the Americans surrendered after the Indians ambushed them on June 24.