The War of 1812 Magazine
Issue 10: October 2008
Editorial
By John
R. Grodzinski
Welcome to the tenth issue of the War of 1812 Magazine. Reaching
our tenth issue is a considerable milestone and we have been fortunate
to receive great support from a great many individuals in doing so.
In particular, thanks must be extended to all members of our Editorial
Board, for their guidance, general help and advice. In particular,
Professor Donald Hickey has been most helpful. As for other individuals,
Donald E. Graves has also provided great assistance, while Bob Burnham,
our host with the Napoleon Series website has been most supportive.
Without the help of these people, this publication would not exist.
This issue includes contributions from a variety of people in Canada,
Great Britain and the United States. In this issue, well known scholar
David Curtiss Skaggs provides an interesting article titled “The
Making of a Major-General: the Politics of Command of the North West
Army, 1812-13,” while Gareth A. Newfield of the Canadian War
Museum examines a particularly distasteful aspect of the war in “Anatomy
of Atrocity: Crimes of the Independent Companies of Foreigners in
North America, 1813.” This article is based upon a paper given
by the author at a Military History Colloquium at Wilfred Laurier
University in May 2008. Finally, Sandy Antal returns with an interesting
examination “Remember the Raisin: Anatomy of a Demon Myth.” In
other features, Nicholas Riall, a descendent of British Major-General
Phineas Riall, commander of the Right Division in the Niagara Peninsula
from late 1813 to the summer of 1814, provided fascinating imagery
of two portraits of the general, including interesting details on
their provenance.
It is the support and interest by authors and contributors such
of these that are the foundation of this magazine and its success.
The year 2008 is quickly coming to a close; the year has witnessed
the appearance of several important new articles and books on the
war, while preparations for the bicentennial of the war continue.
Many individuals are working hard to coordinate the many symposia,
re-enactments, commemorations and other events that will occur between
2012 and 2015. In many ways, this is a historically crowded window,
as War of 1812 events will compete for attention with similar commemorations
of the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War. For example, since
it was impossible to commemorate the centenary of the battle of Waterloo
in 1915 due to the Great War, a major series of events is being planned
there for 2015, including the unveiling of a new British memorial
and the dedication of Hougoumont, which is now under restoration.
Next year brings the addition of new conference on the War of 1812,
details of which are provided elsewhere in this issue. This joins
the already well established conferences in Baltimore, Maryland and
others in the United States. There are also plans for several major
conferences beginning in 2012 as well! It is good to see so much
interest in this conflict and to know that there are many concerted
efforts to expand our understanding of this rich period.
Enjoy this issue of the War of 1812 Magazine!
Click on the image for a larger picture.
 |
|
| Members of a syndicate from the Joint Reserve Command
and Staff Programme of the Canadian Forces College, discuss the
battle of Chippawa during a Field Study Exercise focussing on the
Niagara Campaign in 1814 (Photo by John R. Grodzinski) |
Grave marker for Lieutenant William Hemphill, 1st Royal
Scots, killed at Lundy’s Lane on 25 July 1814. Hemphill is
buried at the Drummond Hill Cemetery at Lundy’s Lane battlefield.
(Photo by John R. Grodzinski)
|
|
