Written By Emma Stack
There is never a doubt that a soldier marching obediently into a volley of musket fire is a hero. An army surgeon, his white apron stained with blood, working countless hours in the heat to save whomever he can, is also a hero. What of Generals, Lieutenants, and Captains who give orders, strategize, and feel the weight of entire armies on their shoulders as they command men to give everything to a cause? Surely, they are heroes as well. Historically, it seems easy to list the heroes of war, but it is rare that ordinary women and children are included on these lists. Today, I invite you to consider those left behind. They are not left behind by choice or lack of courage. Not because they didn’t feel the pull of the cause as deeply and passionately as their male counterparts. They were left behind, in the shadows, to do what women have always done: endure the hardships and try and prosper, all while maintaining their family’s wellbeing.
During the War of 1812, women were still expected to fulfill the traditional roles assigned to them according to their societal rank and marital status. With the addition of many of the men’s responsibilities, but none of their rights. All these responsibilities were left to the wives while the men were absent for years at a time. Not forgetting the emotional and psychological strain that any military spouse knows too well, trying to keep yourself and your dependents floating in a sea of uncertainty, fear, and loneliness, while every wave tries its best to sink you. It is important to note that not all women were left at home while their men went “a-soldiering”. Many militia families travelled with their men as camp followers, which brought with it the uncertainty of new locations, camp life, and new jobs for both women and children. Less commonly, British women also travelled with their husbands across the sea to Upper Canada. They braved the perilous sea crossing, new climate, new culture, and often much less of the finery and lifestyles they had left behind in Britain. Each of these experiences deserves examination, so let’s break them down in a bit more detail.
For British wives, especially those of non-commissioned officers, it was more common to stay in Britain than follow their husbands to the colonies. In fact, most young British wives were subjected to a lottery where only a small number would be selected to accompany the army. The number of wives allowed fluctuated during the war, but always remained pitifully low in comparison to the number of married men deploying. If a woman were to be selected to accompany her husband, it would be encouraged that she leaves her children in Britain under the care of a family member instead of bringing them along. Therefore, it was one less dependent for the British army to house and feed. Once they crossed the Atlantic and landed, they travelled overland to their destination. If possible, the wives of British officers were usually billeted in a town nearby to the forts, where some of the society and comfort they were accustomed to could be found.
Wives of lower-ranking British soldiers would usually stay in the barracks with their husbands and were allocated a cot space for the family. The couple shared a single cot while the children slept on the floor beside, or sometimes tucked under and around the bed. A “curtain” was hung around the cot for privacy. This accommodation presented its share of problems, as women who spent time around the soldiers in the barracks could be seen as loose or disorderly due to the negative associations surrounding the bawdy behaviour and drunkenness among the soldiers.
It was common for wives of both British soldiers and Canadian Militia to work as seamstresses, laundresses, child-minders, cooks, cleaners, nurses, and gardeners. A wife who accompanied her husband as a camp follower needed to be “useful” and not a drain on the army camp. Even camp children had jobs such as leather work, cleaning, and errands.
Although wives and families of the Militia did not have a lottery or risky sea voyage to experience, they had trials of their own. Wives of militia men would often be left to run the farm or business in their husbands’ absence. It also fell to them to protect their property and family. With older children who were capable and strong, these tasks would be much less daunting, but with young children and sparse neighbours, many women were given no choice but to follow the militia or stay home and struggle with no way to make a living, and therefore, the eventual threats of poverty and starvation of their family.
The Indigenous women often faced the same choice as the militia wives. They were encouraged to stay at home and keep the villages prospering while the warriors were away, but some wives also accompanied the Indigenous soldiers and cooked for them as well as tended to the wounded. Interestingly, in American 1812 history, it is recorded that some Iroquoian women had combatant roles during the war. This author has not seen this in the British or Canadian sources.
Overall, the women during the War of 1812 were survivors. They prospered while facing odds that most of them had never imagined before the outbreak of the war. They travelled, worked, bore children, fought illness, supported their families, and made history. The dictionary defines a hero as: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. It is time to pull women from the shadows of the War of 1812 and bestow on them the hero status that they deserve.
