Our bicentennial celebration

[Papa_Complex]

Tomorrow we celebrate the Battle of York, from the War of 1812. I have to wonder why.

In 1813, when the battle occurred, "Muddy York" (Toronto) was a 'city' of some 750 people plus a few soldiers, quartered at Fort York. A few hundred could be called to muster.

The American army rolled in, 1600 strong. They out numbered the entire city by more than 50%; not just combatants. Basically the entire city of York yelled, "RUN AWAY!!!!!", and they did. The fort fought, and lost.

Not content with their victory the Americans blew up the powder magazine which killed about 20 American soldiers, 80-some Canadians (British), and wounded a few hundred. They then burnt the place to the ground which, at the time and given the force of the explosion, seemed much like killing a butterfly with an 8 pound sledge hammer.

And so we celebrate the turning of proto-Toronto into a smoking crater. Why the hell couldn't we be celebrating the revenge which consisted of a bunch of drunken Nova Scotia irregulars, led by a few British troops, burning The White House down?