War of 1812 event draws 'good crowd'

OGDENSBURG — Akwesasne historical journalist Darren P. Bonaparte concedes that a good deal of his special knowledge of the War of 1812 may be "arcane" to some.

But it is hardly unimportant and certainly worth general awareness, he said Saturday, as he and several other Canadian and U.S. scholars gathered at the Freight House Restaurant to speak at the third annual War of 1812 Symposium sponsored by the Fort La Presentation Association and the New York Council for the Humanities.

"This a good crowd," he said of the more than 50 War of 1812 enthusiasts who knew the topic well in the first place. The 200th anniversary of the battle is next year.

But Mr. Bonaparte and the other scholars and history buffs want to speak to more than just the faithful. He is keen for people "to pick up history."

Sally W. Hartman agrees. The Rensselaer Falls resident is regent of the Swe-Kat-Si Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

"I think it's important for people to know about local history," she said. "I think it's important to get the word out."

Fort La Presentation had a little-known but key role in the War of 1812. According to Douglas R. Cubbison, former command historian for the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, its remains were used by the Army to launch raids on British shipping vessels on the St. Lawrence River.

Victor J.H. Suthren, an author and historian from Merrickville, Ontario, said a subpar knowledge of local history is not just an American shortcoming.

"It seems to be the same in both countries," said Mr. Suthren, who served as director general of the Canadian War Museum from 1986 to 1998.

He speaks before audiences that are both informed and uninformed about history and he is pleasantly surprised at what he calls the "Oh, wow!" moments when someone learns something new from him.

"Anybody who gets turned on to history, it benefits us all," he said.

The Fort La Presentation group hopes eventually to raise enough funds to build a faithful replica of the 1700s French settlement at Lighthouse Point.