Lt. David Morgan's Cabin Photograph

Description

Commanditaires

This item is a part of the 1812 History digitization project. This project was made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canadian Culture Online Strategy.

Médias

Image

Type d'élément

Photographs

Description

This is a photo of Morgan Cabin that was owned by Lieutenant David Morgan. Chief (Major) John Norton was known to have visited this cabin in April 28, 1809; before becoming an important First Nations officer in the War of 1812. Norton wrote of his visit in his Journal as an 1816 recollection. He described the head of the family as having died two or three years prior to his arrival and that the cabin was left to his sons and daughters. Morgan had been a Loyalist who came from the US with his two sons. In three years they had cleared and cultivated enough ground to "raise a Crop of one thousand bushels of wheat." He states that it is "one remarkable instance of what a persevering industry may effect in Canada, even when unassisted by pecuniary advantages." (Klink and Talman Ed. "The Journal of Major John Norton" yea: 1816, page 6)

David Morgan Jr. (son) participated in the War of 1812 under Baxter's Company in the 3rd Regiment of Lincoln. He was almost court marshaled by Major-General Sheaffe when a Militia Order on January 20th, 1813 for Morgan's absenteeism was initiated. Fortunately for Morgan he was only warned that he would be fully court marshaled if he was absent without leave again. It was thought that the court martial did not proceed because Sheaffe knew the militia and the province of Upper Canada would not stand for it. Instead, as punishment, Morgan was knocked down one pay grade. The reasoning for his desertion is believed to have been because of the fast-approaching winter in December 1812. His wife was expecting and his widowed mother was the only other person trying to take care of the family and home. There were only the two females and a few small children staying at the home while he was away in battle. Morgan had tried his best to come back and help with the bitter winter approaching. Given all these pressures, after the Battle of Frenchman's Creek, he saw no alternative but to return home. (in early December) With the British army retreating because of an American advance Morgan remained at home, as other militiamen did because there was no organized militia still in existence in the area at that time. Morgan eventually rejoined Baxter's Company in April 1813, this time as Private David Morgan in the Engineer's Department at Fort Erie.

For more information, read “‘Scruples of Conscience’: The War of 1812 in the Sugarloaf Settlement” by Donald G. Anger, the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum.

Sujet(s)

Courthouses
Military deserters
Military - 1812
War of 1812
John Norton
Sheaffe, Roger Hale
War of 1812 Recollections
War of 1812- Domestic Life
Sugarloaf Settlement- Port Colborne, ON
Morgan, David., Lt.

Identifiant local

993.36.1173

Couverture géographique

Port Colborne

Ontario, Canada

Latitude: 42.884517796069 Longitude: -79.2392349243164

Déclaration de droit d'auteur

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