Characters of the War of 1812

by Judi McWilliams

Relationships... (Part Two )

It is understood that the soldiers would actually desert their own unit to obtain an increased bonus for enlistment with a new unit, taking both enlistment bonuses (their old bonus being about $16 and in 1814 it went up to $124 approximately). It reminds me of my teenage days. Although my motives were often different, I did leave but then eventually returned. My parents often referred to my leave of absence as AWOL. “AWOL” stands for Absence Without Leave. Looking at the soldier's other options, the option of paying a hefty bail of twenty pounds was not always available to a soldier, so he did indeed go to the county prison to spend two days of confinement in a cold damp cell! The information further states the soldier was not permitted any visitors or provisions. Not only would the soldier become ill from the damp environment, not to mention the stress of it all, but he might never recover to his former health! To top off all of this, the soldier would be discharged from the army. The final option was marriage. Some soldiers, it is reported, took on several wives, with children by each. He would then move from place to place, although this became a burden to the parish and expensive to everyone in the communities. It seems that there was a low opinion of the women (although many of the women were modest and educated), who ended up in the barracks. In the barracks, they would become frightened, disgusted, and would resort to drinking to get through the ordeal, often leading to becoming pregnant. I feel unable to tell you more about what really happened in the barracks of these soldiers and to the women, as there are so many interpretations. In my next article, I will talk further about the Characters of the War of 1812, from the wives, to the soldiers to their families. I’m excited to share with you my research and particularly as I have recently discovered why history plays such an integral part of our lives today!