Characters of the War of 1812

by Judi McWilliams

Relationships Continued (Part One)
The War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebrations will soon be here! We are becoming more aware of the wonderful events and festivals Ontario communities are hosting now and leading up to this occasion. I am still excited to share with you my research, particularly as I have recently discovered why history plays such an integral part of our lives today! I will continue briefly with the “marriage” issue, continuing with the Characters in the War of 1812. There are reports and writings as to what occurred in the War of 1812, however, I suspect all is subject to interpretation. Traditionally, today, a suitor would ask, out of respect, for the hand in marriage from the bride’s father. During the War of 1812, a soldier was required to get the permission from the Commanding Officer. It seems that as long as we “are in love” today that meets the basic requirements. However, during the War of 1812, the approval would depend on considerations, such as the woman’s honesty, her character, her ability to conduct herself respectfully, and (can you imagine), her ability to support herself! It seems that the approval also had to do with the number of soldiers, in marriage, that the regiment would be willing to support! If we do not get the approval from the father today, or others, we have the choice to elope. The consequences may be severe, but, sometimes families accept the decision and celebrate after the fact. But, during the War of 1812 it was a completely different story! If the soldier did not get the consent of the Commanding Officer, it is reported that the new spouse would not be allowed to go into the barracks of the regiment, or worse, the soldier’s spouse and children could be cut off rations, limited to personal hygiene regiments. Also, their abilities to travel and life’s necessities in general would be limited to cut off entirely. It seems though, that the regiments could not place restrictions on precisely whom the soldier would marry, but could place restrictions on the nature of the married life of the soldier. The complexity of the rules, regulations and policies during the War of 1812 seem insurmountably difficult to figure out!
(To be continued)