Laura Secord : The Heroic Adventures of a Canadian Legend

by MacDonald, Cheryl

• ISBN13: 9781554390168
• ISBN10: 1554390168
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-05-03
• Publisher: Altitude Pub Canada Ltd

Summary

During the War of 1812, Canadian and British forces battled against the United States with great determination. Many of these soldiers displayed incredible bravery in the face of the enemy. The most legendary act, however, was performed by a civilian woman. This is the story of Laura Secord, a devoted wife and mother, who risked life and limb to warn the British military of an impending American attack.

Excerpts

Laura was exhausted. The June day was hot and humid, and she had been travelling since before dawn. Her feet ached, her dress was torn. All she wanted to do was to lie down and sleep.But she could not. Darkness was falling. It would beinsanity to sleep in the woods. Aside from the ever-present mosquitoes, there were other creatures far more threatening - wolves, wildcats, rattlesnakes. And men, armed men, white and red, who might not think twice before firing at a dim figure moving through the forest at twilight.She stood at the edge of Twelve Mile Creek. The summerheat had lowered the water a little, but it was still too deep and fast to wade. Instead, Laura gingerly climbed onto a log that had been dropped across the creek as a makeshift bridge.Balancing herself with her arms, she slowly put one foot in front of the other, feeling her way in the gathering gloom. On the other side she paused. Ahead of her was a steep bank and, somewhere beyond it, the stone farmhouse. She had to reach the farmhouse.Laura took a deep breath, pushed away the longing for her husband and children, and set her jaw. Then she startedto climb.Minutes later, the creek was far below her. Just a littlebit farther and she would be there. She plodded on in the dark until, unexpectedly, she saw a fire. Around it, their faces distorted by the flickering light of the flames, was a group of Iroquois warriors."By moonlight the scene was terrifying," Laura laterwrote. But she kept moving forward. A second or two later, the warriors noticed her. "They all rose and, with some yells, said 'Woman,' which made me tremble. I cannot express the awful feeling it gave me; but I did not lose my presence of mind. I was determinedto persevere."