April 1, 2001

Canuk Cousins

Of all the snowbirds who winter in Charlotte County, the most delightful are Canadians. They are universally courteous and friendly visitors - unlike a few, native Americans who feel they are family with special privileges.

One Canuk who was a goodwill ambassador was the late James M. Cameron - Nova Scotia statesman, scholar and historian. He spent several months each year at Punta Gorda where he attended Rotary regularly and sang in the First Presbyterian choir.

He was author of a most interesting booklet titled "American Pioneers in Antigonish." He favored me with an autographed copy, thinking we might have a common ancestor in Zephaniah Williams. Sadly, not.

Nevertheless, Jim's research provides a fascinating viewpoint of the American War for Independence not taught in U.S. schools.

Zephaniah (love that name) was born in Maryland. He shows up in 1778 as an 18-year-old private in the Third Maryland Regiment. Two years later, these troops were ordered south to try and free Charleston, South Carolina, which then was held by  British general Lord Cornwallis.

Knowing the "rebers" were somewhere near, Cornwallis left Charleston in search of them. He commanded a mixed soldiery of British and "Loyalist Americans." His troops were fresh and well fed.

The larger American army had been marching for days. In addition, the men suffered from diarrhea -- the result of a ration of fresh molasses.

The opposing armies blundered into one another in the night near Camden, South Carolina, to mutual astonishment. American general, Horace Gates, rejected his staff's advice to withdraw. Each army formed for battle before daybreak.

* * *

The Patriot center was assigned to the Virginia Militia that had been issued bayonets the day before without instruction for their use.

Cornwallis took the initiative with a charge against these green troops. Leading the assault was the Welsh Fusiliers, which had received its baptism of fire a year before by routing rebels at Breed's Hill (erroneously fixed in American history as adjacent Bunker Hill).

Steadily, coolly, the British regulars advanced. They were a scarlet-clad wall that  fired by volleys and closed with bayonets. It was too much for the Virginians. They panicked and fled. British infantrymen spitted them in a bloody shambles. The carnage worsened with a cavalry charge against the dispirited Americans.

Marylanders, on the American right flank, stood fast against bayonet charges but also broke under a sustained cavalry charge. The battle was over.

Miraculously Zephaniah was still alive, one of 5,400 prisoners of war captured in the Charleston-Camden campaign. It was the worst defeat experienced by Americans during the prolonged war. Gen. Gates fled the battle field on a fleet horse, riding 60 miles before stopping to sleep.

* * *

The British at Charleston held more prisoners of war than it could guard or feed.

At this time, England was all so at war with Spain and France who threatened British possessions in the Caribbean Sea.

To relieve the cost and bother of prisoners, the British offered enrollment in the mother country's forces at places where Americans would not have to fight compatriots.

Thus, it was not hard for uncertain southerners to change sides. Zephaniah was one of those who switched early in 1781.

Approximately 1,200 former rebels became "Loyal American Rangers." They spent the rest of the war on guard duty in Jamaica.

The American revolution ended victorious with the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.

Colonists who had prevailed were not in a mood to welcome back those of their number who had soldiered for King George. What was to become of the former Yankees, forlorn in Jamaica?

*  * *

Nova Scotia then was being opened up for settlement by Canada. About 300 Loyal American Rangers petitioned for land there, Zephaniah received 100 acres.

A contingent of young, Southern men - who had languished the last three years in tropical Jamaica -- found themselves in cold Nova Scotia. A year later, only half remained. The others had drifted off to parts unknown.

Zephaniah stuck it out and signed a petition to the Crown to send the struggling colony of bachelors some women for wives. The King did not respond, but Zephaniah found a bride anyway. Her name was Ann, of Scottish descent. She bore her husband four sons and six daughters. All became respected citizens of Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Interestingly some former Rangers years later applied for - and received - American pensions for military service prior to capture and transfer of allegiance.

Many Canadians trace their ancestry to colonial America. Perhaps this is the reason Canadians often feel greater kinship to Americans than vice versa.

What ever the reason, Canuks make great cousins.

Author: Lindsey Williams

cutlines - 3 col.

Harper's Weekly 1881

[ Gen. George Washington, left, at siege of Yorktown. ]