War of 1812 Ambush Site

ANTIQUARIAN

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Hello Friends, :hello:

Over the past few weeks I've been doing some online research on a War of 1812 battle site in London, Ontario. This is what I found . . .

'On August 30, 1814, a company of Middlesex Militia, led by Captain Daniel Rapelje, ambushed a party of 70 mounted United States Rangers, guided by former Delaware resident, Andrew Westbrook. The Americans were returning to Amherstburg after a raid on Oxford Township (now Ingersoll, Ontario), where they had taken several prisoners, including 4 officers from the Oxford Militia. Such burn, destroy, and abduction raids were the enemy's military strategy for this part of Upper Canada throughout 1814.

Captain Rapelje became aware of the American presence in the area, and in anticipation, constructed a barricade across the ravine-like section of road. The ensuing ambush routed the Rangers, who fled eastward, leaving casualties on the field. All the prisoners escaped except Captain John Carroll of the Oxford Militia, who was killed'


I finally got to hunt this site on Thursday! :icon_thumright: Unfortunately, I didn't find anything of interest, except for 25lbs. of copper wire and the skull of a fox. After three hours of climbing up and down ravine hills in the woods and not finding anything except the rolls of copper wire I was tired of doing my impression of a 'mountain goat' and decided to hit a local park instead! Though I did get to haul the wire a mile out of the woods back to my truck, that was fun! :laughing7: I didn't find anything at the park either! :'(

Have a great long weekend everyone!
Dave
 

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riverrunner814

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.
 

hammered

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.


You have to go back Dave, have patience. Some of the fields I am hunting at the moment are filled with iron and scraps of aluminium. Never the less I am clearing the scrap and finding good stuff, but riverrunner is right , the copper is worth something :thumbsup:


Ian
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.

Oh sure I got lots of pull-tabs, canslaw and beer caps and I don't like to post those kinda finds! :laughing7:

hammered said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.


You have to go back Dave, have patience. Some of the fields I am hunting at the moment are filled with iron and scraps of aluminium. Never the less I am clearing the scrap and finding good stuff, but riverrunner is right , the copper is worth something :thumbsup:


Ian

I hear what you're saying Ian, but man, it so was tough climbing those hills and and not finding anything! I'll be in London again at the end of October, so maybe then I'll be ready to have another go at it! :thumbsup:

Thanks for posting mate,
Dave
 

hammered

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

ANTIQUARIAN said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.

Oh sure I got lots of pull-tabs, canslaw and beer caps and I don't like to post those kinda finds! :laughing7:

hammered said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.


You have to go back Dave, have patience. Some of the fields I am hunting at the moment are filled with iron and scraps of aluminium. Never the less I am clearing the scrap and finding good stuff, but riverrunner is right , the copper is worth something :thumbsup:


Ian

I hear what you're saying Ian, but man, it so was tough climbing those hills and and not finding anything! I'll be in London again at the end of October, so maybe then I'll be ready to have another go at it! :thumbsup:

Thanks for posting mate,
Dave


Thats not a problem mate, you always give good posts, unlike me :laughing7:. Seriously, your posts are good, and so I will always read. You don't hunt for compliments, you just give a good account of history and a good story. Just what Tnet is about :thumbsup:


Ian
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

hammered said:
ANTIQUARIAN said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.

Oh sure I got lots of pull-tabs, canslaw and beer caps and I don't like to post those kinda finds! :laughing7:

hammered said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.


You have to go back Dave, have patience. Some of the fields I am hunting at the moment are filled with iron and scraps of aluminium. Never the less I am clearing the scrap and finding good stuff, but riverrunner is right , the copper is worth something :thumbsup:


Ian

I hear what you're saying Ian, but man, it so was tough climbing those hills and and not finding anything! I'll be in London again at the end of October, so maybe then I'll be ready to have another go at it! :thumbsup:

Thanks for posting mate,
Dave


Thats not a problem mate, you always give good posts, unlike me :laughing7:. Seriously, your posts are good, and so I will always read. You don't hunt for compliments, you just give a good account of history and a good story. Just what Tnet is about :thumbsup:


Ian

Cheers Ian . . . now I'm blushing! :laughing7:
 

hammered

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

ANTIQUARIAN said:
hammered said:
ANTIQUARIAN said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.

Oh sure I got lots of pull-tabs, canslaw and beer caps and I don't like to post those kinda finds! :laughing7:

hammered said:
riverrunner814 said:
Is your detector working ? Should have got at least a beep of a can tab at the park. But heck the copper wire is worth some change.


You have to go back Dave, have patience. Some of the fields I am hunting at the moment are filled with iron and scraps of aluminium. Never the less I am clearing the scrap and finding good stuff, but riverrunner is right , the copper is worth something :thumbsup:


Ian

I hear what you're saying Ian, but man, it so was tough climbing those hills and and not finding anything! I'll be in London again at the end of October, so maybe then I'll be ready to have another go at it! :thumbsup:

Thanks for posting mate,
Dave


Thats not a problem mate, you always give good posts, unlike me :laughing7:. Seriously, your posts are good, and so I will always read. You don't hunt for compliments, you just give a good account of history and a good story. Just what Tnet is about :thumbsup:


Ian

Cheer Ian . . . now I'm blushing! :laughing7:

Go on mate, blush away :sunny: :laughing9: :laughing9: :laughing9:
 

Deno

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

Are you sure that is copper?

It looks like CATV coax to me.

I hope it is copper since you packed it out of the woods.
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

Deno said:
Are you sure that is copper?

It looks like CATV coax to me.

I hope it is copper since you packed it out of the woods.

Yeah, it still has some of the old cloth material clinging to it. I also preformed a very technical experiment in the woods before I carried it out . . . I scratched it with my digging knife just to make sure it was copper! :laughing7:

Here it is in my truck,
Dave
 

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HISPAN

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

Be careful with those rolls of copper wire, could be the spoils of copper gangs engaged in stealing copper in public works and keep it in the woods ..... if the police these rolls could have problems.
Good pictures ... beautiful country of Canada. :thumbsup:
H
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

HISPAN said:
Be careful with those rolls of copper wire, could be the spoils of copper gangs engaged in stealing copper in public works and keep it in the woods ..... if the police these rolls could have problems.
Good pictures ... beautiful country of Canada. :thumbsup:
H

I hear you H! These rolls of old 'house wire' had obviously been in the woods for a long period of time, as there was a lot of 'growth' covering them.

I appreciate your input my friend, :icon_thumright:
Dave
 

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ColonialDude

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

I have hunted this site before...about 5 years back. Turned up nothing...at least not 1812 period. I am sure several others have hit it as well. Problem is it wasn't a large battle and a small skirmish. Very little to be found at most of these sites except for a few musketballs and if you're lucky a lost button.
 

steelheadwill

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

Ahh, I know just what a hunt like that is like...
I've searched an area that I learned was a 1770s Militia training ground,
have found nothing but shotshells yet :'(
(wait, I do recall a beautiful IH Cent :D )
Whether everything has sunk or been found already I don't know, but it is some of the most metal free dirt I've encountered.
Nice copper find! Blew your headphones off like a barrel hoop :laughing9:
 

treasurepirate1

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

wow i never knew that an 1812 site was in London ON, the school history department has to crack down on this stuff and teach it to the kids because they never made a peep or spoke about the war of 1812 when i was in history class last year, the earliest things they spoke of was ww1, and in public school they did the fur trade and the gold rushes.
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Re: War of 1812 Battle Site

ColonialDude said:
I have hunted this site before...about 5 years back. Turned up nothing...at least not 1812 period. I am sure several others have hit it as well. Problem is it wasn't a large battle and a small skirmish. Very little to be found at most of these sites except for a few musketballs and if you're lucky a lost button.

I hear you ColonialDude! :thumbsup: I met a detectorist across the street at Springbank Park a couple of weeks ago and he told me that a detectorist found musket parts up on the hill behind McEwans Garage a few years back. :o
So the first thing I did was go to Mr McEwan and asked him for permission to hunt the hill behind his shop?
He told me, "that he owns 300' up the hill and to go ahead. He also mentioned, that he has detectorists stop by from time to time to ask his permission as well." I told him the story about the musket parts, he said, "he'd never heard of anyone finding anything like that." :dontknow:
HH,
Dave

steelheadwill said:
Ahh, I know just what a hunt like that is like...
I've searched an area that I learned was a 1770s Militia training ground,
have found nothing but shotshells yet :'(
(wait, I do recall a beautiful IH Cent :D )
Whether everything has sunk or been found already I don't know, but it is some of the most metal free dirt I've encountered.
Nice copper find! Blew your headphones off like a barrel hoop :laughing9:

Thanks very much for the information Herbie, this was my first real hunt on the sit of a skirmish! :icon_scratch: I'm not embarrassed to admit that I really didn't know what to look for while I was in the woods! :laughing7: The first roll of wire came through very loud, I then stopped and looked around, that's when I found the other two rolls about 5' away up the hill. :thumbsup:
Best of luck to you buddy,
Dave

treasurepirate1 said:
wow i never knew that an 1812 site was in London ON, the school history department has to crack down on this stuff and teach it to the kids because they never made a peep or spoke about the war of 1812 when i was in history class last year, the earliest things they spoke of was ww1, and in public school they did the fur trade and the gold rushes.

If your in or near the London area, head up to the Reservoir Park up on Commissioners Road West
and you can read the plaque they have next to the park entrance. :icon_thumright:
Thanks for posting treasurepirate,
Dave

PS. Hunted anymore old school sites lately? :read2:
 

pl8man

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I always like your history and back ground on your hunting sites Dave ! Maybe next time the silver will pop up :headbang: . I love the scull , It would be a great Halloween decoration ;D
Glen
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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pl8man said:
I always like your history and back ground on your hunting sites Dave ! Maybe next time the silver will pop up :headbang: . I love the scull , It would be a great Halloween decoration ;D
Glen

Thanks very much Glen! :thumbsup:
My daughter said the Fox skull is 'stinky'! :laughing7:
Congrats again on the 1918 Walker bud! :o

Dave
 

DMN

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Nice research. I'll cease to be impressed with the work you gents do on your research.

Like everyone here says: "It's never hunted out". 3 hours is just the start. I bet there's something to be found. Just make you Canadien buddies a bit green when you do find something nice, especially a button.
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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DMN said:
Nice research. I'll cease to be impressed with the work you gents do on your research.

Like everyone here says: "It's never hunted out". 3 hours is just the start. I bet there's something to be found. Just make you Canadien buddies a bit green when you do find something nice, especially a button.

Thanks for the words of support DMN! :thumbsup:

On Thursday, if the rain holds off, I'll be hunting the farm this 1830 log cabin used to sit on. It was moved to Belleville, Ontario in the 1950's and became the Quinte Region Tourist Information Centre. A friend of mines parents own the property it use to sit on and they've given me permission to hunt it anytime! :icon_thumright:

I was on the site back in August and it was pretty over grown with weeds, almost impossible to swing the detector! Their cows have been grazing in the field since mid-August, so it should be a good time to head back. There were also the remains of a log barn and visible foundations of the building and cellar stairs. I'll post anything interesting I find next weekend.

Dave
 

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DMN

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ANTIQUARIAN said:
DMN said:
Nice research. I'll cease to be impressed with the work you gents do on your research.

Like everyone here says: "It's never hunted out". 3 hours is just the start. I bet there's something to be found. Just make you Canadien buddies a bit green when you do find something nice, especially a button.

Thanks for the words of support DMN! :thumbsup:

On Thursday, if the rain holds off, I'll be hunting the farm this 1830 log cabin used to sit on. It was moved to Belleville, Ontario in the 1950's and became the Quinte Region Tourist Information Centre. A friend of mines parents own the property it use to sit on and they've given me permission to hunt it anytime! :icon_thumright:

I was on the site back in August and it was pretty over grown with weeds, almost impossible to swing the detector! Their cows have been grazing in the field since mid-August, so it should be a good time to head back. There were also the remains of a log barn and visible foundations of the building and cellar stairs. I'll post anything interesting I find next weekend.

Dave
I've been hoping to get to NB for some detecting of my own. Have a camp in mid-province but have yet to get out there to do anything serious. Been more than a few floods in it's time and my camp is near a nice spot for deposits. Just have to get the time to do it and it looks like it won't be until next year at this point. When I read the post of you Northern Neighbors I get real green. Got to get to the Great White North soon!

Looking forward to those log cabin recoveries.
 

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