HOULTON, Maine — On Jan. 12, Major W.E. (Gary) Campbell of New Maryland, N.B was to speak at Cary Library on his book “The Road to Canada,” and the importance the Shiretown played within the War of 1812.
But, due to slippery, snow covered roads, Campbell was unable to attend. However, Leigh Cummings, Jr. stepped in to read Campbell’s “script” to those who attended the lecture at the library.
“Why would the British decide to occupy Houlton and administer the oath of neutrality?,” Campbell wrote.
Houlton was a small settlement, no more than a hamlet, surrounded by woods to the west and New Brunswick to the east. The nearest American settlement was hundreds of miles away, south of the Penobscot River. Why was Houlton that important?
A series of natural transportation routes based on the rivers and portages in the Maine, New Brunswick and eastern Quebec were forged. The most important of these was the Grand Communications Route that linked the Bay of Fundy to the St. Lawrence River. It followed the St. John River and then the Madawaska River to Lake Temiscouata and then crossed the Grand Portage to the St. Lawrence River.
“This all-season route was of immense strategic importance to the British, especially during the five to six months each year when access to Quebec City and points inland was impossible by ship due to ice in the St. Lawrence,” explained Campbell. “During the War of 1812, it was used as a courier route and as a means to send urgently needed reinforcements to the Canadas (Ontario and Quebec) during the winter months.”
Unfortunately, there was a problem. When the 1783 Treaty of Paris ended the American War of Independence, it defined the eastern boundary between the United States and British North America, in particular New Brunswick and Quebec, in vague terms. It would take 60 years, until the signing of the Ashburton-Webster Treaty in 1842, to settle this issue. Meanwhile, uncertainty created border tensions that almost led to war between the United States and Great Britain as a result of the “Aroostook War” of 1839.
“The British were concerned that Americans would interfere with travel over this important route and took several measures to ensure its security,” Campbell explained.
There were two portage routes leading into the St. John River, from what is now Maine, which met the St. John River at Oromocto and Meductic. These had been used by American agents during the revolution. During the War of 1812, the British established military posts to guard and block these routes.
The War of 1812 began on 18 June 1812 with the declaration of war by the United States. News of this did not reach Houlton until 4 July. The next day, the leaders of the settlement met with George Morehouse, Esq. who informed them that they could live in peace provided they did not take part in hostilities against the British government and that they provide information should they learn about any hostile action being planned by others in the area. While this event cannot be documented, it would make sense for it to have happened. The presence of a potentially hostile American settlement close to the Grand Communications Route would have been a great concern to the British. It is only logical that they would have taken steps to neutralize this threat.
“Given the unpopularity of the war in New England, the inhabitants of Houlton were likely glad the war was passing them by,” Campbell noted. “They depended on access to Woodstock for supplies and the use of the Meduxnekeag River, which flowed through Houlton to Woodstock and the St. John River, to export their timber and agricultural products.”
Even though peace negotiations had been concluded in Ghent on 24 December 1814 and a treaty had been agreed, it would not become final until the American government ratified it on 17 February 1815.
“It is important to remember that the terms of the treaty were not known and that it would have been reasonable to think that captured territory would be retained by the conquered,” wrote Campbell. “News traveled slowly and word of this treaty did not reach North America until early February. In the meanwhile, the inhabitants of Houlton still needed to swear the [neutrality] oath, especially if they were going to remain in British territory. This is why the British came to Houlton on that wintry morning in January 1815. Soon after arriving, all of the male inhabitants, 16 and over, were summoned to gather. They were to swear the following oath or leave the community.”
Morehouse recorded that 19 males took the oath. Having accomplished his mission, Morehouse returned to Meductic to write his report. It is dated 14 January 1815 and refers to his orders that were received on the 9th. Based on preparation and travel time, his visit most likely occurred on 12 January, 200 years ago on Jan. 12.
“In many ways, the ‘capture’ of Houlton on or about 12 January 1815 was not a momentous event,” Campbell offered. “It is only known about through the survival of Ensign Morehouse’s report. However, it did demonstrate that little Houlton, although isolated in the woods, was still on the minds of the British authorities in Halifax and Fredericton.”
