Historic March from New Brunswick 1813

Historic March from New Brunswick 1813: Historic March from New Brunswick 1813: new stock photography content by Ernie Hunter
On Saturday, Feb. 16th, 1813, in Officers’ Square in downtown Fredericton the 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment of Foot left on their historical march to Kingston, Ontario. Marching through one of the worst winters on record, they traveled the 1100 kms in deep snow and extreme cold. These poorly clad soldiers suffered from hunger and frost bite but marched on in their valiant effort to reinforce British troops in Kingston and thwart the expected American invasion.
As the American invasion was thought to happen when the campaign season opened in the spring, the British needed more men by early April and as the St. Lawrence was still frozen, water navigation was out of the question. Things were relatively quiet in the East so troops were sent from the Maritimes, on foot. 554 men, split into companies of 100, began the long march to Kingston.
Marching North along the St. John River until they reached the St. Lawrence, they then turned west and followed the St. Lawrence through the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Crossing the river at Levis, they continued on, enduring the bitter cold, lack of food and proper clothing, arriving in Kingston 57 days later on April 12th, 1813.
This march by the 104th is one of the great marches in military history and yet goes much unrecognized. We can only hope that this re-enactment will bring it the recognition it deserves.