| The Aroostook War | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 21 2010, 06:50 AM (138 Views) | |
| United States of America | Feb 21 2010, 06:50 AM Post #1 |
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An Empire for Liberty
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June 30, 1839 Tensions have been growing throughout the past year between Canadian and American settlers in the disputed territory lying along the Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec boundary. The territory, which has never been clearly defined as American or British by international treaty, has sparked something of a diplomatic incident between the United States and Great Britain. A confrontation in December set off a chain of events that resulted in the mobilization of local militia. On December 29, Canadian lumberjacks were spotted cutting down trees on land that had formerly belonged to American war hero William Eaton. Angered at what they perceived as trespassing on their land, Eaton's family contacted American lumberjacks and other irregulars in the area, who created a sort of informal guard and drove out the Canadians. On New Year's Eve, the trespassers returned and were promptly ordered to leave by the Eaton guard. Shouting soon began and both sides prepared to draw weapons on each other. As this happened, however, some of the Canadians were unexpectedly attacked by a bear defending her small nearby cub. They were able to shoot and kill the bear, but the Americans, assuming the bullets had been directed at them, fired several shots in retaliation. No one was injured, but this coupled with the bear attack caused the Canadians to flee in panic. The Americans then returned to lower Maine only to report that they had been attacked while defending their land. On January 24, 1839, the Maine legislature authorized the newly elected governor to send the Maine State Land Agent, the Penobscot County Sheriff, and a posse of volunteer militia to the upper Aroostook to pursue and arrest the New Brunswickers. Canadians living in the area learned of this ahead of time, however, and promptly arrested the crew when they arrived at the New Brunswick logging camp. In chains, the Maine officials were then transported to Woodstock where they were held for an "interview." The local government subsequently refused to release the men to American authorities, as they were now classified as political prisoners; in response the Maine legislature ordered a general mobilization of the militia. Soon after this a debate in Congress propelled the conflict to the national level. Maine's Representative Smith declared that if the federal government would not step in to protect his state's sovereign soil and its citizens, Maine would simply do it alone. Alarmed at the potential for war, Congress authorized funding for 50,000 volunteers and sent General Winfield Scott to the area to defuse tensions. By June the militia had been demobilized and replaced with regular U.S. Army troops, and construction on two new forts - Fairfield and Kent - began to halt further conflict between settlers, but the boundary dispute showed no sign of ending. |
Embassy of the United States of America ![]() "For more than half a century, during which kingdoms and empires have fallen, this Union has stood unshaken. The patriots who formed it have long since descended to the grave; yet still it remains, the proudest monument to their memory." - Zachary Taylor | |
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2:44 PM Jul 11