Laura Secord: The Long Walk to Beaver Dams

In June 1813, during the War of 1812, Laura Secord learned that American troops were planning a surprise attack on a British outpost in the Niagara region. Her husband was still recovering from wounds, so she went herself, walking some 30 kilometres through woods, swamps and enemy territory to warn Lieutenant James FitzGibbon.

Days later, at the Battle of Beaver Dams, Indigenous warriors ambushed the American column, and the Americans surrendered. This episode follows Laura's walk, the battle, and the decades she waited to be recognised. We also sort the record from the legend, including the famous cow she supposedly brought along as cover, and how her name ended up on a box of chocolates.

Created with the assistance of AI, using an AI model of the host's voice, and checked against the historical record.