Laura Secord
A Reenactment

Scene 1

The time is the present day. The place is a grade 4/5 classroom in Winnipeg.  Students and teacher are just finishing a discussion of The Loyalist Period in Upper Canada when there is a knock at the classroom door. The teacher answers the door and ushers in a visitor.

Teacher: Boys and girls, I'd like you to meet Kathy Secord. She is the great, great, great, great, great granddaughter of Laura Secord and she has come to answer some of your questions.

Kathy: Good morning...  I hear that you have been studying the Loyalist period and are particularly interested in the life of my ancestor.  Do you have any questions that I can perhaps answer for you?

Child 1: What kinds of jobs did people have in that time, around 1800?

Kathy: Oh, there were blacksmiths, farmers, storekeepers... etc.

Child 2: What did people do for medicines in those times?

Kathy: Medicine was primitive, crude, even dangerous. No one knew much about disease and germs. Cures were often guesswork. There was blood letting and lots of herbal teas used.

Child 3: What was school like at that time?

Kathy : In many ways it was very different, and in other ways, the same as today.  My ancestor's story begins in a classroom much like yours but in Massachusetts, around 1787.

Scene 2

About 14 children are standing outside the school in 3 lines awaiting dismissal by the teacher.  Laura is about 12 years old.

Teacher: (while ringing the bell) Children, I dismiss you from school but be careful.  There are rebels out and about.

The children all go off singing a rhyme about the rebels.

Scene 3

Laura and Elizabeth are walking home from school. Red is hiding in the bushes.

Elizabeth: What's that noise?

Laura: What noise? Where is it coming from?

Elizabeth: I'm going to wait for my father Laura. (Elizabeth runs off)

Red: Quick in here! It's alright. It's okay. You're safe in here. I'm Red. My uncle wanted me to follow him and become a Rebel. He's a Rebel, but I won't hurt you. You're safe as long as you're quiet and still.

Laura: Thank you. Maybe I can return the favour some day.

Scene 4

Voice over: A few days later it was time for Laura to return the favour.

Laura is wearing her red cape and standing in  front of her house in Massachusetts. She is shivering with cold and looking about because she thinks she hears rustling in the bushes. Red approaches the house. When he sees her, he runs over to her.

Red: I'm cold and hungry.  I'm running away and I need someplace to stay.

Laura: Take my coat.  I'll take you to my friends.  They can hide you.

Scene 5

Outside their barn, Thomas and Levi are sawing some wood together. Enter Laura and Red.

Laura: Thomas! Levi! I need help. My friend Red is very cold and hungry. He needs a place to hide.

Thomas: Why does he need a place to hide?

Red: My uncle and his friends are forcing me to be a Rebel. I don't want to be a Rebel!

Levi: You can stay with us. We'll hide you in the barn. Come with me!

(Red turns to Laura. He hands her back her cloak.)

Red: Thank you. I'll be alright now. Once it's safe, I'm leaving.

Laura: Where are you going?

Red: I'm going back to Ireland.

Laura: Maybe we'll meet again.

Red: Maybe we will.

Scene 6

Voice Over: Although she didn't know it then, Laura would be going on a journey of her own. Years have passed and Laura has moved to Upper Canada with her family. It is now about 8 years later.  Laura and her father are outside a church walking home
from a service.

Mr. Ingersoll: I brought you to Canada because our lives were increasingly endangered by the Rebels in the colonies.

Laura: But father, this is a strange place.

Mr. Ingersoll: I know, but it's a new place with new friends to meet.  Captain Brant is also outside the church.    Mr. Ingersoll introduces Laura to him.

Mr. Ingersoll: This is Captain Brant. He's a Mohawk chief. Captain Brant, this is my daughter, Laura. She has just arrived in Upper Canada.

Captain Brant: Welcome to Canada! It's a pleasure. (He bows. She curtsies)

Laura: Good Afternoon. It's a pleasure to meet you too.

Captain Brant: I must admit, I overheard your concerns about safety , Mr. Ingersoll. We have our troubles here too. Even among our own people.

(Isaac Brant rushes forward and grabs Laura from behind holding a knife to her waist.)

Captain Brant: Isaac, my son. Get a hold on yourself.

Mr. Ingersoll: Don't hurt my daughter!

Isaac: I need supplies or else she dies. I need to run and she's my way out.

Laura: Do what he says!

Mr. Ingersoll: Take what you need. Just let my daughter go.

(Isaac runs off with the bag of supplies)

Mr. Ingersoll: (close-up shot) Laura, you were very brave!

Laura: I was afraid.

Captain Brant: A person with true courage is one who faces their fears. My son was too young during the revolution and I was away too long. Now he has become confused and is very troubled. I must go after him myself.

Scene 7

Laura and James Secord are seen walking up a hill.

Voice Over: As Laura's love for her new country grew, so also did her feelings for a kind and gentle man named James Secord.

They find a place to picnic, spread and blanket and set up cheese and wine, etc.

Laura: I see the beauty in this place.

James: I see the beauty in you!

Laura: Maybe it's meant to be that we should be together.

Voice Over: It was meant to be. Next came marriage and family but that time of peace passed all too quickly. American rebels from the south, still angry at England, began the war of 1812 by attempting to capture Upper Canada.

Scene 8

Isaac Brock and Chief Tecumseh meet at Queenston Heights just before the battle.

(Cutaway to Brock and Tecumseh talking )

General Brock: Chief Tecumseh, you and your men have been a big help!

Chief Tecumseh: You, General Brock, have helped me bring my people together.  It is time.

Brock: Yes, my friend. It is time for us to fight side by side.

Scene 9

Brock: (to his regiment and the militia) Men, we fight for God, King and country!

Brits: God, King and country! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! (rifles lifted into the air )

(Wide shot of the charge. Drumming? Lots of cap guns and smoke) A sniper behind a tree aims at Brock and hits him. Brock falls.)

(Close-up of General Brock)

Brock: Push on York Volunteers!!! (Brock dies )

(Two other Red coats die... Sierra and Joel... James Secord also goes down with wounds to his leg and arm.)

Voice Over: James Secord was wounded and left to die on the battlefield.

Scene 10

There are wounded and dead all over the field. Two American soldiers come down the field, finishing off the wounded.  (They kick Sierra. She rolls over)   (American soldiers are: Max, Kiera, Ervin and Colin. British soldiers are: Dan, Sierra, Peter and Keenan. Militia men are: Gilles, Jordan, Joel, Kieran, Ben and J.)

Two soldiers: We take no prisoners. Let them all die! (Colin steps over Joel and sees James Secord)

Colin Reb: Look! It's Captain Secord!

Captain Secord: Groan

Ervin Reb: He's still alive!

Colin Reb: But not for long!

Laura: (Throwing herself over James' body) Kill me but not my husband!

Colin Reb: (Grabs Laura) I'll take care of her!

Ervin Reb: (Looking at James) I'll take care of him!

Captain Wool runs over with 2 American soldiers behind him (girls )

Captain Wool: No! What's the meaning of this? I'll deal with these two. You two help this woman take her husband off the battle field. (They put one arm around each shoulder.)

Voice Over: After saving his life on the battlefield, Laura brought her husband home to nurse him back to health.

Scene 11

Laura Secord's home.  Dr. Chapin and two American Rebels are talking around the table in Laura's home. They are not yet in view. Scene opens in James' bedroom with James wounded in bed.

Laura: How are you feeling?

James: Not that good.

Laura: Your leg is healing.

James: Not fast enough. There's so much to do!

Laura: I could do it if it weren't for the American militia downstairs in our house.  I'm so busy fetching food and drink for them.

James: Shhh! They'll hear you.

Laura: Maybe I can overhear them...

(Laura tiptoes from the bedroom to the door of the dining room and listens from behind the wall as the men eat around the table.)

American militia: We'll ambush them at Beaver dams... Those green slivers!  (Dan)

American militia: They'll never know what hit em... Do you think Boerstler will take your advice?

Dr. Chapin: Of course he will. He'd be a fool not to. By tomorrow at this time, Fitzgibbon and his men will be wiped out and Upper Canada will be ours. Here's to victory!

(Laura tiptoes back to James' room with the news. While changing his bandages, they talk.)

Laura: Someone has to tell Fitzgibbon there's going to be an ambush.

James: I can't go.

Laura: Then it's up to me.

James: God be with you, Laura.

Scene 12

There is a long shot of Laura running down the path, going through the bush and wading through a swamp.

Voice Over: (While filming the above) Thus began the most dangerous journey of her life.

Laura: I've been struggling for hours.

Voice Over: After struggling onward for over 20 miles she collapsed from exhaustion. When she woke up she saw three Mohawk warriors staring down at her.

Chief: This woman... Her heart is very strong!

Brave: (J) She is very brave!

Brave: (Ervin) She has come a long way.

Laura: Fitzgibbon. Take me to Fitzgibbon. If only there is some way to make you understand. I need to speak to Fitzgibbon.

Chief: Fitzgibbon? We know that name. Come! (He reaches down and takes her hand.)

Scene 13

Voice Over: The chief and the braves lead Laura to Fitzgibbon's headquarters.

A British guard stands at the door. The Mohawks are holding her up.

Soldier: Captain, we have visitors! Captain Fitzgibbon, there's someone here to see you.

Laura is led into the house. Fitzgibbon has his back toward her.  She staggers toward him.

Laura: Tomorrow...  Ambush at Beaver Dams.  Beware! (She faints)

Fitzgibbon: (turning around) I know that voice.

Scene 14

Laura: Fitzgibbon! I've got to warn him. It's about the ambush.

Woman: It's alright dear. Your message got through. There will be no ambush.  Your message got through last night.

Come and look! (They both walk toward the window to look out)

Woman: See it's captain Fitzgibbon.

Laura: Red!

Scene 15

The natives and militia are behind trees (J, Ervin and Max. Dan, Kieran, Jonathan and Ben) Fitzgibbon and Boerstler are facing each other in the clearing. The camera is a wide angle shot on all in the ambush and the two leaders. It then zeros in on Ben who says:

Ben (Militia Loyalist): Sure hope the captain's plan works.

Jordan (Native) : Trust in your leader. He is a brave man.

Dan (Rebel Militia): I've got a bad feeling. I think we're surrounded.

Boestler (Joel): Don't be a fool! I'll find out what's going on.

Fitzgibbon walks forward, carrying a sword with a white cloth on the end of it.  Boerstler walks toward him.

Boerstler: My men and I are ready to fight for our cause.

Fitzgibbon: If you haven't noticed, you're surrounded. And there are natives at our side ready to fight for our cause. You must surrender.

Boerstler: Give me some time to decide.

Fitzgibbon: You have no time. Decide now or die!

Boerstler: Oh fine! I will surrender.

Fitzgibbon: You have made a wise choice and saved a lot of time.

Boerstler: You're a brave man, captain.

Fitzgibbon: Ah, but I know a braver woman.

Laura's brave deed had enabled Fitzgibbon
to defeat the rebels and save Upper Canada,
without a single shot being fired.