31 May 2011

Ceremony Honors American Dead In Halifax

Deadman's Island in Halifax was the site of a Memorial Day ceremony that honored American prisoners of war who died in captivity on Melville Island during the War of 1812.
It’s been nearly 200 years and it seems that Canada and the United States are still at odds over who was the victor in the War of 1812.

That was apparent Monday morning at a U.S. Memorial Day ceremony held here in Halifax to honour the nearly 200 American prisoners of war buried in what is now a small park known as Deadmans Island on the shores of the Northwest Arm.

The brief ceremony was attended by American sailors off the USS Boise, a Virginia-based sub, which is visiting Halifax Harbour, and a smattering of locals and Canadian military.

"We have different views about exactly how we came out on that deal," said Anton Smith, the U.S. consul general for the Atlantic provinces.

"You guys ended up with more territory than we did, but a lot more ice," Smith said.
By: Shelldrake

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