Johnson never returned to New York after the war and his estate was sold by the Americans to help pay off their war debts. He remained in Canada and eventually took over his father’s role as Superintendent of Indian affairs. During the War of 1812 he served as Brigadier General for a portion of the Canadian Militia and continued to champion Indian rights up until his death. When he passed away in Montreal in 1830, his funeral was attended by 300 Mohawk.

I’m indebted to author Gavin Watt, whose account of the Johnson raids in his book The Burning of the Valleys set me on the right path. Thanks also to Noel Levee, City Historian for Johnstown NY and Bob McBride, Editor of The Loyalist Gazette; the national magazine of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada (UELAC), all of whom were immensely helpful. They responded to my requests for information on the Johnson family with both patience and good humour.

While Quade’s cross-border raid is fictitious, it was inspired by real events. During the war the Americans launched two strikes against Lacolle, with the intention of capturing Montreal; the first – the Battle of Lacolle Bridge – in November 1812 and the second – the Battle of Lacolle Mill – in March 1814. Both ended in embarrassing failure. On the first occasion, General Dearborn’s advance troops, which included cavalry, did reach the blockhouse but such was their state of confusion that in the darkness, the infantry, which attacked in two groups, ended up firing on each other. A counter-attack, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles-Michel d’Irumberry de Salaberry at the head of his Voltigeurs, Canadian militia and three hundred Kahnawá:ke Mohawk, forced the Americans to flee back across the border.

In the second attack, melting snow and knee-high mud hindered the advance and the Americans’ cannon and mortars were unable to make any impression against the mill’s walls. The defenders, a contingent of Royal Marines, retaliated with rocket artillery and the attackers were, once again, forced to withdraw.

After the 1812 raid, General Dearborn ordered his troops into their winter quarters. They had little idea of the hardship and misery that was to follow.

The camp on the Saranac River – also referred to as Pike’s Cantonment after its commanding officer – was real; as were the terrible conditions faced by the men who wintered there. More than 200 died during the winter of 1812/13 due to cold, lack of supplies, spoiled food, infection and disease. Only recently have archaeologists managed to verify the location of the site – thought to cover around 100 acres – on land adjacent to Plattsburgh International Airport. At the time of writing, no graves have been discovered but the excavation work continues.