A Small Piece of History
Recently I bought a grouping of several items and in this lot unbeknown to me was this simple cane with a plaque that stated "Hancock House Massacre 1778."
I was unfamiliar with this event, so I researched it and found that it was an engagement after the American Militia successfully repulsed the attempts of the British Army to transverse the 3 bridges that crossed the Alloway Creek. The Americans confident, left the bridges guarded and some of them bivouacked in the Hancock House. That night 300 Queens Rangers and Tories guided by slaves crossed downriver with boats, traveled through the marsh, and stealthfully entered the Hancock House where they bayoneted 20 to 30 militia soldiers in their sleep under the direction of Maj. Simcoe.
Well, back to the cane; from what I understand, in the early 1930s, some renovations were done to the house, and as a way to raise money some actual pieces of the structure were turned into canes and sold to the public.
If anyone else has one or can shed more light on this walking stick, it would be appreciated.
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