Old Fort Niagara program: Understanding precarious position occupied by women in 18th century military

Submitted by Old Fort Niagara

On Aug. 7, 1760, Sgt. Cameron of the 44th Regiment of Foot was tried under the accusation he had threatened to report the commandant of Fort Niagara to Gen. Thomas Gage. The depositions in Cameron's court martial contain many bizarre details – including an anonymous note, a bad laundry job, a fistfight, and lots of gossip – convoluting the case into an interpersonal mess. However, inside the dramatic specifics lie keys to understanding the precarious position occupied by women in the 18th century British military, as much of the case centered on the actions of women working for the 44th Regiment.

“Don't Cry Over Spilt Rum: Enlisted Women and the Cameron Court Martial of 1760” will be presented by Hanae Weber, Old Fort Niagara's lead civilian interpreter. A part of Women's History Month, this virtual program will explore not only the petty particulars of the Cameron court martial, but also the clues this case gives regarding the way women working for the British military were viewed and treated at Fort Niagara and the wider 18th century world.

The event begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown.