Remember Osgood(e) and Rogers

Who? William Osgood(e) and John Rogers — the first two Ottawans to die for their country, Honoured at the time with a statue funded by public subscription and a civil funeral at Beechwood Cemetery. Both the statue and their joint headstones still stand. I doubt more than one in a thousand Ottawan's recognize their names or those of anyone else of the Ottawa Company of Sharpshooters.

They were the first Ottawa soldiers to die for their country, after the founding of Canada in 1867, It was on this day 2 May in 1885.

The battle at Cut Knife Hill in which they lost their lives was not a blazing success for the leader of the Federal forces, Col.W. D. Otter.  There's strong sentiment at present that the Federal cause was unjust. Nonetheless, they should be honoured for answering their country's call and giving their lives.

The story of the Sharpshooters is told in several articles in the BIFHSGO quarterly chronicle Anglo-Celtic Roots between 2003 and 2005. Here are the article titles.  Click on the corresponding season to open up the whole issue pdf.

2003
Fall:  The Ottawa Sharpshooters: Part 1 -- "To Action"
Winter: Roll of the Governor General's Foot Guards: Ottawa Sharpshooters
2004
Spring: The Ottawa Sharpshooters: A Journey to the Northwest. Sharpshooter Stories: Private George A. Sparkes * Osgoode * Private Basil H. Bell — the “Low” Tax Revolt *  Rogers -- Memorial Church Windows
Fall: Researching the Ottawa Sharpshooters ** Researching Sharpshooter William Keys Humfrey
2005
Summer: Researching a Sharpshooter: Private John Clark. The Launch of the Ottawa Sharpshooters