For The Watertown Post
This Memorial Day, as we gather to honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion to this country, let us turn our thoughts northward—to the shores of Lake Ontario, to the hallowed ground of Sackett’s Harbor, New York—where one of America’s most daring sons rests: Brigadier General Zebulon Montgomery Pike.
Many know Pike’s name from the towering mountain that bears it—Pike’s Peak in Colorado—a monument to the spirit of exploration. But fewer recall that this same man, once a young adventurer charting the uncharted wilderness of the Mississippi and Rocky Mountains, also died not as an explorer but as a soldier, leading men into battle during the War of 1812.
On April 27, 1813, Pike led an American force against the British at York—modern-day Toronto. As the enemy retreated, they ignited their powder magazine in a final act of destruction. The resulting explosion killed and wounded dozens—including Pike himself. Mortally wounded by the blast, he is said to have asked only one thing before he died: “Do they run?” When told the American flag had been raised over the enemy fort, he smiled and passed.
Today, General Pike lies buried in Sackett’s Harbor, a place that during the War of 1812 was a vital American naval base and military hub. His burial here reminds us that Northern New York is more than quiet countryside—it is a cradle of American valor.
His death was not in vain. It symbolized the transition of America from a young, scrappy nation into a determined force willing to fight for its borders, its honor, and its future. Pike’s legacy is twofold: one of discovery, and one of sacrifice. He opened maps—and then closed his eyes—for the cause of a greater America.
On this day of remembrance, let us not forget the price of the freedoms we enjoy. Let us remember that not all heroes are buried in Arlington. Some are buried here, close to home, in the windswept cemeteries of Upstate New York, where their stories echo across the water and through time.
Brigadier General Zebulon Pike, explorer, patriot, warrior—you are not forgotten.
– The Watertown Post
