^i^^\ <> .. ^^% ^^.Vt>^^a V] <^ //y. "el *> ,>^ '^1/ > (? / IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 [fi 2.8 I.I Mi 1^ Si: 1^ 1.25 1.4 M IIIIM III 2.0 1.6 ; : €^. <^\ ^\ ^■^T«."'^5> %^\, 'v> &? ^. ^ ! ; CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. n Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en L'Institut a microfilmd le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Certains ddfauts susceptibles de nuire d la quality de la reproduction sont notds ci-dessous. ouleur D D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Coloured plates/ Planches en couleur Th po of filr Th coi or api Th filr ins Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d^color^es, tachetdes ou piqu^es Tight binding (may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin)/ Reliure serrd (peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure) D D Show through/ Transparence Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes M£ in ( upi boi fol D Additional comments/ Commentaires suppl^mentaires Bibliographic Notes / Notes bibliographiques Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Bound with other material/ Relid avec d'autres documents Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Plates missing/ Des planches manquent D D D Pagination incorrect/ Erreurs de pagination Pages missing/ Des pages manquent Maps missing/ Des cartes g^ographiques manquent D Additional comments/ Commentaires suppldmentaires The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —*> (meaning CONTINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de I'exemplaire filmd, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Un des symbotes suivants apparaitra sur la der- nidre image dn cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed w in- terest must more or less have passed away ; but it has this in favor, that it is not a hackneyed subject, nor am 1 aware that anyone has attempted a description of the capture and destruction of the steamer Caroline except Sir Francis Bond Head, and then only cursorily, in his narrative of events during his administration as Lieut- enant Govarnor of Upper Canada. Nov.% as the Caroline will live in history, it seems a duty on my part to give a faithful and authentic account of an event which has been much exaggerated and misrepre- sented. When the report reached England it was reported that a vessel had been sent over tlie Falls of Niagara burning, and with 160 human beings on board. This remaining uncontradicted, was believed for some time, and I, of course, looked upon as a monster in human shape ; whilst the truth was, in my anxiety to ascertain there was not a living soul on board before we turned the vessel adrift, that 1 very near- ly sacrificed my own life in endeavor- ing to prove this, as will be seen here- after. 1 shall, therefore, take upon myself to draw up an account of the transaction in its true colors, which, coming from me, the principal actor in the drama, will carry with it an air of authenticity which will perhaps be its greatest value. I also em- brace this opportunity of making public a correspondence which I have carried on with the heads of the department of her majesty's government, for the very severe pecaniary losses I sustained in being obliged to abandon a country in which all my wealth and all my hopea were contain- ed. For, bad I remained in Canada up to the present time, the value of my property would have been m3re than double what it was when I left in 1842. I may be asked what object I have in publishing this narrative at the present time. This I scarcely know myself. There may be two or three reasons. One is a desire that a faithful and true record of so remarkable an event as the sending the Caroline over the Falls of Niagara may be handed down to posterity in an authentic ehap^. X ^a^not be acg an act of 9«»-Iy sixty ho had 8uf- 5ountry too from the their lord- g from the & O/SMwmA.- 'hu8 ended !• with an •oyal navy a, as they raval Bio- "ay story. >mmander ^ing, dur- had been fche want o chance, © spring Canada make home, of June, J6ided to y of Ox. nilton, a emity of ntage of ids from a fine on com- I had id built stabloM got 200 which I used to 'faction n fact ade up lainder will Qortals for fu. honor i from imber- untry, as the olony, in my e will upted i^^hen^ rebel- gov- ernment, I felt I could do no less than vol- unteer to come forward and assist to put down the rebellion, and accordingly, about the middle of December, I s^ouldereJ a musket and started oflf to join Col. Sir Allan Macnab, who had the command of the whole militia force is that part of the colony, and was then on hie march from Hamilton to Scotland, a district where the rebels had musteie i in con- sider.'ible force. I joined Sir Allan a few miles from Hamilton, and we halted at Braniford for night. At daybreak the nexc morning we started for Scotland, about twelve miles distance, with a vcy respectable force of militia and volunteers; but on our arrival there we found the re- bels had left about halt an hour, having been informed of Our approach, and scat- terel themHolves in all directions, some to the woods, some to their homen, and the leaders, Dr. Duncombo and others, to the United States. We ncoured the coun- try for sixty or seventy miles around, but baw no more of them, and a few days af- ter brought ua news that the rebels had made head again oi. the American side of the River Niagara, under Mackenzie and othore', and that they had actually taken po98' HHion of Navy i^lann, a dependency of her majesty, about half a mile from the Canadian shore. 'I'hither we followed them with the force under Sir Allan Macnab considerably increased by volun- teers on the march, and about Dec 20 we arrived at Chippewa, a village a short dis tance from the falls of Niagara The rebels were fast collecting on the island, and by the 5th were suppo.sed to muster 700 or 800 men. Our bu.-iineS8 was to dislodge them from their position, and for this purpose, amongst other preparations, a body of men was told off to act as a navy brigade, of which I, as the senior navy officer, assumed the command. We hired three lake schooners for the service, putting a gnn on board each of them, and were fitting them out to cany troops to the island; but the principal part of the landing was to be effected by boats and craft belonging to the river navigation. On Dec. 29, aboat four o'clock in the afternoon, Sir Allan Macnab and myself were standing together upon the look-out, when, with the aid of a telescope, we ob- served a steam- vessel standing across the river, from Fort Schloseer to Navy island, full of men and with one or two field pieces on the deck. This was her first appear- ance. Sir Allan said, "This won't do. I say; Drew, do you think you can cut that vessel out?" **0h, yet," I said, "nothing easier, but it must be done at night." "Well, then," said he, "go and do it." These were literally all the orders I ever received to take the Carmine; and although I^had eaid hastily there is nothing easier, yet m reality it was a service of such ex- treme danger, that it may well be ques- tioned whether anyone could be justified in undertaking. In giving the order to laku the Cuiullue, Sir Allan Macnab, of course, considered it|was|my duty to judgeof the practicability of the scheme as belong- ging to my profession. It was not a busi- ness to hesitate, or scarcely to think upon; it had to be done, and the only question was how to do it. The current wa^ reported in the charts to be running at the rate of seven miles an hour at that part of the river where we should have to cross, which was not half a mile distant from the mighty Falls of Nia- gara. We had nothing but a few small boats about twelve feet long, each pulling four oars, to trust to; we had to keep fear- fully close to the rapid to prevent the boats b'^ing seen from Navy Island, fiom whence they would have given the alarm. Numerous other difficulties might have been started so as to make the attempt appear impracti'.ible; but I determined not to let one of them enter my head. I had resolvec' to make the attempt, and that nothing should stop me, well remem- bering that most of the dashing things of the late war were accomplished in this way. The first thing to be done was to call for volunteers. "Here we are, sir," cried a hundred voices; "what have we to do ?" "Follow me" was all they could get out of me, as Sir Allan and I had determined the secret should be strictly between us, for, hid our intentions been suffered to tran- spire, one hour would have carried the intelligence across the river to the Ameri- cans, when we should have been opposed by thousands, but so well was the secret kept that the men knew not where they were going nor what they had to do until they were actually embarked in the boats and had left the shore- Amonst so many volunteers there was a difficulty in making a selection; but this they settled between themselves, it being an indispensable condition that each should be able to pull a good oar, which narrowed the number to be selected from, and we had no difficulty. The interval between four \ o'clock, when the determination was come to, and half- past seven at ni^ht, the time proposed for startinjf, was taken up in preparation Time dra^(;eel on todiouely. It was necessary to give the men in the steamer not. only timo to got to bed, but to tleep; the moon, too, was nhining too brif^htly for our purpose, and we had to wau. to lot it go down for fear of di^cov ery; the neglect of any uf these piecau- tions would have marred our enterprise The sroamer was secured under Fort Schlofsor for the night. There was u little dirt'erence of opinion hatwoon Sir Allan McNab and myself as what we ehould do with the vessel when we had taken her; he wanted her brought over to Chijp%WH, but I was altogether against it. I opposed it simply upon the ground that it she was in possesi-ion the Amer- icans would never rest until nhe was given up, but if burnt there was the end of her; our purpose would be answered, and the country ^aved from a great embarrassment. At last half past eleven o'clock arrived, and we started upon our perilous expedi- tion. We received three cheers from the assembled multitude on the shora, and off we went. I had arranged with Sir Allan Macnab that, as soon as h" saw a bright light burning on the other side, he was to make a blazing fire on the spon from whence we ftarted,to serve a** a beacon to gu.do us on our way back We pulled a litt'e up along shore, and I called the boats around me to tell t,lie men the service they were going upon, and gave the otiicers all the precautions I con.-idered necessary —namely that th^y were not to go too near Navy i.«land, for fear of being seen; that they were to keep as clo-^e to me as pos.«ible, and on no account to go abend of me; that they were to endeavor to strike the opposite shore some distance above Fort Schlosser, where the steamer was moored, and there wait for each o her. I also said that if any of them disliked the service they were going upon, which was one full of danger, to .>eing ablg to expend half an hour here unsoen was a great event for u-t, to allow it to be- come darker, as everythitig depended upon our being able to search the vessel uiineen. At last I judged it dark enough, and we dropped silently down upon our prey liter ally without moving an oar until we wore close alongside hor. Tnese were anxious moments for mer knowing how hazardous it is to climb a vessel's s-ide and m ike good a footing up >n the deck without being knocked on the head. However, in this, as in everything else, fortune favored us. When within a boat's length of the vessel, one of the watch (who had apparently just awoke out of a sleep) cried out, "Boat, ahoy! boat, ahoy! Give us the countersign." I answered, in a low tone of voice, "Silence, sileme! don't^ make a noise, and I'll give you the countersign when we get on board." I then mounted the vessel's side, which I had some diffi- culty In doing for want of a ladder, and when fairly on deck I drew my sword, and found three men lounging over the star- board gangway unarmed, and quite un- concerned. I said to them, "Now I want this vessel and you had better go ashore at once." She was lying alongside a wharf to which she was secured. I waved my sword over their heads to make them go, and I do not think that until this moment they fairly understood their position. They then moved leisurely over to the port side, I LhitiKing they were going on shore ; but as they saw none of my party on deck but myself they took up their hre arms, which it nppoared. had been left on that side of the deck, and the foremost man firod his loaded musket at me. Not- more than a yard from him, how the ball missod mo I do not know; but he was too close to take aim, and it pai-sed me. I thought this an act of treachery, and that I need show him no mercy, so with the full swing of my arm 1 gave him a cut with mj sword over the left temple, and he dropped at my feet. In another second one of the men put a pistol close to my face and pulled the tritrger. ITortunately ir flashed in the pan or I should not have been here to tell the story Why I was so lenient with this man I do not know, for he deserved death by my hand as much as the other, but I merely gave him a sabre cut on the inside of the right arm, which made him drop hir pistol, and he was unarmed. The other man I disarmed and drove them both over the side; but as they did not seem to move as fast as I thought they they ought, I gave them about an inch or two of the [)Oint of my sword, which quick- ened their pace wonderfully. All this did not appear to have taken up more than a minute of time, and we were in complete possession of the after part of the vessel Thre-J of the boats boarded forward, where there was a good deal of firing going on, and as the quarter deck was clear I mounted the paddle box and s?avt) orders for the firing to cease immediately, fearing from the darkness of the night we might take friends for foes; and Lieut. MacCorraick had already received a desperate wound The vessel was now entirely in our possession, and, to guard against an attack from the shore, I directed Lieut. Elmsley to head a small party as an advanced guard, to warn us should any attack be meditated. We then aroused everybody out of their beds and sent them on shore, a consider- able number of persons having been sleep- ing on board. After this the vessel was set on fire in four different places, and soon began to burn. The next thing was to cast her off from the jetty, which at one time I feared we should have had great difficulty in doing, as she was made fast with chains 6 under the water, or rather under ice— for this was the middle of a Canadian winter, where water freezes to the thickness of a foot in a very short time; but a young gentleman of the nariie of Sullivan, under- standing the difficulty, seizod hold of an axe, jumped down upon the ice, and in a short time cleared the v.nain and set the vessel adrift. This done, and the vessel n flames fore and aft, I ordered everyone to the boats, which became the more neccFsary as the enemy had opened a fire of musketry from the shore, and some shot came disagreeably near to me standing on the paddle-box. The order was eoon obeyed, for it was ako getting too hot to stand upon tl\e deck. I did not giv3 any particular orc^ers to the officer of my own baat; but I intended to be the last person out of the vtpsel, and naturally thought they would wfcit for me, and, when jnst ready to embarl;, I saw a man coming up the fore hatchway. I went forward to ascertain whether it was likely anyone else was down below; but '.he man said it was not possible, for it was so hot he could not have lived there .mother minute. I then went to get into tha boat, when to my horror I found that every boat had leit the vessel. I cannot describe my feelings at that moment, nor shall 1 ever forget the sensation that came over me; the vessel in flames and fast drifting down the stream. I looked around and could just see one boat in the di-tance; another minute would have been fatal to mo. I hailed her to come back, calling as loud as I could that they had left me behind; fortunj,tely ihev heard me, and returned and took me and the man on board. Having accomplished our object, we had only to And our way safely back; and when we rounded the point of the island before named we saw a tremendous blazing fire on the Canadinn shore, not only enough to guide us, but almost to light us on our way back. It was almost wel- come, for by this time it had become quite dark. Not caring about discovery now, and as little for shot from Navy island, we kept much closer to it, and felt safe in so doing. We landed between two and three o'clock in the morning at the spot f.om whence we started, and found hosts of j)eople to receive us with good hearty British cheers. Sir Allan Macnab was particularly cordial in his welcome, and candidly acknowledged he never expected to eee me again, tut that our success had far exceeded his most sanguine expecta- tions. By this time the burning vessel was fast approaching the Canadian shore, and not far distant. Of all themarvels attending this novel expedition, the course which the steamer took of her own accord was the most wonderful. When free from the wharf s t Fort Schlosser, her natural course would have been to follow the stream, which would have taken her along the American shore and over the American falls ; but she acted as if she were aware she had changed owners and navigated herself right across the rikrer, clearing the rapids above Goat island, and went as fairly over the centre of the British falls of Niagara as if she had been placed there on purpose. There were hundreds of people on the banks of the river to witness the splendid sight, for it was perfectly beautiful, and the descent took place within a quarter of an hour after our landing; &nd no human ingenuity could have accomplished what the vessel had so easily done for herself. My first care after landing was to look after the wounded and have them attended to. The 'moat serious casualty was that of Lieut. MacCormick, R. N., who was shot through the wrist besides other wounds in his body, from which, although he received the best possible medical attendance, he never recovered, and to my great regret, died some days afterwards from the effects of the wounds; there wero also some flesh wounds amongst the young men, bub noth- ing serious. On tha ryart of the enemy wo were also forturate, for certainly there were not more than two killed, and four or five wounded; less than this could hardly have been expected. I will hero mention a circumstance which happened in the early part of the encounter, and which might have brought me to grief, had I not been on my guard. In ray boat was a man named Zealand, a ino specimen of an old British sailor, who had served on the lakes under Sir James Yeo in the late American war. The Caroline had a raised cabin on the quarterdeck; with a gangway on each side between it and the bulwark and round the stern; it was here, on the port-side, that the arms were deposited. When I had disposed of the three men, as before related, I thought it prudent to go round 'jhis gangway to see whether there was i.nybody lurking behind to take us in the re bd ■ XT^X-r^ '!■, -..W.WJH ' , I A-, 1© expecta. N was fast ^> and not attending 'Which the ' was the from the |ura; course 76 stream, ^long the •American ere aware [navigated ■^""ng the , went as ph falls of there on e on the splendid iful. and uarter of o human >ed what herself. to look fctended (hat of ivas shot 3unds in received mce, he regret, > effects ne flesh It noth- fe also re not )r five y have 'tance f the 3Ught uard. nd, a who ames The the each >iind lide, n I fore und w&a the rear; and when returning along the star- board-side I met a man rushing along, sword in hand, who made a slashing cut at my head without the least ceremony. The night was dark, so that ^ little mis- take of this kind was pardonable, and fortunately I suspected it was one of my own men; I parried the blow and very successfully pinned his cutlaps with mine against the cabin bulk-head, eo that he could not move it. This gave me time to look in his face, and I at once made out who it was. "Hol- loa, Zealand !" said I, "what are vou about ?" "Oh ! I beg your pardon, sir; I didn't know it was you." It was, however, a fortunate discovery, and we parted good friends. Having out off the supplies of the rebels by the destruction of the steamboat, our nexD business was to drive them ofiF the island; and to this we turned our whole attention. We had a large militia force at Chippewa and the neighborhood at this time, all eager to do something. I have before mentioned we had three schooners, which, together with the boats and barges we had, were capable of embarking a large number of men; but we judged that about 500 men would be sufficient to take the island, and accordingly that number was told off for the service. I never saw a finer spirit exhibited in any body of men in my lifd, though they were only settlers in the backwoods, who had left their farms to put down the rebellion. The officers, tco, were very fine fellows, and were ready to lead theii men in any attack. I am sorry I cannot mention their names, but in the lapse of time I have forgott"in them. Whilst the preparations were going on, and the day before our intended landing, which it was understood would be princi- pally in boats, I heard a man say to his comrades : "But what shall we do if a shot strikes our boat ? We muse either be drowned or go over the falls." This led me to do what I have ever considered a very foolish thing. I got a four-onred gig and pulled up the stream round the head of the island, within pistol-shot, with the avowed intention of selecting a proper place to land, but really to place the boat under fire of the enemy's field- pieces, to provo how difficult it was to hit a boat moving fast through the wvter. I clearly saw the spot to land, and immediatf (v put the boat's head around to return, when they began a fire of musketry, and shortly afterwards with field pieces. The firing was not good at first, but improved, and the shot came nearer every time, then ceased for two or three minutes, when I thought we were all safe; but presently another shot came whizzing past, admir- ably aimed, making ducks and drakes in the water, and just cleared the gunwale of the boat, passing between me and strokes man. The firing of this shot was evident- ly by a more experienced hand, and 1 learnt afterwards it was from an amateur a young American from West Point, a miscreant who had not even the excuse ot having joined the rebels, but for mere amusement was trying to sink a boat and possibly to sacrifice the lives of the crew. Had I been able to get hold of his name 1 would have handed it down to posterity as that of a sanguinary ruffian. They had not another chance of tiring, so we got safe into (Jhippawa creek, and I hoped my purpose was answered. Our plans for the morrow, when we in- tended to make our landing, were widely known. Nor could it be otherwise , but it was not of so much consequence as the se cret of the Caroline, because, the rebels being in large numbers on tlie island, we naturally thought that they would have had the courage to have waited to receive us ; whereas some of their friends told them what was going forward, and they de- camped in the night, landing upon Grand island, and from thence made their way to the American side ; thereby saving us a greatdeal of trouble and possibly a great many valuable lives ; so that when we landed there was not a soul to be eetn. Here our work was finished, and there was an end uf the rebellion for the present. Shortly alter this the militia and volun- teers returned to their homes, a regiment of the line taking the duty upon the Iron tiei, whilst I was left to arrange about the schooners and boats, and to wind up the affairs of the nav^l brigade, who were ad mitted by all hands to have done their duty. The Americans were astounded at what had taken place, and did not imagine there was energy enough in the colony co have conceived such things as the taking of their steamer and driving the rebels Irom Navy iiland, but thought they had noth- ing to do but pour into Canada as they had previously done into Texas, and annex it; but they found their mistake, and be- gan to look at home. They held large meetings at Buffalo, a frontier town ao the head ot River Niagara, 1"^ 8 to discuss the outrage of the Caroline, and a report was spread that Capt. Drew was to land with 1,000 men by night and burn the town. They organized a large body of men as a volunteer force to protect the city, and turned out a guard of 500 men every night to be ready to receive me; they offered a reward of $500 to anyone who would assassinate me. This was done by public advertisement in one of their papers. They »lso did me the very great honor to hang me in effigy, and pa'd me the same compliment annually on Decem- ber 20th, for several years after- wards. This was a mighty sum for any rascal to obtain upon such easy terms, and the &vst atbempb to assassinate me was made a few days afterwards 1 was stay- ing in the village of Chippawa, at the house of gentlem*n named Cummins, when in the middle of a certain day, the maid servant came to her mistress to ask leave to go home. Mrs. Cummins 8%id, "I can't let you go, for Capt. Drew is staying with us and you will be wanted." The girl then said, "Well, minoress, if you won't give me leave, I'll take it, for I am not going to stay here to be murdered." And go she did, withoat giving any fur- ther reason, except that the house was going to be attacked that night. Mr. Cummins and I talked it over, and coul ' not make out what it meant, and after dinner we went into the village to learn if there were any reports about, bub could hear of nothing, so we agreed to take no notice of wh;it the girl had said; and about seven o'clock 1 went to bed: but not 60 Mr. Cummins, for he sat up. I felt the more secure, as there were two companies of troops close at hand, and within hail of the hou?e. However, about midnight a considerable body of armed men surrounded the house, and walked on the veranda, the floor of which being old and rickety, made a considerable noise, the dogs began to bark, and Mr. Cummins called to me to get up, as the house was attacked; after which he called out of the window, "Turn out the guard, turn out the gu-ird!" I got up, and before I began to dress I saw a man climbing up one of the posts of the veranda opposite the window which opened into my room. I seized hold of my sword, which the ruffian saw, and down he drop- ped, the 'sight of it was enough for him, and I never slept without baring it in my room. The guards were soon upon the alert, and formed; they were heard by the scoundrels, who got frightened and re- treated. This visit was meant for me, and showed how good their information was to know the room in which I was sleeping. This band of ruffians, about fifty in number, had landed in boats from the American shore just above Navy is- land, and, being foiled in their attempt upon my life, determined they would have blood, and on their return to their boats stopped at the house of a gentleman by the name of Usher, a captain of militia, who had distinguished himself on the frontier. They knocked at his door, and, unsuspicious, he went himself to open it, when without a word they shot him dead. I remained upon duty on the frontier for about six or eight weeks after this, not feeling very comfortable; for though I had many friends around the neighborhood, people did not like to take me into their houses, particularly to sleep, fearing an- other attack would be made upon me. Therefore, having nothing to detain me, I wound up the affairs of the naval bri- gade and returned to my family ab Wood- stock. Here I was not suffered to enjoy mysalf for more than a few months, for in the lat- ter end of the year 1838 the rebels were organizing another outbreak, which came to open violence in Lower Canada, but was soon put down by Gen. Sir John Colborne. In the upper province they were more war\ and took more time to perfect their schemes; they were known to be busy in the United States, meaning to make the winter the .season for their operations. Capt Sandom, the naval officer in com- mand on the lakes, commissioned two or three sailing schooners for service on Lake Erie, and the Canadian government chart- ered two fine steamars from the Americans, to be fitted out as men-of- *^ar, and I was appointed by the admiralty to assume the command upon that lake. The steamers were brought to the Grand river, situated at the lower extremity of the lake, to be equipped and manned ; the crew consisting of lake seamen and about 200 militiamen, there being no man of- war's men available for the service, nor could I prevail upon the lieutenant-gov- ernor to let me have any regular troops to serve as marines. Having completed our e(iuipment, we started about the lat- ter end of November for Amherstburg, the western part of the province, which I intended to make my headquarters during the winter, but we had nat s.oauieu more than about thirty or forty miles before we were stopped by the ice, the lake having frozen during the previous night. We tried to steam through, it, but found the ice impenetrable, and therefore had no alternative but to return to the Grand river, where we remained nntil the spring. During the winter the rebels made a landing at Windsor, crossing the river from Detroi '), and were very ably dealt with by Col. Prince, a militia officer and magistrate in that part of the country, who proved himself a most suitable substitute for me, and did the work much better than I could have ione it, for he put an end to the whole aflfair in a few hours. Things were going on quietly with us at the Grand river, when an incident occurred to en- liven the scene by the arrival of a scound- rel from BuflFalo on a pretended mission to me. He was a most daring and impudent fellow. He crossed over from the Ameri- can side to Niagara, and made his way to Col. Estcourt, then commanding on the frontier, and asked him where I was to be found, as he had something of great im- porta.jce to communicate to me relative to an intended landing of the rebels in Can- ada. The colonel at once told him where I was and wrote a note to me, of which he made the man the bearer; and thinking communication was importance, begged him know of it to be so. The man made his way to the Grand river, where I was then, put his horse up at a small tavern, came on board the sleamer and asked to see me. The first lieucenant brought him into the cabin, when he said he had something most important to com- municate to me. I begged the lieutenant to wait, but the man intimated chat what he had tu say must not be in the hearing o fa third person. I replied that there could be no secrets between me and my first lieu tenant and that I had rather he were present. The man then said, if I had no cotiftdence in him there was an end of the ma tter, and he would go- I thought it very odd, and rather unwillingly I request- ed the lieutenant to leave the cabin. The man then presented the letter from Col. Estcourt, which lulled my suspicion and I asked him to relate what he had to say. He began talking a parcel of nonsense about the rebellion and what had passed, but no thing about what was to come. I bore with him for some time, when he the expected something of I would let should it prove said, "I am quite sure we are overheard here, and I propose we should go on shore and walk down the river, where we shall be out of hearing of everybody, and then Ml tell you what I have to say." I accord- ingly landed, and with the man walked along the bank of the river towards the lake; but still notliing revealed. We had got nearly to the rive's mouth and at least a quarter of a mile from the steamer when I curned to go back. Had we con- tinued on we munt have made a sharp turn to the right along the lake-shore, where a dense wood would most eflfectually have shut us out from the sight of the steamer. So the fellow said, "Oh, sir, I thought we were going to walk on where we could not be interrupted." "No," I said, "we will return: if you have any- thing to say you have had plenty of time to have done so, and I expect it's all hca- bug." "Oh, sir, if that's it, I see you have no confidence in me, and we'll part." I was glad to find we were getting pretty close to the vessel, for my suspicions we'-e excited, and I thought I had had a lucky escape, but in reality the man had com- mitted no act for which I could detain him, whatever I luay have thought of his inten- tions. I therefore returned on board the steamer and he to the tavern for his horse. Some of the officers had their sus- piciouvs of this man from the beginning, and went to the tavern to have a look at him, when, as he was mounting his horse, with one foot in the stirrup, they saw the handle of a great horse pistol protruding from his siHe-coat pocket Off he gallop ed, and, entering a wood, was soon out of sight. The officers wanted me to send after him and have him brought back, but this 1 declined, a» we could prove nothing against him. It was, however, well known afterwards that he was the leader of the gang that attacked ivlr. Cummin's house at Chippawa, and murdered Capt. Usher. Here was a very narrow escape; and had 1 oily continued along the lake shore in stead of turning back, the pistol or the bowie knife would have done its work, and earned for the ruffian |500 This was my second escape from assassinatiDn, and most thankful was I for it; but thare is another yet to come. In the spring of the year 1839 it was well known that there was to be another landing of rebels in Upper Canada, and upon a larger scale than hitherto; it was therefore necessary to be preparing accordingly. Lieut. -Gov. Sir George Ar- 10 thur Buinmoned me down to Toronto to have a conference with him; I therefore waited upon his excellency at the gov arnment iiouae, and was ushered into a room, where I found Sir George and Col. Booth, commanding the Forty- third regiment, then stationed at Nia gara. The governor, aftor a little prelim- ary conversation, said, "I b^ve desired to see you two gentlemen to ask you to under- take, jomtly, a piece of service of the utmost consequence to the country. I need not toll you that I am perfectly tired of the frequent landing of tho Americans in Upper Canada, and I have come to the determin- ation, should another landing take place, to retaliate and take possession of Fort Niagara, which I think can easily be accomplished, as there are but few troops there at present." But sir," I said, "had you not better communicate with Capt. Sandom ? He commands the naval force on the lakes, and I am only his second." "No," said the governor ; "I know you, bijt I do not know Capr. San- dom ;tif you will not undertake it, I shall give it up." I immediatoly said, "That shall not be, sir ; 1 will do anything you desire, and stand the consequences." Then he 8 »id, "I have already told you what is required tc be done, and leave you to carry out the details. I must tell you that what is intended is only known to my exclusive council, and had therefore better be kept strictly secret. You shall have my auth- ority to go to any expense in preparation that may be necessary, and I will inform you at the earliest moment when you will be required to aci>, which will be the moment the Americans effect another land ing in any part of Upper Canada, and the sooner the preparations are completed the bettor. I will not detain you further, but leave you to settle your own plans, hav- ing perfect confidence in you both, and feeling sure that the work will be well done." It was quito a pleasure to have to co- operate with such an officer as Col. Boo*^h; and our plans were soon arranged. He desired to have the whole regiment trans- ported across the river at one time, if pos- sible, and landed within 200 yards of Fort Niagara. This fort is situated on the left bank of the River Niagara, at the entrance from Lake Ontario, and commands the river. I immediatoly made arrangements with the Niagara dock company, a building establishment in the neighborhood, to build two roomy flat bottomed boats, with shovel noses, capable of carrying each 150 men with their arma and accountrements. This they were not long in doing, and all was soon ready, only waiting for the word of command, the intontion being to land one- half the regiment at first, and the other half would follow in a quarter of an hour. Had the order to land been given, the work would have been well done; for never in mj life did I see a finer body of men than the Forty -third were at that time. But the expectod did not take place; the rebels altered their minds, and our services were not requires. After this I returned to Lake Erie, and in the month of x\ugust was superseded from my command, the rebellion, in fact, having ended here Thus terminated my public services in the colony, and I rejoin- ed my family at Woodstock. Here I hoped to find rest and enjoyment, and that I should have been allowed to re- main at my happy home in the backwoods for the remainder of my life; but the hand of the assassins followed me even here. I had only been a few months home when a good honest English yeoman, living on the backwoods about ten miles off, rode in from his farm and asked to see me. He said, "Capt. Drew, I have come in to warn you of your danger, and to beg you will nou leave your house for two or three weeks to come, as two of my neighbors have lefc their house this morning, and have taken an oath they will not return until they have shot you." "Oh," I said, "tell me who they are and I will get up a party and go and meet them." "Oh, sir," he said, "that won't do; it might save your life, buti it would cost me mine' I cannot tell you their names, but you know you can believe me; so pray take warning, and do not go out until these men have returned, of which I will give you the earliest notice." I felt that if I was to be under the constant apprehension of being murdered, existence was not worth having; and I went on much in my usual way —not, however, remaining in the woods alone, as was my habit when the men went into dinner, but returning with them as they left work. This went on for some days, and nothing happened to cause alarm, and I was begin- ning to disregard the warnin;; that had been given m^; but when ten days had elapsed I allowed the men to go into din- ner and I remained out in the woods alone. In a short time I heard the report of a rifle, and at the sam? Ime a ball struck the stump of a tree not half a yard from where . ^ 11 I was Btanding. I made a tremendou8 halloaing, which must have frightened the Bcoundrel, who, perhape, thought I was shouting to someone in night, as he did not fire again, and I got safely into the house. Twii days afterwards my friend came in from the woods to tell me his neighbors had returned -not, however, knowing what had happened; but as nu proof could be brought, I took no notice of the matter. This was the third attempt on my life from which I felt that nothing but the in- ter position of Providence had saved me, and having a wife and a large family of small children, I felt I ought not to disre- gard the last warning, so I at once made up my mind to leave the country. At this time, in consequence of the late rebellion, property in Canada was scarcely saleable at any price. I therefore so d mine for what it would fetch. I return d to England in the spring of the year 1842, and have been a poor man ever since. It not only remains for me to mention the rewaids and honors which were be- stowed upon me for the destruction of the Caroline; they were highly compli- mentary, but nothing substantial. I re- ceived the thanks of the two houses of the provincial parliament, and a sword of one hundred guineas value was voted to me by the house of assembly. I was made com- modore dl the provincial marine of Upper Canada, an office especially created for me by an act of the legislature: but it tvas merely honorary, and with no emolument attached to it. A petition from the gov- ernor in council was forwarded to her majesty, praying that her majesty would be pleased to ronfer upon me some special mark of her royal favor for my services to the province of Upper Canada. The only pecuniary emolument 1 have ever re- ceived from the colony was the pay of a major of militia for three or four months during the operations on the frontier in common with the rest of the navy officers employed, who each received pay accord- ing to their relative rank, but which did not meet the expenses they were put to for lodging and subi-istence at the taverns where they put up. Our object was not a money rewat d, and all were fully com- pensated by the inward satisfaction of having served their country in a moment of danger. It was admitted that the emigrants of the previous seven years (of which these officers as well as myself form- ed a part) had saved the col ny in the late crisis. The only substantial reward I ever got was the promotion from commander to captain in the year 1843. when 1 had been nineteen ye&n a commander, and five years and a half after the events which have here been related. [ ^\ i If ..The Cutting Out of the Caroline.. And Other Reminiscences of i837-'38. TO THE READER" Having received several requests for r-opies of my narrative of "The Cutting out of tliG Caroline, " witli which I could not comply; and having through the kindness of my friend, Mr. (ieorge H. Mills, of Hamil- ton, President of the \Yi«(ntworth Historical Society, procured from the Hamilton Spec- tator, Admiral Drew's account of it. I have been induced to re])ublisii my own, because I could accompany it with so full and reli- able a statement from the highest authority. That it was a most perilous enterprise, from whatsoever standj)oint looked at, is made clear from the Admiral's words, and in norespcct wasit moieso, thanas an inter- national one. The Jamieson raid in South Africa revives the memory of this bold assault upon tht- territory of a friendly state; and my friend, ex-Governor Robinson, in writing recently for copy of my paper, — which I could not send him, says : "It was greatly worse than Dr. Jamieson's raid, and all of you should have been sent (as he seems to have been), to lOngland to be tried for making war on a friendly nation." This, in all probability would have follow- ed, but that the Kritish (iovernment at once assumed the responsibility of the act, and among other important results saved Alex- ander McLeod, the Deputy-SheriflF of the Niagara district, from being hanged as an alleged participator in the affair. Finding that my humble contribution may safely re-appear under the aegis of the Ad- miral's flag, I make no further excuse for its republication, justasitappeared eleven years ago. R. S. WOODS. Sius, It seems to be the thing, just now. to recall the leading events of the country by way of "Personal Recollections." The report of ex-Mayor Harmon, of Detroit, on tlie battle of VVindaor, and the interesting account in your paper of the great naval duel between the Alabama and the Kear- sage, in which one of our Chatham lioys, William (Jouin, was a hero, and the still later very interesting account by James Dougall, Esq., of the battle of Wind.sor, have led me to rec 11 some of my recollec- tions of a memorable event that took place during the reliellion of 1S.S7, and I venture to make my contril)ution to that eventful period by giving you the ))articulars of the Caroline expedition and some other incidents of the time. I was not on the western fron- tier at all during the troubles, and can, therefore, say nothing about them up here. Besides, your recent article on the necessity for a more com])rehensive Extradition treaty l)etween the States and Canada re- minds me that the destruction of the Caro- line was the occasion of that treaty ; and the en(juiry just made in the Dominion Par- liament as to the intention of the Govern- ment to recognize in some way the services of the men who were engaged in putting down the rebellion of 'o7, suggests this as an appropriate time for one's statements. THE CUTTIN(J OUT. ' This steamer was "cut out" on the night of the 29th of December, 1837, at Schlosser, on the Niagara River, in the State of New York. She had been built for salt water sailing, was copper-bottomed, and "a de- cent little craft," as her owner described her, and had been brought thro' the rivers and the Welland Canal to Buffalo, whence she set out in December, 1837, to do the piratical M'ork of William Lyon McKenzie and the patriots and rebels with him on Navy Island. The cause, character and consequences of that ex])edition are scarcely known to those of the present day — sucli histories as I have seen making scant reference to it. Most of the actors in the enterprise, (Quorum pars tui, have, I fear, passed away, or left Canada ; but I am led to think that my recollections of that event will not be without interest to many of your i laders, even at tliis late day. The primary object was to prevent the rebels, patriots,and American sympathizers, brigands or pirates, as they were called, from receiving further aid from the States. The second was to show the American (gov- ernment that, if it could not control its own people, and keep them from coming into our territory with arms, we would do it for them. It was a work of great danger, owing to the very rapid current of the Niagara river, our ignorance of the force on the steamer, and the darkness of the night, Sch'.oaser be- ing only two miles above the Falls. I re- member it being said that the breaking of an oar that night would be the loss of the boat and her crew. THE OOUP DB MAIN. If not a coup d' etat, it was a coup do main that led to serious consequences, and gave rise to some important questions. The rebel camp on Navy Island was soon broken up ; a fierce state of feeling throughout t^e States, from Maine to Louisiana, aroused. The two governments of Great Britain anil the United States were brought face to face on the question of international rip' t,8 and obligations. Then came various .cts of public violence by American subjecis, such as the attempts at invasion at Maiden, Windsor and Prescott, blowing up Brock's monument, the cutting out and burning of steamer Sir Robert Peel ; the shooting of Usher, and the threats to shoot Sir Allan McNab, and every ont engaged in the work ; the trial of McLeod for murder, at Utica, in 1841 ; the Act of Congress of the 10th of March, 18S8. "for the precise ■•purpose of more effectually restrainirjg "military enterprises from the United States "into the British Provinces, by authorizing "the use of more sure and decisive preven- "tive means ; " and the further Act of Con- gress aflfecting the rights of the Federal and State Courts, and declaring that, if such cases should arise thereafter, they should immediately be transferred to the Courts of the United States, and tho' last, not least, to the Extradition Treaty, in 1842, between Great Britain and the United States. The world of that day had not received the fiery baptism in International Law, State rights and Foreign Enlistment Acts, that it has since got through the great civil war of our neighbors, with its scintillations in the way of the Alabama, St. Albans, eto. ; but the correspondencpi between Mr. Web- ster, the Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President Harrision, and Mr. Fox, the British Minister at Washington, shows a very critical state in the diplomatic rela- tions of the two countries ; and there is no floubt that if McLeod had not been released war would have been the immediate result, and the ports of New York and Boston and other harbors would have been made famil- iar witii cutting out operations. Indeed, it was on the floor of the Senate of the United States charged against Mr. Webster, that, as Secretary of State, in writing to the (governor of the State of New York, on the subject of McLeod's trial, he had supported his arguments by saying if McLeod was not released the city of New Y'ork would be laid in ashes. I hardly need tell your readers that a cutting out process like this is a naval one, conducted with great secrecy, consisting of one or more boats, with mufHed oars, men armed with cutla- ses, pistols and boarding pikes, attacking, under cover of night, a hostile ship lying in port, and effecting her capture or destruction. This torpedo age will somewhat change the character of these visits, but while making them more de- structive, will rob them of much of their old prestige, where personal courage and cool determination were the (jualities most required in the attacking party Our party consisted of seven boat?, with nine men each, the boat being the ordinary "yawl" of the schooners and steamers then in port. I cannot do better than give the words of Sir Allan in his evidence in McLeod's trial : "A body of ntilitia was assembled at Chippewa, in the month of December, 1837, and January 1838, to the number of between 2,000 and 3,000, to re- pel an expected invasion from rebels and American brigands assembled on Navy Is- land, and on the American Shore, near Schlosser. They were ordered out by the Lieut. -Governor, Sir F. B. Head. I as- sumed command of the forces there by his directions. I remember the last time when the aroline came down previous to her de- struction. From information I had receiv- ed I had every reason to believe she came for the express purpose of assisting the re- bels on Navy Island with men, arms, am- munition, provisions, stores, etc. To as- certain that fact I sent officers with in- structions to watch the movements of the boat and report the same to me. These gentlemen told me they saw her land a 3 \ cannon, several men armed and eijuipped as soldiers, and that she had droppud her anchor under the east side of Navy Island. Upon the inforniatinn I had previously re- ceived from highly respectalile sources in Buttalo, together with the report of these gentlemen, I detei mined to destroy her that night. 1 entrusted the command of the expedition for the, purpose to Captain A. Drew, R N. I ordered the expedition, and first communicated it to Capt. Drew on the beach when the men eml)arked. A short time previous to the embarkation Capt. Drew was ordered to take and de- stroy the Caroline wherever he could find her. Seven boats were ecjuipped and left the shore but I do not know the number of men in each boat. '1 he last five words of that order, "whenever he could find her," nearly fired the continent as well as the Caroline. As indicated by Sir Allan's testimony there was great secrecy in the movement, and it was supposed the steamer would be found al Navy Island instead of the Ameri- can shore. I belonged to a company of vol- unteers which was organized in King street, Hamilton, on our way down, and christened by Sir Allan with his usual love ot a joke, "The Elegant Extracts," as it was composed of young gentlen n, chiefly from London, Woodstock, Hamilton and other places some 35 strong. CALL FOB VOLUNTEERS. Upon our company that night a call was made for as many volunteers as would go in for some work. The invitation was very generally accepted. We were furnished with a cutlass and pistol. I remember saying to the otficer who gave me the latter, "Had you not better give me another V" to which he replied, "when you have used that you'll find you don't want another." The pistol was a single barrel and flint lock. By nine o'clock we were at the beach, having no idea of our destination. An incident occurred here that I may be pardoned for mentioning. Hearing that my friend John Askin, of London, the eldest son of the late Col. Askin, and brother of our late friend. Dr. Askin of this place, and one of our company had corne down to the beach after the boats had got their comple- ments, I foolishly said 1 would give him my seat and get one in another boat, having no idea of the strict rules of the service at a time like this. After trying to get into an- other boat without success, I went to Col. McNab and Capt. Drew, who were stand- ing under the trees on Chippewa Creek and explained my position. Sir Allan's answer was thoroughly characteristic of him, for at fifteen years of age he was an en- sign and engaged in the defence of the fort at York, when it was blown up in 1813 : "Why, you d d young scamp, if you want to be shot, give my compliments to Capt. Beer, and tell him to take you in. " This was more easily said than done, how- ever, but by the aid of my friends I got in- to the boat quietly and lay on a pde of wet sand with my knees to my chin until we reached the final point of tfeparture, a mile or so up the river where the last orders were to be given to the officers in command. In due time wc i cached our rendezvous, but two of the boats failed to put in an appear- ance, although we waited for them some time near a warehouse, not far from the steamer Only five boats were present, or some 45 men in all. These were command- ed by Captains Drew, II. N , Harris, R. N., (the father of Messrs. Edward and (ieorge B. Harris, of London), Beer, R, N., McCor- mick, R. N. , and Zeaand. I can only re- call a few names of those present Hamil- ton, O'Reilly, Frederick (cleverly, John A. Eraser, A. W. Schweigner, John (iordon, and W. S. Light. My old friend, Capt. J. W. Taylor, of the Lake Shore, Raleigh, says he was one of the number, and the captain, as one of the most expert and daringseamen, would find himself at home in this night's work America's pretence. The Americans always claimed that the steamer was not hostilely engaged and not )re[)ared for a visit such as ours. So far rom this being the case, as we approached ler bow we were challenged by a sentry de- manding : '*Who goes theie?" and on our keeping quiet, he repeated the question, say- ing : "Answer or I'll fire, " and he soon did fire into us. In support of this I give an ex- tract from the evidence of Oilman Appleby of the steamer, at McLeod's trial : " There were 33 men on board, 10 of whom com- posed the crew, none of whom were armed ; the first shot was from the river side near the bow of the boat ; heard like two guns, but could not be positive, the next report was that of a gun fired on board the boat. " Then one Stewart says, "When we first saw the boats they were nearly abreast the bow of the steamer, and out in the stream. I told Capt. Kennedy that he had better call them (the people on board), up from the lower cabin. The boats were headed towards the steamer. Capt. Kennedy called them from below. A few minutes before a man 4 ]>y tliu naiiiu of Nidiola came un hoard uiid remained on deck ; he hailed then", asking wlio comes there, or something like it, that the answer was 'friends.' 'J'hey appeared then to spring on tlieir oars ; tlu; houls were four or Hve rods off. This witne-s proves the cluilhmge, hut suppresses the fact of Nichols tiring. The crews of our hoats hoarded fore and aft, and on hoth sides. Captain Stephen Mc("ormick, K. N., was hadly wounded, and 1 supjmrted him for some time hefore his removal from the steamer. He was given a pension of £100 a year for this. Strange to say, when the trial was made to set the boat on fire nothing would burn, and for some little time the material taken by Capt. Drew for the purpose known as a "carcass," vvas forgotten, but on being brought forward it soon did its work. The story of any person being on the steamer when she went over the Falls was not believed by any of us. Even Durfee was not killed on the boat, but on the land, and the evidence of the prosecution showed that the shot was from the land side. I saw no one on her when we left, and the evidence given on McLeod's trial shows that Capt. Drew and his men were anxious to let the men get ashore and sinij)!}' capture the boat, which was tied to the Jock. One lwc(!n Kuropean nations, altliougli HiBcu a«l«|)te(l hy many of tliuin, and Mr. Wtibater saya of it, " 1 undcrtftke to huv that tii« article for the extradition of of- feaderv has l>een of more vahie to tliiu coun- try, and it i« of more valiic to tlie progreas of uiTiiix tion, the caHse of liuinanity, and the gn»d underatanding between nations than can he readily computed," I ouglit to May, while thia trial settled the important international dirticultiea, it also aetthsd the inout momentuoua quescion of vvliat (^onnt i- tutes the genua "dead-head,"' ao well known at the present day. One of tiie witnesaea, wh* had been on the Caroline that day, descrihea himself as a dead head, and e\- Elaiaa to the Court tiuit he did not ])ay fare, ut turned in and gave a lift as occasion reuuired. The expansion of the criminal code since 1842 shewa the necessity of having the basis of the Extradition 'IVeaty extended 80 as to protect both the United Slates and Canada from the villaina who escape from either side and find asylums here and there. 'Bke treaty originally provided for tlie sur- reiider of seven olasses of ofTtmdera, viz., persona ckarged with murder, or assault wi til intent to comndt muider, piracy, ai - Bon, robbery, forgery, or the utterance of forged paper. No change has aiu ;e l)een naade in the critr.ps for whicli extradition caa be had under it ; but this should no longer be delayed, and I am glad to see that the disposition of both (Jovernments is greatly to extend the liyt of offences, and the mode of procedure, as has been done by statute in England aud Canada. The United States authorities, as re- marked by Cliief Justice Hagarty not long ago, have always surrendered offenders promptly and without legal quibbling, and la this we should follow their good example, and prevent our border towns from becom- iag harbors of refuge tor the criminals of either couatry. But ought we to stop with an expanded extradition treaty' ? Do the tinaee not demand something more ? VVhy sh«nld not the Governments of the day, American, European and Asiatic form one great international confraternity, with a view to the suppression and surrender, not of the ordinary oriminals only, but the ex- tj"aordiuary ones as well, found in the ranks of the dynamiters. Socialists, Anarchists, Nihilists, etc. ? The Edmunds' Bill, as introduced into the Senate of the United States within an hour after the report had reached Washington of the dynamite attempts upon the British Houae of Commons and the Tower of Lon- don, is the key note to the legialation, and all honor is due to that gentleman for the bold and noble step thus taken liy him. And it is encouraging to sec; that Senator Hayard who ao prominently idcntititMl him- aelf with tiiia measure in the Senate, iiaa been niade Secretary of State in ['resident Chiveland's cabinet. Wiiy should the United States the refuge of all tlie people of the world - who.-e portaU are thrown open to oppressed humanity rnal machines and exi)loaives that the Koaaas and Mosts choose to hurl against the innocent and helpless of the world? It is an outrage upon the liberties of a country such as the United States, and I am persuaded the moral sense of that great people will in due time |)rovide a means foi' the aupprea- sion of auch practice, and co-operate to the fullest extent with otiier governments in the extermination of these devils incarnate, and their fiend, 'i work. OPKN WINTER. And now, having done with the iniimrtant evt-nts coniietted with the i aroline, let us recall some of the lighter incidents of that day. The winter was o])en till rel)ruary, though there luul been sleighing just before Xmas, as we went from Oxford to Chippewa in sleighs. rho.se were not the days of MacAdam or plank as a lule, altliougli Yonge street was partly macadamized, and a part of the road between Hamilton and Ancaster. I've seen twelve yoke of oxen drawing a 24-pouiider on wheels, and liter- ally wading through the mud, i-ivalling (irip's celebrated cartoon on the Winnipeg streets It was ao mild that for a week at the beginning of January four or five of us were blockaded in the house of the Hon Gilbert McMicken at Queenston, owing to the depth of mud and cut up as the only road was by the military operations going on. But our worthy host was a neutral, or as our friends on the other side would say, a copperhead in those days, and we had no scruples about quartering upon his well-filled larder; although from that day to this Canada has had no more loyal subject than Mr. Mc- Micken. Our hostess was my good cousin, and lo this day I have visions of her splen- did pies and tarts so generously given us with everything else that was good By the way I see that this worthy couple have just been keeping their golden wed- ding in Winnipeg, and are both in the full enjoyment of health, and the many bless- ings with which they are favored, and I sin- ( corelv hopt! they may yet l)o (iflrinitted to Hec many happy ruturua of thia graciouH anniverHary THK "ROSE." For Home dayH too wo were on a schooner in the Niu^^'ara Kiver, the "Kose," (/apiain (irah.im, H. N., al)()ve Navy iHland, and a rough time wo iiad of it ; straw for our beds in the hohl of tiio sliip and cartouch boxes for our piUows. UmU'r a "wpring cable" wo iiaod to got opposite the Lsiand and ox- duinge HJKitH with the l)atteriesi, but nobody that I remember was iiurt on our good ship. Kilh'd Armstrongs and Henry - Mai tinis were not the go in those days. Before the evac- uation of the Island many of us, dissatisfied with wiiat was consideted too inactive a state of things on tlie frontier, left for liome, ffiid (,'ol. .McNab liad been relieved of his command, when the Island was taken poss- ession of Ity our men on the I4tli (»f January. 'I'liis closed my campdigning life, but one recalls witli a sluidder the rough experiences and exposure of the young volunteer— the f'-alher bod soldier wholly unprepared for war's rough nutios I may instance some of those. I was anumg the first volunteers in the City of Hamilton under Coi. Mac- Nab and one of the 0(1 men of (iore who went down that nigiir bv tiio s, imer "(4ore" and saved Toronto. How we were welcom- ed. ''A man of Gore" was a countersign anywhere and gave us a passe partout thiougiiout this city. That night I went on guard at tlie city hall where I found the Hon Chief Justice Robinson and The Hon. r. Justici: Macaulay, both underarms and doing eg. Now, witii our Intercolonial and Canada Pacific railways, those troops could leave England and be at Vancouver in less time than it took to get from Halifax to Quebec. Here at once we see the spinal colui.m of Imperial Federation What may wt not expect when we see the grand portage be- tween Asia and Europe covered by our ( an- adian railway 2,898 miles long,' bringing Vancouver within 12 days run from Eng- land, and enabling troops from England to reach Calcutta in nearly as possible the same time as troops from England via the Suez Canal. And if from any cause, polit cal or physical, the canal were closed, and the Cape had to be doubled, then many days shorter than by that route. And what of the splendid conmierce of the east and west? When Liverpool will find itself ten days nearer Hong Kong, and 22 days nearer Yo- kohama, than by the Suez Canal. And as compared with the American Pacific road, Yokohama will be 1,100 miles nearer Liver- pool by ours. In a I'ew months hence we shall see the representatives at Ottawa from British Columbia as near the seat of (Government as those from Toronto to (Quebec were in 1854 : and, wiihin a shorter time than I will ven- ture to predict, we shall see the col- onial representat'.ves sitting in a Federal ^ .and toij in^ Ad po\ abil the! meil of if devi 9 3 1 Council in London, and in closer communi- cation with their homes than Scotland's representatives were 40 yaars ago. Here is the progress of events, here the developemeat of the federation germ. THE MORAL. But my recollections would be of little value did I not draw the moral — present the ])ractical thought — that thought is this— Hold to Canada as an intkgral part of THE Empire. Be strong in loyal attach- ment to the Crown, and determined to do what in you lies to perfect the bond between the mother country and the colonies. The dethronement of England, with all her pre- sent troubles, has not yet taken place. Be- hind the throne is a greater than Pitt, or Disraeli or Gladstone. Slie has her destiny yet to fulfill. Towards this every Canadian, young or old, may contribute. History repeats itself continually. In looking back at the leading events in our history I am amazed to see ho*v small events and almost individual efforts have worked great results. Owing to Sir Francis Head having sent all the regular troops to Lower Canada, Upper Canada in 1837 was nearly lost to Bi'itain. The timely arrival at To- ronto that night of Col. McNab in the steamer "Gore," with his 56 men, gave fresh courage to the loyal party, alarmed the rebels and saved the city for the niglit and until reinforcements could come from other ([uarters ; then the destruction of the Caroline and Col. Prince's summary punish- ment of the invaders saved Canada at that critical period. Then look back at the war of 1812-15. Upon how slight a thread did British su- prema'y then seem to hang when exposed to a hostile frontier of 2,0u0 miles, and a people whose bitterness to us was that of our own cousins. See what the prompt acfciim of a tJrock could do in the expulsion of I lie enemy from the western peninsula and the capture of Detroit And so atQueens- ton Heights, Chauteauguay, etc. Look- ing further back, but for the combination of American and French forces at Yorktown in 1781 ours might yet be the 13 I'^.nglish colonies and all the splendour of their devel- opement into the great nation they are now; and looking still further back to the con- quest of Quebec by Wolfe in Sept., 1759, we see the fall of the French on this conti- nent ; and but for that victory thai day there might have been no United States of America, for the 13 colonies with British power on this continent would in all prob- ability have been forever driven back into the sea. Motives are great forces. Let the young men and young maidens — the future mothers of loyalists— learn the precious lesson of devotion to our country. Learn to be true — True as the dial to the sun. Althouijh h be not shone upon! PATRIOTISM. Let no prospect of social or pecuniary ad- vantages seduce them from their native land. It is large enough and rich enough for all, and is a land more favored with po- litical, educational, commercial, social and christian influences than any other section of the world in proportion to its poptdatioii. Why is it that every American youth is radiant with patriotism ? Beciuse as a native born he may become the President of the great Republic, and the more humble his birth and life the better his prospects. Here is a motive power, and what is the re- sult? A nation of ardent, intelligent patriots, ready for any sacrifice for the good of their country, and God knows that no nation in the history of the world has ever made so gieat a sacrifice for truth and liber- ty as this. And they are prepared to make further sacrifices for their liberties as a christian people. The old puritan fires are yet there and they will flash up yet in de- fence of trutli and right. Where ie the political prophet who can foretell the effect of that Bible incident at the inauguration of Mr. Cleveland, when he was sworn into the high dignity of Presi- dent of sixty millions of freemen upon the Bible which his good mother gave him when he left home ? What a harvest of Bibles will yet be put into the sacks of the youth of America. What an influence for good will that good Christian mother have wrought throughout the world in that gift ! that more Bibles were given by the moth- ers of America and Canada to their sons as they leave home ! Then would there be more patriots —more Clevelands Garfields — Washingtons Havelocks— Gordons and Gladstones ! But as the young American looks forward to the Presidency let the young men of Ca- nada look forward to being the worthy suc- cessors of Sir John A. Maiidonald and other distinguished colonists— Sir John being now pronounced by Blackwood's Magazine the foremost colonial statesman, and who, as a member of the Privy Council of Eng- gland, may yet come to enjoy this distinc- tion among Imperial statesmen. Let the young Canadian feel that he has a future before him that would make him the Pre- mier of England, with her empire of 300,- 00(',000 of subjects; and may he feel that every energy of his life shall be given to her unity and supremacy, and his last prayer be England forever. 'Tis a glorious charter, deny it who can, * That is breathed in the words I'm an Englishman.' Yours truly, R. S. Woods.