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This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est U\m6 au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X J 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library of the Public Archives of Canada L'exemplaire filmi fut reproduit grAce A la g6n6rosit6 de: La bibliothdque des Archives publiques du Canada 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. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de In condition et de la nettetd de l'exemplaire filme, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a priirced or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. Ail other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimis son^t film6s en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui compo ':i^^f^^" A ^•^ .w*r M ^^^R!^ TOTICE, / Th E Admipistrations of Sir James TTenriS^ Crag, and Sir George Prevost, comprei* hend tlie most interesting period in the Annalg of this Province. The following memoirs con- tain the principal events which characterise that period, and although they may not be found so circumstantial as might be desired, it is hoped they will not be unacceptable to the Public, to whose ini ul^^nce ti*e Author most respecUuljy submits them. .'M fi% /' ^aiA^'J"- aa^tJ^h ' -Wi w - ■4.,^ ' contenH . CHAPTER 1. / Arrival of Sir James Hepry Crai)?. Mfefing of the Provincial Pdrlhr*- ment.Disciiiuionsii) the Assembly relating to the Election of Judee-r.nd Jewp. — Proiopation.— Elections and meeting of the New ProviiiriAl Parlia-f ment. Further discussions on the Election of Jiidecsand^ewb. The Assembly is dissolved. Elections. Meeting of the New Parliamrnt, Oiler of the A»- ■e^nbly to pay the Civil List, The appointment of an Agent in England coa« •idered. Measures respecliitf a Jud^e. Second dissolution, ' CHAPTER H. ' Measures of the Administration and Imprisonment of several persons. The Governor's ProcUimation. Proceedings in the Crtiirt of King's Bench atQue- Siec. The Judge (De Bonne) declineslii- Election. Prisoners at Montreal re-»- eased. Meeting of the New Provincial Parliament. The Governor's Speech, An<-wer of the Assembly. The fiovernor'-: reply. Bill rendering Judges ine- Irgihle to a seat in iiie Assemblv. Prorogation of Parliameut, The Gqver« Aor's Departure for Engird. . His Character, CHAPTER HI. >".; An-ival of Sir fUorjf Prevost. Major General Brock assumes the (loTema ment of Upper-Canada. The fiovernor mattes the tour of the Upper-District, Meeting or the Provincial Parliament. Proreedingsof the Assemblv. Pro.i rotation. Heniy's Mission. Militia Embodied. Declaration of War by A me- rica. Covernor'assembles the Legislature. Army Bill Act. R■o^at liici'-ne. Capture of^Michillimackinuc. Invasion of Upper-Canada. Retreat of the "" ■ - - - Capture of Detroit. Armistice. Ha rejectioa Enemy. Batileof Maguago. ky the Ajjfcrican Govern^ieat. CHAPTER TV. ■i#»;^ F Various occmrences. Battle of Queen?town. Death of General Brock. IH» Character. General Sheafle assiinio, the romniaiid in Upper-Canada. At- tack at St. Regis. Advance of the American army under fieneral Dearborn. Incursion 9f the enemy at La Cv!e, GtMierul Smyth's attempt to invade Up- per Canada. Meeiing of the Provincial Parliament, Proceedings oftheAjio •embly. Prorogation, ' CHAPTER V. Battle of Frenchtown, and defeat of the Americans under Genfvtl Win- chester, The Governor visits Upper Canada. Attack ujion Ogdenshnrgh, Capture of York by the enemy. Attack and reduction of l-'or; George by thiB Americans. Exyrditioo against "acket's Harbour. EH:le at F:♦■'.'■ '■ CHAPTER Vir. 1iteet\nf;of the Provincial Wrliamcnt. ParliamfpfaryProceeiUn^R, Chief Justices Impeached. Proceedings of the Hritish and American Governrnerts • concerning Jlostaees for certain Traitors taken by the Kritlsh at the Hatde of Queenstown, Indian Embassy to Quebec. Attack of (tie Americans unJCr fiencral Wilkinson upon the La Cole Mill. CHAPTER VIII. • Occurrences during the winter 1813,-14. A ttnck upon Oswego. Invasion of Upper-Canada by the American forces under Genera! Brown. Capture of Port jErie — Battle of Chippawa— Battle of l.undy's I.mic. Assault upon Fort £rie— Capture of Prairie du Chien — Expedition against Michillimackinac by the A-mericans — Operations by Sir John V. Sherbrooke — Expedition to I*lattsburgh — Sortie from Fort Erie. Eyacuation of Fort Erie by ihe Ameri- can Forces. Miscellaneous occurrences— Meeting of thi! Provincial Parlia- 0ient— Recall of Sir George Prevost. His departure from Quebec. • , POSTSCRIPT. ' "'"'•^ Proccedinfi relative to Sir George Prevost, after his return to England, , APPENDIX. ' . • • [ .( -./ i; ERRATA. Page 55, line 14, (and elsewhere) for Ransalaer fead Rensselaer. . ', ^ Page 65 line 28 for Pvke read Pike. jinr' Th( * iu page 1^0, should have been after the word St, David's i« tl^e tbinl line of page iJl. ,■ ' . >^.;rt'- ■:•. •;.l ' .ij ,„ sjj. l~,-r I,*' ,..• !' ■""; V,' -ii ' « yA ' ' '' ' '" ' ' ' ,■' ,) ' ,-' ■ -^ • \ I - .L.'.vu h-t./^ ,T7 '^:,: 1 ff :t *■• ■^■u. lilKal opinions. His sentiments in the minds ot' tlioi.o who were, or rather, who conceived tlicmselves lessmdally in|iirenhii//n^ i\ay, even of the Goveriuiunt itself. A lew iiulividuals indi«^nant at tiie aihont, incurred the expenco of IjMocuniig a press, with a view ol'counleiacting the iidhience wiiich the labours of the f^^ditor might produce, to tiie po- liiiciJ detriment of the Province. I'lom lliis l*ress a week- |lv ?);iner called /yf Canadiin issued in the frenth lanmiiiiie, wnich soon actpiired popularity with the denominatioii of I an opposition pa j)er. A newspaj.er strife tiir from harrno- j nisi iig parlies, by reciprocally eiupiiriiig into the caurcs of their nusunder? landing, iniiamed the growing evil, and the [odious sense a])plied to the terms ( iit.ndicn and Ahli-Cana- \ (lit >?y ^ '/!<)!/■( fi iiv.d ])< liiacidf, disthulive of }>«rtics, gave uneasiness lo all v»'ho earnestly cultivated a good inuUi- |8tandiiig with their fi^Uowcili/A-.is. IVoiu tl.e i;oveland hardy fsi'irit. of tliH ;,u!)'i(;iti<)n, many v, ho were conneclfjd wiUi khe adiuinistuuiun ol' the Colouiai Covenuuent. or deiieu- I]y ■ ■ ' itant ClIAP. [. 1809. 1 ^'" ■ '- -■- 1809. W •' Administration of ^ (lant \!port it, nfibctod to suspect a conspiracy on foot, Rrd th)t flccrot tniulfl M'cre (Mrnisned fi'oiu abroad for the pur- pose of alienating the minds of the |RHn)le frort their alle- giance, and to revolutionize the Provnice. Some ancient and respectable citizens known to have contributed towards tlie purchase of the press, were dismissed from their rank in tne sedentary mditia; among them Mr. Panel, the >?peaker of the Hmise of Assembly, a gentleman of the most unimpeachable integrity. This measure although of little im|)ortance in itself, treated from its harshness, an in- terest in the public, which strengthened the party already formed in opposition to the measures of the adminisimtion. In Juno, the elections for the ensuing Parliament took place, and were conducted in most counties with unani- mity. The late Speaker presented himself for the Up- per Town of Quebec, but the resident Military, and de- pendants on the several Militaiy Departments in Quebec, en- titled to vote, influenced by the example of their chiefs, turned the scale against him. Hewasliowever elected in tUe u^ean time for another County. Material improvements to the fortifications of Quebec were commenced this summer ; and the foundations of four towers extending across the commanding ground in front of I the w_alls, westof the city were laid. The extraordinary state [ of atfaira in Europe, combined with the American Embar- go, turned an unusual tide of commerce into the Canadas, and their resources and utility to the mother country were exemplified, far beyoryi the expectations of the most san- guine and intelligent speculator. On the 10th of April the House of Assembly met pur- suant to the Governor's Proclamation, and the people were I on the tiptoe of anxiety, a report having gone abroad! that His Excellency would not copcur with the House,! should their choice be in favor of the Speaker of the late| House of Assembly, whom he had some time before dis- missed from the Militia. This gentleman was however aU most unanimously chosen Speaker^ and the Goyernor ap- proved of his election. In his speech at the opening of Parliament, the Gover«i nor descanted upon the uutavorable posture of al lairs withl Amei'icf^ ; the revolution in Spain ; aiid the generous assis- tance! Sir James Henry C>aio, t, the Gover* i( toncfi iifToriloil that country by Great Britain ; the emigra- tion 111' the Hoytii fr'amily of Portugal totlie lu-w world; the ▼iciory of the British at Viiniera, by wlucli Portugal had been riscued tiom the French ; and concluded by caution- ing the miMubeitt of the legislature against jealousies among tli<.Muselvi>8, or of the government, which could have no otbor object in view than the general vveltiue. " i regret genllemen" said he " that I have b/een compelled by cir- *' ciuui^tunyes, to call you togetlier at a season of the ycair " which I an) well aware, unist be highly inconvenient to many of you : tliittconsidemtion dwelt so strongly upon my mind ' " that nut seoing any particular objivi -A' public service ♦' tlii^t indispensibly required your innnodiate attention, X f' had it in contempWtion to deter your meeting till a period *' of less prejudicial consequence to your private accommo- ♦' dation, but, on referring to the Act of the British Pailia* *' ment on which the Constitution of this Province is Ibuud- *' ed, I felt rieason of hesitation, at least as to the giuunds *' on which I suppossed myself able to do^o ; I have ll>er< fore *' been inducetl to rely on your cheerful accpiiescence iit " the inconvenience under which you may labour, rather ^' than give rise to a possible doubt as to my intentipn « ./ J 4 ■}^ MM '^DMINrtTRATION OF D > CrtAP. the competence of their delegate, and that his expulsion nnv I. tier i^ay tbriii, uouid amount to a gross violation of the ll^V^^ inost sacred ngltta ol' t|tie people, and oe an act of arbitia) j |6Ui^. power mcouipatible with the iieedom of the Constitrtion. I'nts ellort having tailed, a cominitiee was appointed to enquire into, and report to the House, the inconvenience ye^ulting from the eieciion of Judges to sit in the House of AsbeniDly, and in the mean time, a distpmlit\ lus? bill; Ivas introduced and read tor the hrst time. Tiie '"iquiiy %as earned un with perseverance, and proved rather to lUe Aisauvaiiiage of the individual concenied, for wliu-h rea-oit Ive .urain irjui any relleclions on the "iubject. Tiie exchi- tfioii ol tue Jew was more closely prosecuted. Tlie House ieucvveu tlie resolution which had been taken agamst i.ia auiiuLiauce to sit and vote in the last session ol' the pre- ceding i^arliament, and a iJiii to disqualify .lews from beiu^ eiigiuic to a seat in tue House of Assembly was introdu'. e\l, Awu auderwcnt two readings. The lapse of five week-^ in the prosecution of these measures exhausted the patieuce of f he Governor, whoae military education and habits , niay tm- this occasion have iniiuencedhis better jud^rtv t. The Ifpiriietl perseverance of a deliberative body ir^ a i^avonte futrtsure, appeared to tiiinlike me retract(iry spirit of a body 6i Boiuiers, which he seemed determined to crush. On the loth of May, he went down in state from the Castle to the lfby the Governoi*, who in his speech to the legislature ad« verted to the unfkvorable disposition of America towards Ireat- Britain. He complimented them on the capture of the Island of Martinique, and the battle of Tala vera, which had torn from the French that characterof invincibility they imagined themselves to have possessed in the opinion of the iworld. He recommended a renewal of such acts as might enable the executive government more effectually to dis- :harge its duty, in guarding against dangers which could scarcely be remedied by the common course of law. He called their attention to the practice of forging foreiga )ank bills, which, fioni the want of a remedy in the pre- jsent code of penal laws, had of late, grown to a vei-y dan* jgerous extent, to the prejudice of t,he neighbouring Siaiee )f America ; as well as to our own subjects. With resj^ect [to the question which had led to the dissolution of the pre- ceding Assembly, he observed, " that during tlie two [•' last Sessions, the question of the expediency of the exclu- " sion of His Majesty's Judges of the Court of King's I*' Bench, from a seat in the House of Representatives had " been much agitated ; that this question rested on the de- *' sire of precluding the possibility of the existence of a biaa € « oa Amone the arbitrary measures which characttrise tbo times, the disniia» leal ot tht Solicitor f^ieneial, JiintPS Siuurt, I'.iiqiiirr, from his (>liic<>, unb.- loin any other ostensible reason than hi' indepeiuli iit rondiiot o.'t a MeinOet [of the llou.ii of Assembly ih not tie least rcina'Lahle. He ^vastuccccit- Y^ "> Stejihea bevrell iiequire, an Advocate at Mootrcal. i8ia Chap. I. ibio. 14 ADMINlSTIlATiaN OP C( on the minds of persons exercising functionft in thote *' Courts, from their tjeing under the necessity of sohciting " the votes of individuals, on whose persons or })roperty, *' they might afterwards have to decide. Whatever (said " he) might be my own opinion on the subject, 1 never- ** theless hold the right of choice in the people, and that of being chosen by them in too high estimation to have taken upon myself, had the miestion ever come before me, the responsibility of giving His Majesty's as9lation of the a breach of cannot for- '" beatr *1)ear objecting; and a dangerous attack upon the rights ** and liberties of His Majesty's subjects in this province." Tliis resolution was aimed at the conclusion of the Gover- nor's sjieech at the late dissolution. The discussion of the civil list was taken up by the House, and it was maintained that the provmce was now capable of relieving the mother country of this burthen, which the majority pliausibly urged, would inevitably, at no very remote period devolve upon the province wuh accumulated weight. To anticipate the charge would therefore prove a saving to the provmce. The minoi'ity affect- ed to (hscovei- a deep design in the measure, and opposed it Vith some warmth. The idea of levying additional reven- ues to the amount of fifty thousand pounds (as it was report* ed with a view of marruig the measure) startled the counti-y Eeople, who, on the other hand, were instructed that the ftmse of Assembly htt>ing the provincial revenues at theii^ disposition, would, in the event, retrench a number of pen- sions, and by that means considerably diminish the public expeuce. A resolution was passed by the House, that the pro- vim e was able to ftu})ply funds foi the payment of the civil h I , aul loyal addresses were drawn up to the King, Lord* an i t'ommons of Great Britain. In these, the House expies- 8' ;i a sense of the many favours the colony had experienced fioiiiih? beneficence of the mother country, and of the loyalty ar.-i jnosjitrity of the province, by which it was enabled to take "ipon itself the charge of the civil expenditure of the government ; a step to \vlui;h they had been particularly in- fiueroed by reason of the long and expensive war, wherein Great- Britain had been, and still was engaged for the com- mon protection of every brunch of her extensive empire. The House of Assembly presented these addresses to the Govcnior, requesting he would be pleased to lay them be- fore his Majesty's miniriters for the piu'j^iDse of submitting them to tiie King, Lords and Commons of Great-Britain. • In answer to their request the Governor observed, that t'.K, addresses wei'e somewhat novel, and required reflec- tion. That the constitutional usage of Parliament recognis- ed by the wisdom of the House of Commons, of the Unit- ed fvingdom, lurbad all steps on the part of the people to- wards grants of money vvliich were not recommended by the t;rov ri, an.t a'lhoiigh b> the same ()Rrhnnu;itary usaje all grunts do onguiate m i e ' iower House ; yet, that they ' C 2 were I. 1810. •l Ik y -■^rv.. ■■ m ■'■^i Administration op -^ xm. m 'I h,< Chap, were Ineflectual without the concurrence of the UppevHou86» 1. that no precedent existed to his knowledge of aa .esses to the House of Lords, or House of Commons, separately by a single branch of a colonial legislature : that for these rea- sons, he conceived the addresses to be unprecedented, im- perfect in form, and founded upon a resolution of the House pf Assembly, which, until sanctioned by the con- currei)ce of the Legislative Council, must be ineftectual ; except as a spontaneous offer on the part of the Commons of Canada. That he regretted he could not take upon himself to transmit these addresses to his Majesty's ministers, impressed as he was with a sense pf his duty, and added that the minis- ters were not the regular organ of communication with the House of Commons, unless by his Majesty's command. He concluded however, by informing them that on the present oc- occasion, he thought it right to transmit to the King this testi- mony of the good disposition, gratitude and generous intenti- ons of his subjects in the province of Lower Canada. He said he thought it right also, that his Majesty by tl^eir own act, should pe formally apprised of the ability, and of the vo- luntary pledge and promise, which the people of this pro- yince by this address, had given to his Majesty, to pay the •ipivil expenditure pf the province when required so to do. For these reasons he engaged to transmit their address ta the King. He observed that their zeal for the welfare of iiis Majesty's government, deserved from him evei-y mark ^f acknowledgment, and he regretted that any circumstan- ces should have compelled him to express himself on the subject in a way that might carry with it, an appearance, fiowever little intended, of opposmg any check to the mani'i testation of the sentiments under which he was persua4- ed they had been actuated. f r Tbe appointment of a colonial agent in England, had been contemplated by the late House of Assembly, and the subject was again taken into consideration in the pre- sent session, but without effect. The advantages propos- ed by this measure, were, a regular and direct intercourse between the House pf Assembly and the Conmions of Great Britain, and a check up jn the executive of the co- lony. A bjU to this intent was fmmed, but did not arrive at njaturity, The e^^pedience of providing in futur*^ for the paymeui pf the members of the House of Assembly dur- ing thpff attepda;>ce a|. the ^essioji^ vyas »Isq discussed, but 9 '.{ Sir James Henry Cra.g. ift icussed, but this measure, which with certain modifications might have ChaK been judicious, was however, successfully opposed. •• ^ -• l. In the mean time a b*'^ for rendering Judges ineligible iHHi^ to seats in the House of Assembly was drawn up, and having passed below, was transmitted to the Upper House. Here the bill was amended by the introduction of a clause |K)stponing the period at which it should take effect, until the expiration of the present Parliament, the Judge whom we have already had occasion to mention, having been re- twmcdas amember at the late elections. The House in- dignant at the amendment, and resolved at all hazards to expel the Judge before the amendment was disposeel of, passed a resolution '• That P. A. De Bonne, being one of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench, could not sit nor vote in that House," and declared his scat vacant. This measure brought things to a crisis and placed the (io- vernor in a dilemma. To acquiesce with the House in tliis instance, would have been a relinquishment of the priuci- {»les which the Governor had hitlierto maintained and pub- ■ ished at the opening of the session, at once inconsistent with himself and with the dignity of his post. On th& other hand, a second dissolution of the House, he wag sensible, must be attended with much public inconvenience end engender discontent. He however determined on tlie latter, and (on the Sfith of February) went down to the Council chamber with the u.>ual solemnities, and sent si message to the House of Assembly requiring their inune- diate attendance at the bar. The Members with the Speak- second dW er, in obedience to the message, proceeded to the Council RoliitioiM4 ttje chamber, where he informed tliem, that he had come down l*""'*'^*-''V for the purpose of proroguing the Parliament, and that upon a mature consideration of the circumstances which had taken place, he had determined again to rcter to tho gense of thV'\'»'rNv '■ .'. . • s,i-i-" —:-~."->.Ai^>.-i;t^>:- mm I. At 10. \w. K-. t^ "*:' ArM»OTSTRATf»!r op " leffislatui'e, to pass a vote, ihat a Judge of If li IWajed* " f V Court of King's Bench cannot sit nor vote in tlieit " House. ■,^>.^.. " However I might set aside the personal feelings which ^' wouid not be unnatural in me, as to the mode in which *' this transaction has been conducted towards niysell^ " there is another and intiniiely higher consideration a- ** rises out o" 't, which I must not overlook. ti €( brtion oi'»ii» Majesty's subjects, and rendered ineligible by an aiaho- rity which they do not possess, another not inconsiUer* " able class of the community. ' < v • .<;.«. vr.j,. ■ *' Such an assumption I should at any rate feel myself " bound by every tie of duty to o[)pose ; but in consei" *' qiience of the expulsion of the member for the county *' ol'Quebec, a vacancy in the represeniaiioii of that county *' has been tleclared, and it would be necebsary that a ncn *' wi it should issue for the election of another member: *' that writ ^vould be, to besigned by me. Gentlemen (saiil he, *' with w}innth and emphasis) I cannot, dart; not render *' mysell'a partsik».-r in the violation of an act of the I ni« *' peiial Parliament, and I know no other way by which I can avoid becoming so, but that which 1 am pursuing.** (( *' When we met I felt much satisfaction in the conpcious- *' ness of having taken such steps as I thought most likrly to *' facilitate, indeed I thought would do away every ))OS:'ible *' objection to a measure that seemed to be wished tor, and *' that in itself met my entire concurrence : but the only *' objection that can I think exi?t in the mind of any rea- sonable man to the elii^ibiliiy of the Judges, arises fh)nl t'le possible effect that may be produced by the necessity il [Hits them inider, of soliciting the votes of the elec- tors. No well grouuiled objection can be oilered to lit' il- «itt nv, in the ilo>i,.< when li.ey aro elected. Ori the contrary, their talents and su|)erioricnowledg<^';ivst <( €i il i( C( ti f « rw JBib. Jambs Henry Craig. 19 ^ render tl»em highly useful, and were it not for other con- ^ siJeiations highly desirable meml)er9. [ cannot but cx- " ceedinn^ly lament, tliat a measure which I consider as bc- *' neficiui to the country sliould not have taken ctlect. *' The people however in the disap^iointinent of their ex- pectations will do me the justice to acquit lue of beiufif the cause of it, as they must equally acquit me of being the cause tliat so little Qf the public bu&inesa 1ms bevi^ done." ^ , , . <( ti On his entrance and departure from the Council cham» ber, the Governor was cheered by the }K>pulace, fri^uJly to his measures, with loud anu repeated acclamations, ■while the crest-fallen members and their fiiends retired with silent indignation. The Governor's military proiap.. titude, which they consideretl m civil affairs as verging upon despocism, again overreached their expectations anil tlie Canadian public (a very great majority of the population) universally expressed their resolution of re-electing the late members, with injunctions to persevere in the same mea- sures. So strongly were they preposessed of the opinion, that the Governor, inHuenced by his favorite, only wished to screen him from the ignominy of an expulsion. Upon a cool survey of the questions that led to the mis- understanding between the Governor and the f louse ol' As- sembly, we may at this late period be indulged in the as- sertion, that the situation df the Governor was critical and trying in the extreme ; and it is difflcult to conceive, liow he could otherwise have consistently extricated hiuis^elf from the embarrassing dilemma, into wliich he had beeu urged. After the dissolution, studied addresses prepared by a- gents of th? administration, flowed in upon the Governor trom all quarters. The city and county of Quebec, the city of Montreal, the town of Three-Rivers, and the Bo- rough of William Henry, and the counties of Warwick and Orleans, were conspicuous on the occasion. The late members assisted bv their friends, in the mean time, ex- erted themselves diligently to secure their elections. Songs adapted to the vulgar taste, and calculated to rouse the public spirit were composed and ciiculaicxl, the Catin- dien teemed with haiangr.es, addresses and observations yn the occuiTeoces of the day, and the measures of tne ixe- .t;,., ■■'^ «utive; .,■•-: f -.■\ V; ^ !20 ^P" Administration oi^ Cii AP. eutive ; ♦ wliilc on'the other hand, the discovery of cabals an3 I. plans of insurrection and rebellion, were mysteriously whia- Hi^V^h/ pered anumg the minions of the administration. At one mo» .ittlO. ment it was rumoured that the french minister in Americd, had supplied large sums in gold, to promote the views of the seditious in Canada ; at another, that the whole of his cor- respondence had been intercepted by some confidential a- gents of our government, 'fnese reports, though utterly groundless, and held in contempt by the adverse party as the fabrications of intriguing sycophants, were never- iheless, evidently intended to prepare thci public mind for Aome eventful cnsis. * Of the many anooymons produciions published at the period, one ad' ^resbert to the public in a flying sheet of the Canadien signed VAmi Sin" cere, excited much attention, and created uneaeinet^s in the mind of the Go« vernor, who it se«ing made up hi» mind, from the moment of its appear^ «oce to seise Uie Canadien i'rei9.'>*~See Appendix Letter A. hx • :■). '.■■ ,■ 'I •' ! I r'- 'f:. ';■ r ■■•..' . '-,,,', '..,/;.. ■-.» T*' . f. • , , , . i . •> . -.;_ . y ■ .V» r,'.;;.!-! ,;.(i ■ / "i . li. ' • ' • ' ' ' . • - * » ■ ■ ':*? .r: v./J 'y 1 » - ■ > «■ , ,if \ , i.'' •, .(', "; ,, . -'.I': ■!> '^S^',-:- ■. . ' • * ■ . ■ <-i ;;. ' ..► ■• .• ^ •*>M-i* ..•i.:.-if: : ' , 1 ' t. ''•,-' .'^ '';--:^i ■ * '■■,'-! ■• , r.y--. " •. ■> . ,^'.i -i..i(';. I.' II CHAP. ./<« ' of cabals an3 eriously whis- 1. At one mo- 3r in America, le views of the ale of his cor- ontidential a« lough utterly revse party as were never* blic mind for ! period, one nd" igned VAmi Sm- mind of the Go* It of its appear-^ A. .1 . •• r,;«:«-/^.. i) ' » .' 'iitl:Jt\.. \ h- <{..(,A^»«^<«.,j!:. Sir James Henry Cuaig. SI '-7 CHAP. CirAPYEii It WE approacli a perio expected. The Montreal courier was detained beyond the usual time, with a view, as it was pretended, of prevent- ing any report of the measures resorted to, until the ex- pected discoveries were made. Three successive days were occupied by the magistrates and crown' officers in examin- ing the old papers seized at the Cn)mdk'n VnnUn^-Oi'* fice. On the lOth of March, three Canadian gentlomen of distinction * were apprehended by a warrant, signed by three Members of the Executive Council and cast intii prison. Three others in the district of Montreal t shared * Messieurs Rei'ard, Blanc'net and Taichercau, mnnbrrs of the late House- of Asst-mbl y. * . , , + Mpssieui>L;4t«iTe, (Notary Public,) Papincjmof Chambly, and CorboH .^^ ^jy|^fr--L Sir James ITenry Craio. 9$ fhewfl the Jetcrrnination with which ho intended to per- Cmaf. Hfv.K' V 'ih UK'aHurt'H. as thcv were evidently tht- resuU of a U. Co')>ii:n'iitiauH convi«:tion on his nund of their expedience "^^^"^m^ ai '.'i».- » tisis. IVfosHonijerM were dinpatthed in all throctiont* ^ttiU* thinijilioul ihi" Province to distributi* copies of tl»e pio- cliiiiiiiiun ; iiud ilic sound of insurrection and rebellion in' C'u'uuiit. went abi'.tiil, and was eclioeil ronnd the world, ai a period, which does not even atlbrd the solitary in* 8iaiu;e of a trial, nnich less a conviction, of a single indi* viiltinl in the colony, for treason orsedition. The Clergy wi re «uiiiii\(>ned to support the administration on the present t)C- casion, and the proclamation, in obedience to the wish ot tiie executive, was publirtlied in some instances, in the church, during divine sei-vice, in others at the church &> n niter its conclusion. It was coniidently expected by tiH- |>ubiic, that his Lordship the Catholic Bishop of Que- hrr would on CSunday) the day succeeding the issue of ti.<' f-ii)clamation, give a discourse suitable to the occa&ion. Aw wij^or '11 iltittide pressed into the Cathedral, but they w • '■ di-poinied. The zealots took umbrage at the seem- ing Midi Terence of the worthy Prelate. The Calliedial was or the Suiitlay li)llowing again crowded: the proclamation wii.s lead, and his Lordship delivered to some thousands of fpi ciators an able and impressive discourse, stated to the co'ijtlexion of the times : Me adverted with becoming spiiii. to tli« hasty zeal, which had induced some to con- demn the supineness of the Clergy, who, he observed, were noi less loyal, zealous and instructed in their duty towards then" Sovereign, than at the period of the revolution ot' llie nei^libourintf colonies, when the lideliiy of the Canadian Catholic Clergy had been jrrefragably esiabiisued. He ex- pounded with clearness and precision, the duties of a subject arid a christian, in the salutary submission to the laws, and to the constituted authorities of the land. From the state of the public mind at this juncture, the difliculty of reconciling parties, heated by a series of elections into that political aniinoijity iucideutal to lice governments, is easily conceived. .F.ni*;: J, i..': . f / V c ' The Chief Justice at the opening of the Criminal Pes- sions in March, in delivering his charge to the Grand Jury, called their attention to the tendency ollhe occurrences, that hail given room to the proclamation, \vhit;h he read on the Oct:.Kiou. The (iraud Jury in answer to his speeclii drew up an address to the Court, in which they annnadviud ,, D 2 6tion » .,. i i»i i^ i i '' ,;"? .,. ' , "' t' " M.. r Sir James Henrf Craiq. m iblOv the stem Viceroy himselP has been heard to express an Chaf* involuntary esteem for the consistcnc]! of his conduet. 11. ., Tlie period at which we are arrived has been sarcastical- ly teruied the reign of terror. The peremptory measui-eS of the Governor struck the opfiositton with dismay ; but though he liad suppressed, yet he had not effectiiillf subdued the spirit of tne people. The elections for the new Parliament took place in April, and the late mem- bers again prevailed, almost ttniversaUy thi^oughouc tht province. ,. t The Judge upon whose account tbe present difiicuU ties had originated, under thp prcspoct pf be:.^ called t# the Legislative Council, did not present himself as u can- didate m the county he had receut'y repre«ented. He how- ever w(is not afterward^ called to the Legislative Couucil as he expected ; and we are left to conjecture, whether lie declined his re-election through a &U^,cious promise fioiii the administrntion^ to that purpose, in qrder to indue© him tp retire, and by that means put an end to all strife with the Assembly qn his account, pr whether disgusted, with the intrigues and animosity qf the times, he consulted bis tranquillity by a vqluntai^ retirement. A pause ensued, in which all parties seemed dosirous of repose fi*om the fruitless contest in whicl^ they h?id been engaged. The prisonere confined ^t Montreal, where tlu^ had suffered all the inconvenienciet) and discomforts of a damp and unhealthy prison, and tjie severity pf j^ surly jani- tor, were successively released. One of them* is said to have died of illness C(mtractG4 during his imprisonment. The Governor in the: mean time turnet} his attention to the im^- provement of tli-? interior of thp province, as well as to the cities of Quebec and Montreal ; to which he appoint- ed chairmen to preside in the Courts of quarter sessions, , with annual stipends. He c^,used a road to be opei;«;4 from St. Giles, m the vicinity of Quebec, to the township of Shipton, near the provihcial boundary linp ; a distance of upwards of sixty miles, by a detachment of troops, which alibrded a^liort and easy communication for the in- dustrious ijettlers in lUe new townships, with the Qutuwc market. The new Parliament ract at Quebec oh the 12th of T>(»- cciuber- • 3Ir, Corbt'U. ' • ' ^ '^ •i i- -.^r^J'^ w ,C! Administration pPnic^ ? « ! ; t Chap, pejnber I8I0, and the House of Assembly having re-ef il. lected their former Speaker, the Qoveinor after again ap ^i^v^^ proving of their choice, informed theru by his speech, liSlOf " that as he had never doubted tl»e loyalty and zeal of t lie <'. several Parliaments which he had occasion to meetsirHe *' he assumed the administration of the government of the *' province ; so he relied with equal assurance, that be would *' not tad to ej^perjence the same principles in that wliicU '* he was then addressing ; &nd that in the conlidqnt ex- " pectation tliat they were animated by the best inientionf ** to promote the interests of his Majesty's government, and ** tlie weltare of his people; he should look for the happy ■** elfccts of such a disposition in the tenor of their deli* •* iterations and the dispatch of the public busineSii/' ** I desire to call your attention (said he) to the tem?- poiary act tor the better preservation of his Majesty's government, as by law happdy estabUshed in this province, and to that for establishing regulations lesjjectingalien.s, or certain subjects of his Majesty who have resided in France. No change has taken place in the stateof thepitblic ariaii's that can wairant, a departure from those precautions and ** that vigilancewhich have hitherto induced alt tUebi'anc lies *' of the [legislature to consider these acts as necessary. In saying that they are important to the interests of his Ma- jesty's governtnent, you will not, I am conliilent, for a moment suppose, that I mean to divide these from tlte interests of trie public : they are inseparable. The pro- sorvation of his Majesty's government is the safety of the j)rovince, and its seciirity is the only safeguard to the pu- blic tranquillity. Under these considerations 1 cannot '* therefore but recommend them, together with the act miik- *' ing tenipomry provisions for the regulation of trade bc- *' tween this province and the United States, to your hr^i *' and immediate consideration." < '■' • ■• t * ••- > > -, ) tti *i a ti ec ti u " He intreated them to believe, that he should have great satistaction in cultivating that harmony and good untler- standing \vhich must be so conducive to the prosperity ** and happiness of t4\e colony, and that he should most *' readily and cheerfully concur in every measure which " they might projjose, tending to pvbmote those impor- " taiU objects." He conchuled by observing " that the " rule of his conduct war, to discharjie his dutv to his Sovereign by a constant attention to the weilare ot his but)* <( ' ■■'^lTf'.>",*fr' Il I \)' !, ' I Chap* 11. J^IO. *l f^ Administration op 1 specting aliens, "would become the object of their most seri-- ous consideration " fully convinced (stlid they) that it \n the most serious wish of your Excellency to cultivate that harmony and good understanding which is so condu- cive to the prosperity and happiness of the colony, we shall cheerfully concur in any measure tending to promote those important objects 5 objects (they observed) more diilicult to be obtained in this province than in any other of his Ma- jestv's colonies, from the difference in opinions, customs ancf prejudices of his Majesty's subjects residing therein. We renect with pain on the effoi'ts which are made to represent in i^se colours, and in a measure wide of truth, the opinions and sentiments of the diSerent classes of his Maje3ty'*s subjects in Canada. Following your Excellency's example, let every onefhlfil his duty lO our august Sc °reign by an unremitting attention to the interests and the . appi- ness of his subjects in this colony, and he will feel i.hat a strict adhererxe to the laws and principles of the consti- t'ltion, and a firm support of the equal rights and prin- ciples of every branch of the legislature, are the means of securing to his Majesty's subjects, the full and entire en- joyment of their liberty, religmus opinions, and proper- ty, and which cannot be more perfectly confirmed to them than by the free constitution, which it has pleased his most gracious Majesty and his Parliament to grant to this province." . , Woi-ds can scaivelv impW a more direct disapproval of the recent measures 01 the Goveiror, who felt the force of their refle'iilons, and relied in a way which left no room in their minds to doubt of his earnest resolution to prose- cute the renewal of the act in question. He returned them Inis acknowledgment*, for the sentiments of loyalty, and the good intentioiistft promote the interests of his Majesty's governmwit, and tlw welfare of their fellow subjects, ex- pressed in their address. " I shall at all times (said he) re- *• ceive with attention any information or advice that the " House of Assembly may think proper to convey to me : ** in the present instance, however, I feel myself called on ** to observe, that my information of the stivte of the pro- ** vince does not warrant that which you say you think it ** your duty to give me, of the existence of fears and ap- ** prehensions, with relation to the execution of the act ** fbv-'tlMe .better preservation of his Majesty's government, d to the people in general. If such fears %■-'-. \ ' .*•'« rS^ft;'! -*-ii"ia ■ ■ •' - -.fi V-^-' i lagyUii ' I'll Sir James Henry Craig.' * foars and apprehensions exist, &re tbey not confine! to Cn/iLTi *' tliose who are aware of the possibility of then^ elves be- II. <' comiufir obnoxious to the operation of the act ? the voicf St^'V^ *' of such will hp nlv<^ays loud ; and may hot their clamour Ib^i^ *' have misled you to suppose them nU)re numerous that! " I suppose they really are? But with regard to tlie *' iTood people of the Province, I am so for fium tliinking *' that they feol any appreliensions on the subject, that 1 *' date the subsiding oftW ferment that. then existed, n'ld , *' the restoration of the calm that hiis since prevailed a- *' mong them, precisely from the moment at which the *' execution of that act took place. Similar means to those *' foi-merly employed might again revive the one and dis* *' turb the other, and none perhaps would be more efte'c^' *' tual for the purpose then infusing amongst them the ** feai-* and appfehensions to V^hicn you nave alluded. " Simple and uninstructed as they are however, I shall *' trust to their good sense for its being found difficult to *' shake their confidence in His Majesty's Government, be- *' cause they find it exercising for their protection the •' means with which it is intrusted by Law, or becaiise *' they see that (lovernment armed with the power and " really to step forward should it become necessary to " cinish the arts of faction or to meet the machinations of " treason. Viewing your Address in the light of an ans" *' wer to my speech, I must- remark that I have been mis- *' understood in it. " The harmony and good understanding -vrhich I ex- *' pressed myself desirous of cultivating, was that hannony *' and good understanding between me and the other " branches of tlie Legislature which must be so conducive *' to the prosperity and happiness of the Colouy. Where- *' as I perceive you have applied the expression more ge- *' neralty to the existence of these principles m the conimuni- *' ty at large. This would be no otherwise of consequence I *' than as it has furnished you with the opportunity of bring- *' ing forward a sentiment in which I cfcsire most ccdiaily *' and truly to express my entire concurrence. 1 shall *' join with you in feeling pain in every instance in which *' the passions of any one part of His Majesty's subjects " shall leatl them to represent in false colours, and in a " manner wide of truth the opinions and sentiments of anv *' part of their fellow subjects. Without any reference t'> ♦* exauiplo, let every one as you say do his duty to the King k 'i I PI £ (( iiui ( .//' sa Admintstration op '^ Chaf. *' and to the Public, and as you express yonrsclvca awnra >:«^^.i|k *' of the greater difficulty that exists in this Province in i^S ^^ *' the attainment of the important object in question, so I ^810* *' confidently trust I shall find you on all occasions excri- ■ ; *' inff with advantage the superior opportunity which is I ' *' ailorded you by your situation as representatives of the *' people for promoting and cultivating those true princi- *' pies of affection and attachment that may unite us as i^ •' free and happy people." .^ This sarcastic reply of the Governor nettled the House but they were too well acquainted with his firmness to pro- ceed to extremes on so nice a point. The acts recom- n^ended by the Governor were first introduced and passed in the Legislative Council, from w'^snce they were sent down to the Lower House, where they passed with unusual speed, although the detention of one of their members in Pri- son was the cause of much murmur and disgust. This obnoxious act was therefore reluctantly continued with a salvo (an amendment introduced into the Bill by the ■Lower House) of the Rights and Privileges of either House, and of the Membei-s of the Provincial Legislature ; it being thereby provided that no Member of either House should be imprisoned or detained during the sitting of Parliament, until the matter of which he stood suspected were first communicated to the Flouse of which he might be a member, and the consent of that House obtained for his commitment or detention. It was obvious that the Assembly in this instance yielded to the menacing tone of the administration who must have been conscious from the recent exercise of this act for the " better preservation of His Majesty's Government" and the reluctance with which it was continued for another year, that its total extinction could not be a remote occurrence. The Government not- withstanding this clause in the act, still persisted in de- taining the member in confinement during the Session without affording him the means of justifying himself by a trial. - ( ' ' , A Bill to disqualify Judges from being elected and tak- ing a seat in the Houseof Assembly was introduced, and I huving met the concurrence of both Houses received the) Royal Sanction. This subject of strife being disposed of, business was carried on with diligence and dispatch, and some very ubeful laws were enacted in the course of the Sessioa. s ' "'SiS'faaifcwwea iTsclvcs awnra J Province in ]ucstion, so I :nsions excri- lity which is itativos of the e true princi- unite us as i^ ed the House rmness to pro- i acts recom- ed and passed ey were sent I with unusual lembers in Pri- lisgust. This linued witli a J Bill by the ^es of either tl Legislature ; f either House the sitting ot! 30d suspected liich he might obtained for ious that the acing tone of onscious from )reservation of e with which tal extinction vernment not* rsisted in de- the Session J himself by » cted and tak- troduced, and I i received the g disposed of, iispatch, and course of the Sesi^oa* ?m J.VMEs TTenry Craig. k. Scsion. Tie Governor was in the mean time notified ot hU KMUoval from t!ie colonial Govermuent in pursuance (it wa-i said) of liis own request. On the 21st March he proro- giii'd the J'arliament, and as his speech on the occasion, is tiic best lestiinony to which we can resort for his own opinion on the charatier of the times, and of his adminia- 4mtion, we insert a pan of it in his own words. " Among the Acts to which I have declared his Majesty's Assent, there is one which 1 have seen with peculiar saii^iac- t'j I. I m an the Act for diaqualifyng the Judges from hold- iii;* a seu in the House of Absembiy. It is not only that f thniK. tiie inoasure ri rht in itself, bitthat I consider the j>a3- siug an Act lor thepuq-ose, as a complete renunciation of t A' erroneous principle, the acting upon which, put me un* dv" iha necessity of dissolving the last Parliament. '' G-^iitlemen, you are now about to return to your homes, tt" .o mix again in the common mass oi' your fellow citi- z^ • . le'. me cnireat you to reflect upon the good that may a. s»' Irom y >'ir effbrtr to inculcate those true principles of 1' -dlariff and rub-.ni>-;ion to the laws, that can alone give stability to vhat (if i^rof' '»|' happiness which is attainable n tu'i pres(;ni state of' ic'.'iety. Your Pruvmce is in an unex- aiMiiiv''! progress of prosporitv ; riches are pouring in upon t':"* •• ople. but. 'lioir at teMidant evils, luxury aid diirsipa- tior,, will inevitai>ly' accompany them r the danger of these is too well known, to reqiire tliat I should detain you, by enlaij^ing upon it: it will demand all the ertbrts of religion, and of ilie magistracy, with the scarcely less powerful in- ihience of example and of advice in the well disposed and better informed, to counteract their etlects, to j.ieserve the p'lblic morals from sudJen relaxation, and, iiuaily^ to bar the entry to crime and depravity. ■'"•' • '• ... ; " A large tract of country, hitherto little known, has been opened to you: its inhabitants are industrious and intelli- gent, and they cultivate their lands with a productive ei\er- yy, well calculatinl to encrease the resources of the colony. ji't them not on these grounds be objects of envy, or of jea- '4ou-v: rather let them be exaiiiples, to be careliilly watched . and imitated, 'till, in the whole province, no other dilier* •ence of tertility s'nall appear, but what may arise iVom va- .ticty of soil, or duierencu of chmate. " '. , ! 1811. y h '1 i<4 £ 9 « And .//■ w.,,.... ■,.„,„a^«-*''*'fea(.?!» - "'S«:»J«*>*V.4,i./,T.. . 32 ADMINISTttATION Of '* .N ] Chap. " And now, gentlemen, I have only further to recommend, II. that as, in an early part of the hession, you yoniselves look ^^*v^Xr occasion to observe on the difKculty of the task, yoti will Ibll. proportionally exert yoiu" best endeavours to do away all mistcust and animosity from among youri5elv;>H : — while these jiie suliered to remain, all exertion lor the pul>lic goo,■'.- '. ' ' ■'■•'* ■,'"■■'. ■1^' '. '' ■■- ■. . r.«.'..S-:t-:«vAs • V J i * , : ■ ■\^- 4 ■ ; ■■:,, • •■ f> ■■'v ' ' '■ ■ • •« ( VI.. .. .i. ; eukv. mmmagmmmm iilR.GGORGC PREVOSX; *.-^v> f^ V , |A 1.1 ■l iiuniHtration -*■•*' u' '•■■* -""f CHAPTER III. AFTER an intcnognnm of nearly \\\toci nionlliH. Sir Gi:()iiaR Pui:vo9T umvecl at QiKbi'c, ami ass lin- ed tlieOoveinmcMt of Lo\vt'r-( anada, having Hiiocccdcd Sir .Yamks H. Craig in the chief cnmmaiid of the I3mi--Ii JV^orth American Piovinces. Tlio known nuldness of his character, and the popularity of his achninistrition in Xova? Scotia, from which he had boc-n just promoted, allordivl a hope that the present administration of the d the Bri" br the >es- of Fmnce. langes that nts of tilts as remote iirope • and against in- oiitical ex- ations, ypu of your fa* which now 1 and haj^ unremitted it her opert in* S^in G EoncE Piievost. # invasion or insidious aggression, and he hoped the Parlia- ment would testify its loyalty by an early attention to those nets, which experience had proved essential for the j)reserva- tion of his Majesty's government, as also by its readiness in supplying? government with such aid as should be suitable to tlie exigence of the times, by enabling the loyal Canadian subjects to assist in roncllingany sudden attack made ,by a tumultuary force, an(I ellectually to parti<.i[)ate in the de- fence of their country against a regular invasion at any fu- ture pt!iji-stjVCiovcrnf" i.i." F *' iivm ■H CirA^ HI. , iV .\' :, \y : i\ li ! I', V ^i h i k Chap. in. 1812. !)'-^i ;i)! i^i 38 AcMINISTRATia?* OF « (( from feeling the good effects of lus ^rovemment in ttie ample manner that tlie law had provided." Thir* reso- 1 ition was not carried into effect owing to the intervention at inore urgent concerns. In the mean time a bill, " for the '.letter preservation of his Majesty's government'* was drawn up, and sent down fi-om the Legislative Council to the Low- er House, Here several amendments were proposed, the principal of which was, to transfer the power formerly vest* ed in the Exectitive Council, of imprisoning persons sus«» pected of treasonable practices, to the governor or person administering the government, alone. Tne Legislative (ounf oil disapproving of the amendments, a conference ensued; but I Jth branches pe? severing in their opinions, the bill mis- tanied to the satismc iori of the Lower House, who vere glad of a pretext to allow this odious law to expire. The con- sideration of appointing an agent in England was resumed by 4he House in the present session, and the expedience of providing a fund for the payment of the Members of the House of Assembly was also discussed, and a Bill was introdu* ced to that effect, which however fiiiled. The Militia Bill passed afler much debate in the Lower Ho>ise. The Governor was authorised by it to embody two thousand Bachelors between the age of eighteen and twenty five years for three months in the year ; and in case of invasion or imminent danger thereof, lo retain them for one year, relieving one half of the number embodied, by iresh d.ttfls at the expira- tion of tl>a,t period. In the event of war, invasion, aisur- rection, or imminent danger thereof, he was empowered to embody the whole militia of th^ province, should it become necessary. No substitutes were allowed, nor were conv« mis'^ioned officers permitted to lake any militiamen as ser- ^nts, under a penalty of ten pounds tor evei-y offence of that nature. These provisions fro n their iiarshness and inconsistency were however winiced at in actual service. I( was mvide penal to inlist any militiaman into the remi* lar forces and such enlistments were declared null. Twelve thousand pounds were granted by the Legislature, one moiety thereof for drilling and training the local militia, the other moiety for other puiposes of the militia act. Twenty thousand jiounds '.vere granted, to be employed for Such services as the satHy of the province ond the exigence of ^he times might require, and the further Sum of iiuriy thousand pounds currency, to b;: at the Governor's dispo^ sition in case of war b''t ween Groat Britain and America. These liberal sufiplies enabled the Government to meef the ap« ment in tli© This reso- intervontipn nil, "for the " was drawn [ to the Low- roposed, the brmevly vest* persons susi* »r or person slativeCounf ;ncc ensued; the bill mis- ^ho vere glad J. The con- was resumed expedience of ibers of the Iwasintrodu* Militia Bill i'he Governor id Bacholora irs &r three or imminent relieving one t the expira- asion, a>aur* apowered to lid it become were com* lamen as ser- 17 oiience of | Lrshness and 1 service. Ic the regu* uU. Twelve islatnre. one 1 militia, the ict. Twenty ed for »^cn exigence of 1 im of ihirif •nor's dispo^ id America, to tnee* the Sir George Prevost. unt^TiaclTiinff contest with confidence in the patriotism and support r)f the jM'ovincial Legislature, and of the whole mass of'tUe Canadian population. On the nineteentli of May the Governor prorogued the House of Assembly. In his Speech he thanked the Hous? for the labtfUr they liad bestowed upon the improveiiient of the militia system, Bivl for the increased means they had thereby aiforded him for I lie dpfence of the Province : He also expressed his best tlian'is for tlie proofs he had received of their confidence in his y\'nninistiation, by the very liberal provision they had made for the exigencies of the public service. About this time a ferment existed in America, excited by the discovery of the Htnry Plot which the Governirent of that Country exaggerated into an attempt on the pan of this Government to bring about a revolution among the eastern states, and to dissolve the union. John Henry, a fleody adventurer, though a man of some talents and ad- Hrcss, is said to have been by birth an Irishman, and to have emigrated when a youth to A'uerica, whei-e through the interest of friends, he was appointed a Captain in the mi.itia. and from thence bore the name of Captain Henry, Not succeeding in America to the extent of his wishes, he mi Jraeed to 'Mrontret\l, where he found means to itigi-atiate hi iself with some of the principal personages of this Pro- vinie, and commenced hir, iitudies at law, with a view .>f qualifying aimselffor a seat in the judiciary oi i'. Cannla, to which, he was already ambitious enough to a'^pirc. He ea-iily worked himself by intrigue into the Governor's no- tice, who from i\.Q proceedings of the Federal Faction in the eastern states, had room to susoect the existence of a d?sir«* on their part, to form a political connection with Grpat Britain. In order therefore to ascertain the state of parties and their views, Henry, being acquainted with the (Ronnttv, and considered a man accomplished for political intrigue, was selected, who, with a view of turning it to Kis a (vantage, readily accepted of the mission, an Ipioceedei to Boston, v/here he siauntered away his time in the public lio'isesand brothels of thatc.ty, riting from time to tinie^ to Ci-iada.* His stiidied and ostentatious epistles, must ra- ther have amused than instructed the Governor, who in- dpf'd, derived less information from them, than from the p'lblic jo'irnals ol thn times. Henry^ hosvever estimated 1812. ' r /% > I /; i n I fe , • Tbis haupened in tlie couri>e «f ^"ip winter of 1809, F2 1^ il- Chap. H Administration oj*;:- \iii servicea much beyond any thing his employer was dis- posed to admit of, and therefore resorted for a coinpeiiHutiou to (he Government at home. In a Memorial to Lord Li- verpool, stating his services, he suggested that the ap[)oin t inent of Judge Advocate General of Lower-Canada, with tlie salary of five hundred pounds per annum, or a Con- sulate in tlie United States sine aim, would be con- sidered by him as a liberal discharge of any obligation tliat Government entertained in relation to Ins services, 'i'he prudent Minister held the royal favors in too high estima- tion to prostitute them upon a mercenary and intri- guing vagrant, and coolly referred him to the colonial government, then in charge of Sir George Prevost. The proud spirit, or perhaps the indigence of the adventurer could not brook the delay and indifference of the Minister, who. he clearly saw, by referring him to the colonial gov- ernment, only wished to evade a direct refusal to his ap- plication. Chagrined with disappointment, he made ^^; lor's proclamation: fourteen days were allowed to ■*" aTiericans as were in the province, they being prin- - y lersons who had cnterett the same in good faith and in .J '• t)rosecution of couunercial pursuits. On the fiane day, jH.ji.lamations issued imposing an embargo upon liie shippmg in the poit, and convoking the House of Asseiu-% bly on the lOth of Jidy» At'the opening of the Re=';ion, the Governor after brieny' infbnniu^ the Parliament t)f the recent declanuion of war by Ami 'tea, said, horelici upoi^ the spirit of !li:; i^^ajcsty's •jiubjects in the piovince; tUeir atlucUiuciU and zeal tor tho ^■w T9* ■Si--" Administration of- m n Jbi;^. religion of their fbrefiitliers, their loyalty to their SoVe* reign, am! their ardent love for the true interests of thmr{ed an expectation tliat tUey would materially contri* l(>u' ' le detence of their country. The public coffers being entirely drained, the Governor^" to obviate the deficiency, resolved to issr e A rmy Bdls pay* abie either in cash, or in Government Bills of . vchange on. London, but the concurrence of the Le^rl^lat are in tbia measure was indispensible, as well to insiir-- their currenc^'^ as to provide fimds for the payment ot the interest t A might become due upon them. Two private and couftden- tial Messages were sent to the House of Assemblv by the Governor ; one, submitting to its consideration ttie neces- sity of immediately strengthening, the hands of government, by arming him with authority to suppress any attempt to produce disorder or insubordination, and for iinmediate pu- nishment of any offences which might inteiTupt or endanger the public tranquillity, which he trusted tlie Legislature would have the less hesitation in doing, fi'om its conviction that he could at all times by virtue ofhis commission avail himself of the power of declaring martial law to its fullest extent; and from the pei"suasion which he trusted was entei*- tained by the House, that in seeking from them a partial exercise of it, he could have no other object in view than the preservation of the tmnquillity and welfare of the pro- vince, with the least possible injury to the public conveni- ence. The other represented the want of specie to satisfy the demands of the increasing militia and mili- tary establishments, and the impossibility of. procuring mo- ney to the extent ^ Sir GEonoE Prevost. 4B advice of the Executive Conncil, as to thp most e(f ctunl node of resource fror:i which a deficiency in the circidat- ing medium might be suppHed, recommending the issue of Army IJills under certain conditions to the amount of two himdj'ed and fifty thousand pounds currency. He there- fore called upon the Hoiise of Assemldy for such aid as might be deemed expedient for the accomplishment of an object, rendered more peculiarly impontant by the present extraordinary crisis of public affairs, and strongly recom*- mended to them the adoption of such measures as should inspire confidence in the pereons taking these bills, atid guard both the publi: and individuals against the possibi* fity of any loss to arise from them. The House of Assembly appears fi-om its silence on the Subject of the former message, to have cautiously dedirted a,ny measure tending *.o sanction a recurrence to martial law, or at least, to have left the responsibility with the Go* vernor of exercising in the event of need, those powti-* with which he thought himself vested in virtne of his com* mission : the same House however in the following session Resolved that martial law could not be legally resorted to^ unless with the authority of the Provincial Parliament. A' Bill to facilitate the circulation of Army Bills was in- troduced, and the liberality of the House of Assembly sur-* passed the hopes of the Executive. Fifteen thonsund pounds were granted to pay the interest that might become due upon Army Bills, of which two hundred and fifty thou- sand pounds were authorized to be put in circulation^ f large Bills of twenty five dollars, and upwards, bearing in- terest at the rate of four pence per day for every one h m- dred pounds.) They were made current in the Revpime, were to have the effect of a legal tender, and were rei*o condemned to fiines and imprisonment. Hostilities Irad in the mean time commenced in Upp» r Cf* nada, and the most brilliant success dawned "r'on the Hiitisii arms in that quarter Captain Roberts wIk w:- station-'d at tiio small ^ustor block house of St. Joseph';>; situated n» ^n IT •^ • "^ m ; m:**!. .' Administration oy Island in Lake Huron, to the north west of Mackinac, and at about forty-five niile3 distance, on the eighth of July re- ceived from General Brock, commanding in Upper-Cana- da, a notification dated on the 20th June, of the declar* ation of war, with orders to make an immediate attack upon Mackinac if practicable , or in the event of an attack by the Americans upon St. Joseph's, to defend it to the utmost, or re- treat upon St. Mary's, a post belonging to the North- West Company at no great distance, and to make the best possible defence. He at the same time received from that officer, a- nother letter dated the 27th June, s\ispending the orders given in the former letter, from his iincertainty of the de- claration of war. On the eleventh of July, he again received despatches from Sir George Prevost, dated at Quebec on the 25th June, and from General Brock dated at Fort George in Upper- Canada, on the 28th June; the former of these notifying the war, and directing him to take every precaution to secure his post against any attempt by the enemy, and to render every assistance in his power consis- tent with the service, to secure the interests of the North West Company, and in case of necessity to effect his re- treat. By the latter. General Brock, being sufficiently in- fov'riied of the declaration of war by America against G. Britain, desired Captain Roberts to adopt the most prompt and effectual measures to possesshimself of Mackinac, and di- rected him, in order to effect his pinpose,tocall tohis assist- ance the, Indians within his infliiencc, as well as the gentle- men and dependants of the North- West, and South- West ■companies, who might be at, or near his post. The contrari- ety of instructions from the two General Officers, with the great hfizard in attempting to seize upon a post of the strength and importance of Mackinac to the United States, whicii there was reason to presume, had prepared that post against any emergency, could not fail to perplex Captain IJoborts, who, not only, was totally unprepared for an ex- Kedition of such moment, but being in a wild and unin- abited country, was also, at too great a distance from re- sources to maintain even his own post against the enemy, in the event of failure in the present enterprise. Ife, how- ever, with a promptitude and decision which reflect hon- or tipon his military character, determined u{)on an attempt against Mackinac, and having cdmnnuiicated his intenti- ons to Mr. Pothier, a gentleman of the South-West Coai- {janv, th'Mi at St. Joaepli's ; he was confirmed in his reso- ytion, by tUc approbation and zeal with which JMv, P^ r 1 1— iffn ■ Sir George Prevo^jt. 47 I, cinac, anA )t' July re- per-Cana-" 10 declar* tack upon ack by the no8t,orre- orth-West St possible officer, a- the orders of the de- n received at Quebec ;d at Fort i former of ake every pt by the ver consis- the North ct his re- ciently in- igain»t G. jai prompt ac, and di- )hisassist- ;he gentle* [>uth-West e contrari- , with the 3st of the ted States, 1 that post X Captain, for an ex- and unin- e from re- iie enemy. Fie, hoW" fleet hon- in attempt is intenti- f'^est Coiu- 1 his reso- ch JMv. P. > • con* incurred in the enterprise ; who, to facilitate it, gene- ruu-^iy iliK'^v open the stores of the company, and laid every tliitig in tiiern that could contribute to its success, at the di'^ponition of Ciiptain Roberts. He at the same time vo- Imiie^Ted his personal services upon the expedition, at- twling pieces. On the 15th of July, Captaui Roberts had jii;)ciri!'J. his little armament, consisting of thirty rejiulars, witli two artillery men and a serjeant, one hundred and six- ty i-aiiadians, and two iron field pieces, neither of which in an emerirency could be of much service ; when an ex- })ro3s arrived with a despatch from General ^^rock, of the ()Mrth of the same month, leaving it entirely at his discre- tio.i to ndoiJt either olfensive or defensive measures, as pnulence might dictate. From this last despatch, coupled with his instructions from the C^ommander of the forces, of the ^?'n[\ of June, in which no allusion was made to an atio!)i|-t upon ^tackinac ; Capt. lioberts felt tlnit the whole rps}:i):-.>ibility of the enterprise devolved upon himself, and tliui incaU'ii'able evil must result to the Upper Province in tlie event of fjii'ure. Finding his men in high spirits, he was determined (o persevere at all events, and on the IGth of July he set out with his flotilla of boats and canoes, couvc'-yed by the Caledonia brig belonging to the North West Com; any. lot.ded with stores au(l provisions. On the cnsuiuif injvning, iie e tl'cuvl iiis landing before Mackinac without ojiposiiion, and iuunediately sumnioncd the gar- rison to surrender, which after a tew minutes was coia- 1)lied with, without the efhision of a drop of blood. Capt, {oberts in resolving upon an attack against Mackinac, ha»l imposed an embargo upon all boats and canoes' at St. Joseph 3, by which means all communication was cut oiV, nor had the aTi\erican OiVicer any certain intelligence of the declaration bf \var previous to the arrival of the British be- fore Mackinac* A quantity of military stores of every de- scription suitable for the Indian trade was found in the ibrt. Tvvd vessels loaded with furs not aware of the captm'e were decoyed into Mackinac, but the property was restored to the proprietors, by order of a board of claims afterwards held at Montreal, at which Major General I)e Rottenburgh presided. This achievement, elfected by the promptitude and judicious arrangements of Capt. R. not only inspired • The snrrisoTi at Mackiiuic (corrrclly r;il!<-;l Mic'iilimackinac) consist- Ki of » Ca^itaio'^ (joiuiuiind uf -i}^'>'j^ bevi-ui>-ii\c m<:n. lbi2. Capture of I • '/f;l ; (■ ,!• .'V .^'] ;i m G2 the r-*-^ , 4S AoMTNT'^TnATIOX Op- 'ff tlio jwoplf with conralfMice aiul gave a tarn to the prMcnl c,i ni):ii^.i I'atal to t ao viewH ol' A iiLM'ica, 'mi jy en.i iiiii;^ us ti> initiiiliitii our inlliu>ac-e among the Indian liULionu v.ft* 161 J. the wcHl, which odu'rwiHo must have bivn U)st, t'ssciuiully gi)iiiri!)uiecl lo iho succi'SMul struggle al'i'MWiircls luaintam .1 aijiMii-'^t the auu'i'ican amis in Ljjpoi -Canada. Gcii(-<.al H\\\[ ufier the caj, lure of his army and the lall of Dtuoii, ifi his oilicial de-.|>aich, relative to these evcius, attri* '!'>.• a his ilisasi'Ts to the tall of Maekinac ; attcr the surreu.ioi of ■which, almost every tribe and nation of th»; Indians, except a pa. t of the Miamies and IJelawaies, north from beyond Latve Superior, west from beyond the Mississippi, soutli Com Ohio and the Wabash, and east from every part of I pjx'r-riinadii, a:ul from all the intermediate country joined in u|jeu liostilii}' a-jaiiist the army he commanded. 4 Previous to the declaration of war, the American ;^overn- niont had tonceuirated their army at Detroit, and in tiic Miciiioan Tenitory, under the command of Brigadier Ge- licial ilull, (i»M oihcer bred iu the revolutionary war,) with tlie intent of ibllowing up their tleclaration of war, by an im- mediate invasion of Up|)er-Canada, and by that means to intercept the British inlluence over tlie Indians, as well as to mainiHin co-operating relations with such forces as might Fir=tTnvnsi-'^c elsewhere engaged against the British Provinces. oil i.i U,Hjor- On the l^th of July, this Officer, possessed qf discretion" ary authority from his Government, and having as he thought a suflicient tbrce to secure an easy and victoiioug progress in the I pper Province, crossed without opposition liou Detroit to Sandwich on the Uriiish side, with an ai my of abcHit iifteen hundred men. Here he established lue liead quarters, aiid issued a Proclamation,' memorable iii)iu tii! positive and potupous trtne in which he anticipates the easy conquest of Canada, and the hostile threat of extermi- natiou and uuliscriminate slaughter of every white man who should be tbund lighting by the side of an Indian.* Gene- ral Brock upon receiving this proclamation at Fort George, isr.iiodon the 2'2il July a p'oclaination as remarkable for the soiid reasoning ami dignity of its language, as that of the Aaierican, lor it^. presumption. He inrtnediateiy convok- ed tiie Provincial Parliauient, which assembled on the 2'^^th at York, the capiial of L'pper Canada; and in the mean time depatchcd Colonel Pioc^or with such leinforce- CaiKiiia. * See A^i^euiiix C. ments 'Jf' U >^ \ , •^. ^.■-| .";».-..i-;j ,.,.! &in George Prevost. 4i lip prMont t'ssoniially uaiiitiua .1 . Gciu'.iil of DoilDll, atini>')i'9 irreua,:! of ans, exi:cj)t )m beyonti ppi, HoutU !ry I tail of ritry joined :an jrovem- ind in tiie gacliei' Ge- war,) with r, by an iui- t means to as well a0 es as might ices. discretion* ving as he 1 victoiiouft , opposition ith an atuiy .blished lug orable li oni icipales the ot'extoiuii- te man w ho m.* Gche- ort Gt orge, able for the that of the ily convolt- led on the and in the li leinforce- ments ilf»ntfl'a9 (?o\ild be spared, to nsBume the command ait Am- hcr^tlMirgh, then in charge of Lieut. Col. St. George. Cie- noval Hull remained tor some time inactive, under pretext oi making preparation to prosecute the campaign with vi- gour: but it was the tiillacious hopeol'an early insurrection in istavor thatluiled him into a supineness ililal to the safety of his army. Amhersiburgh lay but eighteen miles below him, and the mud and picketed i()rtilicntion of that post was not in a condition to make resistance against a regular aii'ge. The American, conlident of an easy conquest, had not at yet a single cannon or mortar mounted, and to endeavour to lake it at the point of the bayonet he thought inexpedient. During this delay his situation became more and more pre- carious • three detachments from his army weve on three Butc.'ssive days, beaten back by a handful of the 4 1 at regi- ment ami a few Indians, from the bridge over the River C a- nard, tliree miles from Amherstbnrgli, which they endea- voured to seize, in order to open the route to that post. Another detachment, in attempting to ford the river higher up, was put to flight by a small party of eighteen or twenty Indians who lay concealed in the grass. The enemy panic struck at their sudden and hideous yell, fled with precipi- tancy, leaving their arms, accoutrements and haversacks. The Bruish sloop of war Queen Charlotte carrying eighteen twenty-four pounders, lay in the Detroit River opposite the mouth of the river Canartl, so that it was impossible for the Americans to convey by water to Amherstburgh any artille- ry, of which aflei' much labour they had at last mounted two twenty-fonr pounders. J^ieutenant Rollette commanding tlu' armed Brig Hunter, had on the 3d of July at about ten o'clock in the forenoon, by a bold attempt in his barge wit! I only six men, succeeded in capturing the Cayahogn* packet bound from Miami river to Dpiroit, with troops, and * Tho merit of this gallant .irtion whicli gipatly contributed to mar tlie plain of Cipneral Hull, by tho total los? of all his ho-pifal stores, hasbe<>n moic ihaa »ii''f umlfservedly'attrilmtcd to a person wlio never saw the Cn^aAo^a uiiil I. ''lit. Kullottc had brought her safe into harbour, to thesarprize and admira- tion of every one present. It is no more than justice, to which Lieut. Rollette is.-.rictly entitled, to atsert that his servit'es upon Ijake Krie, while he c.in- niaiided the Hunter, and until he was compelled as a Provincial Opficvr to fall in the rear of the Lieutenants of the Royal Navy, were uniformly mic-. ces~fii|,und have not been excelled by any thing performed on the Lakes by the •liireis of the navy, who superseded the provincial officers. The former were perhaps superior in tactics, and cherished a hearty tiiough mistaken contempt forihe americans, in wl'ich they have been since wofiillj undeceived. Tlie provincial officers were surely not less brave, though more prudent than the former, and as thii more iiuccesi>ful ou the lake* t}>an the latter. .* " . loa Amidst these reverses of fortune, the American O'^noral was startled at a summons to surrender the Fort of Detroit, by General Brock, who, after having closed the pnlilic business prorogued the Parliament, and collecting a fr?w jregulars and mditia, with incredible exertion, had reached Amhersiburgh on the 13th of August. So resolute de- mand, struck the American Commander with dismay, who at the worst had never contemplated a pursuit into his own territory by the British. He still however maintained svif- ficient presence of mind to return a prompt and positive re- fusal, upon receipt of which, the British, who now occupied the ground lately in jwssession of the enemy in front of De- troit, where they threw up a battery under the directions of Captain Dixon of the Royal Engineers, commenced at about four in the afternoon on the fifteenth, a brisk cannonade upon Detroit, fi'om two 5{ inch mortal's, one eighteen, and two twelve pounders, under the management of Captain Hall, of the Provincial Navy, with a party of sailors, which was continued for upwards of an hour with great etTect. Early on the morning of the sixteenth, the cannonade recommenced, while General Brock with about seven hundred regulars and militia, and six hundred Indians, crossed the river without opposition at the Spring Wells, three miles below D^'troit nn- der cover of the Queen Charlotte and Hunter. This small but resolute force, after forming upon the l>each, advanced iii column, flanked on the left by the Indians, v/ah the river of Detroit on their right, and took (at the distance of a mile) a position in line, in front of the american fort, into which the enc'uy had retired. Here every jireparation .vas making forau immediate aasault^^wlnen to ih« sv^rpriso Oi bothurmies Chap, HI. 181^. .<** n f 1 %. h t'»»>j '-'*■ •r ■ V^ ■»>*■■•«. ^ . - wmmm 9KI J /! 5!r Administration of K^ \ i W ¥\ Chap, a white Flag wis acen flying upon the walls of the fort, ftn%k HI. a me9senj?fer advancing wi".h jH'oposalfi from the American \^^VX^ General to ^apituhite. Lieutenant Colonel M'Donell of i'Ut itil2. Militia, and Major Clegg of the 4 Oth regiment, Aid-d-c-Ctunp io Cn^eral Bvock, innne(iiately jtroceciled by hiw orders to the tent of the American Genend, where tliey in a<«w mi- nutes dictated the tenns of capitulation. By ttiis the whole oftheamerican army, including a inhabitants oi" tlio Michigan Territory, confirming litem m the i'lill enjoyment oltheu^ property, laws and reli- gioi^ » -+-V* m'ij>-m>-«h— . «J«-.»**hiMi<— lil"iim«^i -"^ *. tion due to his rank, and unsolicited, allowed him to return to the States upon his parole ; but his olixcers with iew ex- ceptions, were sent to Quebec. Our little navy on lake Erie, and on lake Ontario, though the enemy were making the most active exertions, still main ained a decided ascendency, and upon it depended the safety of Upper-Canada and the future fate of the British Provinces. General Brock intended to ho-.e followed up his first success by an attempt upon Niagara, a fort nearly opposite to Fort Gerjrge ; which in ail probability as well as Oswego, and Sacketa Harbour, the nui-sery of the enemy's fleet and forces, would have yielded to the terror of his name ami the tide of success that attended his arms : but rontrouledbj his instructions, he was prevented from adopt- ing measures, which probably, might have for ever blasted the hopes of America in the Upper Province. The Commandc.. of thebritish forces, conscious of the in« feriority of his stre-.gth, and uncertain of reinforcemeiua from home, seemed to have adopted a defensive system, ra- ther than incur the risk of wasting his army in hazardous cn» terpriscs which in case of failure might lead to disasters ruin- U ttV0 -^ ' Jj-^' ' .- r. .l,<^^^ytlAJ^^l ^i:>rf>'>«M~-)HV . in 0'''ll.l biit daiu Sm George Prevost. ss • ^ )rbparancfc d favorite ;ve that Sir ', pursuant licVi in t\\e with A me* es tenditig n. people tm liief of the commence- GfeenbusU tary depot, er-Canada, itce, afford if the con- a the end of lies fiom Sir al, Colonel peal of the Mr. Foster lompanying itil the plea- l be known, r the hopes dged pHnci- 3, would be rt of thea- y consented ho, he said tary at war,) \ent, whicl» 3, or a sense and proba* per Canada, in the nipan rm General between the iinptitude of val.* Ucd Stntfs nprt rt mai'lial forhii nerd to bf sliot, itionai y »var, lie V :,,.■■- >;-.■•■ CHAPTER rV. ■■■• >'' ^>:-': TTIE American government chagrined with disappoint- ment and the dis'Viace of the late campaign, which, e- yeu-in their own estimation, liad obliteratedtlie glories of the revolutionary war, resolved to strain every sinew to retrieve the faded lustre of their arms. The capture of the Gucr- riere by the United States frigate Constitution, a ship far siij)eiior to the former, in tonnage, weight of metal, and the ii limber of ho" r.icu, affordod some solace to their wounded pride. The american forces on the confines of L.nye;' Canada, under the immediate command of General Dearborn were increasing rapidly, and threatened Montreal wiih invasion by St. Jo lUi's and the Odeltown roac' Their force ai, Niagara, and on the Niagara frontier under IJriga- div-r (General Van liansalaer, was already formidable, and afforded good grounds of apprehension to General Brock of a sj>ce. . c v^s jiJ .^ • The road to the United States, from the camp of Blair- findie (or I'Acadie) through Burtonville and Odletown, ■was cut u}), and rendered impracticable by abbnlis^ and every precaution was taken to prevent a sudden irruption of the enemy from that quarter. The Voltigeurs, with ex- traordinary perseverance, eflected this fatiguing duty in the CQ\irse of a very short time, under the superintendance of their commantling otiicer Major De Salabcrry. , , . ^, The slender reinforcements that arrived this summer, wore barely suJficient to relieve the citizens of Quebec for a short time from garrison duty. They consisted of the l03d J?egiment from England, and a battalion of the Ist (or Roy- al Scots) from tlie West Indies, with a few recruits for othev regiments; and it was evident that the mother country un- able at the present moment to supply the necessary aid for the defence of these provinces, connnitted their tlestii\y to the loyalty and j)atriotism of the Canadian population. In September, another battalion of the militia was em- bodied, principally from the Montreal militia, and placed '.inder the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, and called the Fifth Battalion (aftei-wards Canadian Chasseurs). The North- West Company raised a corps of V^oyageurs, Tvhich was disbanded in the ensuing spring, while the merchants and trade^' len of the 1st Battalion of Montre- al sedentary militia, in order to avoid the rigour of the mi- litia Laws, which admitted of no substitutes, organised themselves into four companies of volunteers for garrison duty and field service in case of emergency. Fiom the capture of Detroit and the American aripy un- der General Hull, we have nothing of any importance to -e- late until the battle of Queenstown. The predatory incv r- aions of i\\r acmy in the meantime, debeive to be noticed. i, • > Oft Sm George pREVdsT. Sf. f)i\ the sixteentli ofSeptembeVj a brigade of batteaux load- ed \vith stores, and about one lajnared and thirty eight troops, under the command of Major Heathcote of the Uoyal Newfoundland Fencibles, were surprized and nearly taken by a party of five hundred Americans, at Matilda, in their route to Upper' Canada. The enemy having crossed over before day light in the morning from the American side, eHected a landing unperceived upon a small island at a little distance from the British shore. They concealed them- selves in the bushes, and sent a party to secure a man by the name of Toussuint, the only inhabitant upon the isl- ands Early in the morning, the batteaux were seen advan- cing, and in the eagerness of the Americans to observe theia through a broken glass in his hut, Toussaint stole out and reaching the shore, got into his canoe unobserved. - The Americans upon discovering his escape fired upon him, while he, by shouting and making signals, apprized the bat- teaux of their danger, which then precipitately made for the shore. A gun boat which escorted this party, immediately drop- ped down from behind the island and opened a fire upon the batteaux, while two large boats loaded with troops were seen crossing from the American shorf ^nd making for the upper end of the Channel between the aving collected a sufficient number of batieaux, he / pus'.ied ofl'in the forenoon of the 4th of October, under co- ver of a cannonade from Prescot, with twenty five batteaux ^corted by two gun boats. They advanced without oppo« si. ion^ until mid-channel, when the enemy opened a tremen- dous discharge of artillery, which checked their progress. A confusion immedia.' ly ensued, and they were comj)elled to nake a precipitate retreat, with the loss of three men kiMid axid ionr wounded. The Americans were command- ed oy Ui'igadier General Brown, and are said to have be- liav^'d vvitii nuich coolness and intrepidity. This enterprise undertaken without the sanction or the Commander of the Forces, was censured by him ; and the public opinion con- denuied it as raah and premature. • , On the ninth of October, the armed brig Detroit, re- c'ontl ' tal;ca at Deti'oit, and the brig Caledonia with a q la.iiity of Furs belonging to tlie North-West Company, liiivi>»g arrived the precetling day from Detroit with prison- ers, w«'re boarded opposite Fort Erie before the dawn of d{iy by a jiarty of upwards of two hundred Americans in b(\'i IS manned by seamen. They succeeded in cutting the cud'ps, and the vessels drifted towards the American shore. T.ie Caledonia grounded at Black Rock, and the Detroit iijon Squaw Island a small distance from the American fti turned with information to the American General, that General Brock had moved on to Detroit with all the force that could be spared. Encouraged by these false news, eve- iry preparation was taken for a descent upon Qvieenstow n. On the morning of the II th, their forces were con- centrated at Lewistown, opposite Queenstown, with a* view of making an immediate attack upon the latter ; but through the neglect or cowardice of the oflicer entrusted with . preparing and conducting the boats to the place of embarkation, the attack miscarried. Early in the morning of the I3th, their forces were agrain con(,(>n- trated at Lewistown, and the troops embarked undercover of a commanding battery of two eighteen and two six poundere. This movement being soon discovered, a brisk fire was opened upon them from the British shore, by the troops, and from three batteries. The Americans comiuenc- eda cannonade to sweep the8hore,but with little eilect. The first division under Colonel Van Ransalaer, effected their landing unobserved under the heights a little above Queens- town, and mounting the ascent with firumess and alacrity, Qu^*^"!*^®*"* attacked and carried an eighteen pounder battery, and dislodged the light company of the 49th regiment. The enemy were in the mean time pnshing over in boats, and not- Withstanding the current and eddies, which in i\\\n part of the river are numerous and rapid, and a treinendous dis- charge of artillery which shattered many of their boats, persevered with dauntless resolution, and effected a lan«'hig close upon Queenstown, where they were opposed by t lie ffrenadiers of the 49th Regt. and the York V oluntcer ^Ti- itia, with a determination verging upon desperation. The- carnage became terrible. The British being overwhelmed with numbei*8, were compelled to retire some distance, in- to a hollow. General Brock having heard the cannonade, arrived at that moment, with his Provincial Aide-dc-Camp Jit. Col. M'Donell from Niagara (at the i;ivy of tlic morn- ing,) and having rallied the grenadiers of liis liivoritc 19ch, wasloadingthcmonto thechargo, when he ivci ivod a unisket Hll in his breast, which almost inuuetliutcly ici luinaled • •'! <>\- BaJHe of Death of isteucQ i h \ \ \ y *»iM.fc'„-M* ,*'■■•*•—■■ ■sisBiiraPs*— iWUi-T'o^ •t m ADiHINlSTHATION OV CuAV. IV. ibl2. , as his horse, which had been wOunded, was of wheehng, lie survived his wound twenty The Articricans istencc. The only words he uttered were " pjfsh on Itir hraxr York Volunteers^' when he loll from his horse,' and \\\M corpse remained for some time in the ])Ower of the enemy. In the interim, the light company supported by a party of the Yorkers rallied, and reascendetl to dislodge the eneiny from the heights. They formed and advanced to the cliarge exposed to a smart fire, but finding the enemy posted be- hind trees, so that a charge con hi have little eflect, they de- sisted, and separating, posted themselves in like niattncr, and kept up a smart fire for some- time. liieut. Col. M'Donell who had joined them while in forming for the charge, and tvas encouraging the men, received a ball in his back in the act four hours in the most excruciating pain having effected their landing with an overwhelming force, the British were obliged to give way, and suspend the fight until the arrival of reinforcements, leaving the Americans in possession of the heights. General Sheaflc soon cajnc Aip with a reinforcement of three hundred men of the 41st regiment, two companies ofmilttia, and two hundred and fifty Indians. Reinforcements having also arrived frbm Chip- pawa, the British General collected ii is whole forceamount*- ing to upwards of eight hundred men, and leaving two field j)ieces with about thirty men under Lieutenant Hol- croftof the Roye.i Artillery in front ofQueenstown, asa check to prevent the enemy from occupying the village, proceeded by a circuitous route to gain the rear of the heights upon which the enemy were posted. The Indians being more alert than the tmops first surmounted the hill, and com- n^enced the attack, but were repulsed and fell back upon tlieniainbody, who formed with celerity, and upon the word, atlvanced to the charge under a heav\' shower of musketry. The British satupa shoutaccompanied with the war-whoop of the Indians, andadvanccd at the double quick or running pjice, when the Americans struck with terror, gave way and tied in all directions, some concealing themselves in the bushes, others precipitating themselves down the ])recijiice weje either killed by the fall, or drowned in the attempt to swim the river. A terrible slliughter (ensued, by the Indians, whose vengeance it was inijjossible to restrain, until a white fij!«I Mas <»br..i ved asc( iidin," tlie hill with oilers of an un- coiMiitional surrender which were accepted. An armistice ol three days was )m)|)ose(l by the American and granted by the British Generp.l, in order to lake care of their wounded and «:.l\ \ -^t,jt.« , / Sir George Prevost. 61 7 ///<' \)?axr. ',' and \\\^ iie oni'iny. 11 party of he onciny the charge jTosteH be- :t, thoy dc- e manner, ieut. Col. irrairig for ved a ball mded, was nd twenty Atnciicans ming force, id the fight Americans soon came 1 of the 41st iindred and from Chip- ce amount^ leaving two enant Hol- , as a check , proceeded ights upon being more , and corn- back upon n the word, f musketry, ■war-whoop or running ve way and Ives in the ■ ])recipice attempt to 10 Indians, mtil a white } of an un- n armistice granted by ir wounded and and bury their dead, on condition of destroying their bat- teaiix, which was iuunediateiycoiuj>Hed witlj. ()ne General Ofliccr (Wadsworlh) two Lieut. Colonels, five Majors, a multitude of Captains and Subalterns, with nine huudrrd men, onefiehl piece, and a stand of Colour^, were tlicfvi'ils of this important victory ; and it is computed that the enciuy must have lost in killed, wounded, missing and prlson«Ms, upwards of fifteen hundred men. Tiie action histcd fro>;i fourin the morning until near four o'clock in the aftcriioon, and though vanquished, the obstinacy with which they con- tested the honor of the tlay, reflects credit upon the ene- my. General Van Rensselaer, before the arrival of tlio rcinfdrcemeuts from Niagara under (ieneral Sheatfc, finding the fate of the day still undetermined, his troops almost ex- hausted with fatigue, and falling short of amuuniition, had returned to the american shore, to urge across reinforce- ments from the embodied militia, but they, notwithstanding every menace, and entreaty on his part, unanimously refused. In this dilemma his wrote a note to General Wadsworth, who remained with the Americans on the Q'.ieenstown heights, informing him of the situation of things, and leaving the course to be pursued, nmch to his own judgment, assuring him if he thought best to retreat, he would send as many boats as he could ( ommand, and cover his retreat by every fire he could make. TJut before tlie latter had time to resolve upon any mode of security or re- treat, the spirited advance of the British had decided the fate of the day. The British at fort Erie under the command of Lt. Colotjel Myers, silenced the enemy's fire at Black Rock, and blew up a barrack with a considerable depot of ammunition. The Caledonia lately captured by the enemy was almost destroyed at her moorings. A well directed fire from Fort Greorge also silenced the eneniy's Batteries on the other side of the river, from whence they fired red hot shot mjon the wooden buildings in the neighbcurlioodof Fort George. Thus ended in their total discomfiture, the second at- tempt of the Amciicans to invade Lipper-Canada. The loss of the British is said to have been about twenty killed in- cluding Indians, and between, fifiy and sixty wounded. The fall of General Brock the idol of the ai-my, and of the peo- ple of Upper Canada, was an irreparable loss, and cast a J shade over the glory of this dear-bought victory. He was 1^ natiye ofGruernsey of an ancient and reputable family dis- I tinguirlied CuAP. IV. W^ V..M \\\ \ »IH.*V-'—,''\-:' '■msmm»^ 6S Administration or I Chap tinf^uislied in the profession of arms. He had served for IV. many years in Canada, and in some of the principal cum- J^ ' )aignH in l"]uroi)e. He commanded a detachment of his avorite 49tU Regiment, on the expedition to Co|)enhagen with LordNelson, wherehedistinguishedhimself. lie wason« of those extraordinary men who seem born to inHucnce mankind, and mark the age in which they live. Conscious of the ascendency of his genius over those who surrounded him, he blended the mildest of manners, with the sever- ity and discipline of a camp, and though his deportment was somewhat grave and imposing, the noble frankness of his character imparted at once confidence and respect to those who had occasion to approach his person. • As a sol- dier he was brave to a fault, and not less judicious than decisive in his measures. The energy of his character was strongly expressed in his countenance, and in the robustand manly symmetry of his frame. As a Civil Governor, he wius firm, prudent and equitable. In fine, whether, we view him as a Man, a Statesman or a Soldier, he equally deserves tlie esteem and respect of his contemporaries and of posterity. The Indians who flocked to his standard were attached to him with almost enthusiastic affection, and the enemy even expressed an involuntary regret at his un- timely fiill. His prodigality of life, bereft the country of his services at the early age of forty-two years. The re- mains, of this gallant Officer, were, during the funeral service, honored with a discharge of minute guns from the Ameri- can, as well as British batteries, and with those of I his fill th fid Aid-de-Camp Lieut. Colonel M'Donell, were interred in the same grave at Fort George, on the Kith October, amidst the tears of an aflectionatc soldiery and a grateful people, who will cherish his memory with vene- ration, and hand to their posterity the imperishable name I of BROCK. - , .,, ... . ^ The civil and military commands in Upper-Canatla now devolved upon Major General Shealie, a friend and fellow soldier of his illustrious predecessor. Ho |)aroled General Wadsworth and some of the princif>al oflicers ; the remain- der were sent to Quebec. Among the American prisonei-s, I twenty-three men were found, who having declared them- selves British born subjects were sent to England for trial as I traitors. This gave occasion to retaliate upon British pri- soners iu /\merica,'»and a like nuuibcr of the latter were putl into close Confinement as Hostages for the safety of the traitors ^B" Sin George Prevost. 63 genred for icipal cam- men I of hi» ;Oj)enliagen Ilewasoiie influence Conscious surrounded k the sever- deportment frankness of i respect to , ' As a sol" licious than uiracter was e robust and rovernor, he vhether, we he equally poraries and lis standard lection, and !t at his un- le country of IS. The re- neral service, 1 the Ameri- h those of lonell, were on the IGtli soldiery and with vene- ishable name Canada now ,d and fellovr oled General the remain* ;an prisonei-s, clared them* nd for trial as British pri- itter were put afety of tliB traitors CVaitors, by order of the American irovernment. This cir- 9i;i u(< led to discussions that shall be noticed in their projter place. On the 18th of October, General Smvth assumi^d the com- mantl at Nia'j:>!ira, and aj)p[i<'d to the IJiitish (Jenoial foi an Aiinisiice which '>vas a<^reed upon, and to continue until thirty hours aitor notice oi its leriuination. 1' On the 9.'>d of Octol)er. a party of near four hundred Am* eriians from Platt,>l)urn;' nnd. r Ma)oi Voiinf^, surjirised the picitietal the Indian Village of Si. Kogis. Twenty thrte men Were maile iirisonersby the enemy, and J^ieut. nottottcand a Borgeant M '(jiillivray and six men were left (h ;gi9 oi\ the y.'Jd November, by detaclnnents of the Royal Artillery, 49th liegiment and (iiengary Light Infantry, amountin:T to seventy men, with detachments from the Cornwall and Glen- ,':in-y Militia of near the sajuo number, the whole luuk-r the command of liient. Col. IVl'iMillun. In this alfair. tho eiie- my tooktoa Ijlock ho\!se, but nndingthemselvos surrounded,, surrendered themselves prisoners of war. Our Captain two Subalterns, andtbity-one men became prisoners of^^ar, and four batteaux, and fifiy-seven stand of arms were taken. Notwithstanding the vicissitude.^ ofwar, and the internal difliculties with which the aaiiTican government had to struggle, the most active preparations were carrying on to in- vade the Canadas. MajorGeneral Deail)orn was at tlie bead of i(>n thousand men on the confines of Lower-CaiuuLi • our fleet, though superior to them in the s})ring and sumou v on Lake Ontario, dare not now even co.itestwit.i the Amcrii aus foi the dominion of the Lake. General Smyth bad an army of six thousand men on the Niagara frontier.and rJenera! f?;ir- riw)n on the river Kai:'in, over-av;ed Detroit wit li his Ohio a H vcp.mcky men. From these liosiiie aj-))ear.'Ui'>(s it v.'as widcat that theeuemy still meditatc:d a combined luoveni^rit, ■■• . . I ;2 bul Chap. IV. 18l!^» / ! / 1 f^ Vr i -a gs fft >jr. :i ^ : ^ . _j< wmri'ijii !^ 61 Administration of* l^ Chap, but tlioiincorhiliUy of tlio point acfJ'inJ't M'liich th^ir ma'itt iV. Ptu-ngtli woukl l}t' iU.MH'd, kopt oui uniiy cuusjuntly tin i lie \.^^'\''Sm^ nicrt. On tlie ninth of Novenilu'i' tlic anu'iicun Het-t con- Xai'J. ;<)'*tii;i; oCsi'ViMi snil of vrs^*olH with a consitii rablc n\nr.herof Tioops i(itii' chasing tlif Itoynl (mtij^o nilo Kingslcu Chun- irl caniionailc^l hiT for some time ; i)('ii\^ however, wai inly ii'.civd by |hn l-,altcri(;s a^ well the slii|)s, they hanled olV fiiMJ 1>( !U lip unih'V a liravv Inv toFoin* iVIile Punit, and au- tlioivil, viih a view ofix -newni;^ the attack at a more tiivora- ble opportunity. Eurly on the ensuing nioniing they got iHulcr Wiiy, and beat out of the Channel under aheavy presa of sail to the open Lake, where they fell in with tlie (ro- vcrnor Sinuoe, from Niagara rnnning tor Kingston, and chased her into the Harbour; she eluded their pursuit by ruiK'.iug over a reefof rocks under a heavy fire from the Co- vcrnor 'rontkinrf, the Hamilton, antl tfuliana, which did her HOiiic injury. 'J'lic weather becoming bdi^iterous the lleet bofe uway for Sacket's Harbour, after having taken in their cruise two Schooners, in one of which Capt. Itrock Pay- inahtirof ihe 49th Uegimentwasmade prisoiuT. lie waspar« o'.ed by Connnodgre Ciiauncey, who meritqriotisly restoreil the IMateand Ellects found in his pcjssessionbelo^iging to hi» late illustrious relative General Brock. A'lviinrp of r. . ral Dcar- boi'ti. The American forces under General Dearborn in the meati time grathially approached the frontier of Lower Ca- nadi), and early on the morning of the seventeenth of i\o- vciubur lSl-2, Major (now Li-Hit. Colonel) De Salaberry, Superinlendaut ol the Canadian Voltigeurs, commanding the cordon and adviinced posts on the lines, received iiitbr- niaiion at St. Philips, that the enemy to the number of ten thousaiul, Were advancing tippn OJeltown. He iniflie- diately desjiatched two cotnnanies of the V^oltigeurs under the command of Captain PeiTault of the same regiment, with three hundred Indians under Caj)tain Ducharme of t'le Indian de))aj"tnu>nt, to reinforce Major Ijatbrce of thi? Int Hattalion 1 'Embodied Militia, who was posted with the two Hank companies of that battalion at the river La Cole. Titis detachment after a fatiguing march of thirty six miles, cliidlv throii<;h morasses and abbafis, arrived early in the afternoon of tlie same day at Burtonville, and took a posi- tion within the river La Cole, a niile distant from it, in cvtr.jiniction with a jiarty of about thirty Algonquin and Ab>'.! (Ui Indians, and a few voyageurs under Captain M'Kay, a goiul<-'uuvu of the North- Wwl Coiupviny iu the Voya.' , V.«i^' .«•--«- <-_ w-iMMMkiMMMM llWMW«N'»iifff -■M h .,.i>Wifc,»t^,.»fcH lirij- mairt- tly (»n I he 1 tievi cun- miir.l)erof - or, wixiinly li'.niUd with the irer La Cole, ty six rniles, early in the took a posi- froni it, in onquin and ler Captain pany in ihc Voya,- SiR George Phevost. 0§ VoypCfeurB corps. Major De Sulaberry arrived on tho day fjll'iMiig vMiij the reiiiaiuder of ii\e VoltigeurH and tiio Voyageurs, coninianded by Tjieut. Colonel MCjIillivray, and , i()ur coiupaiiiesof the V'^olunteeii'hasseurs troni thepari^hea of Cliateuii^'uay, St. Constaut, Si. Philip antl 1 Acadtc. Iniheineun linie the enemy occupied Chainplain Town, two or lluec uiilcH fioni the lines, anil an earnest invasion wa« moiniMily exjiected. Nolhing occurred of an; consequence mini the iOth in the morning, when Captain M'Kay visit-* ing the niquet between three and tour o'clock, perceived ili* enemy lording the river Im Cole, and at the same insJant heai'd them cock their Inelotks in the surrounding buhl»es. He hud scarcely time to apprise tl^e picquct under Captain Uernard Panet, of their danger-, when tlie enemy who had surrounded the guard-hut on all sides, discharged a volley ci umsketry so close that their wads sat fire to the roof and conisumed ilie hut. The Militia and Indians discharged their pieces, and dashing through the ranks of the enemy es- caped unhuit,- while the Americans who had forded the river in two places, mistaking each other in the darkness aiid confusion of the night for the enemy, kept up a brisk fiiv for near half an hour, in which they killed and wound- ed several of their own people. After discovering their er- ror they retired to Champlaiu Town, leaving five mea woMiided, anil three or four killed, who were fi)und by the Ti'u.aus on the same day. This party is said to have con- sisted of fourteen hundred men and a troop of Dragoons, au4. Tvas commanded by Colonels Pyke and Clarke. This movement, or rather incursion of the enemy, gave room to expect another more vigorous attempt to invaile Lower-Canada, and on the 22d, tlie Govemor by a Geneial Order directed the whole Militia of the province to consider themselves commanded tor active service, and to be prepared to move forward to meet the enemy as soon as required, Lieut. Colonel Deschanibault was ordered to cross the St, Lawrence at Lachine to Cahnawaga, with the Pointe Claire^ lliviiire du Chene, Vaudreuil and Longue Pointe Battali- ons, and to march uponl'Acadie. The volunteers of the lat Battalion of Montreal militia, the tlank companies of the stxcond and third battalions, and a troop of militia dragoons crossetl the river to f A)ngueil and Laprairie, and the whole mass of population in the district of Montreal made a spim- taneous movemeni towards the point of invasion with an euthusiasm unsurpassed m any age or country. Gen ral IV. iSU ,i^:| ^If V ! f ./: J ^r^^- yMil Hl*Wi«'.'i '^ 'WlWMfc-i^^ty '■ A'ti^^'ifk'^M wmmm I 66 AmnmSTKATION OF m C^TAP.' Deai-boi-n, tvfto, no dortbt was well informed of ilie State of tlie public mind in Lower-Canada at »liis crisis, tbreraw %**»''^'^'X^ ifom the multitude assembled to oppose his progress, and iiii2. the hostile spirit of the Canadians^ tlie fruitiessness of an attempt to luvade Lower- Canada, began to withdraw hii" sickly and already enfeebled host, into winter quarters »i Plattsburg and BurUnijton. Whether he ever earnestly coiitenjplated an invasion, oi only intenu»d tbis n'ovement as a feint to create a divereioii in tavor of the army under General Smyth on the Niagara frontier, remains a question* All apprehensions of an invasion of Lower-Canada fur the present season having disappeared, the troops and ti^nibodiod iiuliiia were on the iJTth November, orderfed into wmter fluarters. The armistice concluded between Generals Smyth and Rhcalle after the battle of Queonstown was t.-nninated ort the t'Oth Noveniber, pursuant to ntitication to that eliect from the former. This and the former Annisiice witlout iffordihg any present advantage, proved in the evft of material prejudice to the British on Lake Erie. Ihe Americans arciled themselves of so favorable an octasi;*.) to fbrsvavd their Naval Stores immolested from Black Rock to Presque Isle by water, which they could not "othcj wise have eftccted, but with immense trouble and expence by la.'id, and equipped at leisure the fleet which afterwards Wre.>ted from us the f^ommand of that Lake. , Cenl. Smyth's G'^noral Smyth (of proclamation memoiy) had during the «•!>■):, a !<> '"-armistice »ixerted himself in oreparing boats for another at- VMMudii. ^^"' tempt to invatle the Upper ^*rovince, near Fort Erie at th^ foot of the Lake of the &a.i\ie name.* Early ontbemoming of theSSth Nov. the er-cmy efTecteHft landing on the British side with a division of fourteen boats lowed by sailors with about thirty men each at the iqiper end of Grande Isle between Fort Erie and Chippawa. They Were resolutely opposed by Lieutenant King or the Royal Artillery, and Lieutenant Lamont and Ba ley with detach- mentr-i of thirty and thirty five men each, of the49th Regiment.. Lien.tenants Kinjj and Lamont were wounded, and their Tr:eu being overwhelmed with numbers gave way alter S])il;ir.,'; thogrns ; these two officeiT) with about thirty th ee * fee Appendix 0» ;'> #N< tncji .1 ^ I ^^^^435®. SiH GEonqE Preyost. i ^L^^ , e state of forei^aw ress, and esfl of an withdraw quarieri iparnestly ()0\enient ly under quest ioHi la for the '^niljodiod ,o winter ■.' '', myth and nated ort ihat eliect I witl.out ev??M of •ie. The :casi;<.v lo ick Rock othci wise pence by ttervvarcte uring the other at- 'ie at th^ cflected ft ,>en boats le miper a. They le Royal 1 detach- eaiment. nd their ay after jty th ee tnen were made priBoners and sent over U> the american side. Lieut. Btrtley in the raeiin time after a determin'd resistance by which his force was reduced to seventeen effec- tive men was cbmpelled to retire, being threatened by a movement of the enemy upon his flank. In the interim the boats with the prisonersand as many Airiericans as could crowd into them, returning, left Captain King Aid-de-C&mp to the American General with a few officers and about forty men, who moved down the shore of the river but being pursued by Major Orrasby from Fort Erie, were made pri*. soners after a feeble resistance. At about seven o'clock inth« niominff, another division of eighteen boats were seen advance |ng to etiect a landing two miles lower down than the former* Colonel Bishopp having upon the first alarm , moved frora Chippewa, had now formed a junction with Mu^or Ormsby from Fort Erie, and commanding a force of nearly elevea hundred men, consisting of detachments of the 41st, 49tl» and Royal Newfoundland Regiments, a body of iVIilltia under Lieut. Col. Clark and Major Hall, and some Indians^ waited for the enemy on the shore. Their approach was wel j| corned with three cheers, and a steady and effectual lire op'^ ened upon them from musketry ahd a six pounder (under the command of Captain Kirby of the Royal Artillery,) which destroyed two of their boats, threw the remainder into confusion, and compelled them to seek safety in flight. The enemy, for a part of the day, made a display of their force on their own side of the river, but perceiving the Bri* tish had unspiked and remounted the guns which had fallen into their hands in the morning, they, with a view of re- tiring unmolested frpmour fire, by gaining a little time, senfc over a flag to Colonel Bislropp to summons the surrender of Fort Erie, to save the effusion of human blood, who aii-^ swered in the laconic words of an Englishman " Come and take it." Preparations were made for another descent on the Canada side, on the morning of the 1st of Decem- ber, but through mismanagement in embarking their troops, and a deficiency of provisions, the project miscarried, and t'' '• troops were ordered to re-land and hut their.m^lves tor »' e winter. Murmur and discontent crept into the A- merican camp, and General Smyth was obliged to take fliglit to save himself from the indignation of his army, which fro!n death, sickness and defection, soon ceased to be a subject of app.rehension to the British in their neijjhboiu- hood. This was the termination of the third j^ivadc Ujppcr-CuAada^ and the result of the itternpt to iurmidubie IV. 181:2. ■i /' '■"i: ■ n .\ I. !■ B9 ABMINtSTRAtlON OF :»» ^'1 CmaR prpparatiohs of tKe American gdvernmerit' to coriqiiier Wii IV. Canadas. iaia. The Le^slatilre of Tjower-Catiada assemLIrd on thc'^tM o^ December. The Govr the assurance of attaeh- tnent and s\ipport they had promised in their answer to Ins Speech at the opening of Parliament in the preceding Bionth of February, and acquainted them that " His" Roy- al Highness placed that confidence in the courage and loy- alty of his Ma-jesty's Canadian subjects which made hina ' squally fearless of the resiilt of any direct attack upon them, and of any insidious attempts to alienate their af- fection from his government." He informed them of the beneficial effects resulting from the Army Bill Act, and re- commended it to their further consideration. "• He had (he observed) according to the powers vested in him by the Legislature, called wrth the Militia to assist in the de- fence of the Province, and with the most cheering satisfac- tion had been a witness of that public spirit, that steady order and that love of their country, their Religion and their Laws, which they had manifested on this occaion, and which by animating and uniting all classi-s of his Ma- jesty's subjects, could not fiiil under Divine Providence to make them safe at home and respected abroad." He recom- mended a revision of the Militia Laws, and concluded bjr Urging the necessity of dispatch in conducting the public business. -?' ► ■-. -.ffK**^" ••■:^- Among the fii'st proceedings of the House of Assembly in this Session, was an enquiry iitto the causes and injurious consequences that might have resulted from the delay in- curred in the publication of the laws of the Provincial Parliament passed in the Session thiereof began ai\d holdeii on the 21st Februai-y preceding. This measure was. for •ome time persevered in with" unremitted assiduity, and ■with the obvious intention to palliate the guilt of the riot- ers at Lachine. Among those summoned on this occasion to attend tlie bar of thcllouse of Assembly, were the Clerk and •thcr Officers of the Legislative Council, which not having been prtvivasl^ canpvdted by the Lower liouse icfiised t« ■^i allo'ta ' M ' x j r ^w * ■ ' \i iquer tli^ tho Sos- fruits of the cam- , or a re- ise in the of attach- iiiswer t« pi'eceding His Roy- e and loy- nadc htm ack upon ! their af- 'm of tlie and re- had 1 him by m the de- g satisfac- at steady and occaion, his Ma- I'idence to le recom- cluded by he public ■J 'He igion scmblv in injurious ' delay in- 'rovincial id holdoii was. fbf uity, and f the riot- i:casion to Clerk and )t having eiVised im aUo\0 r ,\ Sir George PiiEVc^sr, ^ ^low their servants to be examined ut the bar of the latter. Tlie Legislative Council however, after deliberation per- mitted tliem to be examined by the House of Assembly under a species of protest, fi;om a desire to remove every possible obstacle to the immedii^te discussion of measures re(juisite for tlie^defence of the.Provincej reserving for a more convenient' occasicm the qu'e'stibh of their privilege in this respect. Nothing of any importance resulted from the enquiry, which, after some procrastination was totally relinquished. The subject of appointing an Agent in Engr land was resumed by the House in the present Session, but was postponed. To support the expence of the war an income tax upon salaries from government was proposed in the Lower Flouse, in the proportion of fifteen per cent upon every salary of £1500 and upwards, per annum, twelve per cent , upon jClOOO and upwards, ten per cent upon £500 and upwards and five per fceiit upon every £'250 and upwards. A bill to that ellect was passed in the Lower House but was rejected by the Legislative Coun- cil. Tlie House resolved itself into l. Committee to take Into consideration the power and authority exercised by his Majesty's Courts in this Province under the denomination of Rules of Practice. Th6 result or rather progress of this enquiry during the ftubsequt'ni Session, we shall have occasion to notice in its turn. The House in taking into consideration that part of the Governor's Speech, in which reference was had to Martial Law, came to certain Resolu- tions strongly adverse to a recourse to such a measure. Tli« Army Bill Act was renewed and extended r five hundred thousand pounds \yere authorized to be put intocirculation, and in order to secure their credit, Commis-sioners were appointed to establish at regular periods the current rate of Exchange, of Bills upon London, which the holders, upoa application were intitled to obtain from Government. Fif- teen thousand pounds were granted by the Parliament i» equip the Embodied Militia, one thousand pounds to pro- vide for hospitals for the Militia, and twenty-five thousand pounds for the support of the war. The further sum of four hundred pounds was granted to improve and facilitate the communication between Lower and -Upper-Canada. But no amendment was made to the Militia Laws owinff to a disagreement on the subject between the Lower and Upper Houses, A duty of two and a half per cent upon 1812. I I •'i .J I. ,..^.,,.^ --.^;- -line.*' V , fft ADMlNlStRATMW Oy fJiiAP*) all merchatidize (provisions excepted) imported into tlifi IV. Province, and two and a half per cent more, upon Mefchan- it^V*^/ dize imported into the Provmce by persons not actually 1813. therein resident six months previous to such importation, was granted for the support of the war. The present Ses- sion of the Legidature was prorogued on the fifteentli ii February, ^^■,«{n:?y ■^ vSf^ ■ ••' ^ w ti - : >, r ■V , f 4 Ir •'■ '» CHAP- — « ' '«'w w. * m tMu::»aii-r>n««!aat«i«BM)H> ■, 4 irttft tlitt 1 Mefchan- at actually nportation, )resent Ses- •■••• VS II 1 , • \.-r. CHAP- Siti George Prevost. n i?f» :v.*» T CHAPTER r: IHE American arir.y under the comtnand of General . s ■<■■ Chap. V. 181 o. Batllp o^ Harrison still hovered on the border of the Michigan Territory and over-awed Detroit, where Colonel Proctor with an interior force was left in command after the reduction of that post by General Brock. On the 19th of January, in- formation was received at Detroit by the British Cpniniand- er, that a division or brigade of the American armv under F'^en^P'"""'* Brigadier General Winchester, was encamped at iFrench- town on the liiver Raisin, twenty^six miles from Detroit, having driven in a body of militia and Indians posted there under Major Reynolds of the militia, who, after some resist- unce with a field piece, fell back upon Brownstown* Colonel Proctor promptly determined to attack this division befor« it could be reinforced by the main body under General f f arrison, three or four days march in the rear ; and assem* bled his disposeable foi-'ce at Brownstown on the 21st, con- sisting of five hundred regulars, seamen and militia, and about six hundred Indians. He advanced the same day twelve miles, to Stoney Creek, and at day break the next morning made a resolute attack on the enemy's camp, General Winchester himself, fell soon after the commence- ment of the action into the hands of the Wyandot Chief JRoundfieud, who surrendered him to Colonel rroctor. The Americans had retreaited to the houses and enclosures, from which they were making a desperate resistance through fear of falling into the hands of the Indians ; but upon its being represented to General Winchester, that unless a speedy surrender were made, the buildings would be set on fire, and that no responsibility would be taken for the con- duct of the Indians, he sent a flag of truce to his men, and agreed on their part to a surrender, upon condition pf their being protected from the fui^ of the Savages, jind allowed to preserve their private property. In this afiair the enemy lost in killed between three and four hundred men, and one Brigadier General, three field Officers, nine Captains, twenty Subalterns and upwards of five hundred men in prisoners. The loss on the British side was also severe : twenty-four killed and one hundred and fifty-eight wounded. This spi- rited and vigorous measure completely disconcerted th arrangements njade by General Harrison for the recover K 3 iho ;:.* 'im ■If. 4 ' '1 I' K ADMINtSTltATlON Oj/**^ •'ft , % <••" ■*W the ATlcliij^an tonitory, and socnrfd Detroit fixim any im« iiKHliato (liuigor. In rccovding thin oidlant exploit, it nnist be regretted, that the wngbvcniable lerocity of our Indian ai- lie?. (who on the day aller'tbe battle, are Baid 'ohavcRlaughtcr- od in spite Pi' the British, sncb of the wcunded prisoners us were unable to walk.) should have tarnished the honor ot the victory. Humanity revolts at the idea of a massacre of de- fenceless and wounded prisoners taken in open and honora- ble warfare, and we can only lind an excuse for the guilt, of the tame s|>cctator8 of such atrocities, in their apprehen- sions of a similar fate, iu case of interference to rescue the imhappy victims of savage venseance. The House of As- sembly of Lower-Canada passed a vote of •hankwto Colonel Pioctor tor the skill and intrepidity with hich he planned and carried into execution this enterpris \ and for the ejt- cnipla.y humanity displayed by him in the moment of vic- tory** -A vote of thanks was also passed to the officere, "T-on-eommissioned ofticers and privates belonging to the line, marine and militia forces who assisted in its accom- plislnnent, anil Colonel Proctor was immediately promoted to the rank of iJrigadier General by the Conunander of the P'orces, until the pleasure of the Prince Regent should be known, who was pleased to approve and contirm the ap- •pointmcnt. .'' • - • ^f* -,'1>. >•? i;^?-.:.';.: •. The Govei'nor having closed the Session of the Legislature left Quebec on the 17th i^'cbruary on a visit for Upper-Cana- da. In his route thither, Lieut. Colonel Pearson in com- maufl :\t Prescot, proposed to him as he passed, an attack upon tiie Amoricaupost of Ogdensburg in retaliation for an excursion by the enemy from thence uppn Brockville some dsiys previous. The Governor did not deem it expedient to order an attack upon that post, but as two men had \leserted on the evening of his arrival, and had gone over to the enemy, who might ujwn ascertaining the arrival of the f Jovcrnor, wav lay hun on his route, it was determined that 1a. Col. Pearson should proceed (m the ensuing morn- ing with His Excellency to Kingston, while Lt. Col. M'Don- nell second iu conunand at Prescot, should make a demon- stratit)n on the ice in front'of Ogdensburgh, as well with a view _ of engaging the attention of tlie enemy, as by drawino-out * When this vofp fff (hnnks was passed, the farts alluded to, were certain- ly not wittiiii ihc knowledge ol the Assembly, as it is more than probable the; would have been btleut upon the acore of /lumaniti/, i '. -^ .1 ' ' . ' , . tlieir *:■ ^*c:^ :^., 1 any im« t, it must Indian al- ilaughtor- isoners as nor of the icre of de- d houora- le guilt, of api)rehen- lescue the use of As- to Colond le planned for the e<- ent of vic- le officers, ng to the its accoin- promoted ider of the should be rm the ap- jeglslature )per-Cana- >n in com- an attack tion for an ville some expedient men had one over Tval of the etcrniined ling morn* 1. M'Don- a demon- vithaview awing out were cortain- han probable ^' their Sir .George Prevost. 75^ i8ia. tlieir forces, to ascertain the strength of the garrison. On the cnsuinii morning (S2d February,) as the Governor departed, Lieut. Col. M'Donnell moved with his party across the river on ihe ice, towards Ogdensburgh; the enemy perceiv- ing the movement, were prepared to receive him, and Lieut. Col. M'Donnell impelled by that spirit characteristic of Bri- „„ i^deaJT tish Soldiers, turned the demonstration into a real attack, buigb. The enemy were driven fVom the village after a short ',♦ contest, Icavnig about twenty killed, and a considerable nmnber wounded. Four brass field pieces, seven pieces of iron ordnance complete, with several hundred stAnd of arms, and a considerable quantity of stores fell into the hands of the victors, who lost seven killed, and seven officers (including Lt. Col. M'Donnell) and forty-one men wounded. After having destroyed two small schooners and two gun boats left there to winter, they returned to their quarters at Prescot. During the winter the greatest exertions •yvere made to be in a state of preparation tor the ensuing campaign, lit March a draught of miiitia took place, to fill up the nniuia Battalions. A Battalion (the (ith) was embodied at Que- bec from the city Militia for garrison duty. The Canadian Regiment of Fencibles, the Glengaries and the Voltigeui-s recruited with diligence and succe.'^s ; and the 104th (or New Brunswick Rej^iment) marclunl through from Frcde- rickton for Upper-Canada, some luuiowrd upwards of seventeen hundred troops under the «oin* /.( m M 1 1,! 11 f I' I ^ i • At .H . , ■■> ■ n Administration oii^ Batflr A- rnp comman(^ of Generals DeRrborn and Pike, lailcd ftoift / Sacket's Harbour on the 25th of April, and on the follow- ing evening appeared oft" Yprk with fourteen Bail of ainiM vesaels. On tlie ensuing morning (27th) the enemy com4 menced a debarkation about three miles to the webt ot the town, but the wind blowing fresh from the eastward they fell considerably to leeward of the position fixod upon for landing (the site of the old French Fort Toronto) while they sulfered much from a gulling fire of the British troojw posted in a wood. They however accomplished their land- . ing and compelled the British to retire with loss. The \ \ tue oi > PI Ji, Grenadiers of the 8th Regiment, who lost their Captain, M'Neal, were, after a drspcraie contest almost annihilated \>y the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. The latter having made their lauding, formed upon the beach unde^ the immediate orders of General Pike, while the schooner* woi ked up to the Forts under a heavy cannonadi', and as- suming a position at the distance of six hundred yards froirf the batteries in order to make a simultaneous impression upon the works by water and by land, opened a heavy lire tipon them which did great execution. " The land force* «nder General Pike advanced through a little wood td the main works, when, at the distance ot sixty rods flroiT thorn, a tremendous •explosion took place from a magazine j)reviotisly prepared, which discharguifj an immense quaix« tUy of rubbish, spread havock among their troops and killed fc number of their officers and men. General Pike, an Officer mudi esteemed in the American army, and who Seems to have been a gentleman of an amiable character in {)rivate life, received a contusion from a large stone while cading on his men, which in a few hours put a period to fiis existence. General SheafTe finding his small force un- able to resist that of the enemy, retreated at two o'clock in the afternoon, leaving Lieut. Colonel Chewit of the militia to treat with the enemy ; and a capitulation immediately ensued, by which York was surrendered to the American forces, and the Militia to the amount of more than two hundred men with their officers stirrendered prisoners of war, on condition that all private projierty shoiddbe respect- ed. The public stores of every description fell into the hands of the enemy with the armed schooner Duke of Glotici^tcr undergoing repairs. A new ship M'hich had injudiciously been laid down at this open and defenceless PoHt ilie preceditjg winter, and now almost completely ylankcd, was, with the naval stores set on fire by the pritish pro* -.•»:.'-..«^-\ #-->-■. ,,- .■J^ii-v ed ftoift le follow^/ of aiiuco smy coin4 3 west of ea SI ward %vd uwn to) wnile ish troops heir land* :)8s. The Captain, inihilatcd Ihe hi Iter ach undei^ schoonert :', and as* ards froiri inpression heavy tiie Eind forces wood td rods fifoiri magazind ■nse quan« nd killed Pike, an and who aracter in ?ne while {leriod to brce nn« o'clock ift le militia mediately American than two soners of e respect- into the Duke of hich had efenceless jrapletely le British 6m GEonoB Prevost. n \ ... ibi«. ^eviouB tcHheir retreat. Tli6 loss df the British was severe, Cii A#» amounting to about one hundred ahd thirty men in killed V. and wounded, among the former Mr, M'Lean, the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Upper-Canada, who had volunteered his services with a musket. The loss of the enemy though not correctly ascertained must have beet) proportionally heavier than that of the British. The enemy Aavinff secured their booty, re-imbarked and sailed on ihe 2d of May for Niagara. l?he people hitherto unaccustotiied to hear of reverse*, tvere irritated at this success of the enemy, and as usual upon such occasians, clamoured against the General com- manding, who a few weeks afterwards was succeeded ia the Administration of the Civil Government of Upper-Ca- aadaby Ma,jor General De Rottenburg, and on ^is return to the Lower Province assumed the command of the forces ki the District of Montreal. It is not ascertained Whether kis removal was the result of the displeasure of the Com- tnander of the forces, but upon a cool survey of the event •f the battle of York, it must be owned that the Itonor of the British arms was strenuously and ably maintained by the small party of men under his command, who, including SLegulars, Militia fend Indians, did not exceed sil hundred. the AmtJrican fleet having landed the troops at Niagk- fa, returned to Backet** Harbour for reinforcements, and on lll6 25th May, their whole fleet having proceeded by de- tachments, were again assembled at Niagara, and General Vincent commanding at Fort George, foresnwthat an attack Wad intended shortly to be made upon his Post. Commo-' dore Chauncey despatched two of his vessels to criiise vi- gilantly off Kingston, and concerted his arrangements with General Dearborn for a combined attack upon Fort George. Early in the morning of the 27th MJiy the enemy commenced a combined attack upon that Fort, having pre- f iously, on the 2Mi artd 23th materially injured thy works by a warm cannonade from their ships and batteries. A body of about eight hundred riflemen under Colonel Scott landied near the two Mile Creek, while the fleet ranged up in the form of a crescent, extending from the North of the light house to the two Mile Creek, so as to enfllade the Bri- , tish bJitteries by a CWss lire. The riflemen after fonnitig and asccndinj; the bank were met bv the Britisli, and com- pelled to give wny in disorder aad rotoin to the beach from- '} A s 1 Attnrk an9 rrdurtii'') of Fort Geurge. / \% 'in id . ; AmUNlSTUATIOI^ OH"^ ,Chap, from when<'c they kept up a foinrt fire under cover of the V. bank. Ill the mean time another bo^y of upwards of tub |^*y-^^ thouHami men untlcr the (Jirettioii of General Lewis, nuidc n .JJbi^. lauding and formed on t|ie \v'ach under C(>ver of a trnnoii- dou9, cannonade of rouuft shot, anil showers of {^rape uikI canister ti-om the fleet, that swept the adjacent pUun, ami compelled t'lo British to retire. General Vincent findinjj the works torn to piec s by the enemy's artillery and no lonj,rer tenable aoainst so overwhehjiing a force, caused the Fort to be dismantled, and the majriizines to be blown up, and retreated to Qucenslown,, leaving the Aii\ei'ioans :to take possessloit of the rujns of the Fort. The Britisji loss consisted of fifty-two killeil and upw'ards of three hun- dred wounded and missing. The Americjin accounts slate .dieir loss at thirty-nine killed and one hundred and eleven wounded, j.^, jj^^.j,- ,•! ik *„vji^ttU" li in.-Mr li : -M^niA vtl xSit ilLt^ General Vincent on the ensuing day having collected the whole of the forces from Chippawa and Fort Erie, anil destroyed or rendered useless the posts and stores along that frontier, commenced ' s rct>'ea,t towjurdJBVUHgtoji Jieiiiht? at the head of On. o. ... , 1. . ■ .. •« / -.• •, , -, The arrival of Sir James L. Yep from England at Que- bec, on theSihlVIay, with several Oilicers of the Royal Navy and 450 seauien for the Lakes, cheered the droopiiijj spirits of the public. Captaiup Barclay, Pring and Finnjs, with five Lieutenants of the Royal Navy having previously arrived ©ver land from Halifax, with son»e seamen, were already at Kingston, and wereputtingthe lleet in a state of preparation to meet the enemy. Sir George Prevost proceeded from Montreal to ]>ingston with Sir James L. Yeo, who arrived •t tlie latter place in the short term of six weeks from his embarking at Portsuioy,th., c . <^ ■ , . I - _ • . The two Commanders being now at Kingston, the public was on tl;e tijvtoe of expectation ibr some decisive dash Kxpcdijion tipon the enemy's flotilla. An attack upon Sticket's Har- V 'liLr!'.*'^' bonr in the absence of their fleet at Niagara was resolvtxl upon. A body of eight hundred or a thousand men were einburkctl on the !^7th May, on board of the British flotilla at Kingston, consisting of the Wolfe 24 guns, Royal (jeorge !24, Earl of Moira 18, and four schooners bearing from ton to tW'-!v<' guns each, ^rith a sidhcient number of battcauTc, and it noon on the next day they were off Sa^- i;,;".4 ' ' ' ket's «i'b iiarbuur. "'• Siil George Prevost. tr ver of tW lids of iv,\> is, inad<* n ' u trnuoii- jr\p,no ami pUun, iiml L'lit finiling cry and no caueed the be blown An\o»ioans 'he Britiijjli three luin- ounltt state md eleven .,.1 ; ■ ■■« 5 collected ;, Erie, and lores along Burlington nd at Qnc- loyal Navy i)His{ spirits mniH, with isly arrived already at ^reparation :!eded from vho arrived iS from his the public cisive da.sh tket's Mar- is resolved men wore tish flotilla ns, Royal ers bearing number of nc offSai.- ket'5 ket's Warbour. The weather was propitious, and the troops were transferred to the batteaux to make tli» ship were consumed. They had also set fire to a fi'igate oa the stocks, but on discovering the retreat of the ^ritisli, they succeeded in suppressing the fire and saved her. The troops were immediately re-imbarked and retiu'ned to Kingston. The loss though hca\Y on both sides is not correctly ascer- tained ; among the British, Capt. Gray, Acting Depy. Q. M. General, was much regret tea. Hefellwhile reconnoitring the enemy's works in the hoiie of discovering some opening to favor an assault. r • I I Thus terminated this expedition to the di»«appointment of the public, who, from the presence and co-operation of the two Commanders in Chief, fondly flattered themselves with a far more brilliant result. This miscarriage with other reverses at the commencement of the present campaign, de- stroyed in the opinion of the enemy, the invincibility our arms had acquired the preceding autumn. j f,.. From these humiliating occurrences, we turn with prid^ to more cheering scenes of action, which effectually re- trieved the honor of- the British arms in Upper-Canada. General Harrison notwithstanding the defeat of a division of his army under General Winchester at Frenchtown in February, still persevered in his preparations to recover the Michigan territory, and in pursviance of his views had towards the spring, taken post near the foot of the rapids of the Miami, where he only waited for reinforcements to commence active operations against the British. General Proctor aware of his views, determined to dislodge him be- fore the arrival of his reinforcements, and proceeded for the Miami. Ho arrived at the neighbourhood of the ene- UJy^s position on the^OiU of April, The Americt^ns h^.^ howT Sni George Pnivogt.' rd tlie cnemy't e carried by >H had thejf l\ to reiulct !n were ex« their Workd. i indignant t a moment iecisive vic- their naval /hich all the ar their ne\» a frigate on Britislj, they The troops ) Kingston, cctly ascer- g Depy. Q. !Connoitrin|f •me opening ointment of at ion of the iselves with with other npaign, de- icibility t)ur with prld^ ctually re- »er-Canada. f a division ichtown in to recover views had the rapid» cements to General Ige him be- •oeeded for of the ene- ritf^ns hfl,^ how? liowever. secured themselves by block houses and batteries •o as to render every effort of the small artillei-y of the be- •iej^oi's unavailing. In the morning of the 5th of May, a reinforcement consisting of two regiments amounting to about twelve hundred men under Brigadier General Clay, having rapidly descended the river from Fort Defiance some distance above Foit Meigs (the American position) made a Hidden attack and surprised the British oatteries on the W< .^t side of the river, seconded by a resolute and simulta- ncM)UH sally from the garrison. Having carried the British batteries, they unwarny pursued the Indians who fell back m^. ilkirniishing with the enemy, while the main force coming up, by a nasty and judicious movement circumvented the Americans and intercepted their retreat to the river. After a desf)orate contest, the enemy surrendered, and upwards of 600 men were ma^le prisoners. They who had sallied from the fi)i t alone effected their escape, and betook themselves to their fortification. The Indians although disposed to sa- crifice the prisoners according to their mode of warfare, p^f'ter koine excesses, were with dilliculty restrained from slaughter by the British, two or three of whom fell victims to the fury of the Savages, in their endeavours to protect the defenceless prisoners. By this partial success the enemy became so crippled as to be unable to prosecute the campaign with any prospect of recovering Detroit, and General Proctoj: drew oH' his forces and returned to Sandwich, under tho apprehension of being abandoned by the Indians, who aftev a battle, according to their custom, retire to the enjoyment of their booty. In this aflair, the British loss amounted to one officer (of the militia) and fourteen men killeclj and 0119 officer and forty-five men wounded. ., . ^ Immediately after the capture of Fort George by the one- Battle oJ my. General Dearborn pushed forwaril a body of three 8toiie> Creeju thousand infantry with nine field pieces and two hundred and fifty cavalry, as far as the Forty -Mile Creek, for the purpose of dislodging General Vincent, who had assumed a position at Burlington Heights at the head of Lake Onta- rio; or to prevent a junction pf the forces under General Proctor with those of General Vincent, which, the Ameiic'ans underetood had been agreiKl upon by the British. On the ■'jth of June, General Vinrent, was apprized of the advance of the enemy by the retreat of his advanced picquets from Ston- ey Creek. Lieut. Colonel Harvey, Deputy-Adjutant-Go- -|»1; immediately moved forward with the iijght compa- L 2 nies 4 i i V ■y<- m ^l^yii^.,, ^ , ■-^ ^lj g] l^Jl.A^■^,, ^ . .^ l| .^^^ ^j ^^,, l■^. . at , H i4 » . y ! Uw#.**^'i (:^ >p^ pv Administration op I 'r/ ['ji nlo« of the 8\,h. and 49th llegimonts, and having reconnoitred the enemy's uosition, proposed to General \ incent a noc- turnal attack inKi'.i his camp, which was approved. At eleven in I'.ie ovtniiif^, the General moved up witli the 4J)th Re;^iment r^nd a part of the 8th (his whole eliective force on- ly 704 firelocks) toward the A"iPnpan camp, distant about seven miles. Lieut. Colonel liarvey led on the attack in gallant style, and completely succeeded in surprising the enemy in the midst of his camp, who, notwithstanding the darkness of the night, and the consternation and disorder into wliieh they were thrown, evinced a state of order and discipline highly creditable to themselves, in repeatedly forming, 'thoug'ii compelled as often to disperse before the rosistless energy of the British bayonet. Two Brigadier -Generals, (Cli«.ndler and Winder,) seven officers of inferior rank, and one hundred and sixteen men, with three guns, on'i brass howitzer and three tumbrels, fell into the hands of the British by ihis brilliant and intrepid action, which as ,it reduced the Americans from offensive to defensive opera- .tions, was probably in its result of more real importance *o the salvation of the Upper Province than any other occur- rence during the present campaign. The British were or- dered ta retreat before day light, lest their small strength exposed to the view of the enemy, xipou the return of day ..might be overpowered by their superior numbers. Finding that the British had retreated, they re-occupied their camp after sun-rise, and having destroyed all their incumbrances, commenced a precipitate retreat lO Forty-Mile Creek, ten niilesfroin the scene of action, where they were reinforced on the followi of the army tiom I'ort Lreorge. this affair was one Officer and tweniy-two men killed, and twelve Officers and one hundred and fifteen men wounded, and fifty-five men missing.* On • In General Vincent's Official Despatch »ho foHowinf^ well earned tri- biitc of a{>|>l)uise is bestowed upon the Officers and men enf;a^ed in this metrinrable •icliievcment. •' I rannot conclude this desp.itch without calling your iittention lo the followinp Officers: — "To Lient. Col. Harvey, the Deputy-A/ljutant-Geiieral, my obligations are particularly due. Frnm the first moment ti.e enemy 3 approach wa? known, he watched his movements, aud nft'orded m,- the ear'.iesf information. To bin., indeed, I am inacbfcd for thc.8Uf;i;estion and plan of operations: nothing ciMiId be more clear than his arrangrmenis, nor more complete-y •■uccci'sful in tlie result. The conduct of Major Plenderleath, who coni- niantHd th" I'Jih Regiment, was veiy conspicuous. By his decidoi? and prompt eft'orls, the surprise of the enenvy's camp was completed, and all nin eftoiis to make a stand were rendered ineffectual by the bayonet, which overthrew all opjiOiitioD. A party of tbe.i^tb wUfl Major Plcn- ving day by General Lewis, with a detachment fiom Fort George. The loss of the British in H'- econnoitred icent. a noc- proved. At ith the 49tli ive force on- istant about le aUack in vprising the standing the nd disorder jf order and 1 repeatedly ie before the o Brigadier rs of inferior three guns, the hands on, which as .^nsive opera- iportance f operations: lore complete-y nth, who coni- ia decider and ipleted, end atl y th.-* bayonet. I Major Pleii- dwleatjj Sir George Prevost. §i On- the evening of the «everrtli, the British fleet hove in sight, and on the ensuing morning >:pproached the sliore and fired a few shot upon the enemy, whom they sum- moned to surrender prisoners of war. This was refused Cukt, V. >» pi by the American Officer, ms, who however, doemed it expe- dient to ftiU back upon Fort George, while the Britisl^,. as they retired, pressed upon tlieir rear and occupied t\w ground they abandoned. Twelve of their batteaux whiclt accompanied the -army on its retreat, containing principally officers baggage, fell into the hands of the British Heet^ which oeci'sioned the enemy for the present, no other in- convenience thanbv enabling tho British troops to advanc* with security and .c urge th* letreat of *^e AmericanB, .• On the 24th June, a p. ty of about six hundred of th* enemy, under Litir. . Culutcl ftjerstler, who had been dis- patched the prece- ling day by General Ueaabom, by way of Queenstown, with a view uf dislodging a detacliment or pirquet posted at a place utlled th^ Bearer Dams, (a few m '.-' from Queenutown,) wer*: surprised on their route by a jji*ity of Indiartn under CapUiin Kerr, and after some skirmishing, believing themselves liemmed in by superior Afair >f numbers, surrendered to Liout. Fitzgibbons of the 49tli ■****' i>i^»tt Regiment. Tltm Oftcer arriving at the conclusion of the business with a niMitl detachiVKmt «/f forty-six rank and .f file, complf»ted the victory, ai;d the /Americans surrender- ■^ ed th^mvs^'lves prisoners, after ncgociat.?)g a capitulatio* with him in the name of Major ue Karen, by whom h« drrUath at their head, gullantly charged some of the eneniy'* field piecM, and brought off 2 six pounders.' \ V nic ■' Major Ogilvie led on, in the most gallant manner, the five compai^ ies of the King's Regiment, and whilst one half of that highly di<^tin» {uished corps supported the 49th Regiment, the other part moved lo th« right and attacked the enemy's left tlunk, wbich decided our midnigM contest. '* I nave also received the greatest ass'^iance fiom Major RUgt, Bri* gat'e Maior to the Forces, and beg leave to mention the names of Ca|>' tains M'I)nual and Milnei, your Excellency's Aids-de>Camp, who accom-* panied me to the attack, and upon aH nccanions have volunteered their lervices ' have likewise to acknowledge the assistance of Cnpt. Cham- bers, ot J 41st Regiment; who had arrived some days before from Am- herstburgh, and Mr. Brock, Pay-Master of the 49th, who .^tsiated me aa Acting Aid-de-Caiiip. " To Mr. tiackett. Acting Staff-Surgeon tpthis arny, t feel particulan* ly indebted, by wt^ich the wounded have received every atteutiun, and are most of them likely to be restored to the service. " It would be an act of injustic", were I to omit assuring your Ex- cellency, that gallantry and discipline were never more cwnspiciious than during our short service; and I frel the greatest satitfaction in assuring \ou that every Oilicer and individual seemed anxious to rival ear.l: irliei' m his efforts lo support the honour of His M*jtsiy'» crme, and to maiiw tain tUe hi;;b character of ^riu^^ troops." 4-,' ■-' ""■••. m ^1**.- >-*f^**«'*'* ■fo*> t< 1^ : iHl^, 89 Administration op induced the enemy to believe themselves sunrounaed Vit^ considerable force. Tlie latter officer though not immediately on the ground, was however in the neighbourhood, and ad* vancing with the light company of the 8th Regiment, and the two flank companies of the 104th, with a small body of Provincial cavalry, under Capt. Hall. The prisonert iaken, were five hundred and twelve in number includinj^ twenty-five officers, with two field pieces, and a stand o ^swN(Mln^ ■>■-. .. .'ft'-'-' • I Timediately >d, andaiU iment, and mall body J prispnen ' including a stand of he British^ ureorge and British had sk on Lake gara river, American ?er, during of militia the militia^ broiigia a* nd of'aims^ ,d two bat- : Fort Erie, [ July, hav-' ammanding d previous- i>y Brevet J^cut. (sJo1oik>\ Syiortj advanced unyirceiv-^ ^ M' J" A(tarkupfi]k I 84 Administration »^ Ml V I ' iUAF^ ed'by the fenHny under cover of a cloud of stnokfe W ;1it (iis-< "* V. tance ofeiffhtecn or twenty paces of tliq enemy's works. fl^/>v' A' hedvy fire was immediately opened which at first tluew i^Wi the assailants into disordei*: they however immediately ral- lied and having advanced to the outer works, bo^an to leap. into the ditch when a fire of grape slugs was oj)ened fioin a nx pounder (which had been previously armnged so as to iflke the ditch) supjjorted witn musketry," that dealt de- struction among the assailantSy and compelled them to re- treat with precij)itancy, leaving their gallant leader, Lieut. Col. Short with three Officers and fifty-two men killed and *nd missing. The wounded amounted to forty-one includ- ■ iifg three Officers. General Proetor after, this affair find- ing his force inadequate, the Indians unaccustomed to l^\e European mode of warfare, and the delay of a siege, gi'owing impatient, and Greneral Harrison at no great dis- ' lance with a respectable force, thought proper to raise the aiege and retire to '.mherstburgh. • ■■■■,■ - .. *• iTaptnr* of The events in the Lower Province deserve our »*tcntion. ^e Growler & Xhfe old fortifications at the Isle-aux-Noix_, emphatically If-aux-NoLx termed the key of Lower-Canada, had been repaired, and three gun-boats sent thither from Quebec. No material occurrence transpired in that neighbourhood until the third day of June, when early in the morning a sail was observed from the gamson over a point of land formed ,by a bend in 4ht« livifr ab«>»it two leagues above the Island. This un- usual appearance crcaled ur» wlwi'i in tho garrison, nt that time commanded by Lieut, (jokuiel (leorge Taylor, In- ■peciing Fit'ld Officer (then Major in the 100th Regiment) who apprehending from ptpvious private information, a ruinluncii nttar'. from the uiivitl loit ii mi | Cliiimplaiii and (he tromm in (lie neighbourhood ofhis po&t, command- ed by the Brigadier (iiii«ml«, Smith ana Clarke, deter- nilned by a decisive cottp tie main to iuilicipate the views of the enemy. He lost no time in equipping tlie three gun- boats lyiug 111! employed for wantofseamen, cari-yihg each a turronado («uif oCtliem an eighteen, the two othere twelve iioundirs) and having manned them with soldiers from his legiment, with three artillery men to each boat, proceei'- •d to engage the enemy : on doubling the point above the Jjarrison, another vessel was discovered a short distance rom the former, hitherto concealed by the intervening land Thin discovery ttcntion. nphatically )aired, and \o material ,il the third IS observed ' a bend in This un- on, lit that ayior, In- Regiment) rmation, a Clu(m|)laiii conunand- rke, deter- 10 views of three gun- ning each a lers twelve s fiom his proceei'- aoove the distance ntervening !ol. Taylor the boats having '? fta^ing advanced, a spirited engagement soon ensued^ which after some continuation was suspended tlom a deficiency of ammunition, that was however, speedily supplied from the garrison, when the action revived with augmented vigour. Li^ut. Colonel Taylor liAd on leaving the garrison taken the precaution to mati twO batteauk With a detachment of soldiers, for the dotible purpose of rendering assistance to the gun-boats in tlie event of their beiiig either sunk or disi- abled in the engagement, or to assist in boarding if it should be found necessary ; but oh seeing the enemy man- cEuvring up the river with a light southerly breeze, by which they alternately approached the banks of the river, {herte, more than a mile wide,) heplrcmptly seized the advan- tigd, and directed the lauding of one of the batteaux crews on th& East, under the direction of Lieut. Williams, and the other oh the West side of the river, under that of Captaiu Gordon, with orders to proceed up the river, until op- posite the vessels, and to ply tllcra with small arms fronji either shore. CiiAP; , l'''!-j' These detachments on their anuv^l at the point of des« ' tination, poured a destructive fire of musketry on the ene- my as they alternately approached the shore. This ju- dicious and well timed measure, combined with a well di- rected fire from the gun-boats, of round and grape, com- pletely decided the tate of the action, which the ene- my most gallantly contested from half past four, until half past eight in the morning, and did not surrender until further resistance became utterly unavailing, one of the Vessels being run aground to prevent her sink- ing. They proved to be the Amorican Sloops of W«». Growler and Eiigle (afterwards named Shannon and iJrok. , and subsequently by orders from the Admiralty, Chub and Finch) fitted out in the most complete manner for 8t»ivico» each carrying eh yen guua, (eighleeuH, ivvilves and flU**",! loiigi'ightcenson pivots upon their forecastles, with li^uple- ments of fifty-five men, comprehending a conipauy of ma- rines, which they had rercived on board from Cham plain the evening previous to the engagement ; the whole under tlie command of Oflicers of the United-States Navy. The gal- lantry and good conduct of the Officers and men, particu- iirly that of Captain Gordon, Lieut. Williams, Ensi^is Dawson, Gibbon, Humphries, Quarter-Master Pilkington* and Mr. Lowe of the Provincial Marine Department. eilon);ini; toHis Maji'^ty s Sliiop of • War, Alfft, somo fimr prf vioutl^ captured by the Uuiycd States Fnguu lissei: wciv Oil board these vesieU. con- of the enem3r )ne hundred were thrown , not a man The naval the' capture afforded the nsive opera* neditatedon emy by thuis ver beebmes re with safe- thought his i,tions of tbe iir Sloojis of of a regular posed inten- prosecuting considerable )spitals and Champlairi, mplain and ; and it was forces to fit pose of de- of the ene- l vessels re- Capt. Pring d promoted /omniander, )p of War, was ordered oix, where he two vcs- ;en put in a the twenty- equipped, ndred men of theBri'ish. 0)(ll Kepiment fciwiiids tlis. troops at M- I'sty s Sloop (if Frig;:tlt; Eastx con- SiR George Prevost. M consisting of a detachment of the 13th Regiment, under Chap.. Lieut. Colonel Williams (of that Regiment) second in com- < mand, and some companies of the 100th and 103d Regiments, n^^v^j/ under therespective commands of Lieut. Colonels Taylor and IblH. Smelt, commanding the right and left wings of the expedition, with some Artillery, under Captain Gordon, and a few of the embodied militia as batleaux men, the whole under the command ofColonelJohnMunuy, Inspecting-Field-Officer, moved from Isle-aux-Noix for Lake Champlam, The expedi- tion proceeded up the Lake with much order, and on the 31st landed without opposition at Plattsburgh, from whence General Moore with a considerable body of men, (reported at about fifteen hundred,) had previously retired on the approach of the British. Here, Colonel Murray having previously-embarked all the warlike Stores, of which a considerable quantity was found in the Arsenal, and hav* ing destroyed such as he could not conveniently take away, set fire to the enemy's Arsenal, public buildings, Commisr eariat Stores and Barracks, recently erected and capable of accommodating from four to five thousand men. Wnile the troops were thus employed during that day and the whole of the night, Captains Everard and rring, in the Growlerand Eagle, with a gun-boat, proceeded to Burlington where Ge- neral Hampton lay encamped with four thousand men, and threw that place into the utmost consternation. Having captured and destroyed within sight of the enemy's forces, four vt.;-«fiels, Captain Evemrd returned to Plattsburgh where the troops were re-embarked and proceeded to Swan- ton. Colonel \f iirray while on the way thither sent a de- tachment to Chaniplain, for the purpose of destroying the Barracks and a Block House at that post. The main body having visited Swantpn, and elfected the purpose of the ex- pedition to the fullest extent of His Excellency's orders, returned to Isle-aux-Noix, where they arrived on the fourth of August. The ai-my acting upon the extensive line of operations along the frontiers of Lpwer and Upper-Canada, (at the lowest computation, one thousand miles from Lake Cham- plilfn to Michiliniakinac) wasby the able anangements of the Commissary General, Sir W. H. Robinson, and the un- wearied exertions of the Department under his directions, copiously supplied at every point with provisioivs and com- missariat stores of all descriptions. The small post at Ija-- chine was converted into a depdtj and placed under the M 2 super- It \\\ :■} U-'l R^ A» Administratiov pf Coosc {."rt'ck. supovlntcndance of Jolm finl^y? Esquire, Dy. Asst. Comi5- sary CJeneral, from whence the wliple supplies for the Upper- Province, were, by that Ge^tleuiau forwarded to KingHlon with the niqst indefatiirable' i^iligcnce. To intercept the convoys otbatteauxwitli provisions from that post to Kings- tpn, tnc Aivjericans had sent several cruisers and privateers from Socket's Harbour to the vicinit,y of Prescot, and among the Thousand Islands. On (.he 20th J uly the ene- my having succeeilcd in surprising and ctvpturing at day break a brigade .of batteauxloadea with provisions under convoy of a jTim-boat, with which they retued several miles \m Goose Creek, on the South of the St. Lawrence, below Canannque, three gun-boats under the command of Lieut. Scott oftljQ Upyal iVavy, were despatched from Kingston Avithadetachiuentof the 100th Regiment under Capt. Martin, "vviilx a view of infercppting theni on their retur^ to Sac- kct's Harbour. They proceeded to the lower end of I^png Is- land, where having a;^certaiucd the retreat of the enemy, llicy imniedialQly j)U3hcd Iqr that place, but before they came i]\ sight of of tiic American vessels, the evening wtis too flu- advanced to make an attack with any prospect of suc- cess ; it w'as thevcforL> determiiuxl to deter the attack yntil the ne>it morning. Another gun boat arriving in the course of the evening with a detachment of the list Regiment, und^r IVTajor Frend, that Ollicer assumed the command, ».nd at three o'clock the next morning, proceeded up the Cre^k ^vi^.h the gun-boats in the hopes of gaining the ene- my's position at the dawn of day. They proceeded until the channel been pie so narrow that the gun-boats could neither use their oars nor tuj-n, so as to bring their guns to bear upon \\\e banks, and it was discovered that the ene- my lia new ship tfc« Pike, while his adversary Sir James Yeo, scoured the Laiu>, and gtipplied the British army in the neighbour* Ka>-ai *>^cijr- hood of Fo4t<»eorge, with abundance of Stores. In the early Oiiiurio!' ' "^ part of Juiy, Sir J^mt« Yeo fitted out an expedition of boaifl for Sacket'a Harbour, with a view of cutting oht their new sliip, then almost rigged and ready to appear on the Lake. He arrived unobneryed at the vicinity of that Porn, and would probably have effected hid purpose had not the escape of two d^swters from his party, which had landed ft»r refrefllunent, and in order to remain concealed until ■■ight should favor the enterprise, given the alarm to the •nemy. This unlucky incident induced him to relinquish the undertaking and return to Kingston. Towards the end ef July the American fleet again appeared witU augmented force upon the Lake, and Commodore Chatincey having receive^ a coinpany of artillery, with a considerable number of troojjs under Colonel Scott, proceeded for the head of •he Like, witli a view of seizing and destroying the Stores at Bmlington heights, the principal d6p6t of the army on tive Niagara Frontier, then occupied by a small deiacin ment under Major Maule. The design of the enemy against riiis dt'pM being susjjocted, liieutenant Colonel Battersby, Commanding the Glengary Regiment, upon being nqiified to thatefiect by Lieutenant Colonel Harvey, Deputy Adju- tant General, moved forwartl from York, and by a march, of extraordinary celerity arrived with a reinforcement in time to save the dcpM, which the enemy, on finding the Bi nil propaitd to receive them, did not deem it prudent to attack. Commodore Ghauncey on learning that York, by tlie ad- vance of Lieut. Colonel Battersby to Burlington Heights, was left destitute of troops, seized the opportunity and bore away for that Port, v.hich he entered on the 31st July. Here the Americans landed without opposition, jind ha- ving taken possession of the small quantity of stores found »t that place, they set fire to the barracks and public store- houses, and having re-embarked their troops, bore away for Niagara. It is a coincidence of circumstances worthy of notice, that on the same day in which the American Com- mander was employed in burning the barracks and stores At York, Lieutenant Colonel Murray was not less actively employed on the same Iwisiness at Plattsburgh. The British flpet sailed from Kingston on the last da^y of Jul^, with 4 pup- / Lake. Com- je, returnod if> new eliip eo, scourea neighbour, [n the t'urly pedition of ig oTit their ear on the that PorR, id not the liad landed caled until irm to the rehnquish ids the end angnientt'd cey having ble number 16 head of the Stores e anny on all deiaciH m\y against Batteisby, [ng nQiifled puty Adju- a march of mt in time :he Bi \a\i I to attack. y tlie ad- eights, was ^.nd bore 3Ist July. , find ha« 3rea found iblic store- re away for worthy of ican Com- and stores >ss acti\vly 'he British July, with gup- Stii George Prevost. M lupplies fbr tlie ai-my at the head of the Laki>, iknd (M tlie eighth of August looked into Niagara, whore the enemy's fleet lav moored. The latter hove up, and bore down upon the British fleet, with which they manoeuvred until the tenth, when a partial engagement ensued, in which two small vessels, of forty men each, (the Julia and Growler,) were cut ofl' and captured by the British. Commodore Chauncey somewliat diiiheartened witli the loss of these, nnll two other small vessels, the Scourge of eight, and Hamilton of nine guns, npsetby aprt^s of sail to escape the British fleet, with the loss of all hands, except sixteen men picked up by the British, bore up for Niagara, from whence he sailed almost immediately for Sacket's Harbour, where' he arrived on the thirteenth of August. Here he provisioned his fleet, and instantly made sail for Niugam, where he remained at anchor until the British fleet a})peared off that Harbour, early in the morning of the seventh of September, when the American fleet again weighed and bore down Upon the British, with which they manccuvered until the twelfth, when the latter retired into Amherst Bay near Kingston. During these five days, but few shots were ex- changed between the larger ships, without any injury to cither side. The Americans however had much the advan- tage in weight of metal and long guns. The fleets again met on the 2p>i h September oft" York, when an engagement ensued for near two hours, in which the Wolfe, conuuand- ed by Sir James Yeo, lost her main and mizcn top masts, and would probably have been cajdmed, had not the Royal George, con nanded by captain ^lulcaster, run in bet- ween the Woif!' and the Pike, ta» ^» the hitter in a raking {losition, so as > afford the Wolfe i. opportiu -ty' of hau- ing off and clea mg away the wreck. This atlair termina'* tecf in the retreat of the British fleet un'-r Biirlington heights, whither the enemy did rit)t think proper to pursue it : a resolution, which if adopted by the American Commander might probably have been fatal ti- iho British fleet on Lahe Ontario. On the first of October, the American fleet sot sail from Fort George with a convoy oftroojw for Sacket's Harbour, where an expedition was preparing, whose desti- nation was as yet unknown. The Briilsh fleet left their anchorage under Burlington Heights on the next day and came insight of the et"^'^'', but no attempt was made to bring on a general t , ,. :nent. Tlic American lleet in* their way to Sacket's 'ijv)our fell in v/ith, and captured five small vessela out rt ri'",en, with upv,'ards of yoOmen of . • • Do €ha*. V. iithii. ) ' V SMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // <- i'^ V €^^ 1.0 I.I 11.25 ;ffK£ III s ^ Ilia U llliil.6 V] V] c*2^ o>. I- O 7 / /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN S^^REET (716) 87i-4503 ^. in ■■'' ADMINISTRATION 6]^ Chap. De Wattevflte's Regiment frotrt York, bound for King^ V. ton, where an attack waii apprehended. This less though ^V^/ apparently trifling in itself, was severely felt, by reason of 2613. the few foixes in tlie Upper-Proviricei For the remainder of the season nothing oi rAoment occurred on this Lake, and indeed the Naval Commanders appear to have considered - the question oif too great importance to their respective Qovemments to stake the fate of the war in Upper-Canada^ upon a decisive n^val engagements X ,9t •'■;«. '"^'t ■"■"»'' fp* h . yh.'^ ...■.•■■ H.-.'^ /.;'. ;^ ! ';; II V ;.^l « ■'"■> - .■', . »;./■•» * ; 1 ■ .■/•. i /» 1- . t .,♦*,-:'. I .<■ \*. 1 ' • .11 < > .,.V I r • 4' • if. ' 1 ,> • « ■,'1' 1 . 1* -■■'''■' * -, 1 1 ' ;- 1. >-• 1 '■' ■'. ' ,' V ^»il ' '. •*, •'^•■w'K'i ,i»-f'' •*', \H" • '•■',' ' *' ''r II '. ^ '' ■7 *■ t .^' \ - CHAP« ftn QiORQZ PRST<»T^ m f ■' 1 . i ■4- H r:34»^ife*' :<^: -V ClfAP. VI. 1813. THE caihpiLi^ towards tile autumn ilssdiTied a more systematic and menacing character. At the begin- ning of Septeniberj the forces at Burlington (Vermont) un* der General Hamptoilj nioved across Lake Champlain to Pldttsbiirgh, with a view of pen^ti-ating into the district of Montreal^ while Qemeral Wilkinson with 10,000 men at Sackdt's Harbour,' Was preparing Under the immediate di* rection of General Armstrong the Secretary of war, a nu- merous flotilla of batteauk and Durham boats, for an expe* dition suppo^d to be destined either against Kingston ot Montreal. General Harrison with an army of eight thou- sand mert on the Miami riVer, duly wait^ for thfe equip* ment of the American fleet fitting out under Gommodom Perry at Presqu'Isld, to move his forces against Detroit, and to carry on offensive operations tigainst the; British in th* neighbourhood of Lake Erie.^ Captain Barclay, whb had •arly in the summ^, assutned theicommand of the Eifitish squadron on Lake Erie, blockaded the American fleet, s» as to present their crossing the Bar at Presqu'Ikle (which the eneifty could not effect without unshipping their guns,) until toward the conclusion of August^ when having occa^ sion td bear ftway for Ldng Point, the enemy seized the moment of his absence and crossed the Bar. Finding on his return the enemy ready for the Lake, and too powerful for his small squadron, he bore away for Amher^tbiirgh, to await the equipment of the Detroit recently launched. Commodore Perry sailed shortly after him for the head of the Lake, and appeared at the commehcement of Septem* ber, for several days successively off Amheratburgh, in de* fiance of the British squadron, retiring every evening to his anchorage at Put-in-Bat/. The British forces in the Michigan Territory, and its neighbourhood, fiilling short of supplies for which they depended solely upon the fleet, Captain Barclay had no other alternative tnan to risk a general engagement. With this resolution, he made sail from Amherstburgh on the 9th September, manned with only flfly or sixty seamen, (including a small reinforcement of thirty-six men fi'om Lake Ontario) and Detachments from the 41st, and Royal Newfoundland Regiments, as ma- tines. On the tentU in the morning the enemy 'u fleet were "" * *"•' •;/ "li Naval actiafik. \ '! \:}\ 'I V ! 'I '. ^ '%.. \ •*.-. \. 1 IfHAP VI. •f 1813. / • -♦* I . I. ■ r ADMINIfyrRATldH o ![ement continued with unabated fury until half past wo, when the enemy^s principal ship, the Lawrence, being rendered unmanageable, Commodore, Perry left her in char- fe of his first Lieut. Yamal, and hpisted his Pendant on oard the Nia^ra. Soon- after this Officer had left the liawrence her c^oura were struck, but the British ftora the weakness of their crews and the destruction of their boats were unable to take possession ofher. It was at this anxious and interesting juncture, that the &te of the day ^emed to poise in favor of the British ; and Commodore Perry even despaired of the victory, when a sudden breeze Revived hio hopes, and turned the scale in his favor. Thij9 fortunate Commander finding the Niagara had suffered lightly in the engagement, made a desperate effort. to retrieve the fortune of the day, and taking advantage of the breeze, 49hot ahead of the Lady Prevost, Queen Charlotte and Hunter, raking them witn her starboard guns, and engage^ ,the Detroit) which being raked in all duections soon be- came unmanageable. Ihe Niagara then bore round ahead ■of the Queen Charlotte, and hauling up on the starboard tack, engaged that Ship, giving at the same time a raking fire with her larboard guns to the Chippawa and little Belt, while the smaller vessels closing to grape and canister distance, maintained a tremendous and most destructive fii:e> This masterly, and but too successful manoeuvre decided the contest. Captain Barclay, being severely and dangerous^ wounded. Captain Finnis of the Queen Charlotte, killed, and evev*y Commander, and Officer second in commanji either killed or disabled, the Detroit and Queen Charlotte, perfect wrecks, after a desperate engagement of upwards of three hours, was compelled to surrender. By this decisive .action, the whole of the British squadron on Lake' Erie jWas captured by the enemy, who now became uncontrollable masters of that Lake. The enemy lost in this action twen- tY-scven men in killed and ninety six-men wounded. The liritish lost three officers and thirty-eight men killed, anjl nine oflicei-s and eighty-five men wounded. :,\ J^ -«*-♦.» ^^--^ j^-^>*»^. t»fBjiT— -Tf r:i. trr^" The /• immediatelj dron, wliile Jouth West, f enemy the British com« ards return- The enga* half past rence, being her in char- Pendant on had left the British from ion of their was at this of the day Commodore dden breeze avor. This lad sufTerecl t.to retrieve 'the breeze^ larlotte an^ ind engage^ IS soon be- ound ahead e starboard le a raking i little Belt, Lnd canister tructive fii:e. decided the iangeroualy 3tte. killed, I commanfl I Charlotte, apwards of Ills decisive Lake' Erie :ontroUable ction twen- ided. The killed, an^ The Sift GeoRGB pRBVOfil^ M GhaH VI. lbXS„ The Prisonera were landed it Sanduskjr and treated with the greatest humanity by the the American Commo- dor>, who paroled Captain Barclay, and treated that gal- lant Officer with all the lundness and attention which his unsuccessful bravery deserved. ti The ai*my in possession of the Michigan Territory and in »■« the neighbourhood of Detroit, by this disastrous defeat were now deprived of every prospect of obtaining future sup* " pfieB from Kmgston by way of Lake Ontario, and a &peedy evafjuation of Detroit and a retreat towards the head of tliai Lane, became inevitable. Commodore Perry, as soon af* ter the engagement as circumstances would admit, trans* ported the American forces under the command of Grenera4 Harrison, fiom Poruge River and Eort Meigs, to Put-in*- Baj/j from whence they were conveyed to the neighbourhood of Amherslburgii, which they occupied jon the evening of J he 2yd of Sepiei'iber, General Proctor having previously alien back upon Sandwich after setting fire to the Navy Yard, Barracks and Public Stores, at the former place. Genei-al Proctor seeing the enemy determined to follow up his first success, by an immediate march upon -Detroit, found his troops void of resources, too reducecl in numbeiB to make a stand and dispute the occupancy of that Post agamst the overwhelnung force of the enemy. He therefore determined to retreat along the river Thames toward the head of Lake Ontario. On September 26th he evacuated Petioit and Fort Sandwich, and commenced his retreat toward the Thames, having entirely destroyed the public Briihii. stores at those posts. Irt this reverse of fortune the Indians under Colonel Elliot of the Indian Department, with Te» ctimseh, still adheve fjiAP. bank of tlie Thames, at the Moravian Town (an Indian VI- village,) the left of his line, vesting on the river and sutof J^^V^- ported by a field piece, his right on a swamp, at the dis* Jt^i3* tance of near 300 yards from the river, and flanked by the whole Indian force attached to the division. The interme* diate ground covered with lofty trees, was dry and Bome« what elevated. In this position he waited the approach of tiw enemy, who, Itaving on the morning of the 5th of Oc- tober, passed the river at a rapid, 12 mdes below. the Mo- ravian village, by means of two or '^ree boats and a few Indian canoes found on the spot, and by crossing. a number of infantiy behind the horsemen, came up with the British in the afternoon of that inglorious d^y* ^' iieral Harrison drew up his men in two lines, and se- cured his left flank which was opposed to the Indians, by a Division thrown back en Potence^ and without any pre- vious engngeraent by Infantiy, ordered his mounted Ken* tuckians (accustomed from their boyhood to ride with ex- traordinai y dexterity through the most embarrassed woods) ,to charge at full speed upon the British, which they ptFect- Ttott'p at »lic pd before the latter had time to discharge their third fire. laee'^^and^dcl'^y *^^^* cavaliy charge of the enemy, the troops worn iea ' of (lene. down with fatigue and hunger, and dispirited by the un- nl Proctor, promising appearance of the campaign, became totally routed, and for the most part, surrendered themselves j)ri- 8oncrs, while the Geneial, and his personal ^tafl*, sought their sofety in flight. The Indians in the mean time car- ried on the contest with the left of the American line, with furious determination ; hut these faithful allies, finding aU hopes of retrieving the day to be in vain, yielded to the pverwhelming numbers qf th? enemy, and reluctantly left the field. They however remained in the neighbourhood, and h^ii^ssed the enemy on his retreat to Detroit and Sandwich, whither h? returned immediately after the ac- tion. The British are said to have Ipst twelve killed and twenty-two wounded. The Americans stated their own los§ at sevjsn killed and twenty-twp wounded. Thirty- three Indians were found dead pn the field ; aipcmg them the famou? chief and warrior T?scumsch, not less cele- brated for his humanity, a virtue little known among In- dians in a state of war, than by his bravery, his eloquence, find his influenpp among our Indian allies. Upwards pf six hundred of the British, including twenty-five oflicers, were made prisoners of war. They who escaped, made the best pf theu' \y»y tp ^Pc^ster^ at (he h«ad onbe Lak« On(«Mf^9, 'A ««r \ *».^.«**..^. < A>w^«iHAv.^. ., i.i4_> 1 fan Indian -iver and sujpr ), at the di8« tanked by the The interme* ry and some- e approach of tie 5th of Oc. ;low,the Mo- s and a few / crossing. a ame up with IS day. Ge« nes, and ser e Indians, by out any pre- ounted Keni- ide with ex- assed woods) h they pffect- ir third fire, troops wora i by the up- came totally ??mselves j)ri- 3tafr, sought Ein time car- an linc^ with s, finding aU ;lded to the uctantly left ghbournood, Detroit and ifler the ac- ! killed and i their own ed. Thirty- ufpong them ot les9 cele- t among In- is eloquence, )wards pf six )flicers, were lade the pest ak« On((Mr|9, ^R George Prevobt. eocposed at an inclement season, to all the horrbro of a dreary wildemes, of hunger and of famine. On the seven- teenth of October, they Rendezvoused at that place to the number of two hundred and forty-six, including the G^ neral and seventeen officers.* i.'. . , This disaster of the British arms in that quarter, seems not to have been palliated by those precautions, and that pfiesence of mind, which, even in defeat, reflect lustfe ftpon a Commander. The bridges and roads in the rear of the retreating anny were left entire, while its progress was retarded by an useless and cumbrous load of baggage. Whe- ther the neglect sprung from ah erroneous contempt of the enemy, or froip disobedience of the ordera of the Com- manding Officer, is not well understood ; but the defeat led to the harshest recrimination, and involved the divi- iion of the bi-ave troops that had hitherto served with honor ii:> the Michigan territory, in undeserved disgracv*?. Notwithstanding these events the British still retained- |K>8session of Micliilimackjnac, which secured our influen- ce over the Indian Tribes of the West, and though Gene- ral Harrison, contemplated an f>^pedition against that ' -' . ' -• • , - ■•:•'. ' ■': ■ '- ■ --• ■■ - post, * The American official statement of tbe nnmljer of prisoners takf n in this affair, almost exactly coincides witii the Britisli accounts. General Har* rison in his Official Despatch, says, " I left the army before an offii-ial re> ..turn of the prisoners, apd that of the l^illed and wounded was made out. |t WHM however asct^rtained thi^t tlic former amounted to six hundred and Ane ref^nlars, includine twenty-five officers. Onr loss is seven killed and twenty-two wounded, nve of woich died since. Of the British troops, twelve were killed and twenty-two wounded. The Indians sutTercd most-r-Jhirtyr three of them having been found upon the gro md, besides those killed u|i the retreat." The British loss can be ascertained from the following extract from the Ceneral Order of the Commander of the Forces of the 24th of No^emlier 1813, relative to General Proctor's defeat on the 5th of October, 181^. Milled, woundtd, and mitHngin the retreat and in the action of the bthO» tober, 1813, 1 Inspecting Fitld Officer, ) Deputy-Assistant Quarter>Mastot General, ' 1 f'ort Adjutant, I'Mospital-Mate, 1 Lieut. Colonel, (i Captains, 12 Lieu- tenants, 3 Ensigns, 1 Pay-Master, 1 Assistant Surgeou, 34 .Serjeants, 18 Drummers, 569 Rank and File, 46 Horses. Atiembled at Ancaater on the llth Octobir, 1813. I Major-Henera], 1 Major of Brigade, 1 Aid-de-Camp, 1 Staff Adjutant, t S Captains, 5 Lieutenantt, 2 Ensigns, 1 Adjqtant, I Quarter-Mat-tcr, 2 A». •istant Surgeons^ 15 Serjeants, 9 Drummers, 204 Rank and File, 53 Horses. Total strength of the Right Division on the 10th of Sepfevibrr, 1813 1 Major-General, 1 Inspecting-Field-OlBcer, 1 Major of Bripudo, 1 De- Bvty-AsHistant Quarter-Master-fteneral, 1 Aid^dr-Camp. 1 Statt>-Adju!iint, ^ i fi>rt-AiUtttant, 1 Hospital-Mate, 1 Lieut. Colonel, 9 c;aptaing, 2ii Lirutep- ftnts, 5 Ensigns, 1 Pay-Master, 1 Adjutajpt, I Quarter-Master, 4 Asslstaa|k Utatgtnti ^7 Serjcontsj 26 Dnunmen] m Raoiand f ile^ 99 Horses. } \ I J ■I- \ k ./S; J^J2ai»**'*v'iii"*K*. . m Administration op Ibia. J^ poflt, he found the season too far advanced to undertake th^- enterprise with any pvoapect of success. For this reason, and h'oin a belief, tliat the Gairison of that Post, cut off fFom all resources must necessaiily fall of itself he aban* doned the project, not aware that it might, though will} some pains be copiously supplied by way of York or the Ot^ t^wa kiver. His disposeabie forces were iheretbre convey* ed from the head of Lake Erie to Builaloe, from whenc» they wejre forwarded to Niagara and Fori George to sup* Ely the detachments which had moved from thence to Sac* el's Jttarbour. . - , . The Commander of the Forces, whose Head^Quarters Viere at Kingston, having cause to suspect an attack at t\\&% Point, by the armament preparing at Sacket's Harbour, re-called Major General Oe Hottenburgh with a part of liis force from tlie Niagara frontier, leaving Major General Vincent to continue the invebiment of t ort Oeorge. No sooner Imd these orders been carried into effect for the se- curity of Kingston, than General Vincent ascertained by several successiveexpresses from General PrOctor, hibre* ti-eat from Amherstburgh,, a,nd his total discern titure at ih* Moravian V^illuge. So circtimstanced, he judged it expe* d;ent for the succour of the broken remains of ihe right di- vision retreating towards the head of the Ontario, as well as tor the safety of his army, to raise the investment of Fort George, and to fall back r«nd concentrate bis forces at Bur- lington Heights, lest General Harrison by a bold and rapid, inarch, or by a sudden descent in the fleet from Amherst- burgh, should pre-occupy that important position, which if effected by the enemy, \ypuld pjace him between the two, hostile armies. ^ , . -, To retire with order and safety at a moment when tW «nemy emboldened by recent triumplis, and the «dv^ntage of superior numbers, niight by a decisive stroke, have dispers- ed our forces on the Niagara nrontier, was a movement of the utmost ctmsequence to the security of Upper-Canada. The British line extending in fi'ont (rfTori Gleorge from the Four-Mile Creek on Lake Ontario, to the^ross roads and St. Davids, was so extremely weakened by sickness «is to be scarcely able fi om three or tour thousand men to ex- fjibit one third of that number of effective firelocks in case .of cmergeacy ; but Uie sun^rigr advw(age& 9t U^cision and 1 >»^p-.5*;«li J^PUPS* *--» ^V % yft Vf. |pi|*W«r w^ J- ■» \ Sir Gborgc Prev(Kt. ^ W MMKod in effecting th«» retreat aiAply provided for ihe mfety C*rAl>. of the movement. Early in the mominff of the 9th of Oc- VI. «ober, the main body with the baggage tell back in flilence s^^v^^ and with good order, while the picquets remained at their laiU. Posts in front of Fort George, in order to engage the atten^ lion of the enemy, who were not aware of the retreat until the evening, when the picquets fell back upon seven compa^ th^invostmc'iii nies of the 100th Regiment under the command of Lieut, of F. George. Colonel Taylor, which were selected for the occasion, and ivith the light company of the 8th Regiment and a lew In- dians, the whole attached to the command of Colonel Mur- ,' ray, constituted the rear guard, and covered the retreat of the main body. This small but eflfectvve force, and which . . during the investment had participated in all the iktiguee iMid privations incident to that service, proceeded in the ■ear of the army by slow and deliberate marches, and though closely pressed for several days by a Brigade of 1500 men under fingadiers General M'Clure and Porter from Fort Greorge, so eifdctually checked their purauitasto a£> ford time to General Vincent to collect the remains of the wht division under Grenerafl Proctor and to prepare him- ■elfagainst an attack at Burlington 'Heights. " 'After a ifew days march and constant manopuvi'ing with M'Clure's division, the rear guard finally assumed «, posi- tion at the already celebrated Stoney Creek, fi'om which the enemy did liot think it prudent to attempt to dislodge r them. The Commander of the Forces having left Major Gene- . ■ -ral De Rottenburgh in charge of the Civil and Military commands in Upper-Canada, returned to Montreal tow- ard the end of September, to meet the invasion with which , the enemy threatened the Lower Pi'ovince. General Hamp* ton after having transported liis force across Lake Cham- plain, lay encamped for some days at Cumberland Head' niear Plattsburgh. On the 2Gth'of September, he entered Lower-Canada, (hfs advanced guard having Surprised a' small Piquet early in the morning) at Odeltown, at the lower extron.ity of Lake Champiain, with upwarc's of five thousand men. The road leading from thence to TAta- ' •die^nd the open Country in thojieifrhbourhood of Montre- al, lies through a swampy wood of upwards of 4ive leagues which had been cut up and rendere•'., c :\ ■I \ \ '^ '\1 \ • ■ • ... ' «■ i ' , ^ ■ , ■■ , . * r ' . *■• f I -*• • , " • , , ■ IW . Administration of CiBAr. titider Li«ut. Colonel De Sakberry, and was liow euardfll VI. by a few df the Frontier Light Jnfiintri/, and some indiani ^^v^^ under the direction of Captain Mailioux. These Were im* Ibis, mediately reinforced by the flitnk companies of the 4th Bat- (alion of Embodied Militia under Major Perratilt, and the Canadian Voltia^urs under Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry who commanded the advance. Had Hampion immediately , ' lent forward abody of Riflemen through the Woods, he mighty without muchdifliculty, have obtained a footing iti the open Country near St. Johns ; which if he could have succeeded in occupying, must have led to the surrender of the Isle-aux- Noix. He nowever seems not to liave been aware of our weakness, or to have placed little reliance in the discipline '. and perseverance of his troops. On the S2d September, he evacuated Odeltown, and moved with his whole force west- .ward, toward the head of Chateauguay River, under pretext of the impracticability of advancing through the Odeltown , road for want of water for his cavalry, and cattle^ owing tt the extraordinary drouth of the Season « * 4f ► J i*«! i ' At this v.tomentous trisis, the Commander of the Forces if><;ued an animating Proclamation, calling for the exertionf) ' of the people in repelling the threatened invasion ; and the militia in the district of Montreal, turned out witn the flame ardour and alacrity as in the preceding campaign. tt CoioHei Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry, with the Canadian Volti- •tmrkl'the'i^gfi"''^* ^^ ascertaining the route the enemy had pursued, rcuv'ii V amp moved in like manner to Chateauguay, wherv he was or- al Faur Cor- jgj.gjj ^jy ^j^g Commander of the Forces, to proceed to the enemy's camp at Four Comers^ at the head or the Chateau- fuay, in order to create an alarm, and if possible dislodge him y a surprise. To effect this service (the aceo'mplishtncnt of which appeared quite impracticable to Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry, with the very limited force under his com- mand) he proceeded througn the woods along the Chateau- ffuay, witn one hundred and fifty of his Voltigeurs, the Light Company of Canadian Fenciblea, and ^out one hundred Indians, under the dii'ection of Capt. Graucher ; and on the afternoon of the first of October, arrived, un- observed, at the vicinity of the enemy's camp. By the in- discretion of one of his Indians, who had discharged hif pi«»ce, an alarm was created, when Lieut. Colonel De Sala- berry finding liiniself discovered, immediately collected fifty of Ills Voltigeurs, with which, and hie Xadiausj he pushed * . - -. inta tl«M. ■•*«»*»''- nne Indians ise Were im* he 4th Bat< alt, and the c Sakberry immediately ls,hemigh^ ih the open e succeeded he Isle^auX" ware of our le discipline ptember, he ! force west- nder pretext le Odeltown Icj owing tt ■r-^fi.T wo ■■ if the Forces he exertioiui on ; and the lit with the campaign. dian Volti- id pursued, he was or- oeeed to the he Chateau- diah)dffehini limplishinont !ut. Colonel er his com- he Chateau- tigeurs, the ^out one . Graucher; arrived, un- By the in« charged hif nel De Sala- ollected fifty he pushes into ^R George Prevost. 101 rear tains Voltigeura, flito the enemy's advanced camp, consisting of two Lii^lit J2(ittalion» of about fi)ur htindrcd nien each, and drovr them for a consider'ble distance, until perceiving the main body of the enemy making movements to tircumvcnt him, he fell back, and took up his former position at the skiit of the woods. J'Vom this point Lieut. Colonel Do Sala- berry again made another cnarge, but the alurm being now universal in the camp, and the Indians having lallen to the , his men were obliged to retire, leaving him and Cap- 3 Chevalier Duchesnay and Gaucher, With a few trusty who skirmished with the enemy until after dark. Of the Americans, one officer and one man were killed, and only one woundetl, by their own statement ; though other more probable accounts, state their loss at twenty-five killed and wounded. Tliis afliiir, though of interior mo- ment, deserves our attention, as it atlbrded an occasion to Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry, of leading his V^oltigeurs <(ur the first time into action, and probably gave him a just confidence in the valour of his countrymen, which a few days afterwards they so nobly exemplified under their gal- lant Leader at Chateauguay. After this rencounter he return- ed to Chateauguay, taking the precaution of breaking up the road in his rear, and acquainting himself with the ground over which Hampton was expected to make his way into the Province, and finally assumed a judicious position in a thick wood, on the left bank of the Chatcaii- guay river, at the distance of two leagues abr)ve the Fork or confluence of the English and Chateauguay rivers, where he threw up temporary breast works of logs, covering his front and right flank by extended abbatis while his left was secured by the river. .-.i'i -.'h . ... Here he resolved to await the enemy and maintain hijs ground with a handful of Canadians, against the whole strength of the invading army. In his rear there was a small ra})id where the river was fordable : this he cover- ed with a strong breast work and a guard ; keeping at the same time a strong picquet of the Beauharnois militia in advance on the right bank of the lliver, lest the ene- my approaching under cover of the forest might cross the Ford, and dislodge him from his ground. The occupancy of this position, Hampton justly considered of the first importance to the ulterior object of the campaign, as the country fiom thence to the mouth of the Chateauguay, being principally open and cultivated, afforded no strong point* O t9 ClIAl»4 la 13. ''A ■ ')' 1 1)1 Chap VI. Ibij. (I loe Administratio^j or to check his progress to the St. Lawrence, and pretent hil junction witn General Wilkinson's division, which in fact was not yet in readiness to move* General Hampton in the mean thne, to distract and di- vide the attention of the British, directed Colonel Claiik to carry on a petty warfare on the Ekistem side of Lake Champlain, and that ruthless Depredator accordingly ino Tested the settlements in Missiskoui Bay, where he plun* dered the inhabitants in the hiost wanton tnanuer4 ^ On the 21st of October, General Hampton again en- tered Lower-Canada, having early in the morning of tha- day dispatched his light troopsanda Regiment ofthe Line unt dor Brigadier-General Izard, to dislodge a small picquet • •' of sedentary militia, and a few Indian warriors, at the junc- tion of the Outarde and Chatcauguay rivers, where the main body arrived on the 22d. On the 24th, having op ened and completed a large and practicable road from his position at Four-Corners, (a distance of 24 miles,) through woods and morasses, which Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry on returning from Four-Corners, had broken up and embarw rasscd with abbatis, the whole of his artillery ( 10 field pieces) and stores were brought forward %g> his new position, about seven miles from Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry's post. Batiip of Cha- From this point he dispatched Colonel Purdy with ft tcai>.;uay. Yight Brigade, and a strong body of Infantry ofthe line, at an early hour in the night of the 25th, with orders to gain .. , • ' the Ford, and fall on the rear of Lieut. Colonel De hala- " ' berry's position ; while the main body were to commence the attack in front. Purdy's Brigade proceeded, but were tnisled and bewildered in the woods, either through the ig;norance or treachery ofthe guides, and did not gain the . point of attack as directed by the Conimanding Officer. 1 Jenenil Haihpton however advanced next morning {26th Oct.) under the expectation of hearing the intended at- . ' tack at the Ford, and at ten o'clock made his appearance • ' ^' with about tl;ree thousand five hundred men, unaor Gene- - . tal Izard on the high road, leading to theahbalis, and drove " /-^ in a small picquePof twenty -five" men, who falling back . U))on a second picquet made a resolute stand, andmamtain- , ' cd a smart (ire upon the enemy. Lieut. Colonel De Sala- , bevrv Upon hearing the musketry promptly advanced with t th( light company of the Canadian Fenciblcs, couimand- ' .' ' t. * - cil .1^ ■og:^^ ■yr- Sir George Prrtost. los which in ct and di. mei Clark e of Lake rdingly in« he plun- again ei^> nff of tha- ieliine unt 11 picquet t the junc- where the having op d from hJB I,) through Jaberry on id embarw ield pieces) ion, about X)St. ly with a helide, at "9 to gain De 8ala- commence but were [irough the t gain the ig Officer, ling (26th ended at- ippearance nor Gene- and drove llino; back niaintain- De Sa!a- iced with ;oiiUuand- ed (x? by Captain Ferguson, and two companies of hifl Vol- Chap. tig*^!!^* commandea by Captains Chevalier and L. Juche- VI. reau iJiich(>8nuy. Tiie HrHt of these companies he posted ^^^VX* on the right, in front of the fi/)/>r///.v, in extended order, its ihiij, riirlit Hkiriing on the adjoining woods and nhhath, among whicii were distributed a f^ew Abenaq«ii Indians. Cap- tain Chevalier Duchesnay's Company of Voltigetus in ex- tended order, occupied the groiintl from the left of this company to the lljver Ciiateauguay, and the third company UM'.lcr Captain L. ^.ruchereau Ruchesnay withabo\it thirty- five sedentary militia, under Captain Loiigtain, were thrown back en Polenct along the margin of the river, ibr the pur- pose of Hanking, or preventing a Hank lire from the onemy in the event of his appeara\)ce on the opposite side of the river. The enemy in the mean time advanced with steadi- ness in open colunm of sections to within mut»ket filiot, wiien Lieut. Colonel l)e Salaberry discharged his ritle as 4 signal to commence firing, at which a mounted oHicer was seen to lall. The Bugles sounded and a quick fire was immediately opened upon the enemy who wheeled up into Jine, and connnenced a fire in Buttalici vollies, which iiom -the position of their line was almost totally thrown to the right of the Canadians, and of no eHect whatever. 'J'hey hovvever soon changed their front parallel to their adversa- ries, by tiicing to the right, and fyling up with speed, when . • the engagement becanu' general. The retreat of a few si;ir- mi.^iers, rather advanced in the centre of tlie line, being mistaken by theeiuMny tor allii'ht, \\\\ universal sliout ensuctt, which was re-echoed by the Canadians, and the reinfoice- ments in reserve- under Ijieut. Colonel M'Donnell, whilo Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry as a J7/*f (/f gwrrrfordered the bugles p-laced at intervals, in the ablxUis to sound an advan- ce :■ this had the desired etfect and checked the ardour of the enemy, who suspected that the Canadians were advancing in great numbers to circumvent them. 'J'he noise of the engagement brought on Colonel Purdy's division on tlj« opposite side of the river, wliicli havingdriven in the picquet of the sedentary uiilitia under Captain Ihuguier, were pres- sing on for the Ford, at which liieut. Colonel De Salaberry ordered the light company of the lid. Battalion Embodied Mditia, under Captain Daly, to cross and take up the ground abandoned ^y the picquet. Cajitain Daly with his company crossed at the Ford, and having advanced fell in with, and drove back the advanced guard of the Americans upon the main bortv, which still prcbscd Ibrwaid and com- ..i , ' 02 ^ peiled . T lo.fi Administration of .*^; ibiJ. M' I pelled him in his turn to fall back. Having repulsed Cftp* lain Doly's Company, (hey were movinjj on in oveiw hel- ming numbers with eagerness and speed cloae on the ba.nk ot" the river, until opposite to Captain L. Juchereau Du- c'hesuay's .Company, which hitherto lay concealed, and now at the word of command from Lieut. Col. De-Salaberry opened so unexpected andellectual a fire upon the enemy, as to throw him into the utmost disorder, and to occa? bion a tumultuous and precipitate retreat. Geneval Hampton fuvhiig his arrangcmcii'iS -disconcerted by the tofi.1 route of tlio division on the right bank,, with- drew his forces m good order at half pasl two in the after- noon, witliout having made a single allbrt to carry the ah- /;«//> and enlrenchineiits at the point of the bayonet, leav- ing Lier.t. Colonel Do Sa(aberry with scarcely three liun- drt^d Canadians masters of the Jield of action. Towards the close of the engagoment, Sir CJeorge Preyost, with Major Ge- iieni' Do V»'atteville, arrived on the ground, and witnessed in person, ih.^ jndicipus arrangements and successful exertions of Lieut. Colonel Dc Salabcrry and his gallant couuades and countrymen, whose prowess on the occasion called foril\ the Murniost encomiums of the Commander of the I'orcos, and gave tlieni a just clp.im to the disinterested and impartial applause pf history, ha-i*-- Captain Daly, while loading on his men, received two sovere wounds. Cpwards of forty of the Americans were found dead on the lield. The loss of the Canadians amount- ed to live killed anti twenty in wounded and missing.* General Hampton having re-occupied his hite position, called a council of war, where it was determined to fall back and occupy the former position at Four-Corners, to secure their conmiunication w'ith t,he United States; from thence eitlier to retire into winter quarters or to be ready to re-enter Ijc^wer-Canada. Pursuant to this determination the a.-ny rethed to Four-Corners, while the Canadians hung upon their rear and harrassed their retreat. • Tlie (V imandor of the Forces was pleased to arl.nowledge the dis Chrvalicraiid !<. .Iiichereaii |}iK'heKiiay,from Adjmant!> O'Sul- livnn and Hcliden, and Cajiiaiu I,n;riOUe of the India'n warriors. Sir fieorpe I'ri'vori, in his oDiciiii desjiaicl) on (his occasion, .solicited from the Prince Jl><;;e!)!, a-- a ina< k of his ^rprobation of the Embodied BnttalionH of the (i.Hidaut MlUiiuliYC ^luirs of Colours, for the ls(, 2d, ?d, 4tii and 5ih liuUiiiiuug. -J Vtovd llif "t Sir George Prevost, 105 ,.- » sed Cftp* JverwlioU the bunk reaii Du- and now Salaberry le enemy, to occa? concerted nK, with- the afler- y the ab- net, Icav- iice lum- tt'ards the slajor Ge- tnessed \i\ exertions coiprades an called cr of the e^tedand 'ivcd two :ans were s amount' ing.* nositlbh, xl to iall orners, to tes; from be ready rmination I^anudians ed fVom the PS, and from UiuiU O'Sul- Sir fiporpe the Prince Battalionb of Uli and 5lli From " From the flitigues and privations expenencecl by this di- vision expose \ I. f i ■ ■■M ■'I, s\ •■•ragoons from the American shore. On arriving at the head of the Long Sault, the whole of the effective men ex- cept such as were required for navigating the boats down the rapid, were landed under the orders of Brigadier Gene- ral Boyd, who was to proceed down by land in the rear of Ceneral Brown's division to the foot of the Long Saiilt. On the tenth, Lieut. Colonel Morrison with the gun-boats visited the American post at Hamilton where he landed and 4ook possf^ssion of aconsiderable'qr.antity of provisions and stores belonging to the AmericanajTny with two pieces of Or- dnance. Lieut. Colonel flarvey in the mean time follow- ed up the enemy, who in the evening were observed advan- «ng fro:., the woods in considerable numbers with a body of cavalry, but upon receiving a few rounds from three field pieces, and probably finding their pursuers better prepared than they expected, fell back for the night.* On the en- suing day, Lieut. Colonel Morrison presses! so closely upon the rear of General Boyd's divison as to compel him to con- centrate his forces and give battle, a description of which cannot be more accurately conveyed than by quoting Lieut. Colonel Morrison's official despatch on the occasion, " The enemy's force, consisting of two brigades of Infantry, and a Regiment of cavalry, amounting to between three and four tliousand men, moved forward about two o'clock in the afternoon from Chrystlor's Point, and attacked our ad- vance, which gradually fell back to the position selected for * Some smart cannonading in tjic veao Uyse took place bctwero the |[(tn-.boat«. .A^mi ■ ■ the .-^ f 4> Jh \ >■.>*:>.■ Sm Georgb Prevost. 107 nderleath, hen rein- the Cana- 800 rank MoiTison epnty Ad- eeded iin- mmanded jy, and on »is. Gene- i Colonel nen in or- jng Sault, ■lous parts reinforced \ body of iSf at the e men ex« Bts down ier Gene- le rear of ng Satdt. ;Tun-boat9 mded and sions and ces of Or- le fbllow- »d advan- a body of iree field prepared 1 the en- wly upon m to con- of which ng Lieut. n, "The itrv, and hree and clock in 1 our ad- lected fbr ctwecB the the the detachment to. Od<;upy, the fijj'ht restitig on tlie river, and the left on a pine-wood, exhibiting about seven hun- dred yards. The ground being open, uie troops were thus disposed. The Flank Companies) of the 49th Regiment, the detach** tnent of the Canadiati Regiment, ivith one field piece, un* der Lieu*:. Colonel Pearson, on the right ; a little advanc«p ed on the road — Three companies of the 89th Regiment, tinder Captain Barnes, with a gun formed in echellon with the advance on its left, supporting it. The 49th and the 89th thrown more to the rear, with a gUn, formed the main body and reserve, extending to the woods on the left; whick were occupied by the Voltigeurs, under Major Herriot, and the Indians under Lieutenant Anderson — At about half past two the action became general, when the enemy en- fleavored by moving foi'ward a Brigade from his right, to iurn our left, but was repubed bv the 89th Raiment for- ming en potence with the 49th kegiment, and by moving forward, occaisionally firing by platoons; his efforts were next directed against oiir right, and to repulse this move- ment, the 49th Regiment took ground in that direction, in Echellon, followed by the 89th. When within half mus- ket shot, tlie line was formed under a heavy but irregular fire from the enemy — Tlie 49th ^vas directed to charge tlieir guns, posted opposite to ours, but it became necessary when within a short distance of thera, to check this forward movement, in consequence of a charge from their cavalry on the right, lest they should wheel about, and fall upon the rear, but they were received in so gallant a mannc*' by the companies of the 89th uudej- Captain Bai'nes, ar.d the well directed fire of the Artillery, that they quickly re- treated, and by a charge from those comjianiea, one gun was gained. — l^he enemy immediately concentrated their force to check our advance, but such was the steady coun- tenance and well directed fire ot the troops and artillery, that about half past four, they gave way at all points from an exceeding strong position,. endeavouring by their light infantry to cover their retreat, who were soon driven a- way by a judicio\is movement made by Lieut. CoUmel Pearson. The detachment for the night occuj^ed the ground from which the enemy iiad been driven." c This, (called the battle of Chrystler's Farm from the ffiound on which it occurred,) is in the estimation of Chai** VL ISid. /■i ..I i4 1 (■ -7 ' 4 108 Administration qp . V 1) ■n a .. •.■ . ' \ ^ { ii Chap, military men, considered the handsomest affair during tFie VI. late war, from the professional science displayed in the ig^V^W/ course, of the Action, by the adverse comnuinders; and 181^. when we consider the prodigious preparatives qf the A^ merican government for that expedition, with the failure of which their hopes of conquest vanished, the battle of Chrystler's Farm may, be classed as an event of the first importance in the defence of these provinces.* The American division after leaving the field, re-embark- ed in haste, while the dragoons, with five tiold pieces of light artillery proceded down towards Cornwall, in the rear of General llrown's division, who, unaware of the battle had continued his march for that place. The enemy lost ■ an able officer in the person of Brigadier General ('oving-. ton, who, while animating his men to the charge, receiv- ed a mortal wound, which he survived only two days. The . loss of the enemy by their own official statements, amount- •ed to three officers and ninety-nine men killed, and gixteea officers and one hundred and twenty-one men ^youndcd^ •The loss of the British amounted to three officers (Captain Nairne of the 49th Regiment and Lieutenants Lorimier and •Armstrong,) and twenty-one men killed, and eight officers / and one hundred and thirty-sevejij wo^nded} and twelve ■ missing. -.aT-^-^k,- ,»-, f , General Wilkinson, who, during the action, lay confin- ed to his barge, from a protracted illness, in his officiid desjmtch to his government, bears faithful testimony of the Joyalty of the mhabitants on the Canada side of the S'aint - Xawrence, and of the bravery and discipline of the troops he had to cortentj vvith at Chi-ystler's Farm. ' * T.ieut. Colonel Morrison conch'dfs 'his despatch by the following tesfimo- "ny, of the zeal and bravery manifested by the oAicerii and men under his cuoiniand. ' " It is now my j;ratefti1 dnty to point otit to your Honor, tht benefit the Service das received from the ability. Judgment, and active exeriitm!-, of Lieut. Colonel Harvey, the I)r')uty Adjiilaiit General, for sparing wiinin to acroBUianv the detachment, I'must aijain publicly express my acknowledg- ments. To the cordial co-operation and exertions of Lieut. Colonel l*eari>i)n, cumuianding the detachment from Prescot, Lieut. Colonel I'lenderleatli, 4Sili Regiment, Major Clitlord, 89th llepjimcnt, Major Herriot, of the VoltiKeurii, and Captain Jackson, of the Royal Artillery, cinnbined with ^thc callantry of ihc troops, our great succe.s may be attributed; every mai '^id nis duty, and Ibelieve, I cannot more stronsly speak their merits tian in mentioning that onr small force did not ezceedelght hundred rank and lile. " To Capiaini DHvi!;.^nd Skinner, of the Qnartcr Master General's De- ' partment, I am und'T the greatest obligatious for the assistance I have recei- ■* •red from them ; their zeal and activity, have been unremitting.— Lieut. Ha- • 'gt lOian uf the ^2i^liia, and Lient.An"der'-«in of » The LI T Sir George Preyost. lod ' •e- embark- . pieces of in ihe rear the battle jnemy lost al Coving- ge, receiv- days. The 3, amount- iid gixteea wounded^ (Captain iriinier and jlit officers nd twelve ay confin- lis officiid lony of the f the k"'aint the troops winjj test! mo- en uiidei his lienrfit the exeriKtns, of pjiring wiimu acknowledg- nel Peafijoii, Meiiderli'atli, riot, of the iiibincd with every mat merits tlan rank and lilc. oiieral's Do- have rpcei- "liifut. Jla- rtmrnt, hE\e Thb The day after the engagemeht, the American flotilla pro- ceeded down tlie Long Se,ult and joined near ( omwall, the division which had tnoved on under General Brown, to- wards that place, whiere General Wilkinson confidently expiftcted td hear of the arrival bf General Hampton on the opposite shore, to whom he had written on the 6th, to tttat effect, not being then acquainted with his late defeat. Here to his unspeakable mortification and surprise, he re* ceived a letter from General Hampton, informing him that the division urtdet- his command was &lling back upon liake Champlain. This information, with the countless dif- ficulties momently crowding upon the Airiericart aimy, ef- fectually blasted every prospect of further success. So cir- cumstanced the American Commander immediately held a council of war, in which it was unanimously resolved " That " the attack upon Montreal should be abandoned for the " present season, and that the army near Cornwall should <' immediately be crossed to the American shore for taking up ^'winter quarters," which, on the ensuing day, was ac- cordingly carried into effect, by their proceeaing for Salmon River, where their boats and batteaux were scuttled, and ex- tensive barracks for the whole army were erected with ex- traordinary celerity, and surrounded on all sides by ahbatis^ %o as to render a surprise impracticable. Wilkinson's intention was to have landed on the Isles Perrot, which is separated firom ihe Island of Montreal, by a small channel, over which he intended to throw 8. bridge of boats, and from thence to fight his way for thei City of Montreal. Eveiy appearance of danger having subsided, the Com- mander of^:he Forces dismissed the Sedentary Militia, by a General Order of the 17th November, with acknowledg- ments of the cheerful alacrity, with which they had repaired to their ^osK? and the loyalty and zeal they had manifest* ed at the prospect of encountering the enemy. With these opei-alions terminated the Campaign of 1815, in the Lover Province, butnew triumphs still awaited the British arms in the Proviin«!e of Upper-Canada. Major General De Rottenbur^h wa« relieved in the com* mand of Upper-Canada, early in December, by Lieut, (jfeneral Oruuimond, who procee4ed trom Kingston to P York, Chap, VI. 1813. '.)! ■, I in-: -■'' \ \ ,f . .■ . /■> .1 ■i I 1 ■( i i i w < \> ■;.s^^. -■>■.:. :'y,if. i.,,.- ■L_::;is,'-..ji. no ADMWtsTRAtioJi or Nv Anirrirans p varimte Fort A : ;l » Cfi AP York, an4 from thence to the head of the Lake, where the VI. arnrty again resumed an offensive posture, with a view to v^^vx^ resfain possession of Fort George. General M 'CUvre, who 1813- on the breakinjjup of the investment of Fort Geora;e, had issued a Proclamation, in which he affected to consider I'pper-Canada as abandoned by the British army, and of- ' <^: fered the friendship *nd protection of his Government to the People of that Province, on the approach of the Brir tish under Colonel Murray, precipitately evacuated that Post on the 12th December, and retreated across the Nia« i^ra, having pursuant to the directions of the American Secretary of war, most inhumanly on the 10th of Decern- \ ber, set fire to the flourishing Village of Newark, contain- ing about one hundred and nfty houses ; which were redu". iced to ashes, leaving the wretched dnd forlorn inhabitants with upwards of four, hundred women and children exposed ' to the accumulated horrors of famine and the inclemency of , a Canadian winter. The British under the command of Colonel Murray, scarcely amounting to five hundred men, including Indians and Militia immediately occupied Fort George. The barbarous policy of the American Govern- ment in destroying Newark, exasperated the army as well ^ as the inhabitants on tlie Frontier, of whose impatience for retaliation, General Drummond promptly availed himself after the occupation of Fort George, by adopting the reso- lution of cm'rying tlie American Fort Niagara by surprise. ■/ Having only two batteaux at his disposal in the Niagara l4ver, he deferred the attaok. until a sufficient number of batteaux could be conveyed over land, several miles, from Burlington at the head ofthe Lake, which was effect- ed by the exertions of Captain: Elliot, of the Quarter Brifisii sur- Master General's D^artment. Having made every ne- ^[^r Fm\*^!NiI ^®*^''y '"''**'S^"™®"^ the batteaux were launched, and the agura. tdfoopfk were embai-ked on the night of the 18th December consisting of a small detaohmrait of Royal ArtiUeiy, the grenadier company of the: Royal Scots,, the flank com- panies of the 4 1st and 100th Regiment, amounting in the tvholfe to* five hundred andi fifty metis under the' immediate eommand of Qcilonel; Murray. This small fovce having - crossed the river aasisted by the Provinoiali ^ohrps, as boatH men, lan moved towards the Fort having4)reviiOUi4](detsu;liedtJ^ea(imncm}£hi& division^ un- '^A Sir George Prevosi». Ill i ; vhere the a view to 'lure, who !or^e, had considev y, and of- mment to f the Bri- lated tljat the Nia* American >f Decern* contain- i^ere redu- ihabitants fi exposed smency of nmand of di-ed men, pied Fort 1 Govern- y as well itience for d himself the reso- surprise, s Niagara uraber of ^al miles, i^as effect- Quarter 5^ei-y ne- and the December eiy^ the nk com- >gin the "raediate i having 08 boatH the Five he Fott. the Fort ion^. un> 'der i. dcr Captain F»^ wcett and Lieut. Dawson of the 100th Rigimpnt, w'jo gallantly executed the orders entrusted to tlieni, by cutting of two oftlii? eiiv iiy's picquets, and sur- prising the Centinels on the Oiacisand at the Oate, from whom the watch word was obtained, and the entrance into the Ko't, thereby greatly iaciliiatcd. which was raj'idly ef- fected through the main ga'ie, before tlie enemy had time to sound the alaruj. The artsailauts having obtained posses- sion of the work's, the eneuiy made for some time a feeble rt'riisiance. but iinally surrendered at discretion. Tfie va» h)ur of the troops eiignged on this service particularly of the l(X)th Ri'girnent, under Lieut. Colonel Haiuilton was hitdily conspicuous. The loss of the British amounted to only one nflicer (Lieut. Nolan.) and tiVe men killed, and tvvooffKcrs (one of them Colonel Murray,- by a musket pitoi, through the wrist,) and three men wounded. Tl'.e h)ssof the enemy in slain amounted to sixty-five men, (all tyith the bayonet,) anil tv^o officers and twelve rank and file in woun.lca. The prisoners aniounled to more than tineelmndred elfective men oftlie regular army of the Uni- ted States. .An immense quantity of Couunissariat Stores with upwards of three ihousaiul hla'nd of arms, a great 'nuMiber of uiiesand seveiul pii-ces -of ordnance, of which tv>enty.seven of dilieronl calibres were mpnnted on the works, f« li inti) the hands ol the viciois. Major General Hiali, >viio Uail crossed over i'lnuediately after Colonel Murray, ■wuii ti»c whoii- oo.ly of vvohiern Indians, and the 1st Balia- lioa of lioyui Scdis, and 41st Ueguiient, in order to sup- P*>ri me ailtick, up"on ascertaining its success, innnediately marched along the .iverupon Lewistown, where the enemy h MlcsiaDlisiieii a foicc and had ei-ected batteries with ilie avovved purpose of destro>^ing the Town of Queeustown Situated diieclly opposite, i'lje enemy upon the approach of this division abandoned their position leaving two guns, a twelve, and a six pounder which tell into the hands of the British, with a considerable quaiituy of small anns and Stores. Lr retaliation for the conliagration «f Newark the indignant troops and the auxiliary Indians were let loose upon the enemy's frontier, and Lewistown, Manchefcter and the circumjacent country wei'e laid in ruins. General Drummond determined to follow up these successes, which he could not deem complete until he had cliased the enemy fiom the whole frontier, and taken ample vengeance lor his crnolties toward the inhabitants of Newark. He therefore iug\cd i^a forces up to Chippawa wiieve lie fixed his f fcad ¥)i Quai-terp ibl3. \\ 1> ■■vl HI i. i I % § 112 Administration of ViiAF. tl •9?. im. }\ J Quartei-s on the 28th December, and on the fbllowing dtiy, approached to within two miles of Fort Erie, where having reconnoitred the eneuiy's position at UUick Ropk, he deter- mined to attack him in the course of the night. He accord- ingly directed General Riall tp cross the river with four companies of the King's Regiment and the light coippany of the 89^h. under Lieut Colonel Ogilvy ; two hundred and fifty men of the 41st, a the grenadiers of the 100th Regi^ ment, uiicfer Major FrenU, together with about fifty Militia Volunteers and a body of Indian warriors. This division com- Iileted its landing about midnight, twq miles below Black [iock, its advanced guard having surprised and captured the - greater part of a picquet of die enemy and secured the . fridge over the Conguichity Creek, from >yI^Ip^' ^^^ ^"e-* . my made several attempts to dislodge them. The boats . ^nd batteau3^ after having crossed his division were , t»'a'<^ked up as |iigh ^s the foot of the rajiids below Fort • Erie, in order to cross the Royals under Lieut. Cplonel '. Cordon, whp where destined to land above Black Rock, ibr the purpose of turning the enemy's position, ' while he should be attacked in front by the troops who .had landed belovv. The delay occasione4 by the ground- jnjT pf t^he boats which detained them iintil morning, a iclexpose4 them to the open fire of the eneqiy, caused the Royals some loss, and prevented them from eftec(.ing a land- ing in sufficient time tp fully accomplish the object intend- ■ ed. At day break. Major General Riall moved forward; the KingV^tegi'nentand the light company of the 89th leading, and the 4 Istand Grenadier? of the 100th forming the reserve. On gsiining the town, a very spirited attack was made upon the enemy who were in great force ^nd strqngly posted, and • on the arrival of the reserve,, the action became general. The enemy maintained his positiop with obstinacy for some time, but upon the advance of the British he was compelled to give way, and was driven through his batteries in which "weie a twenty-four potmder, tliree twelves and a nine poun- der. From Black Rock, the fugitives were pursued to the town of Butlaloe, about two miles distant, whpre they ral- lied and shewed a lar«je body of infantry and cavalry, and at- tempted to opposjc the advance of the British by the fire of a field piece, posted on a height commanding the road : finding this ineffectual, they retreated in all directions, leaving a six-pounder brass field piece, one iron eigh- teen, and one iron six -pounder, and betook themselves to ' the woods, V . 1. Sir .George Prevos^t. 113 - "General Riall having dispersed this force, immediately OhaiC deiaciied Captain Uubuison ol" the King's Regiment, with VI, two companies, to destroy three vesbels of the enemy's n^V^^ lake squadron, a short distance below the town, with their Ibiji. stores, which he cilectually accomphslied. The Americans in this affair, were not less in number than 2,500, and are sxipposed to have lost in killed and wounded, froui three to tour hundred men. Only one hun- • dred and thirty men were made prisoners, ^nd among them Colonel Clmpin. The British lost til men killed, and tour * olHcers and sixty-eight men wounded, and nine men mis- sing. The small towns of BuHaloe and Black Rock having Ken deserted by the iniiabiiants, were, with ail the pub- The boats I lie stores, containing considerable quantities of cloathing, \ ■. < spirits and flour, which could not be conveniently brought away, set on hre and entirely consumed, , » " ' These decisive and retaliatory measures alinost entirely •rushed the power, and destroyed the resources of the ene* " my on the Niagara frontier, and although victims of the re- tributive vengeance brought on their heads by the barbari- ty of ^heir own Commanders, the wretched inhabitants are said to have acquiesced in the justice of th^ measures pursued by the British General. ^ •I,'' I'' < Such wer^ the rapid successes that attended the British jinns in tlie Canadas, and cheered the hopes of the peo- ple at the close of the campaign, which a few weeks pre- viously, threatened the toial subjugation ot these provinces. Ample vengeance having been taken by the spirited and judicious promptitude of Jjieut. General Drummond, upon ' the Niagara frontier, for the wanton conilagration and t>ie cruel outrages committed upon the detenceless inhabitants of Newark, the Commander of the Forces, on the r?tli of January, 18 It, issued a Proclamation, in which he strongly deprecated the savage mode of warfare to which the enemy, by a departure from the estj^blished usages of .. war, had compelled him to resort. He traced with faithful precision and correctness, the conduct that had marked the progress of the war on the part of the enemy, and con- cluded by lamenting the necessity impossed upon him of . retaliating upon the subjects of America, the miseries in- ^it^ted u^on the iuUabitaiiis of I^ewark; but at the same . time ;.'\ ^-J~ -.iry^ ^■^ mi i\ \] I ■ ■ i . til 'Administration of OnAV. time f'eo'areit! it na to be It. 8 intention further to p\ir«nV t VI. sysieiu O; wurh.re rtorevoliinj; to his oa'w ii'elinifs and so (n- ^ilTV^^' tit" cont^ ial lo tiie British charactei, nr.less he should be kiU^, su cuui^)«Ucil vy ike I'uiure uteMUiVB ul the enemy. |i "x / \ \ f. . 1' •Y , »' t-^i ,«iiW4h%^ >.<^i ■''▼>- CHAP- X' ■ - Wi Sm GsoROB pREvoaT* 115 CHAPTER VIL ON the thirteenth of .January, the Ijejifislature met for the dispatch of public business. The Governor con- gratulated the Parliament on the defeat of the enemy at Chateauguay, by a handful of brave Caimdians ; and on the brilliant victory obtained by the small Corps of observa- tion on the banks of the St. Lawrence, over the formidable Armament commanded by Major General Wilkinson. The Governor, in a secret and confidential meflsage to the House of Assembly informed that body, that in order to carry on the public services he li .d found it indispensa» |bly necessary to direct an issue of Am y Bills to a greater Amount than five hundred thousand pounds (the Hum au- thorized by the late Army Bill Act) and recommended to the immediate and serious consideration of the House, t^* expedience of extending the provisions of the Army Bill Act. The House accordingly took the subject into consi- deration, and passed a Bill extending the isstie of Army Bills to fifteen hundred thousand pounds. The Militia Law^ underwent some discussion but were not altered, the Legislative Council not concinring with some clauses which it had been found expedient to introduce into the Bill, s^nt up for their concurrence. A Bill to disqualify the Chief Justices and the Judges of the Courts of King's Bench in the Province from being summoned to the Legislative Coun- cil or sitting or voting tnerein, was introduced, and having passed the Lower House, was sent up to the Legislative Council for their concurrence. Here it was unannnously resolved that the mattere contained in the Bill wire unpar- liamentary and unprecedented, and intrenched upon the prerogative of the Crown and the rights and privileges of the House ; and it was therefore also unanimouslv res-olved to proceed no further in the consideration of the Bill. The House of Assembly upon finding it to have been laid aside, appointed a Committee to search the Journals of the Legi.s- lauve Council, to ascertain officially what proceetlings liad been taken with respect to the Bill in question. The Com- mittee having taken information on the subject, reported the fate of the Bill as collected from the Journals of the Legi- slative Council; aud the House aniong other counter resolu- i■!^^i' ''^ ". i - - „v • tions, Chaf. VtL IbU. X r )•; / ^an I k l^T lit /JVDMiNMTnATiow er 1' i Chap, tionn, indignantly resolved "that the Legislative Council by VII. tlieir refusal to proceed on that Bill had excludetl Irom tlioir h^y^/ consideration a measure highly meriting the ntientiun ut'tliv itol4r Legislature of the Pr^nrince and had therefore atl'orded uddi* tional evidence of its expedience." A Bill was also intio- duced (u in tho preceding Session " to grant to his lVlaios< ty a duty on the Income arising from Civil Oflices, and on Fensions, to be applied for the defence of the Province in the S resent war with the United States of America." Thii iill was rejected by the Legislative Council. The Bill for the appointment of an Agent in Great Britain was also sent tip to the Legislative Council, where it was laid aside. The House of Assembly unanimously passed a vote of thanks to Lieut. Colonel De Salaberry, and the officers un- der his command for their distingiiishedexertionson the Sfith October 181 J, in the action on the Chateaiiguay river, and di- rected the Speaker to signify the same to Lieut. Colonel D< Sulabeny and the officers present on that occasion^ and that the House highly felt and acknowledged the distinguished Valour and discipline conspiciously displayed by the non- commissioned officers and private, soldiers and militia-men of the little band under his immediate command in the sig- nal defeat of the American army under General Hampton at Chateauguay. To Lieut. CoUmel Morrison of the 8f)th Regiment and to the officers and men under his command a siiiidar vote of thanks was passed for their exertions on the 11th November 1813, at Chrystler's Farm in the defeat of the American army under General Wilkinson* The House of Assembly at an early period of the Session, on motion of Mr. J. Stu«irt, resolved that it would take into consideration the power and authority exercised by the Courts of Justice, in this Province, under the denomina- tion of Rules of Piactice, and the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, as well as the Prothonotaries of the Courts of King's Bench for the Districts of Quebec and Montreal, Wore respectively ordered to lay before the House, certihed copies of the A^ules of Piuctice of those Courts. On the 4th of February, the subject having been previously dis- cussed in Committee, the House adopted several resolutions concerning those Rules of Practice, which it considered ra- ■iher in the sense of Legislative enactments, and therefore »n encroachment upon the Privilfilltifj3. Tlio nih's m question had flrst been fratujMl and introduced into vhe l*roviiicial ('ourt ofAnpoals (wlirre thy Chid* Justice of the Province, and the ('hiof Justice of Montrt'al, ahernatoly preside) in January IHOJ), (iiul in th« gunie year, the Courts of Kinij;'!i Bench at Quebec and Mon- treal U)llowed the example tit the CiouH of A pjleals, uiuler th« sanction of an Act of the Provincial Ije^^lslaiilrc giving to the different "Coul'ts of Judicature in the Province, j)o\verand " aitthority to make and eHtablish Orders and Rules of " Prju-'tice in the said Courts in all civil matters, touch- *' ing nil services of process, executions and returns of all " Writs, proceodirigfl for bringing causes to issue as well iti ** term tinie as out of term, and other liiatiers o{*rcgulatioii " within the said Courts." It was however, now maintsiitl- ed in the (louse of Assembly, that these rules affected th« civil rights of His Majesty's subjects, and >Verb contrary to 5nd subversive of the Tiavvs of the Province : that they ren- ered the enjoyment of liberty and property altogether inse- cure and precarious, and gaVe to the Judges an arbitrary authority over the persons and propei'tY of His Majesty b Subjects in the Province. For these, and other specific poli- tical high crimes and misdemedhoi^, alledged to have bee* committed in tVte course of »he late Administration of the Colonial Government by Sir J. H. Craig, tending to mis- lead and deceive that officer in the exercise of his authority, to oppress the people and alienate their minds from His Majesty's Government in order (as it was contended) t« favor the progress of American influence in the Province, the two chief Justices were formally impeached by the Commons of Lower-Canada. Mr. J. Stuart was appointed A^ehtfor the purpose ofpro* secuting the Impeachments witli effect, on behalf of the Commons of Lower-Canada, who, in a iiioney Bill, ap- propriated the sum of two thousand pounds, in order to en- able hii\i to proceed to England, in consequence of whict the Bill v^'ss rejected by the Legislative Council.* The Im- peachments having been digested into seventeen different heads against the Chief Justice of the Pi'ovhice, and into eight heads against the Chief Justice of Montreal, charg* e(F among other things, with promoting and advising cer* tain criminal prosecutionsatMontrcal,andsittinginjud^nient. npotithem ; and with having refuseda Writ oi' Habeas Corpttt v^ • Tliis Btl! rontaineil a grant of ^30,000, for the MUiti», Md a likt lum T&r the sov^ort of the War, " vv-:-.. - ft . m ■■■»■-• •.tw,«VW*??**^'' ' ! 1^ 118 Adiviinistration of Chap to persons Icj^ally entitled thereto, the House of Assan* VII. bly on the 3d of March, went up to the Castle with their ■^V"^/ Speaker, and presented an Add»*ess to the Governor, pray- 1814. ing him to transmit the Impeachments, with an Address to the Prince Regent drawn up for the occasion, to His Ma,jesty's Ministers, to be laid before the Prince Regent. They at the oame time suggested the propriety of suspend- the Chief Justices from their public functions until the Prince Regent's pleasure should be known. The Governor replied that he would take an early op* portunity of transmitting the Address, with the articles of accu. ation against the Chief Justices, to His Majesty's Mi- nisters ; but that he did not think it expedient to suspend the Chief Justices from their offices upon an Address to that effect from onebraiich of the Legist *»ire alone, founded i^i articles of accusation, on which the Legislative Council hta not been consulted, and in which they had not concurred. This answer gave umbrage to the House, which upon re- turning from the Castle among other resolutions, resolved *' that His Excellency the Governor in Chief by his answer *' to the Address of the House had violated the Constitu- *' tional rights and privileges thereof." On the seventh of .,, March, the House, probably influe;iced by a sense of justice towards the Go/ernor, whose conduct it had so recently censured, in mitigation of its late resolution again resolveu, *' that notwithstanding the wicked and perverse advice giv- *' en to His Excellency on the subject of the Constitutional •' rights aiul privileges of that House, and the endeavours of " evil disposed advisers to lead him into error and to embroil *' him with iiis Majesty's faithful Commons of this Province, " theHousehadnot in any respect altered the opinion it had " ever entertained of the wisdom of His Excellency's Admi- *' nistration, and that it was determined to adopt the mea- *• sures it had deemed necessary for the support of the Go- *' vernment and the defence of the Province." The House also drew np an Address to the Prince Regent on the state of the Province, and the progress of the war with the United-State?>, in which the exertions of the peo- ple and the urgency of early assistance were briefly ex- pressed.* . * Tho stn'ns;«h of tin* sik battalions of Canadinii Emfrodifd Mitilia a- tni>iiiit(-(| ill the inc^iilli of DccpiiiliPr, l.Si;i, accoiiliii); lo • ■;• . ; At Ksiv^Tis ;;:»/) On the lOtli of December, the Commander of the Forces received a communication from Major General Wilkinson by Colonel Macomb, of the United States a; my, bearing a fla^ of truce, staling, " that the governmeui wi tUe United Q 2 . - States 1] i !;4 l1 i I i A ^« . / 120 Administration QT lbl-4. Statrs adhorip-g unalteKvbly to the principle anci piirpone declared in tho tonimuniaition of General Dearborn, on the subject of the twentv-three American soldiers, prison- ers of war, pent to England to be tried as criminals, and the coniinenient of a like number of British soldiers, pri- soners, selected to abide the fate of the former, had, in con- st quence of the step taken by the Uritish government, or^ dered fbrly-six iBritislj Oflicers into close conlinenu^nt, and that they .--liould not be discharged therefrom until it should be knovyn t'lat the forty-six American Oflicers and noii- conunissioncd oflicers in question, were no longer coniii> ctl." In consequence of this, the Goveriu)r ordered all the American Olficers, prisoners of war, without cxcei)tion of rank, ^.o be immediately placed in close confinement as liostages, untjl the nujuberof Ibrty-six were completed over and above those already in conliuement. In pursuance of \.\ns order, Generals Winder, Chandler and Winchester, were conveyed from their ciuarters in the country at Beau- port, to a private house in Quebec, where their confinement was rendered as little inconvenient as their situation could admit of. A On the fifteenth of A|)nl following, after some negocla- ation between Colonel Baynes the Adjutant-General, and Brigadier-Ciencral Winder, on the part of the American government, a comventiou was entered into at Montreal, by which it was mutually agreed, to release the hostages and niake an exchange of prisoners, the American govern- ment re)|nquisliing its pretensions to retaliate for the pri- soners sent to England, for legal trial as traitors to their counti'y. This convention was ratified in July at Cham- plain, near thp lines, by Colonel Lear, deputed for that pinppse by the American government, and by Colonel Baynes ad Mr, BrefttpHj on the pjirt pf the Britij^h ^oy" cmment.* ..'""'J::^^ ■'•■ '^^' .. . • „; ' •4 The most active exertions were made during the winter to be prepared for the ensuing campaign. Stores of all des^ c|*iptions were forwarded to Kingston, from Quebec and Montreal on sleighs at prodigious expence. The second Battalion of the 8th Regiment, commanded by Lieut. Co- lonel iloberton, marched through the woods from Frede- * The ncf!;oci4tion xyns opened at the solicitution of the Americnn f^n- ▼ernni''nt mi a Iciu-r fr»m the Secretary of State, loSir George Prevost, «lip cojisf iiied to the exchange of Brigadier-Gcoeral Winder for the purpose of jje^9i-itttin{, >jM'' Vi> ricktou Sir Georse Prevost. 121 i^ purpose aiboin, Qn srs, prisoii- linals, and )ldii'rsi, pri- lad, in toa- ninont, or^ jniont, and :il it should and non- fov coniiir. )rdei(!d all : exception iisement {is pleted over rsiifincc of I'^intliester, y at Beau- [>nfinoniont ition could negocla-^ iioral, and Anierican Montreal, 2 lipstao'cs m govern- or the pri- to their at Chani- 1 for that Colonel itish Gov- he winter of all des^ lebec and 'lie second jieut. Co- )m Frede- merlcan po- Prevost, « lip E purpose of ricktou licktonto the St. Lawrence in the month of February. A reinlbrcenient of two hundred and twenty seamen for the Lakes came by the same route. To expedite the progress of these reinforcements, the Legislature of ^lew-Brunswick voied three hiuidred pounds, and the Ciiy of St. John's gave a similar sum to defray the expence of conveying them on sleighs, as far as the nature of the roads would permit. '(. ■ In the month of March an Embassy of Chiefs and War^ riors from the Ottawae, Chippawas, Shawnees, Delawares, Mohawks, Saiks, Foxes, Kickapoos and Winabagoes, ar- lived at Quebec to visit and to hold a Council with the Commander of the Forces. His Excellency on the fifteenth of that month gave them an audience, and held a Talk or conterence witli them at the Castle of Sajnt Lewis. Their speeches were principally complementary and expressive of tlieir joy (m beholding their Father and meeting him in Council. They expressed their poverty and requested that peace might not be concluded with the American govern- ment, untd they shoidd recover the ancient bounds of the territories of which the enemy had deprived them by fraud, and by violence. They represented the loss they had ex- pprienced of their young men in the war, but expressed their determination to persevere, and solicited a^ms for their VVarriors, and clothing for their women and child- ren, " Tiie Americans (said one of the Chiefs) are taking *' our lands from us every day, they have no hearts, father: •' they have no pity for us, they want to drive us beyond *' the setting Sun ; but we hope, although we are few, and " are here as it were upon a little Island, our great and *' mighty father who lives beyond the great Lake, will not " forsake us in our distress, but will continue to remember *' his faithful red children." The Governor in answer, ■trongly exhorted them to persevere in the contest against the common enemy, in order to regain the territory lost iii jlhe last campaign, He expressed his sorrow for the loss ©f one of then* Warriors (Tecumseh) and for that of many •other valiant Chiefs during the war. He charged them upon all occasions, to spare and shew mercy to all women, chil- dren and prisoners tliat should fall witl^in their power, .an injunction to which the listening Chiefs unanimously mur- luured approbation. After some days residence at Quebec they were loaded with presents, and despatched for the Ujv- per Province in their way homewards, to prepare their Iribes tor the appronclung campaign. ^ . . 'Ob Chap;* VH. iS14. i ^l V fi I i : 1 ll \Q t" /:'. }' •A- *v j*J V'^ '*.^?^i-.*T* ■' in Administration qp On the twpnty-pixth of March, His Excellency issued e General Order expressing the approbation ol" the Pnuce Regent of the atlair of Chateauguay and his " peculiar I pleasure at finding that His Majesty's Canadian Subjects lad at length had the opportunity of refuting by their own brilliant exertions in defence of their CouTitry,the calumnioua charge of disallection and disloyalty with which the enemy had prefaced his first invasion of the Province." To Lieut. Colonel DeSalaberry in particular and to all theofiicers and men under his couunand, the sense entertained by His Royal Highness of their meritorious and distir.guished ser- f ices was inaile known. The Commander of the Forces at the same time acquainted the miliU-i. of the dtteruunaiiu!", of His Royal Highness to forward Colour>^ for the live Balia- lions of Embodied Miliua, feeling that they had e'vmced an ability and disposition to secure tliem fi'om insult wiucli ^ave them the best title to such a mark of distinction. So llftttering a testimony of the Royal approbation could not feil to raise the honest pride of tite Provincial Mill tin, t 'it they were disappointed in their hopes, and the promise siiil feiuains to be accomi)lished. »•. njf,^ >,-.i^^- A movement of the American forces in the nelghhour- kood of Lake Champlain towards the conclusion of JMarch, gave room to expect an invasion of the District of Montreal. Brigadier General Macomb with a division of the Americai\ forces from Plattsburgh cross* i Lake Cliam- plafn npon the ice, and entered St. Armands, where he re- inaiiied some days without molestation, while General VVil- Kinson prepared for an attack upon the outposts ofOdeN town, an. I the T/a Cole Mill, a stone building which had fceeu conTcrted into a Block house. On the morning of the thirtieth of March, (General Macomb having siuldenly tvithdrawn his division f''om St. Armands and rejoined the inain body) the American forces consisting of five thousand fnen, conunanded by General Wilkinson in person, entered. €)deltown. * Major Handcock ce Prince peculiar . Subjects their own lumuioug he enemy To Lieut, hccrs and by His ish.oci ser- Forces at natio!; of ve fiatia- \ e'vincod lit wnicli :ion. So unld not liti.'i, h«!t nuse suil lighhour- nwion of )istrict of vision of i.e Cliani- !re he re- era 1 Wil. ofOdeN iiich had tig of the ■suddenly )incd the housand entered. Mill, re- ft he ap- patch to - a pic Captain lOut two time at rtonville lirection WHS CHAPb Vll. Attack noon Was checked by part of the grenadiers of the Canadian Fen- cihles under Captain Cartwright, and a few of the Frontier Light Infantry under Captain Barker. Captain Blake's picquet hearing the firing, concluded that the whole of the enemy's force had taken that road, and in consequence retreated to the mill, from whence they again advanced and took post in advance. The enemy shortty after appear- ed in considerable force? the picquet fired three volliesand retreated to the mill. At one o'ch)ck the enemy was seen deploying in the wood, with the intention of surrounding '^^•''^***' the mill ; a fire was immediately commenced which they did not return for some time, but appeared determined to carry the place by assault, as they advanced clieerJng one another: the heavy fire obliged them to relinquish thei^ })lan and retreat to the wopd, where they were complete- y shelterad. A twelve pounder was broiight to beai- upon the mill, but so badly served, that during a cannonade of two hours and a half, only tour shots struck the buildf ing, the gun being within the range of musketry the artillery suffered severely, and in fact were unable to take aim with any degree of precision. A gun-boat from the Islo-auxTNoix, commanded by Lieut. Hicks, R. ,N. kept up an incessant fire upon the spot where the American army- was posted, but from the distance and the height of the, intervening woods little or no execution was done. The two flank companies of the 13th Regiment arrived from the Isle-aux-Noix at half past two o'clock, and were immedi- ately ordered to charge the enemy in front — they advanced as mr as the wood in line, but the difliculty of marching through the snow with a galling fire in front, and on the left flank, checked the rapidity of their progress, and soon compelled them to retire to the Block house. The grena- diers of the Canadian Fcncibles and a comfmny of the Vol- tigeurs just now arriving from Burtonville, Major Hand-" cock ordered them to support the flank companies of the \3t]\ Regiment in a second charge, to which they advanced in column of sections.* The Americans had now concen- trated their whole force close to the gun, but did not at- tempt to fire till the British had advanced to within twen- ty-five yards of their centre, and were completely flanked on both sides : the first discharge of the enemy was so ef- fectually destructive that these companies were entirely brok- • The filrcc in the Mill when attacked, was IfiO men. The rcinforre- merits which rirrivi'd (liirinjj the action, amounted to about two hun'lred men. S.nne iiccoimts <\viiicii iiave been considered probable) state the A-- mericau luas at lakillid, and liiJ wounded und Jc) misiiug. ert I. \ 1] J \ m I ) /j^ \H Administration of vn 1814. £\ iS' en antl compelled to retrdat fi'otn the woods in the gT*ate«(t disorder. All attempts to rally them were inetlectual, and they were recalled by the bugle to the iJlock house. It is con- jectured that the gun was spiked by the enemy during the ifirst charge, as it was not made any use of afterwards. The Americans exhausted with cold and fatigui^, and finding it impossible to cany the place without heavy artillery whick from the state of the roads, could not be brought forward, ^i^ithdrew their forces in good order from the contest at five o'clock in the afternoon without being pursued in the re- treat — The British loss amounted to ten men killed and ibur men missing, and two Officers j*,nd forty-four mea wounded. The American loss though considerable, hat not been precisely ascertained. Haying failed in the at- tempt to carry a Block house scarcely deserving the ap- pellation of a military post, the enemy fell back upoa Champlain (own, from whence they soon retired to Platts- burgh. General Wilkinson af*er this abortive attempt tu retrieve his military fame, seems to have been remt>ved from liis command, or to have sought a voluntary retirement from a service in which he had experienced but disappoint- ;S^^nt and revereee. t ^ ^v :.^- a i..'t5^. ..?. ' ^< #"^ CIIAP«^ '' < •L.i Qm Geouge Prevost. 125 the greatest ectiial, and se. It is con- duriiig tlie wards. The d finding it illery whick lit forward, ntest at five 1 in the re- killed and y-four liiea ..rable, hat [ in the at- ng the ap- back upou i to Platts- attempt to nt)ved from retirement disappoint <^. r 'W' m^<^'- CHAPTER VIII. CHAP^ IN iTpper-Canacllitfie ojrturrences dvirlng the -winter \r(!re of small importance, being principa.lly confined to in- cursions reciprocally practised by the troops in advance a- long the frontiers witn various success. One of the \Tiost Aucceijsful enterprises effected in the course of the present season, was planned and executed by Captain Sherwood^ of the Quarter-Master-Generars Department, That oflicer V'ith a subalttrn, and a small detachment of twenty rank and file of the Marines, and ten tnen of the embodied mi- litia, under Cant. Kerr, proceeded over the St. Lawrence, on tile niffht of the 6th of Feburary, froni Cornwall in Up- per-Canada, to Madrid, on 01*338 River, fourteen miles be- yond the village of Hamilton, and brought away a consi* derable quantity of merchandize (having pressed all tli6 horses and sleighs he could find, for that purpose) plun- dered from British merchants near Cornwall in Octo- ber preceding, when on their ixjute to Upper-Canada. These effects were to have been sold on account of the United States government, notwithstanding an agreement for their restitution entered into on the 10th of November, by Judge Og len and Mr. Richardson on the part of the United States, and Lieut. Colonel Morrison and Captain Mukas- ter, (Royal Navy,) on the part of the British Government. The Inhabitants made no opposition to the seizure and transportation of these effects, nor did they experience any molestation from the party, who, at two o'clock on the en- suing day returned to their quarters with the most valuable of the Merchandize for which they had proceeded to Ma- drid. " A slight loss was experienced in an unsuccessful effort made by a detachment consisting of the -flank companies of the Royal Scots, and the li^ht company of the 89th Regiment, under the command of Captain Bars- den of the 89th, for the purpose of dislodging a strong par- ty of the enemy who had taken post at Longwood in the advance at Delaware town. The enemy had seciu'cd them- selves on a commanding eminence behind log intrcnthments, and were attacked at five o'clock in the afternoon of the Uh of March by this force, supported by a flank movement (a Chap V!II 18U ! I 125 Administration or^' Chap. VIII. 1814. 5 '-♦;,,' the right, of a company of militia Rangers under Captain Caldwell, with a detachment of the Kent Militia, and a si- milar movement by a party of Indians to the lefl. After se- veral repeated but unsuccessful efforts to dislodge the ene- my in a spirited contest of an hour and a halff the troops having suffered severely, were withdrawn. The enemy soon aflei wards abandoned the position. The British lost two officers and twelve men killed, and three officers and forty* Itine men wounded including an officer and six m^ of th« Kent Militia Volunteers, who distinguished themselves oi\ the occasion. i W The campaign was opened in Upper Canada by Sir Gor- don Drummond and Sir James L. Yeo, under the most cheering auspices. The American forces along the Lake Champlain, afler leaving small garrisons at Plattsburgh, Burlington and Vergennes, moved early in the Spring to- wards Lake Ontario and the Niagara frontier, with a view of resuming offensive operations against the Upper Province, as soon as the fleet at Sacket's Harbour (considerably aug- , mented during the winter) should be in a state to co-ope- rate with the land forces. The principal Naval Stores for the equipment of the fleet were forwarded to Sacket's Har- bour by the way of Oswego, and as the British Naval force at Kingston, strengthened by two additional ships, the Prince Regent and Princess Charlotte, were ready to appear on the Lake early in the season, it became an object of importance to intercept the enemy's supplies and by that means retard his preparations for invasion. An Expedition against Oswego was therefore determined upon, and General Dimmmond having embarked a considerable force consisting of six com« Aitack upon panics of De Watteville's Regiment, the light company of Oiwvgo. ^Yie Glengaries, the second Battalion of the Royal Marines, with a detachment of Royal Artillei7 and two field pieces, a detachment of a Rocke: company, with a few Sappers and Miners, set sail from Kingston on the fourth of May, and at noon on the following day, made the port of Oswe- go, when a heavy gale from the North West sprimg up, and obliged the squadron to gain the offing. On the morning of the sixth, a landing was effected by about one hundrei) and forty of the troops under Lieut. Colonel Fischer ; and two luiiulred scaiuen, armed with pikes, under the com- mand of Captain Mulcaster, U. N. in front of a heavy ■ > discharge of round and grape from the batterv, and of mus- ketry froin a doti\chnient of about three hundred men of the *: V American * . Sir Georob Prevo^t. lar -/ iAmencan army, ported on the brow of the hill, atid in the CnAi', skills of the neighbourinff wood. The Brilish, on landing, VIII. prpsaed up the iiill towardB the enemy's battery, which the Ainericans (upon finding the British determined to carry it by >siorm) retinquislied, leaving about sixty men, principally •wounded. '|-'1rv*. ..■J» The Land and Naval Commanders having taken posses- Hion of the stores tbund in the p'ort auJ in its neigiibour- hood, and having dismantled the fortihcations, and destroy- eri the bariacks, re-embarked on the seventh of May, and ret uiued to Kingston. The loss of the British troops amounted to one Captain (Tloliaway of the Marines) and eighteen men killed, iind two Ofiiceis and sixty men wounded. That of the Navy aniounted to three men killed, and four Officers and sev^n Inicu wounded. Captain Mulcaster, while entering the Fort, ai the head of his men, received a very severe and datii;'eious wound. Captain Popham was also severely wouirded. Although the service derived much benefit from this Kxpedilion, tlie main object in contemplation was not acco:nj)lished, tiie princi|tal part of the Naval stores being Bave<1 bv the enemy, who had taken the precaution of de- positing- tliein at the Falls, some miles from Oswego, up the river. The flotilla at the I«le-aux-Noix, under the command of ( aptain Priiig, proctHxled up the Lake Champlain, on the ninth.of May with a detachment of Marines, for the i)in})ose of captin'ing or destroying the new vessels recently aiinclied hi Vergpi»nes, or of intercepting the stores and supi>lie« nitentled for their armament and eqtiipnient. On the iUh.i Capt. Pring reached his destination at Otter Creek, but finding the enemy prepared for his reception, be judged it exjKHlient to abandon his intended plan of attack, and returned to the Isle-aux-Noix. The British squadron having for the present a decided ftscen C5ha». way to Sackei's TIaibour from Oswego, fmm whence It had VIII. sailed in company witli Jilleen other boats loaded witli 4^V^^ naval and military stores. This intelliijence induced the 18i4. Naval Commander to disjiatch CaptaiiiH l*opham and Snilg- bury, with two {'un-boats and five baryca, in quest ot the enemy's boats, wnich, these oflicers ascertained to have tak- en shelter in Sandy Creek, whither they proceeded with the resolution of capturinf^ or destroying them if the attoiimt ' ■ ' fkhould be fountl practicable. On the niorni>»g of the 3ht / of May, tlie boats (iom the British squadron entered tlie .Creek, and Captains P()])ham and Spilsbury, having re- connoitred the enemy's position, determined on an inniiedi- ate attack, which although aware of the hazard of the en- terprise they determined to risk, as the stores in possession of the enemy were of the utmost importanue to the arma- ment of their sq\iadron. The boats advanced cautiously lip the Creek to within half a mile of the enemy, when par- ties were landed on either bank, who advanced on the flanks of the giu>-boats, lo a turning which opened the enemy's boats full to their viowr— It was at this jinicture, when, by some acciilont, a sixty-eight pounder carronade in the bow of the loremost gun-boat being disabled, it be- came necessary to pull her round to bring the 24 poundof in her st-ern to bear upon the enemy. The Americans mis- taking this movement for the commencement of a retreat y advanced with their whole force, consisting of one hundred a'ld 'ifty riHemen, near two hundred Indians, and a strong body of militia and cavalrv; who after a short though des- perate contest, from which it was impossible to effect a re- treat, overpowered the British party, consisting of about two hundred men, of which, it is said, eighteen were kil- led and fifty wounded. Captain Popham in his official des- patcii to Sir James L. Yeo, on tlup affair, acknowledged with the warmest gratitude, the humane exertions of tljp American Officers of the Rifle Coips commanded by Major . Appling, in saving the lives of many of the officers and . men, whom the American soldiers sind Indians were devot* ' \iig to slaughter. , r,.'.; The American forces concentrated at BufTaloe, Black Upnor-c" '"- 1^***-"!^ *»nd other places on the Niagara frontier, under the 4a, command of Major (roneral Brown in momentary expecta- tion of the co-operation of the squadron on Lake Ontario, %yere ready at the end of June to invade Upper-Canada. On the morning of tii(? third July, the enemy embarked \n ^u: . fi . . .boat5 „«•,'. ..„,. :^„„.f>;.,,../.i Sir George Prevost, 129 leans mis- ClIAP. vni. iToats and balteaux and elTocted a landing on tlie Canada side without o])position, >viili two strong brigades^ under Brigadiers Scott and Ilipley, at two points on the shoru above and below Fort Erie, each about a mile distant from that post, then under tlie command of Major Buck of the 8th Regiment. That Officer had been active in putting Fort Erie into a state of defence, and with a small detach- ment of about seventy men was left in charge of it, more with a view of causing a temporary check, to an invading force, than for the purpose of defending it against a regular Bie^fe, which was not intended. It would indeed have beea impossible to maintain Fort Erie for any length of time a- giuuHt the overwhelming strength of the enemy, but a re- fiistanccof even a few hours might have been of material con- sequence and have enabled General Iliall to have repelled the invasion at the oiitset. The able dispositions which had been made of the forces under that Officer, along the Niagara line by the direction of Lietit. General Drummond, who had anticipated an invasion at the point where it commenced, were such, that the least impedi- ment to the progress of the invaders would have enabled General Riall to have concentrated his troops, and to fall ui)ou and disperse the enemy before they could have time to be prepared for an elfectual resistance. Under these cir- cumstances, it is much to be regretted, that Fort Erie was Fort £rie. tamely surrendered to the enemy without firing a shot or making even a shew . pawa in the evening, and to prevent the enemy from oc« cupying Burlingtonlleights by a forced march (as he in« tended) ht- threw such reinforcements as he could spare in- to Forts George, Niagara and MisRissuga, and retired to Twenty-Mile Creek, on the route to BurlingUm, where he projmred for a vigorous stand against the progress of tie enemy to thai post. The Amei ican squadron was not hovv- cvear upon the Lake during theae occurren- ces ; a circumstance peculiarly fortunate, as their appear- ance would have so emboldened their army, tar superior in numbers to the British, as probably to have led to ii)e re- duction of Forts George and NiHi»ara. The militia umler Jjieut. Colonel Dickson, (who was wounded) behaved with gallantry. The British lost six OHicers and one bundled and forty-two men killed, and twenty-six Oflicersi (amfing them Lieut. Colonel the Marquis of Tweedale, severely ) and two hundred and ninety-tive men wounded, and one OiH- cer and Ibrty-ftve men mis^iing. The enemy state their loss at seventy meh killed, and nine Officers and two huiidrc>d ftnd forty men wounded, and nineteen missing. The enemy after this affair, gradually advanced along the Niagara, and occupied Queenstown, from whence he made deiDOitstrations upon Fort George and Mississaga, but find- ing Lieut. Colonel Tucker who had been left in command of^ those posts, on the alert, ixaA determined to make a re- solute defence, he desisted fr.:fn further attemptu to carry mem* ' ~ ii t ' ■' ■ . ■ - - . ■* . 'j. ,^-r ■■ ■ {rr- ■•^-*-.- -'r--si .u' 5.:.,: t.i ....■„■,, ; - _,> ... >,'.. .:,.::. {,,., . • General Brown finding a stouter resistance then he ex- pected, fell back upon Queenstown,* from whence on the • This it would seem iiowevr'r, was contrary to the order" and instniction of the ifeneral cnmmundiii);, wl»o in (jpneral orners, expressed his di»|»lea!>tir«' st the circumstance, and desired Lieut. Colonel Stone, comniandiiig at that viHage, to retire fnMn the army in consequence of his conduct. Tvis offirtT *as .ifiorwartls di-misst'd the ^e!vil•l■ nn iircnnnt of Ihi-, huvines*, without a bearin)!:.-..Thc viiUfe atl^Dg i>uittt) wovhIdo rcdiKcd to a«Uc» by tbese in- oeadivieg. ^ gCtli {< (( (( (( .\ Sm Georg-e Prevo^t. 131 05th of July, he retreated with his whole force npon Chip- pawa, having previoualy uet fire to the village of Saint Da- vi(l*H. Geneiul Kiall immediately put his advance in mo« tion, and was moving on to support the advance of his di- vision, when the enemy wheeled about with a view of over- powering hia forces before they cotdd be assiHted by the reinforcements which were expected to join them. Go- neral Drummond, with Tiicut. Colonel liurvey, had that morning arrived at Fort George, from York. The proceed- ingswhtch immediately succeeded his arrival cannot be mora concisely and clearly expluined than in his own official des- patch, after the battle of Lundy's Lane, which is quoted as the best relation to be found, of that hard fought actioa. Chap." VIH. Ibl-I. ** I embarked on board His Majesty's schooner Netley,, at York, on Sunday evening the 24 ih instant, and reach- ed Niagai-a at day-break the following morning. Find- ing from Lieut. Uolonel Tucker that Major General Riall was Utiderstood to be moving towards the Falls of Niaga- ra to support the advance of his division, which he had •* pushed on to that place on the preceding evening, I or- ** dered Lieut. Colonel Morrison, with the »9th Reginient, ** and a detachment of the Royals and King's, drawn froiti Forts Georf e and Missifiaaga, to proceed to the same point, in order that, with the united force, I might act against the enemy (posted at Street's Creek, with his ad- vance at Chippawa) on my arrival, if it should be ^o"'.d •* expedient. I ordered LieUt. Colonel Tucker, at the ** same time, to proceed on the right bank of the river, *• with three himdred of the 4l8t, and about two hundred ** of the Royal Scots, and a body of Indian Warriors, sup- " ported (on the river) by a party of armed seamen, uu- " der Captain Dobbs, Royal Navy. The object of this movement was to disperse or capture a body of the ene- my which was encamped atLewistown. Some unavoida- ble delay having occurred in the march of the troops up the right bank, the tuemy had moved otf previous to Lieut. Colonel Tucker's arrival. I h ve i^. -ess my- self satisfied with the exertions of that officer. Baflle of Lund^'a Luae I •1" V' li k k ■i (( " Having refreshed the troops at Queenstown, and hav- ing brought across, the 41st, Royals, and Indians, I sent back the 4l3t and 100th Regiments to form the gar- risons of the Forts (ieorge, Mi'ssissaga, ami Niagara, under Lieut. Colonel Tucker, and moved, with the 8f)tlv •' and m^fm^mtKmn^' '^vfmmmmmmmmmmiiSt '' . 1 TlIAF. VHI. Jbi4. 152 Administration ap aud dotachnients of tlie Royals and King's, and I'j^iit romnany of the 41st, in a!l about 800 men, to join Ma- '" jor General lliall's division at the Falls. ;.v'f-(fir' ' <( *i und occupyuig this position, I found it almost in the occupation of the enemy, whosi coUnnns were within 600 yards of the top of the hill^ and tlie surrouhding woods filled with his light troops. The advance of Major General Riall's division, consist- ing of the Glongary Light Infantry, and Incorporatiid^ Militia, having commenced their retreat upon Fort George, I countermanded these corps, and formed the 89tlj Regiment and the Royal Scots detachments, and 4 1st light companies, in the rear of the hill, their left rest- ing on the g'eai road: my two twenty-four pounder brass *' field guns a little advanced in front of the centre on the "' summit of the hill • the Glengary Li^ht Infan'ry on the *' right, the battti'ion of Incorporated Militia, and the dc- *' lachment of the King's licgiment on the left of the great road; the squadron 19th l^ight Dragoons in the rear of the left, on the ruad. I had scarcely completed this formation, when the whole front Nvr.s warmly and closely engaged. The enemy's principal ellbrts were di- rected against our led and centre. After r.'peated attacks, the troo])s on the lelV were partially forced back, an4 the enemy gaineantlY repulsed wi'h very heavy loi^s. « a (C iC (( ii; Oi Sir Georgb Prevost. 13d ** loss. In so determined a manner were these attacks di- " rected against our guns, that ourartilloryirtcn vveie bayo- " neted by the enemy in the act of loading, and the muzzles " of the enemy's guns were advanced withm a tew yards of (c ti u u ti ii i( « our's. 'I'he darkness of the nigb.t, durmg tins extra- ordinary conllict, occasioned several uncommon inci- dents : our troops having fov a moment been ]uished back, some of our guns remained for a few minutes ii* the enemy's hands; they were, however, not only quickly rtH.'overed, but the two pieces, a six pouiider and a five and A half inch howitzer, wliich the enemy had bronjiht up, were captured by us, together with several tumbrils; and in limbering up our rjuns at one period, one of the enemy's six pounders was put, by mistake, upon a lim- ber of our's, and one of our six pounders limbered on, one of his; by which means the pieces were exchanged; ** and thus, though we captured two of his guns, yet. a» *' he obtained one of our's, we have gained only one gun. *^ About nine o'clock (tlie action having commenced at six) there was a short intermission of firing, during which it appears the enemy was employed in bringing up the whole of his remainiJig force, and he shortly af- terwards renewed his attack with fresh troops, but was every whore repulsed with equal gallantry and success, A' ut this peria^ the remainder of Major-General K ' Mi's division, which iiad been ordered to retire on the ad- vance of the enemy, consisting of the 10.^d Kegimeni, under Colonel Scott: the head-quarter division of the Royal Scots; the head-quarter division of the 8th (or King's;) flank companies 104th: some detachments of militia, under Lieut. Colonel HamiUon, Insoecting Fiehl^ Officer, joined the troops engaged; and I placed them in a second line, with the exception of the Royal Scots, and flank companies lOlth, with which I prolonged my front line on tht right, where I was ap()rehen.^ive of tue enemy's out-flanking me. Thr« enemy's efforts to carry thehill were continued tmtil about midnight, when hel nd s'lfFered so severely from tlie superior si. .^.diness and dis« (jipline of his Ma,jesty's troops, that he gave up the con* test, and retreated with great precip'tation to his canp beyond the Chippawa. On the following day he aban» doned his camp, threw the greatest part o*" his bao;r."ce, cumf)-eqnij>age, an'! provisions into tlr Rapids: au'l V.'v- ing «)el ikie to iHuc^t's Mills and desuo^tid the bendous I'ulls of Niagara, while the adverse lines li'ere now agd then dimly discerned through the moonlight, •6-„-i*if/ yt ■ .••,;.' by manding the 15 :•' '<: evere action mdred men, I our hands ; d Scott, are h has never ng been en* msmit a re* onsiderable. did not for (d men ; the did not in« mdred of ©• een severely I made pri- ad obtained of the Bri. In his neck, he circum- uiid, cheei-- Liout. Co- lonel Pear- ent, (corn- 's of merit itia on this )9t resol;ue irsofrank, *nd admi- for son,ic of the en e- impreasive rgos of the iiuted on- kIs of the ?rse lines noonlight, by Sir George Prkvost. 155 by the dismal ffleam of their arms. These anxioxis pauses Ciia^ were succeeded by a blaze of musketry along the lines and i II. by a repetition of the most flcsperate charges from the ene- >^^v^< my, which the Bruish received with the most unshaken Ibl*. firmness. The American loss, by their own statement, amounted to one hundred and sixty rank and hie killed including twelve ofticers; ai\d five hundred and seveii- teen wounded, including fifty officers, anmng them Gener- als Brown and Scott. The connuand of the American forces in the ubsenceofGeut^rals Brown and Scott, who re- tired for the recovery of ilioir wouiuis, devolved up(»n General Ripley, the enemy retreated on i.ie^Tth, with his whole force to Fort Krie, and throw up intrenchments in the neighb mhooH of thai Fort to secure himself against the British, who immediately invested their works. G • ■ . ■ On the 1st of August the American fleet sailed from Sac- ' kei's Harbour, and alter looking into Kingston, sailed for the head of the Lai* from whence he soon return- e;! to port, upon iiiuling tlie army far from being in a state to co-operate, cooped uji at Erie, and incapaLle of hold- in. ', -:■' -^^ ■■•'■^•■■- '-■ ^^^ -y -- ■ ^- ; . ■> ■ The succescful result of an enterprise by Captain Dobbs, ' of the l?oval iNavv, iu capturing in the nitrht of the 12th Assai-U upon Of Atigiist. with hiy gig and some batioaux, (conveyed over land fiotn t^v" Nia^aia river,) two of the enemy's schooners, the t)'nii? j>nd Sonif'is, lying close to Fort Erie for the pur- pose of * a i 'Pg the appruaihes to the fort, each mounting three L.i' .Ives, with conij)lenients of thirtv-tive men, gave Kii ■ ■*■ vi ) army. (Jeneral Drummond, after having reconnoitic. I'.e '"nemy's position determined to storm the American inire), luuonts. lie accordingly opened a battery on the morning of the thirteenth, ar.d on the ensuing day finding that a material ellect had been prcnluccd upon their works, he made the necessary prepaiatiuns for an assault. Three cohunns were in the night of the fourteenth put in inovenient ; one niuler the commaiul of Lieut. Colonel Fischer of De WaHrrilU^ s RfgimeiU, consisting ot the 8th and De fVntteTi!/r\s Regiments, the (lank companies of the 89tU and ; Hh RegimeiUs, with a detachment of artillery. A- noti/ '• .ider Lieut. Ct^lonel Drummond, of the lO-ith Hegi- % i! I- s a ment. .#■• * i:-. 13w Captain IJobbs, R. N. and the third under Colonel Scotk Ibii, or the 10,'Jd Uogimentj, consistinjT of his own Ueghuent, ^uj)ported by two coMipanies of the Royals. Tlie first of these columns was ordered to attack and turn the left of the enemy's intrendnnent on the side of Snake Hill, wiiile the two other columns were to attack the Fort and tlie V*g'>t of their intrenchments. Colonel Fischer's coliunn bad gained the pt)int of attack two hours before day- light, and the head of the colunm had actually gained pos. session of the enemy's batteries, but the column of support in marching too near the Lake, entangled themselves be- tween the rocks anil the water, and were, by the repulse pf the 1 )i- "lonipanies of the King's Regiment, (which, for .,, ivant ot ^i ipport were compelled to retire upon them,) thrown into . .'r confusion, and suffered mostseverely by the fire of the enemy. The two other columns advanced as soon as the firing upon Lieut. Colonel Fischer's cohunn was heard, and fit the same moment stormed thep'ort and intrenchments oij J.he right, and after a desperate resistance succeeded in mak- ing a lodgnient in the Fort, through the embrasures of the De» jni-Iiastion. The enemy took to a stone building which thev maintained with determination for upwards of an ho\u' and a half, against the guns of the Demi-Bastion, which the British had turned against them, until some ammunition under the platform on which the guns were placed, taking fire (whether accidentally or by design, is not well understood ) a most tremendous explosion ensued, by which, almost all the troops who had enterkl the Fort, were dreadfully mangled. An immediate panic was corn- inunicated among the troops who could neither be rallied by the surviving oflicers nor be persuaded that the explo- sion was accidental. The enemy afler having repulsed Lieut. C olonel Fischer's column had ordered reinforce- ments from the left and centre of their lines, to the assis- tance of the Fort, who taking advantage of the darkness ,and confusion of the moment, pressed forward with a heavy and destructive fire, and compelled the assailants to retire from the works they had so gallantly carried,^ . , ^ In this assault the loss of the British was most severely felt. Colonels Scott and Drummond, fell, while storming , the works, at the head of their respective columns. Four -OiSperii 4^n4 titt)-|pur mea were returned aa killed, anjj ^?r:.* twenty- twen WOU! five been own faiissi Ge this from more and his cc to lar Sir George Prevost. isr Iwenty-four Officers and two hundred and fiighty-five men wounded. The missing were reported at nine Officers and live liimdred and thirty men, afterwards ascertained to have been principally killed. The American statement of their own loss, makes it eighty-four in killed^ wounded and faiissiiig. - . ^ • "General Drummond was reinforced a day or two aflet this assault by the arrival of the 6th and 82d Regiments, from Lower-Canada. Tiiis « jinforcement was however no more than barely sufficient to supply the recent casualties^ and General Drummond did not with the small force under his command deem it expedient to hazard a second attempt to recover Fort Erie, but by continuing its investment he cut off all communication with the adjacent Counti^y, and in compelling the enemy to draw his resources from hit own country rendered the occupation of that Post for tha remainder of the campaign of no service to the invaders. . Michillimakinac contrary to the expectation of the enemy had, early in the Spring, been reinforced with a detachment of troops and seamen, under Lieut. Colonel M'Douall. This Oihcer proceeded by way of the Nottawasaga River, and alter having for sevei*al days struggled against the ice, and tempestuous v.'eather which at this season agitates Lake Jluron, arrived at his destination on the 18th of May with his 0{)en canoes loaded with Provisions and Scores for the jrelief of the sjarrison, . > , Chaim VIIL '*/• From Michillimakinac, Lieut. Colonel M'Douall dis- patched Lieut. Colonel M'Kay of the Indian Department at the commencement of July, with a force of six hundred and fifty men (of which 120 were Michigan Fencibles, Ca- nadian Volunteers and Officers of the Indian Department, the remainder. Indians) to reduce the Post of Prairie du Chiin on the Mississipi. Lieut. Colonel M'Kay arrived at that place on the 17th July. Here he found the enemy iH occupation of a small Fort situated on a height, with twO Blocli-Houses mounting six pieces of cannon, and in the n»iddle of the Mississipi immediately in front of the Fort, a large gun-boat mounting fourteen pieces of small artillery, Lieut. Colonel M'Kay sent a flag of tmce, demanding an immediate surrender. This being refused, he opened a fire from one gun upon the enemy's gun-boat with such effect after an action of three .hoursj as to compel her to cut h^ cable 1814, Captnr(> cf Prairie dO Cbien. ! ', '• li , I V9 Administration of .i : v. M VIII. IbU. h v. \« cable and run down the stream, where she took shelter un- der an Island. In the evening of the 19th, Lieut. Colonol M 'Kay having thrown up his breast works at the distance ot'lbur hundred and fifty yards, was jn-epared to open a can- nonade upon the enemy, with a single gun which he had mounted tor the purpose, when the enemy hoisted a white flag and sent an Officer to acqiiaint the besiegers of their surrender, who immediately took possession of the gar- *•■ — The enemy's force consisted of three Officers rison. a)ul 71 men.' The reduction of this Post which was •Ifected without the loss of a single man was of the utmost importance to the British Traders and ellectimlly securetj tilt* British inliueuce over the Indian tribes of the West. The enemy Upon ascertaining that Michillimakinac had been reinforced fitted out an Expedition which was put under tlie command of Lieut. Colonel Croghan. A de- fixpwiitirtna. tachmeut of this force under the command of MajorHolmesj ^'^^^,'r^,,^p"'' an unfeeling miscreant* proceeded to Saint Marie's where theAinericans after plundering the whole of the stores belonging to the North VV'.st t'ompany, they reduced the buildings to ashes; The main body after it had been joined by this detachment consisted of about nine hundred men. This force effected a landing near the Fort of Michilimakinac on the 4ili v( August in the forenoon, but the spirited opposition which It experienced from the handful of men under Lieut. ColoJ nel iVI''f)o!iall was such as to compel them to re-emburk, leaving seventeen men dead on the shore, among them Ma* jor Holmes, S I.T- iv'if.tirj- h., ■>■!>' '-'i-i. ► .■'« *««!iiai;> ..■<(«»«■■'" ' I TV- '•I';"" jf .. -y ... ■■ .1 v.i-'. Though the enemy had failed in this Attempt to carry Michillimakinac, they kept their small cruisers in the neigh- bourhood so as to intercept all supplies destined for the gar- rison. Two of these vessels the Tigress and Scorpion vcie carried (the former on the evening of the ^vd, and the latter, in the morning of the 5th of September) by a small partv of Seamen imder Lieut. Worsley rl; N. and a party of Sol- diers under Lieut. Bulger of the Royal Newfoundland Hp- giment. They carried each a long 24: pounder on a Pi- vot with comjjlements of thirty-two men. After their cap- ture, Michillimakinac was left uniaolested. • If is relntPdamonK other traits of their crurlty, that these Brifandg having ■jaHe u'^f* ofa horse all day in cariiiiR the plmidtr, tied him whilst harnes- •rd in he rart to adwclli p Hoii<,r, whi'-li hi'v set onfire.and amased thenj- •rlv)>> ,n iidniiiingUie ujiavAiiiug ctlbru at the uooraPtUM) to exuicate iti"lf from the flftmei. » » . . . » ' , Durng- » ''.'■- *■: Shi George Prevo^t. 139 1814. OperatlonB Darinff these events in Upper Canada, Lieutenant Gene- Ci: aI***^ ral Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, then Lieutenant Governor VlTf. in Nova Scotia, was successfully engaged in reducing a Very populous and extensive portion of the enemy's territo* ries adjacent to the Province of New-Brunswick. He de- tached a small force from Halitax, under Lieut. Colonel Pilkii^gton which, with the Ramilics, commanded bv Sir Thomas Hardy, took possession, on the II th July of Moose Island in Passamaquoddy Bay, the garrison at Fort Sul« livan consisting of six Officers and eighty men under the command of Major Putnam surrendering themselves prison- ers of war. On the 2Gth of August, Sir John C. Slier- i^v^ir j">h"'iC» brooke having embarked at Halifax, the whole of his dis- '»"'='''™"^*' poseable forces on board of ten Transports, sel sail accom- panied by a small squadron, under Rear Admiral GriflRtlis for Castine on the Penobscot River, where he arrived on the ' 1st September and took possession of the Brttteries at tliat place ; the enemy finding it impossible to retain the post, naving previously blown up the Magazine and retreated with the field pieces. The United States' Frigate Adams, had some days previous to the arrival of the British at Cas- tine, run into the Penobscot and for security had gone up as far as Hamden, where her guns had been landed and t. position taken, with a view of protecting her. Capt. Barrie of the Dragon with a suitable naval force, and 600 pick- ed men, under the command of Col. John of the GOth negt. were detached up the River for the purpose of obtaining possession or destroying the Adams. The enemy who at first offered a spirited resistance, after setting fire to the Frigate, fled in all directions upon finding the British resolutely advancing against their positions. Several pieces o{ oi-d- nance and three stand of colours fell into the hands of the British whose loss amounted to no more than one man kill* ed and one Officer and seven men wounded. After the capture of Castine, Lieut. Colonel Pilkington was dispatched with a brigade of troops for Machias which was taken possession of on the 11th September by that Offi- cer ; the detachment in Fort O'Brien having on the ap- proach of the British, precipitately retreated from the Fort, leaving twenty-six pieces of ordnance with a quantity of small arms and ammunition. Lieut. Colonel Pilkington was on the point of marching into the interior of the Coun- try when he received a conmumication from Lieut. General Brewer, commanding the District; cngnging that the militia forces f . / vrii. 1»14. '.f • - i'( .\.-j 14« Administration o» - forced within tW County of Washington shohW not 1>enr arms or serve a^innt His Britannic Majesty during the war. This, with a similar ofler made by the Civil Ofticers and principal inhabitants of the County, biought on a cessation of arms. By these judicious measures a populous extent o( territory stretching one hundred miles along the sea coast, in- cluding a valuable tract of Country partly separating New- Brunswick iiom Lower-Canada, passed under the dominion of the British arms without effusion of blood or the least waste of treasure. Among, the casualties in advance along the Lines on iht Montreal frontier in the course of the present Summer, the death of Captain Mailloux deserves to be icmembered. This brave Canadian had been remarkably vigilant and wat df essential service in watching the movements of the ene- my. HefeU while on a reconnoitring party, into the hands of the enemy, who had laid in anibtish for him — He receiv- ed several balls through the body of which he languished tome days, receiving however the greatest attention fi"om the American Surgeons, as well as from those of the Bri- tish, who were allowed by the enemy to cro^s the lines to attend him. The body after his decease was sent to the lines escorted by a party of the American Military with the honors of war, and every mai;k of respect for the memory of (he deceased. The arrival of a strong reinforcement of near sixteen thou* *ind men fiom the Garonne, of the Duke of Wellington's Brmy in July and August determined Sir George Prevost to invade the state of New- York by way of Lake Cham- plain. The flotilla at Isle-aux-Noix was necessary to co- operate with the land forces, and the Commissary Greneml and Qxiarter- Master General, in order to expedite the new Frigate (the Confiance) were directed to suspend every o- llier branch of the public Service which interfered with its •quipmpnt. Sir James L. Yeo was urged by the Comman- dor of'the Forces (early in August) to put this division of Ms command into an effective state, for the contemplated Service. In answer to this, he was acquainted by the Commodore, that the squadron on Lake Chaniplain was al- ready ninety men over compleat. and immediately suporsed- ed Captain Fisler, who with much exertion had al- most prepared the flotilla ft>r active service appointing Cap- tain Downie fiTom the Lake Ontario squadron in his ste:* d. lid not !)eRf ring the war. Of liters and n a cessation HIS extent ui* sea coast, in- ivating New- he dominion or the least Lines on th« Summer, the lemembered. lant and wai 3 of the ene- to the hands — He receiv- ! langnished ;ention fit)m of the Bri- the lines to sent to the iry with the J memory of ixteen thou* Vellington'i )rge Prevosl take Cham« ssary to co« iry Greneml ite the new ind every o- red with its e Comman- division of ntemplated ted by th« iiin was aU y Bupprsed* )n had al- nting Cap* 1 his stead. Sm GeoiIge Prevost. 141 ii The Oomniander of the Forces dlsappointedin not receiving a reinforcement of Seamen from Lake Ontario, apj)lied to Admiral Otway and Captain Lord James O'Brien then at Quebec who f'urnished a strong reinforcement from their respective Sliips* (the Ajax and Wi^vspite) for the service of the Flotilla. ?.-».,.. ..,-j;,>,^^^ j Sir George P.revost having sent to Upper-Canada, a bri- gade of troops nnder Major-General Kempt, wlio was au- tliorized to make a descent upon Sacket's Harbour before the close of the Season, jif such a measure sliould be thought practicable, concentrated his army between La- jjraine and Fort Chambly, under the immediate command of Major-Gencral De Rottenb\n'gh. Although the flotilla was scarcely ready to co-operate, finding that a strong divi- sion of the enemy s forces under General Izard, had march- fed from Plattsburgh to reinforce the troops at Fort Erie, he in order to check the advance of this division^ put his army in movement and crossed the lines at Odeltown, on the first' of September. On the third he advanced and. occu- f)ied Chainplain Town, which the enemy abandoned upon lis approach. wi^kr - '■' '* From this point the whole British force marched on the4th in two columns, by parallel roads upon Plattsburgh through a woody Country. The column advancing by the western road, (more elevated and on drier ground than the road next the lake, which was low and swampy,) com- manded by Major Generals Power and Robmson, was smartly opposed by the enemy's militia. It howevier drove- the enemy back upon Plattsburgh on the sixth, and open- ed the way for the left Brigade, commanded by Major Ge- neral Brisbane bv Dead Creek, a strong position upon the border of Lake Champlain, which the enemy had occupied in force, after desiroymg a bridge over the streanf, which in this place was not foixlable, having so distributed their gun-boats, (ten in number, six of which carried each, one long twenty-four, and stn eighteen pounder ca,vronade, the others a long twelve each,) as to take the British ia flank on- their approach. The American squadron consisting of; he Ship Saratoga of 26 guns, Brig Eagle, 20 guns. Schooner Ticonderoga 17 guns, and the Gutter Preble of « guns, lay anchored in the Bay, then within reach of the pro- tection of three hatieries and redoubts, on a ridge of land oa the south of the Saranac River. This position benm turn- Cn At*; VHf 1»1V ,.1 .1 ■ I . . ■ij 1 I fi ■^ MS Administration or" Cii ^p. ed, the enemy fell back upon their redoubts beyond the Sa^ Vnr. ranac, keeping a vigilant outlook upon the Fords of the .•V^/ river with strong picquets of light troops. On the seventh lbi4. the heavy artillery being brought forward, eligible situations were chosen to place them in battery, when it was observed that the squadron had changed their position from that of \ the preceding day, and were anchored out of reach of their own, as well as of the British batteries. The Commander of the Forces had previously acquainted Captain Downic, ([who was moving gradually up the lake, with his flotilla, niniself in the ConHance rather unprepared for action, tvith a crew entirely strangers to her ofncersi) of the position of the American squadron ; and that the attack by land and \vater might be simultaneous, he deferred an attack upon their works until the arrival of the squadron. This resolu- tion (it is said) was adopted with the unanimous concurrence of the General Officers present. The escajie of the enemy's , fleet to the narrow channels at the head of the lake might fender it impracticable to engage them with any prospect of Buccess: a final decision of the naval ascendency, on the lake at the present juncture, was therefore of the utmost impor- tance to the ulterior operations of the army, and the expedi- ' . ency of such a measure was universally acknowledged, parti- cularly as the strongest confidence prevailed in the superior- ity of the British vessels, their weight of metal, and in the capacity and experience of their officers and crews; and as the Commander of the forces was informed by an officer of liis Staff who had been dispatched to Captain Downie, that lie (Capt. D.) considered himself with his own vessel alone (the Confiance,) a match for the whole American squadron. At midnight on the J)th of September, Sir George Prevost received a coitimunicatiou from Capt. Downie, stating that lie was prepared for service, and proposed getting under >veigh with his squadron the same night at twelve o'Clock, with the intention of doubling Cumberland Head (at the entrance of PlaCtsburgh Bay, ) about day break and enga- §'"o ^'^^ endriiy's squadron if anchored in a position to jus- tify such a measure, llie troops at dawn of day were un- der arms, but there"^ being no appearance of the fleet at the jL'xpccted hour, they were sent into quarters. Sir George wrote a note to Captain Downie, acquainting him that the ami" ha 't been held in readiness that morning for the ex- pected arrival, and expressing his hopes that the wind only Imd delayed the approach of the squadron. The brave Downie, who to the noble and inauly virtues chaiac- - i- V. '" '"'■ ^\ "" '■ ■ (eristic \ \ • Sir Geoiige Prevort, 143 ond the Sa* ^ords of the the seventh le situations vas observed Vom that of :^ach of their •rnmander of m Downic, hia flotilla, for action, the position by land and ittack upon rhis resolu- :oncurrence the enemy's lake might prospect of on the lake iiost impor- the expetli- dged, parti- le superior- and in the ws; and as 1 officer of wnie, that essel alone squadron. e Prevost ating that ing under o'clock, (at the md enga- )n fo jus- Were un- et at the r (Jeorge 1 that the the cx- and only he brave chai-ac- ton'stic /' teristic of his profession, united the nicest sense of honor, is sau' to have been lirrd witli indignation at the rellection con- veyed in tlie note. No conunuiiication subse^iuj-bottts tar in her wake. At 8 o'clock the whole (ire of the enemy's squadron, uioored in hne, was directed upon the Conliance, which moved gallantly into anion wiihont returning a shot, (Captain Downie intend- ing to lay his ship athwart hauseof the enemy's largest ship) luuil within two cable leu'i^ths of the American line, when, h.iviui* twi» ancuors shot awiEiv and the wind bailling, she came to anciior, and opened a destructive fire upon the ene- r>y. Fhe liinnet and Chub, sonie time after, took their stations at a short tUstance, but the Chub having had hev Ciil)u-s, b()wsj)ril. and main boom shot away, became un- manageable and drifting within the enemy's line uas obliged to surremtcr. Shoriiv afler the commencement of the tir^ from the ConHance. her gallant connnander fell, and the commatul of the squadron ilevolved upon Caj)tain Pring of the Lmiiet. The Conliance, alter the ildl of Capt. Downie, fought iov some time hiost gnllantly under the command of Jiieut. Uobertson, but was compelled to strike her colours to the < neniy's i>luj). the Saratoga, which at one moment had «lac;icned her fire, several of her guns being dininounted : she however, cut lier cable, winded lier larboard broadside so a,n to bear on the Conliance, which, being much shattered in her ■ hull and injured in her rigging, endeavoured in vain to effect the sante mancenvre. The Fnich struck on a reef of rocks to the eastward of Crab Island early in the action, and was of no service in the engygenient. The Linnet only renuiined; but Captaiii I'riny- finding that tlio gun-boats had shamec fidly abandoned tlie object assigned to them, and were fly- ing from the scene of action, while not a ho})e remained of retrieving the disasters of the day, his men fSiliing fast, was reluctantly compelled to give the painful orders to strike thp colours. The lire on both sides proved very destructive from the li^ht airs and the snuiothness of the water : the British loss in killed and wounded was 129, of which S officers and ^S men were killed and one ofliccr and i9 men wounded on beard of the Corjliance. - * • T 2 - ' The Cll AT. Vlll. >.-\Jir».*iri^.?Vv^ ■*.■.!•►■"« *-t.-.V-L'i.*.*i ■.y";ii^i.';'.>(*L..*i*»:^'^.'iA'ia.'iW"i- HI Administration of "^ Cii\r. Vill. '1«U. The battcriofi on ahnrc wove pvU into opemtion against the enemy's line of Ibrtilicaiions, us rtoon as tho eneniy'h sliijm conimonceii (irin^. As tiic approiuili to the front of their works was rou^h nnd exposed to u fn'e of j!;rape and nmskii- vy, a? well as to a lh».\»k fire from a Ulock-llonsc, a column of assiuilt, nnder iMajor-Gencral Robinson, vas ordered to move by the rear of their bivouacs, the better to conceal their niovementB and cross a ford previously reconnoitred some distance up the Saranac ; thence to p«Miotrate through a vvood to a clear rj)ace of f«;round in the vicinity of the ene- my's position, where the necessary proparutions nnghl bo made to carry thcjr works by assault on their reverse fronts The aecojid bri;;ade under INTajor-Ciencval Brisbane, was so distributed as to create a diversion in favor of thecoUuun lUKler Major (ieneral liobinson, which, through the mis* take of theffuides, had been led uj)on a wrong path and miss- ed the f()rd. Before thocrror was rectified by a countermarch, shouts ol' fnizznk were distinctly Ireard by this column in the direction of tlie Americiin works. To have carried these tbrtiiications would Iiave been no dilVicnlt task for tlie brave troops composing this column, but their attainment «fter the loss of the squadron could not have been attended with any pernmnent advantage. Orders were therefore sent to (jreneral Ut)binson (who upon hearing the shouts had halt- eil and sent to Ifead-Qnarters to ascertain the cause and to receive such ftulhei' orvlers from the Conuuandcr of the For* ces as were necessary) to return with his column. The lo^s of the squadron gave the enemy the means of conveying their trooj)s to sued points as might be deenred expedient^ and the numerous remforcements which momently crouded in, gave them a great disposeable force, whose superiority in numbers was such that a delay of a few hours might have placed the British in a critical situation. So circum- stanced, the army indignant at being obliged to retire be- fore an enemy their inferior in discij)line and renown, fell baL'k (iponChazy in the evening with little molestation from the Americans. On the ensuing day they continued their retreat towards the lines, bringing away such of the orvl- iiance and commissariat stores as had not been injured by the rain, which, from the commencement of the invasion and daring the'retreat of the army, had been almost incessant. to ©K^: Thus terminated the luckless and humiliating expedition Platcsburgh, with the loss of the squadron, (the Gun- •' V V boats* ( . ' • .. . * 'C Sin Oeorgk PiiEvosT. 145 against the 'ii'y'h Hiiips lU of liicir ikI Miuskci- a culuiiui ordered to to conccul fonnoiircd lie tluouirli ot the fru> i niiglii bo erse tiont» bane, was .he culiiinn h the mis- I and iiiiss- ntei march, lunnin the kicd tliertc • the brave Hieiitiifter iidcd with )re sent to I had halt- [ise and to "the For- The lojij conveying pedient, crouded perionty urs might c ire u ra- re tire be* lown, tell tiou from ued their tlie onl* ijured by ision and ncessant, :pedition he Gun- boats. »x • This fJcntlcman 'oon afipr hi.'' (li>gr.irt fi-| .'light from the rnval action at PInttnbiirKh, di!app<'ari-d, while 'uiiier arrest, pre^taratorv to hib uial hy a Jlavol Court Mar.ial. .„,^.^j ,y,,,, ^^ ^ ..^r.^ttv-l'V :■ ', T .^ ^ Ibi-i. boats, owing to the misconduct of the officer in com* Chap. n'.iuui, exce])te(i,*) and five hnndred men of the land turccB in VIII. killed wounded and miiising. ■ The injfortunate result of this expedition irritated the ar- my, which felt itself hunjiliaied in being compelled to re- tire bett)roau enemy which they had bten taught to disdain. The Naval Connnunder in the Canadas, in Iuh otiicial letter to the Athuiralty did not scruple to uttributc the loss of tlie lake stpiadrou to the miscondutt of the Connium- • (ter of the Forces. The opinion of that oIHcim' remote froitt the place of action, and of which he had no iotul knowleili^e, nuist necess;irily have relied upon the atatfMuents of o- thers ; and when we consider the variance in the relation of facts as given by those immediately concerned, an imparl i.il person will pause in forming an oj)inion. In justification ot" tne conduct of Captaiu Oovvnie it has been said that he was hurried into action before his ship was in a slate to meet tlie enemy, and that the Commander of the Forces tailed t» give the promised co-operation to ih.e fleet, by not comm nc- ingan afcsault on the batteries upon a signal given by the ' 'njiamr, in consequence of whlfh the whole attention of 1 1 te •iiy was directed against the Fleet. That if the land .a'ries had been assaulted in time, tlie American flei't would have been compelled to leave the bay, when they might have been attacked by the Brit i^h squadron on tlie open lake to inucli better advantage. On the other haiui it lias been uriied that Captain Dow nle, so tar from being hi.ri- Tied into action, entertained the fullest confidence in t!\e superiority of his squadron, and thai he felt equally certain of success whether he should meet the enemy on the open Lake, or attack them at anchor in Plattsburgh Hay. Tlat tliore was no signal a«£reed upon between the Commanler «f the land forces and Captain Downie; and that thecircuin- stance of his scaling the yfuns was considered bv the fijrn.er r.s no more than the usual precaution before the commence- nient of a naval action. That the storming of the works on shore could not have been of any service to the British squadron, as the American shijv-i during the action, weve moored out of range of the land batteries. Tliat it would have been imprudent to have carried tlie American batteries belbre the naval ascendency should have been decided, as /. 1 146 Administration op CiiAF. the enemy's squadron, after sucli an event, by retiring t© VJII. the narrows in the Lake betbre the Biititiii jquadioa hhouicl ^i^V^X^ have been off PlattsburgU to intercept then- reir<;at, nnglitf 1814. have secured tliieniselves against every tiiiure elbrt lo attatlc tliein to advantage. Amidst the contradictory relations cf facts and diversity of opinions, which have been given tioiu respectable authority, speciatorsof the event, it is r'.illicult to say what were the grand erro)*s which occasioned the liii- V lure of the expedition to Plattsburgh, or whether it may not l>e considered ns one of those uiisfortuaes incidental lo war- fiire which human prudence can neither tbresee nor prevent. It is confidently asserted of Captain Dowuie, that he ihouglit liimself with his single ship, the Conliance, a match tor I'le wliole American squadron, and when we adyert to tlie ch't Cunistarice of his having gone as it were smi!;ly imo acuou, white the other vessels, particularly the Gun-boats, in ins ' squad'-on, were far in his wi ke, >hereisroom lo believe that this gallant officer iell a victim to a faiiacious conh- dence of success, which, after coaseciaiing his iite lo ii, wc cannot but respect. The decease of Sir f Jeorge Prevost, before a Military Court Martial could invosti, rate the chingcs pieteued agau.ht liiui, renders it in>possil)l3 to speak witli any di^gfte U|t" cer- tainty on the general propriety of his conduct on tliat expe- dition : but it seems to be generally admitted by those who are supposed most cai)able of t{)rming a correct opinion ot\ the subject, that after the loss of ihe squadron his situaliou in the enemy's country, must have been extremely precari- ous; and that although he might without any great exertion have carried all the enemy's works at Piattsbui-i^n, tlieir momentary occupation, wniJi woulti have cost hiiii some blood, would have been utterly useless. f?<>rtieat Fort The enemy at Fort Erie, on hearing the result of the ex- trie, pedition to Plattsburgh, and aware that tlie Uniish in tUeir neighbourhooil had not been recently reinforced, made a sortie in the afternoon of the seventeentli of Septeraber, and attacked the iJritish lines extending through a thick wood, witli their whole force consisting of upwards of hve thour sandmen. At the onset they gained .'ome advantage, lui- vin«( from the thickness of ihe weather, (ilic rain poiuiug m toricnts) succeetled in turning the right of the British line of picqueis vvitliout being perceived, and after a warm con- t'.'ctj obiai'ied posBCSblon oi" two baii«rics. As soon as tue ttiarm ■ ■.Mj*..^m.^I'--' 8in George Prevost. 147 retiring te luii hbouid (;ai, nuglit' It lo attucK relations cf given troiu v^d the iiii- it may net ual to war- lor prevent. he ihouglit iich tor t'le to the cii'T nio acvion, lats, in iilti lo believe lous couli- i lite to itj a Military red aj^aii.i-t Ji'te Qt' cei- that exjie- lliose wlio OjUinion in\ s situaliiju '" j>ke«-ari- at exertion .•^ii, tneir hiin some of the cx- h m tlu'ir made a laber, aiul lick wood, hve tliou- uage, lui- JOlUlUg 111 ritish line ,varin eon- ;jon as tiie alarm Alarm W&s gWen, reinfbrtements were sent forward, who drove the enemy from the works, of which they had gained possession, and pursued thern to the glacis of Fort Erie, whither they retired with precipitation, with the loss (by their own accoiints) in killed,>younded and missing, of five hundred and nine men, including eleven officers killed and twenty-three wounded. The British loss amounted to three officers and oae hundred and twelve men killed, seventeen officei-s and one hundred and sixty one men wounded, and thirteen officers and three hundred and three mtn missinc; making a total of 609 officers and men, ^ General Drummond, after this affitir, finding his troops encamped in a low situation, now rendered very unhealthy by the late constant rains, ^'owing sickly, raisecUthe invPrit- ment of Fort Erie, and fell back upon Chippawa, on the evening of the 21st of September, without molestation by the enemy. Sir James L. Yeo, after much exertion, completed the Saint. Lawrence, a new ship of lOO guns, and on tlie lOth October, sailed from Kingston for the head of the lake with a reinforcement cf troops and supplies for the army Com- modore Chauncey having previously retired to Sacket't. H.-.r- bour, on hearing that the firitish squadron was prepared for the lake. General Brown finding the American sqnadmn incapable of co-operating with him, came to the resolution of evacuating I'ort Erie, which he accordingly did on ' he 5th Nr ember, after calling in his out-posts and destroying the whole works at that post, and retired across the i^iiaga- ra to his own territory, leaving the wearied Inhabitants of the Upper Province once more to their repose. The American army throughout the present campaigr* evinced a character and an improved state of discipline far beyond what micrht tiave be.n expected from such raw ma- terials. The barbarous conduct of a few desperadoes who occasionally made incursions into the western parts ofUp- pei Canada disgraced howeve; the reputation which their re- gular army had acquired in he estimation of the British, ever ready to acknowledge ment in a virtuous enemy. Tlie Villages ot Dover, and Port Talbot were destroyed by these ruthless barbarians in tlie course of the Summer: but the devastation which marked the course of a horde of mounted Brigands from Kentucky, uudcv Brigadier (ieucral RVAnhuT, Chat. vm. 1814. '\ II .LMWii wmr Us •^. ,.n Abi^tT^ ISTli" AttON OF CiiAp. M'ArtVmr, in tlie month of Novcmbpr cxcerdod oxptf \ VHi. thing. The Country through which ihcy passed was given Mii^V*^/ up to indiscriminate plunder : the seitlcmbnts Were reilirod Jbl'l. to ashe3, and the miserable inhabitants were left to perish with cold and hunger. This band of rufiians was arrested in its progress, on attemptmg to cross the Crand River hj a party of the I03d Regiment and a few Indian "^Varriors, nnd their speedy retreat before a party of the 19th Light Dragoons saved them from exemplary chastisement. They made good their retreat to Detroit from whence they had set out on this excursion. The troops and embodied militia in the Lower rrovince Were sent into winter quarters on the tenth of December! fieneral Dtummond and Sir James L. Yeo, after th,e cam- paign had ended in Upper Canada came down to Montreal to concert measures witli the Conunander of the Forces for the ensuing campaign, in the event thrft the negociations thort canning on at Ghent should not terminate in a Peace. Tb.e Cn-ation of a naval force on Lake Hnron in the ensuing sea- son was determined upon by the«e Officers as a place afford- ing much greater security for the construction of vesst!3 tlmnLake Erie, where the enemy possessing the dominion of the Lake could at any time destroy them. 1815. The House of Assembly riiet on the 21st January. Mi\ Pariet having been called up to the Legislative Council, Joseph L. Papineau. Esquire, was elected Speaker of ihe Assembly. The militia Act was revised and amended by admitting substitutes. A Grant of new Duties upon Tea, » Strong Spirits, and on Goods sold at Auction was made to His Majesty to snp})ly the wants of the Province. 0;'« thousand poiuids wore granted for the encouragement >>( Vaccine inoculation. uj)wards of eight thousand pounds Wore appropriated for the improvement of the Internal ronimunications of the Province, and a further Sum of twenty-five thousand pounds for the purpose of opening a, Canal from Mtmtreal to Lachine. A Bill was also introdu- ced tr >ke aprovisif^t) for the S[)i"al.'M- of the House of As- senibtj ad to grant ! 'in a thousand jjo'^nds per annum to enable dim to support the ditinity of his OlTice. This I'ill being reserved for the Royal Sanction was confirmed during a subsequent Administration. The Assembly among other things came to a resolution that m. '-{ 8m GEondfi FueVost. 14» rded every \ was given pre reili< ("tl ft to perish ras iuvcsteil id River by I Warrioi-H, 1 9th Light ent. Tiiey Se they had er rrovltioe December, cr tlio cam- ;o Montreal i Forces for iatioasthert eace. The nsuiiig sca- )laceartord- 1 of vessels lomiilion of nary. Mi\ ve Connci!, aker of ihe mended by ipon Tea, as made to lice. O;"? .IjrPiTiout ')f id pomids Interral er Sum of openiPjiV a o in trod n- >use of As-, annum to This mil led during resolution tliai *jiat it was expedient to appoint an Agent irt/ircat ttritoin for the purpose of soliciting the enactment" of Laws, and for .transacting' such public matters as might flom tinie to lime be committed to his care for the good' of the Province* This resolution was- communicated' to the 1 jegislatlve Coun* cil, where, in opposition to the measure it was resolved, that the Governor of the Province was the only fit and constitU* tional channel between the Legislative Bodies of Lower- Canada and Mis Majesty's Government in Great'-Britaln ; they therefore did' not concur in the Message of' the As* Sembly. The Lower House, upon receiving hifbrmatidn of the dissent of the Legislative Council, persisted in their resolution, and presented' an address to the Governor on the subject, re- questing HU Excellency to transmit to the Prince Regent certain Addresses in that behalf^ as well as an Address relating to the Impeachments pretWred 'at' a fbrniei'- Sfession •gainstthe Chief Justices^ and of which no notice had as yet been taken by the British Government. Wlvilst the at- tention of the Cfolonial Legislature was engaged in these concerns, news of the Treaty of Peace wasofncially announ- ced to them onthe 1st of March. The Embodied Militia were immediately disbanded, and as a gratuity, the Legislature granted eighty days- pay to ther officers. An annuity of six pounds was provided for sn
  • «■. 150 Administration of^ Chaf. formed the Assembly that he had received the commands of VIII. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, to return to Eng- »^V^/ land for the purpose of repelling accusations affecting his 1815. military character, which had been prefeired by the late na- val Commander in Chief on the Lakes in Canada, — an op- portunity which he embraced with eagerness to justify his military reputation. t( ** However intent (said he) on the subject which so un- expectedly thus summons my attention,, be assured I shall bear with me a lively recollection of the firm support I have derived from you, and I shall be gratified at an ear- ly period in representing personally to His Royal High- ness the Prince Regent, tlie zeal and loyalty evinced by every class of His Majesty's Subjects in British North- America during my Administration, their attachment to his August Person and to his Government, and most par- ticularly the Spirit and devotion manifested by the People of the Canadas, in the late contest with the Ufnited-Sttvtea of America." Sir George Prevost accordingly departed from Quebec oi> the third of April, for England by way of St. Johns (Newn Brunswick) over the wild and uninhabited country between the Saint I^awrence and the River St. Johns. On the day of hi? departure he received farewell addresses from the citizens of Quebec and Montreal, expressive of their satisfac- tion with his Administrntiou. tie was succeeded by Sir Gordon Drummond in the Government of Lower-Canada, as Administrator in Chief, who arrived at Quebec on the same day, a few hours after the Governor's departure and assumed the Command. ^... FIN^S. „....:, ■ , ' ■ / T-- <^iiii^.^ I'f ■. •mmands of rn to Eng- Tecting his :he late na^ a. — an op- justify his iiich so un- ured I shall support I I at an ear- oyal High- svinced by ish NortK- ichment to 1 most par> the People ited-Stivtes Quebec oi> bins (New-» ry between )n the day from the irsatisfac- ed by Sir r-Canada, >ec on the rture and '••«■ POSTSCRIPT. IT 19 due to the public, and to the memory of Sir Georgp Pre* vost. to give some statement of the proceedings with respect to that Officer after his return to KnglancI, to account for his milita- ry conducl at llattsburgh in September, 1814, at the instance of Sii J. L. Yeo, romiDander of the Naval Forces on the Lakes ia Canatia Some time afler his arrival at home he was induced, by the promulju;ation of the sentence of a Naval Court M irtial assem- bled for the trial of Captain Pring and the officers under his com- mand, for tie loss of th.' British S.;uadron on Lake Champlain in Jlattsburgh B ly, reflerting upon the conduct of the Commandor of the Land Forces, to addrtps a letter on the subject, to His Roy- al lliiiiiness the Duke of York. In tiiis l-tter, he strongly protest- ed a^^ainst the decision of that Court Matial so far as it related to himself, jrs pr mature and unjust; his conduct and that of the ar- Hiy under his Conim.and not b:ing properly the subject of tii^ir enquirj' ; and becanst' their opinion must have principally relied upon the bare st tement and assertions o. the parties whose conduct was in question, without any other than ex purt& testimony. He complained of the peculiar iiijustice of this pre- ju'licition of his coiu'uct aggravated by the delay ol liis accuser to bring forward his accusations ; and solicit."' the interposition of His Koyal Highness willi His iMajcrty's Gitv^rnment, to compel him lo pr6duce his charges in due legal form, and proceed upon them in order that an opportunity might be ali'ordcd him of »'ndi- c ting his character and conduct. A copy of the charges (four in Iiumber) given in by Sir James L. Yeo, in consequence of this remonstrance, was, by the Adjutunt Geiieral of the Forces, trans- mitted from the Horse-Guards, on the 13th of September, to Sir George Prevost ; and to allord tinre for the arrival of the necessa- ry witnesses from Canada, the meeting of the General Court Mar- tial was postponed till the twelfth of January, 1816. In the mean time, the health of Sir Geerge Prevost, naturally of a deli- cate cast, and impaired in (he course of service, became seriously affected from anxiety of mind, and tiie fatigue he had experienced in his journey on foot over the uninhabited count'v, coverd with snow, between the Rivers Saint Lawrence and Saint Johns ; and on the 5th January, he died in London, leaving a disconsolate fa- mily to regret his loss, rendered doubly grievous by the ri flections \n whirh his memoiy was exposed, from his not having had an oc- *asion of clearing up his conduct at Plattsburgh. ''■'''< '■'',...! iA:i'> ♦ Colonel William Augustus Prevo«<, anxious for an oppor- tuaity to retrieve tbe injured reputation of his brother frora U 3 the I .n. ^'\ Postscript. ih* obloquy viVich llie want of an inv 'Stigation oftlie charged p ' rr u agdhiht Sir Georgf l\evo?-t, previous to Ills dcceasp, must h.ivt; ciist upon his memory, in a l tt^T addressed to His Royal }lii;hiicss ,tlie Coriki.tiiiidcr in Ciiei, after stating in the stkonit gest li^lit, the d tr- ssing situation in which the family and reljtions of tiie deceased were placed, requested Ihat an in« ▼estigdtion of his conduit mig'nt be ordered before a Court of JCn.ui.y. A reference to the judge Advocate was made on th« suh'ect, wlio was of opiiiion, taat such an enquiry, could not be piotj.r'y made; and indeed the objections to an intestigation after tlu- d(.*ath of a part), in such an instance as the present, appeal to l)R inh'jrniuuntdble ; the evidence before a Court of Enquiry noi t)eiug taken on oath, nor could ar.y pioccediqgs with a view t« p. ;orit public satisfaction, have had the desired eti'ect, unless the I'lnsccutors (wjiose characters must also have been considered to )i i*,i\n lit gree a* staki') were allowed to come forward with the ,waple weijjht of their evidence. In consequence of this determination, Lady Prevost addressed }i 1 otter 'o the Comnunder in Chief, represeutiu^ to His Roy'ii iiigl>nes-> in the most forcible terms, the painful dilemma in which #h-; was placed, She dw.'lt strongly upon the injustice sustained by tlie meiHory of ati injured ollicer whose life luid been devott d to ti»e service of his countiy, and wlioao exertions in that service |iad been honoi ed with the trctiuent and unqualitied approbation of Ihs Sovereign and his('ountry, — Honors, which, though the fruit of long antl acknowledged sei vices, were now in danger of being blast, d by unpiovcn and calumnious ^.ccusations. She therefore jsolicitf'd ilis Royal Highness to extend his favor and protection to jh Txelf aiid family, aud implored him to commiserate their mulii- plii>d alllictions, and to endeavour to obtain from His Royal High« lies tile 1 rince R. gent, a gracious consideration of their claims for .su.'li marks of distinction as might be thought due to the memorjr of t.ie deceased. His Royal Ilighness acknowledged the receipt .of her Ladyship's letter, and assured her that he should be glad to (iu any thing calculated to alleviate her distress, but declined in- terftridg u i^h the Prince Regent on tlje subject,' before whom, he was of oi>inion, it could only be regularly submitted by His Mai- jt'sty's iViiuisters. Lady Prevost accordingly drew up a memorial, which, witha statement of the military occurrences at Plattsburgh, she submit- ted to the Prince Regent through the Ministers. His Royal High^ jtcss having taken the same into consideration, was soon after- wards graciously pleased, publicly to express the high sense heen« tertained of the distinguished services of Sir George Prevost, con- ferring at I lie same time, as a mark of his approbatioU| additional grinoriai t^e^rings to the Mw oi iu^ l^amil^. postscript; ■,*, tlie cliargei ;ceasp, must His Royal II tlie stioiix family und ■that an iiw a Court of iiade Oil tli« could not be tigation after it, appeal to inquiry not til .a view t* :, unless tlie onsidered to a.rd witli tlie st addressed I His Roy;Ll ima in wiiick ce sustained een devott d that service probation of igh the fruit er of bi'ing le therefore )rotection to thJr niulii- loy.'il High- ir claims for the memorj the receipt >uld be glad declined in- e whom, he )y His Ma^ Ich, witha she submit' loyal High, soon after- ense heen« evost, con- additional The A«1mini8tration of the Civil Government of LoweNCanadia tinder Sir George Prevost, was mild, equitable, and unquestiona* b)y popular among the entire mass of the Canadian population, in -■vrhosc loyalty from the commencement, he placed the most im- plicit confidence. To their fidelity and to the prudent and con« ciliating policy of this Governor, Great-Britain is indebted for thft preservation of the Canadas, unavoidably left destitute of mo- aey und troops at the -outset of hostilit es with America, by retfsn «on of the urgent demands of the war in Spain. Th« Provincial Legislature, by giving a currency to Army Bills and guaranteeing their redemption, effectually removed all apprehens-ions of a defi« ^if'ii'.-y in the financial resources of the Colonial Government. , The organisation of a respectable force of Embodied Militia, and tlie power delegated to the Governor, of turning out the whole of the eflfective male population of the Province, in cases of emer* gency, enabled him to withstand the efforts of the United-States, during two successive campaigns with scarcely any other resources than those derived from t.ie Colony. They who had been partial to the preceding Administration, and who probably may have beetl instrumental in the ai bitrary measures with which itis reproach»dh •were as might be expected, adverse to the- policy of the present Governor, and spared no paios to represent in England the atl'airs of the Colony in the falsest colours. The disappointments expe>> j-ienced at Sacket's Harbour and Plattsburgh, gave occasion to his enemies to discredit his milit'iry character: but whatever may have been his capacity as a General, (which we leave to the judg-- inent of military men) it must be admitted that as a Civil Gov r- nor, at the head of a people irritated by arbitrary measures undefr • tlie preceding Administration, he judiciously explored his way. through a period of anprecedented embarrassments and danger, Avith- out a recurrence to Martial l^aw, or the least exertion of arbitra- ry power. His manners are represented by those who were fa- miliarly acquainted with him as unassuming and social. Hispiib.(«^; ,j*r*^ ,.,i,;j!.,i :?. -,v*'-. ■'^ 7110 ■m^' . ^' Afc r / ' APPENDIX. ^ • A. • Of tM» proiluction wfl insert the followinjf extract J the remainder ot it, being directed against indiTiduals, is suppressed : — A TOUS LES ELECTEURS DU BAS-CANADA. Mes Compalriotts, JLiF^ olTorts que vous avez fails h Ja derniJrc Election n'ont pas dte inntilrs. LaChanriI)rc(t'A>^spmh1(Varii plus do force ni' lleiiVii aviit jaihnis eu. [^ |»ayement de lr> 1,i«tk Civn.E y a eu? proiiose avi'c (.ucci>. Mait> IVfit'i eii a ctL- terrible; car le I'arleni-nt a eiu c.^^»e, er voiis allez voirdcs elforls in« croyables A la ,iroch;iinc Election pour f.iire al»iin>ls us; mais quelqnecho-eqn'ils fassent, quelque ciiose que vous voyez, tcppz fcrme, et soutenez von Reprtfseiitaiis. On croii le moment favorabl''. On e.-pt're vous epouvanter par la Liste Ci- *Hle, et que la promptitude aver laquclle vont se faire les Lleciiuns, ne voiii lat.^^ra pas le tem^ Ay la ri'tlexioii. Vons ii'avez point'de terns iiiierdre, allez vous informer an plus vtte h ceuf en fiui vows nvrz ronfiance, et i^itVs-vousexplJquer Paftaire. On va vous prficlier le moiia{;ement de voire bour!is recrie< s lor-qn'on a propose de incitre des taxes siir les (erres il y a quelques anni'es. F.lteb i-e sont uiujours parde'es.jus- qii'ici de VOIIS parlerdeceschoses ; eilesjetloieni les hautscris cesderni^res an- il. -es, lors<^\;'on publia un compte pour vous donner coiinoisiance des Dispenses de la Province. C'royez que ce n'est pa* le dt'sir t'e monaster votre bourse qui les agite si fort, inaisqne c'esf bii'n pintdt le dtfsir vi'en avoir le m^nagemeni eux-uiCmes, et d'etre les muttresd'aupmenter ladi'pcase taut qu'ils voiulronf. 1»atre-viiigi quinze la irn'mii^re fois que les comples ont liiimbre, la D^pense de fa Province ne montnit qu'A dix- F,n mil sept cent qi rftt' envoyt's a la Char , . , , Meof nailie touis; en mil butt cent, elle montoit a trente-deux mille lonis; et rii mil hull cent ^eut, qui est la derni^re aaiiife dont ou ait les coniptes pu- blic's, elle montoit a qnarante-trois mille loiii-. lis vous dironi: que votts importe que la depense augmente, ce n'est pas vnits qui la payez tonte, II est vrai qu'il y a une petite pnrtie que nous ne payons pas, et qu'on "e Jnrde bien ^e nous faire payer, aiin de pouvoir dire que nous n'avons pas le riiit dese m^ler de la dt'pense. Mais quAiid la Di'pense se^a une fuis auf^mentee autant qu'il aura plu anx lis en place, il faudra que quelqu'un soit cliariitJ df la payer. Qu'est-ce qui oit en etre charge h la fin ? — lji in^r»-palrit" n'a point e'tabli de fond pour lii pnyer; on tire ce qu'elle en paye actiiellemeni, de iu caisse niilitaire; ccia I {loiirra continner tuiit qu'il ne s'agira que de Hajjatelles; inais quand les soni- r.ips seroiit deveniK-s roiisidi'rab'.cs, on nous diia: II est raisiuinable qu'ui.e Province flori'-'^.'inie cginmo celle-ci, paye sex iiropies de'penses; la m^re-pa- trie est assez cliargt'e rtes fruis dfsgiiorres qu'elle a eu h. suutenir pour la pro- tection de rempiie; el cola sera raisonnable. II sera tein- alors, disent les gens en places, de n'gler ladtfpense et on aura Ir m^me dioi' (|i!';i pre'-fr.t. — M .>- oiian' la ilrpense ■•' ra 'rois on qiiaire fois ■i|^tus (raude ; il y aura tiuis ou quatie iuit> auiuut de gcu» eo ylucei, qui an- roBl IS vtte h ceux APPENDIX. font trail on quafre fois autant dUnfluence et 6f puissance, ft qui crif fon^ troi.s uu qnatrc fois autant; et si acturll«-ment on a dc-Ja lant dc peinp ;i .-.'en dufendre, comment pourni-t-wn Ip faire alors? Faut-il attendre qu'iU «• ■oient entidrement pmparc dela place, etqu'il soit impussible der( Bistration of Justice, and of the Government of the Country; andwiierea-^, in the prosecution of tfiese wicked and traitorous purposes, their authors and a- kcttors have not scrupled audaciously to advance the most gross and daring falsehoods, whilst the industry that has been employed, in dis|iersiug and dis^ aemi Mating them at a very great expense, but the source of which isnr t knoun, strouf^ly evinces the persevera^icc and impl.acability with wliich it is nlrtidea- that these purposes should be pursued ; And whereas, consistemly with th;it duty, which 1 owe to his Majesty, and that affection and regard with ^hicii I view the welfare and prosperity of the Inhabitants of this Colony, it was im- possible for me any longer to disrej^ard or suffer practices so directly tendinj; to subvert the Government of the former, and to destroy the haiipineu of liie latter, I do therefore, hereby announce, with the advice and concirrence of His Majesty Executive Council, that with the same advice and concurrence measures have been adopted, and that due infJirmation having been i^iven to Tiiree of His Majesty's said Executive Counsellors, Warrants as by Law au- thorised, have been issued under which some of the authors, iirinters and pub- lishers of the writings aforesaid, have been apprehended and secured. Deeply impressed with a desire to promote, in nil respects, the welfare and happiness of the most benevolent and best of Sovereigns, whose faithtul ser- vant I have been for nearly as long a period as the oldest inliabii.int has bctn his subject, and whose bigliest displeasure I should incur, if t made an> other than that happiness and welfare tlie rule of my conduct, it would indeed be with a very sincere concern, that I should And reason to believe that the arts of these factious and designing men had produced any effect, and that donbts and jealousies should have found their way, and have established themselves in the minds of deluded Persons. To these, if any such there be^ and indeed to the pnblic in general, I would recal the history oi the whole iieriod during which they have been under His Majesty's Ooverninpnt. I^tthem remember the state they were in when they became British Subjects; and let them bear in their recollection the piosrres- fiive advances they have made to the wealth, happiness, security and unbound- ed liberty which they now enjoy. During fifty years that they have been un- der the English dominion, has one act of oppression — has oue instance of ar- bitrary imprisonment — or of violation'of property, occurred ? Have yon io any one instance, or under any one circumstance, been disturbed in the free and uncontrouled enjoyment of your Religion — and lastly, while all Europe has been deluged inbliiod, and while various of His Majesty's other colonies and nos'cssions have at times cxperitncf d the liorrori of war, and some even *^ " Witt ■ii ■\ i f APPENDIX. F linilf r the vfcfs^itndcs of that state. Ifnvr iinderfconp a drprtfatiun of die {npf« 4irr.al)lr happiness of livinK iindtv British {.a^vs andlirttisih (iuvrininrnt, by, Bi'cominK a prey to trmiiiHary cflnqiirst, have you not rnj1e, hitherto impresiied wild the witrmetit and sinrerent aitachmenl to tne be tiefit} bestowed on them< shall aliapdon that loyally and become moaxteriiol |nf(ratiltule, fli to be held up to tlie detehtntion of the world, t» (uomite their |)rq{ec(s ? It h tnie, the most base and diabolical falarhitflds are induittrtonfilyr. promulgated and disseminated. In one part, it is announced as my intiNitiiif (0 embody and make soldiersof you, and thathaviuj; applied to the lale I Niise of R- prescntatives to enable me to avetnble twelve thousand of you foi i 'lat purpose, and they haviu); declined to do so. I had therefore dissolved thdii Tliis i» not only directly false^ such an idea never havinj( entered into my mind, nor the s'lif^htest mention havinf; ever been made of it ; but it is doubly wicked and atrocioiiij, because it has l>een advanced by ])er<lveH the House. Inbabitanti •f St. Denial this is also directly false ; I never had the moHt distant idea of 1axin|r you at all ; such bad never even been >or a moment the subject of my deliberations, and when the late House offered to pny ihe Givil List, I could not have taken any step in a matter of such importance without tlieKiu^'s in* Stnictions, and therefore it was still Ion;; before we came to the coiwideratioa •f how it was to be paid. In truth not one word was ever to my knowledge mentioned on the f^ubject. In other parts, despairing of producing instances from what I have done« recourse is had to wimt I intend to do, and it is boldly told you, that I ineaa to oppress von. Base aod daring fabricators of falsennod, on whal part or what act of my life do you found such an assertion ? What do ynii know of me or of my intentions ? Canadiani, ask of those to whom you formerly looked wiih attention and respei--t, ask the heads of your Churcn who have opportu* Bities of knowing me ; these are men of honor and knowledge, these are men fn)m whom you ought to seek for information and advice ; tiie leaders of fac- tion, the demagogues of a party, associate not with me ; they cannot know me. For what purpose shoula I oppress you? Is it to serve the King? Will that Monarch, who auring tifty years has never issued one order that had you for it- object, that was not for your benefit and happiness — will h'' now, beloved, bonored, adored by his subjects, covered withilorv, descending into the vale of years, accompanied with ihe prayers and blessings of a grateful people^ nill he, contrary to the tenor of a wnole life of honor and virtue, now give urdert to his Servants to oppress his Canadian Sublf-cts ? It is impossible that you can for a moment believe it. You will spniii from you with jusi indigna- tion, the miscreant who will suggest such a thought to you. Is it for myself, then, that I should oppress yon ? For what should I op- 5»ress you ? Is it from ambition ? Whal can you give in* ?— Is it for power i f las I my good friends I with a life ebbing not slowly to it« period, under the pressure ot disease acquired in the service of my country, I look oi:ly to past what it may jilease (iod to suffer to remain of it, in the comfort of retirement among my friends. I remain among you only in obedience to thecommaiidi of my King. Whatpowercan I wish for? Is it then fnr wealth ihat I wm Id upprre^S you ? Enquire of those who know me, whether I regard weal k ; I I never did, when I could enjoy it, it is now of no use to me ; to the valu." of your Country laid at my feet, I would prefer the consciousness of having, in ■ cirgle insta'nce, coniribnted toyonr h.ippiness and pronpiM-ity. These personal allusions t* iDyFolf....Thr<3r details, it. u jy other ca«ie might be unbecoming, and beneath me: Hut ncihing can be i:iili ctnn-i g Oi beneath me, that can tend to sitve you fruia tlic gulf of tPriuc and Calaauiy^ iotu >riiich ivilty aca woi^ jilunge ^'uq, It iitmmmmftmt'^t •'*nv-?!;-,iV^«*'>«i'*^'«5* I wirk(n« imbitiMiM (li\si)(ii( jV^mrntuf every I, reiiottiifie tUtt tlifv rxprrt (bat rat and siocrrctt lOnr leriri of lie« ome moatitpri u, that I mean » whaj part or ^oiiliHoworme orinerly loolied have opportu* these are men leaders of fac- annotknowme. iiR? Willihal mt had you for ' now, beloved, ng int* the vale latefiil people, irtne, now fcive impossible that thjusiindigiio- t f)hniild I op> (s it for power I riod, iiiider the )k only to pnjil t of retirement the commaiidi th that 1 w.^t.ld ;ard weal U ; I to the value of 8 of havinsr, in her ci^e nii^ht ■I p Oi beneath it>,Mto ffliich It APPENDIX. ft is now my duty more partirularly to advert to the intent and pnrpoie fur which this Proclamatinn is ixsued ; I do. therefore, by and with the advice «rf III' Maje'-ty'" Kxecuiive Council, hereby warn, and earneMly exhort all hit Miije-'tVif Siibjerts, to be on thriruuard af|;ainst, and to be rautious how they listen to the artful HnRnestionii of desicninc and wicked men, who, by (he ip>-radiiig of false reports, and by seditious and trailoruus writin^^, ascribe to lTli,H MnjeMy'stioveriiment evil and malevolent purposes, seeking on)y there- by 10 alienate their affectlonH, ami lead thirm into nets of Treason and Rebel- lion, raljirift n)>iin all well dtbWOch, ill (he year of our Lqrd IBIO, and in the Fiftieth Year of His Ma- jcbly's Reign, * V J I J. H. CRAIG, Governor. •■■-., • •. t. f A PROCLAMATION. 'v>-i ; ' ' ' ■ ,■-',. iMlAniTAVTS OF CanADA ! After thinly vears of peace and prnsperty the United States have been dri- ven to aims. *rhe injuries and ag'ji aval ions, the insiill< ami indignities of ' (iieai-Hritain, have once more left them no alternative but manly resistance or iincoiidiiiiHial submission. The army under my command, has invaded your country, and the stnnilnril of Union now waves over the Territory of Canada. To the peaceable iinof- fendii'g inhitbitant, it brings neither danger nor difficulty. 1 come to^'ndene- mies not to nuil;e them. I ciime to protect, nor to iiijine' you. Separated by an immense Ocean, and an extensive Wllderne^s from Great Britain, yon have no participation in her councils, nor in her conduct. You have felt'her tyanny, you liave seen her injustiee, but I do not ask yon to avenge theonet » redresi theotlier. The United Statesare sufficiently power- ful to aflbrd you every security, consistent with their rights, and ynur expec- tations. I tender yoirthe invafnahle blessings of Civil, Political, ai'id Reli>;iou« Libeity, and tlreir necessary result, indiviiUial and general pni.^iierity — tluit Liberty which gave decision to oer councils and enenry to onr coiutuci in our struggle for independence, and which conducted ns siifely and trluniphnnily through the stormy period of the lli-volntion. That Liberty wiiich has rai-ed xis !o an elev:ited rank nniniig the Nations of the world, ni'd wliioU has atrord- ed us a grea'er measure of peace and security of Wealth and improvement, than ever fell to the lot ofany p.'- l le. In the n.'ime of my Country", and by the authority of my Gnvernment, I pro- mise protection to your persons, property and rigiit''. Remain at your homes — Pnisue your peaceful and customary avoeations-— Raise not your hands a- gainst your brctliren — Many of your fa;hers foueht fitr the freedom and ini'e- pendence we now enjoy. Heingcliildifn, therefore, oi' (he same f;miilv with us, and heirs to the satiie heritage, the niriv.il ofan army of fiirnds must be bailed by you with a cordial «i'le((nie. \(i'i \ull beemaiicipaiediVonuyranny iind opnre'isioi), uiid restored to the dignified station of freemen. .\ Jliid / man i a *». lO t l Mii. ,.-• r APPENDIX. 1.^ ■/ : Hud T anydnnbtof Hr(t|itiial aurcrm, T miKht aik yftnr aMtntMcr, hat T do not. I ronif prrpHrcd for rvrry conti|(rnry. I Imvr a force wliicli will look down nlloppoaitioii, ami (hat forrr in but Inr vaiiKiKird of a iniu'h ((rratrr. If contrarv lo yob'own intrrritt, and the Justexiifclatioiiof rnvrouiitry. yoii will he roiiNidrrrd and treated u eiieinieii, the horrom and culamitiei or war will •talk before voii. If the baronrouH and savage poliry of Oreat Britain be pursued, and (he sa* vni^et are let loofir to murder our citizenii, and butcher our women and chi|« dren, (bin war, will be a war of extermination- The flnt atrnke of the tomahawk, the tint adempt with the scalpinc knife, will be the si)(nal of one Indigcnininate scene of aeitolation. No white mail found tighiinx by the side of an Indian, i«ill be taken prisoner! Instant des> trurtlon will be his lot. If the dictate:! of reason, duty. Justice and humanity cannot prevent the employment of a force which respects no ri|(ht«, and knows no wronf(, it will be prevented by a severe and relentless system of retaliation. I doubt nol your couroj^e and firmness ; 1 will not doubt your attachment to liberty. If you lender your services voluntarily, they will be accepted readily. The United States offer you Peace, liberty and security. Your choice lies between these anil war, slavery and destruction, Choose then, but choose widely t iind may, he, who known the Justice of our cause, and who hold.s ia his hands the fate of nations, ^uide you to a result the most compatible wi(h your righb and interest, your peace and uruiperiiy. W. HULL, By the General, A. F. HULL. Capt. 13tb. Regt, U. S. Infantry, and Aid-de-Camp. Head-Quarters, Sandwich, July 12, 1818. D. The followiniT Prorlamation issued by General Smyth, pre- vious to his intended invasion, will give the reader some idea of this mountebank General. GENERAL SMYTH. '':•,., To the Soldiers of the Afmif of the Centre. ' . " CoWPAWIOlVR rti ARMS I The lime is at hand when yon will cross the streams of Niagara to conqner Canada, nnd to secure the peace of the American Frontier. You will enter a country that is to be one of the United-States. You will arrive nniong a people w'ho are to become your fellow citizens. It is not a- ciiinsi them that we come to make war. It is against that Government which holds (hem :is vassals. You will make this war as little as possible distressful to the Canadian peo- ple. ITihey are peaceable, (hey are to be secure in their persons ; and in th>'ir properly, a:, far as our imperious necessities will al'ow. Pi'iva(e I'hinderini; is altsolutely forbidden. Any soldiei > ho quits his rank to plunder on thetieid uf battle, will be punished in the most examplary man- iie>'. Itui your just rights as soMicrs will be maintained, whatever is booty by the iisrjrc.s "of war, you shall hnve. All horses belonging to the artillery and ca^ vjili'y I III! wii>rcons nnd teams in phblic service, will be sold for the benefit of llic c.iptor?. Public stores will be secured for the service of the U. States. 'i lie (liiMTiimeiil will, with justice, pay you the value. 'I'lie hoivos Hrawint; tiic l.ichi Ariilfefv of the enemy, are wanted for the service of the United States. I will or«l«r TWO HUKDRFD DOLLARS for eacli lo lie paiil (lie party who may take them. I will also order FORTY DOLLARS U\ \)f paid for the arms and spoils of each savage warrior, who shnll he killed. Stildien ! yoM .tt amply provided for war. You arc superior in number to the enemy. Your persciiial strength and activity are greater. Your Weap- on- are lonj^er. Tue rejfilar soldiers of the ene'my are generally old men, wll(l^e best yeais have been spent in the sickly climate of the West Indies. Tiicy will not beuble lo stand before y'J.i,~-j ou, wJw charge w itU the bayonet. You .,\ ij^6i»»-. APPENDIX. tMaMce, bot I da ' wliich will luok niich Kreatrr. If ountrj. you will nitiet of war wi|l sued, and the sa. Momrn and chi|. e acalpinc knife, Nu white man eri Instant des. •e and humanity a^hf^, and knoWs *uiot'rei!iliatiun. iiruttachinrnt (o ccepted readily, Ifoar choice lies hen, but choose knd who hoidh in com|iatiblc wit^ ULL, HULL. i-de'Camp. Smyth, pre- some idea of ara to conquer tes. You will It is not a- :rnment which Canadian poo- ersons ; and in quits his rank amplary inan- » booty by the illery and ca-> the Viirfit of he U. States. anted for the > DOLLARS ider FORTY warrior, who in number to Your wea])- illy old men, West Indies, tbc bayonet. You Tnu have neen Indian*, rarh ai tho