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Further Attacks on Border
Towns in Upper Canada.— Colonel Prince's Laconic Despatch.—Glengarry
Regiments and others garrison Cornwall in winter of 1838-9.— Officers on
Particular Service - Colonels Turner, K.H, and Carmichael,—Their Thanks to
the; Militia of District. — Letters of both to Colonel Fraser, Commanding
Charlottenburg Regiment.— Arrival of Sir James Macdonell, in Command of
Brigade of Guards.—His Great Military Career.—Defence of Hougoumont.—Invested
with Order of the Bath by Sip John Colborn.—Addresses of Magistrates of
Glengarry and Stormont on his Arrival and Departure.
War with the United States
being a possible contingency, owing to the ill-feeling in both countries
arising over the "Caroline" affair and the Maine boundary matter on the one
hand and the frequent and outrageous attacks upon our frontier towns on the
other, Sir John Colborne therefore sent engineer officers to all posts where
troops or fortifications were required. At Amherstburg, Fort Maiden was
repaired, barracks were commenced at London, Fort Mississaga at Niagara was
strengthened, additional barracks were constructed at Toronto, the works at
Kingston were strengthened, Fort Wellington at Prescott rendered impregnable
to sudden attack, and more troops were forwarded to various points.
Notwithstanding these
precautions, a body of sympathizers crossed near Niagara and committed
considerable depredations. Thirty of them were taken prisoners as well as
their leader Morrow, who subsequently suffered the death penalty.
Simultaneously with this, bodies of "patriots" penetrated into the London
District, rescued a number of state prisoners and plundered some of the
inhabitants, when they were taken in hand by the Indians, and badly routed,
several of them being taken prisoners. At Goderich also a body of them made
their appearance in a sloop, and after committing some robberies in the
shops, escaped. Nothing further transpired until November, when took place
the attack on Prescott, and the battle at the Windmill already described,
and another invasion on Amherstburg on the 4th December, when some four
hundred and fifty miscreants crossed, marched upon Windsor, captured a few
militia guarding it, burned the steamer "Thames" and some buildings,
murdered a negro and proceeded to Sandwich, brutally murdering Surgeon Hume,
of the Regular Army, who happened to meet them, and mutilating his body in a
shocking manner.
They were then met by Colonel
Prince, who attacked and routed them. killing twenty-one of their number.
Some prisoners were brought in shortly after the engagement and properly
dealt with by Colonel Prince. His despatch states the facts: "Of the
brigands and pirates twenty-one were killed, besides four who were brought m
just at the close, whom I ordered to be shot on the spot, which was done
accordingly." Twenty-six prisoners were shortly afterwards taken and
reserved for the authorities to deal with. The remainder escaped, except
nineteen who concealed themselves in the woods, and, unable to re-cross to
their friends, were shortly afterwards found frozen to death. This
practically closed the rebellion, though affairs remained in an unsettled
condition for some time. One hundred and eighty of those taken at the
Windmill and elsewhere were tried before general courts-martial at Fort
Henry (Kingston) and London early in 1839 and sentenced to be hanged, the
great majority having their sentences commuted. Ten were hanged n Kingston,
including Von Schultz. Of the remainder, most of them were sent to Van
Dieman's Land, where many died, the remainder being eventually pardoned and
many of them returned to Canada.
The militia, though some of
them had been out on three different occasions, were liable to be again
called on at a moment's notice. Thus, among Colonel Fraser's papers I find
the following letter from the distinguished officer on Particular Service
commanding in this District:
Cornwall, 20 min. to 10 a.m.,
22nd November, 1838.
My Dear Colonel,—I wish to
see you in here as soon as possible. I fancy some very important information
has come to light regarding the American Government. Two Regiments of
Glengarry's are immediately to be stationed in this town. In haste Yours
very faithfully,
C E. Turner, Colonel Com'g.
To Colonel Fraser, 1st
Glengarry Militia.
Judge Pringle states that
during the fall of 1838 and the early part of 1839 First Provisional
Battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel Vankoughnet, the third (Lochiel) Regiment
of Glengarry Militia under Colonel Alexander Chisholm, the Fourth
Provisional Battalion (practically the Lancaster Regiment of Glengarry
Militia under Colonel Donald Greenfield Macdonell, Major Jarviss troop of
Lancers, Captain Crawford's Independent Company of Infantry and Captain
Pringle's Company of Artillery were ail stationed it. Cornwall, which must
have had the appearance of a garrison town. At the same time the Fifth
Provisional Battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Fraser (no doubt
largely composed of the officers and men of the Charlottenburg Regiment of
Militia) was raised in Glengarry, and was on duty along the front of that
County, the headquarters I believe being at Lancaster; and the First
Regiment of Stormont Militia under Colonel Donald Æneas Macdonell was on
duty in the Township of Cornwall. In the spring of 1839 the First Stormont,
the Third Glengarry and Captain Pringle's Company of Artillery were relieved
from duty, while later in the season the Provisional Battalions were also
relieved. The Government then authorized the formation of the Fifth
Battalion of Incorporated Militia under Lieutenant-Colonel Vankoughnet,
which evidently caused some friction, as I observe in a letter from Colonel
Turner to Colonel Fraser the statement (of which I had previously known), "I
can neither make head or tail of Colonel Macdonell in consequence of Colonel
Vankoughnet being employed in preference to himself, and it would not
surprise me, from the manner in which he and his friends are now acting, if
the company or his son will not continue their services any longer than the
end of this month.'' Similar trouble or, a larger scale had occurred before,
when Glengarry men in Scotland were not given the post of honour, which they
deemed their services had earned. Their pride and prejudices have always to
be reckoned with, and I can easily understand how little they would like the
imputation (probably never intended) that they were not capable of defending
their own frontier!
At the expiration of two
years Colonel Vankoughnet's Regiment was re-enlisted for two years, and
remained in Cornwall until April or May, 1842, when the Fourth Incorporated
Battalion, which had been stationed at Prescott, was sent to Cornwall, the
Fifth going to Prescott. In May, 1843, all the five incorporated battalions
were disbanded. They were clothed and armed as the regular troops and are
fully eqaual to them in drill and efficiency, and had they been kept on foot
would have formed an excellent nucleus for the training of our militia and
volunteers.
Early in the rebellion the
authorities in England had sent out Officers of experience to take command
of the militia and superintend the formation and drill of the regiments and
companies ordered out for service. Judge Pringle gives the names and
stations of these officers as follows: Colonel Chichester, Chatham; Colonel
Marshall, Brockville; Colonel Cox, K.H., Whitby; Colonel Carmichael,
Lancaster and Coteau du Lac; Colonel Young and afterwards Colonel Williams,
Prescott; Captain Baron de Rottenburg, Belleville ; Captain Swan, Niagara;
Colonel Tturner, K H., Cornwall.
The Town Major of Cornwall
during the stirring times from 1838 to 1843 was Major Donald McDonald; who
had been a lieutenant in the Fortieth Regiment and had previously seen much
service in the Forty-Second (Black Watch) Highlanders. He had the Peninsutar
medal with ten clasps for Corunna, Frentes D'Onor, Ladaioz, Salamanca,
Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelie, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse.
Colonel Carmichael, who had
seen so much of the CharIotenburg Regiment during its several periods of
service, was presented with an address by its officers oft his removal to
Prescott. His reply was as follows :
Prescott, May 24, 1839
Gentlemen,—I beg you will
accept my very best thanks for the address you were pleased to present to me
at Lancaster on my way to this District.
During the time I have been
employed amongst you your zeal and good conduct could not have been
surpassed, and there cannot be a stronger proof of your attention to your
duty than my never having a single complaint from any of the men who served
in the Fifth Provisional Battalion last winter.
That you may long enjoy the
confidence and support of your loyal and brave countrymen to uphold the
reputation of Glengarry is my sincere wish.
L. Carmichael, Col. P.S. Col.
the Hon'ble Alexander Fraser and officers of the 1st Regiment of Glengarry
Militia.
Colonel Turner on the 29th
April, 1839, in District Orders, stated that he could not permit so many of
the brave, loyal militia of the District to return to their homes without
returning them his best thanks for their zeal, indefatigable attention to
their drill, discipline in the field and their exemplary conduct in
quarters, instancing the fact that while on service under him not a
complaint had reached his ear from those who had so nobly come forward in
defence of their Most Gracious Queen's dominions in Canada, and of the
glorious and happy Constitution under which by God's blessing they were
permitted to live, and of which a set of unprincipled rebels and remorseless
vagabonds and brigands from the United States, who had no fear of God nor
regard for civilized and humane laws, had endeavoured in vain to deprive
them of. He mentioned that he had received from the several commanding
officers of corps in the District so cordial a support as to render his duty
pleasing and easy; begged them to accept his special thanks and to convey
the same to those officers under them, and trusted that God's blessing would
attend all. officers and men, and that happiness and prosperity would crown
their labours in their different occupations in life, assuring them that he
knew well that should their services ever again be required they would all
with willing hands and stout hearts again take the field to put down
unnatural rebellion, and drive from their happy soil pirates and brigands
who should dare to put foot on it.
Such language, though not now
the mode in the Legislature of the Province, had the ring in it which
appealed to the hearts of the men of half a century ago.
I have been so fortunate as
to procure the letters which Colonels Turner and Carmichael addressed to
Colonel Fraser on their return to England, and cannot do better than to give
them both in full:
Cornwall, 12th April, 1843.
My Deal Colonel Fraser,—I
cannot quit the command of this loyal District, which I have had the honour
to hold for upwards of five years, without expressing to you how much I have
valued your useful services to your Queen and country and to myself for your
advice and information In a time of great excitement in the country, and
when I was an entire stranger in the District, and which advice and
information I always found correct and for the benefit of Her Majesty's
service and the good of the District and of the brave militia in which I had
the good fortune to command during the disturbances in this country—and for
which I now tender you my sincere thanks. And I beg in the name of Mrs.
Turner and myself to acknowledge our obligations to you and Mrs. Fraser for
the kindness and hospitality so often shown to us and our family, and
sincerely do we hope that by the blessing of God yourself and family may
continue to prosper and be happy to the end of your days, which we pray may
be long and past in peace and tranquility. God bless you all, and believe
me, my dear Colonel, Your very sincere friend, C. B. Turner, Colonel
Particular Service.
Colonel Carmichael wrote as
follows:
Williamstown, 21st May, 1843.
My Dear Colonel
Fraser,—Previous to my departure from this country, I beg you to accept my
warmest acknowledgments for the able assistance you have given me in the
performance of my duty during the last five years, which from your
well-earned influence among your countrymen, was on every occasion most
valuable, and cannot in the future fail to be of the utmost service to
Government.
The soldier-like manner in
which you have conducted the First Glergarry Regiment was most creditable,
and no country can boast of a better corps, in appearance, good feeling and
loyalty.
That you may long retain your
high position among such the men is my sincere wish. Always believe me,
yours very sincerely-
L. Carmichael, Lt.-Col. P. S.
Colonel the Honourable
Alexander Fraser, Glengarry,
The advent to Canada of Sir
James Macdonell during the rebellion in the position of second in command of
the British forces under Sir John Colborne, was naturally regarded with
great gratification by the people of Glengarry. He arrived at Quebec on the
9th May, 1838, in H. M.S. "Edinburgh", which was accompanied by the
"Inconstant" frigate and the troop ships "Apollo" and "Athol," bringing the
Second Battalion Grenadier Guards and the Second Battalion Coldstream
Guards, the whole under the command of Sir James. He was on the 28th June
following, together with Vice-Admiral the Honourable Sir Charles Paget,
G.C.H., Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable C Grey, the Honourable Colonel
Charles Coupei and the Honourable Charles Buller, appointed a member of Lord
Durham's Special Council.
He was one of the most
renowned soldiers of the day. In the Service he was known as the ' Hero of
Hougoumont," and throughout the Empire he had for years borne the glorious
appellation of "The Bravest Man in Britain." He was the third son of Duncan
Macdonell, 14th Chief of Glengarry, by Marjory, daughter of Sir Ludovic
Grant, Bart, of Dalvey, and a brother of Alastair Ranaldson Macdonell, 15th
Chief, described by Mackenzie as "being truly called the last specimen of
the Highland Chiefs of history, and who is stated to have been, in the most
favourable features of his character, Scott's original for Fergus MacIvor."
He had obtained his
commission in the Coldstream Guards in 1796. and with his regiment had taken
part in the expedition to Naples and Calabria in 1805 and 1806. He had
rendered most important service in Egypt, and subsequently in Portugal,
Spain, France and Flanders. He had received one of the few gold medals given
for Maida. It was at Waterloo, however, that he covered himself with
greatest glory. He was then a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Guard and was in the
Second Brigade of the First Division, under General Sir J Byng, afterwards
Field Marshal the Earl of Strafford. On the eve of the 18th of June it was
decided that Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell with the Second Battalion of the
Coldstream Guards should have charge of the buildings of Hougoumont. while
Lord Saltoun should hold the orchard and wood. The Rev Mr. Gleig. in "The
Story of the Battle of Waterloo," describes the defence: "Hougoumont was
felt to be a point of vital importance, and Napoleon calculated that could
he make himself master of that he might suspend all future operations in
this quarter and turn his undivided strength against the allied left.
Wherefore clouds of men rushed down to sustain the advance, which, having
won the wood, appeared to be on the eve of winning the Chateau likewise. * *
* Dense masses of assailants rushed against the gates, and shouted as they
flew open, and then began such a struggle as does not often occur in modern
warfare. Not a foot would the defenders yield. Not for a moment or two would
the assailing party withdraw. At last the bayonets of the Guards carried all
before them, and five individuals, Lieutenant-Colonel (now
Lieutenant-General) Macdonell, Captain (now Lieutenant-General) Wyndham,
Ensign (now Lieutenant-Colonel) Gooch, Ensign Harvey and Sergeant Graham, by
sheer dint of personal strength and extraordinary bravery and perseverance,
succeeded in closing the gate and shutting the enemy out."
Sir Walter Scott concludes
"The Field of Waterloo" by the following reference to the defence of
Hougoumont:
Yes, Agincourt may be forgot,
And Cressv be an unknown spot,
And Blenheim's name be new;
But still in story and in song
For many an age remembered long
Shall live the Towers of Hougoumont
And Field of Waterloo.
Mr. Southey, in his
"Pilgrimage to Waterloo," thus refers to it:
But would thou tread this
celebrated ground,
And trace with understanding eyes a scene
Above all fields of war renowned,
From Western Hougoumont thy way begin;
There was our strength on that side, And there first
In all its force, the storm of battle burst.
Sir James was created a K.C.H.
in 1837 and a K.C.B. in September, 1838, his investiture with the latter
Order taking place in this country, the Governor-General, Sir John Colborne,
acting by deputation from Her Majesty. The Quebec papers of the day
contained interesting accounts of the ceremony, which was attended with
great military pageant, guards of honour, waving banners, a splendid cortege
and military music. On either side of the Throne were placed the colours of
the Grenadier Guards and Seventy-First Highlanders, of which Regiment Sir
James afterwards became Colonel. Sir John Colborne, in his highly
complimentary address to Sir James, alluded to his services in Egypt, the
Peninsula and at Waterloo, and expressed his gratification at being the
Queen's representative to thus honour so distinguished a soldier and so
faithful a subject. "Nothing," said the "Herald," "could be more imposing
than to witness a war-worn hero like Sir John Colborne, covered with wounds
and wearing numerous stars and orders as the reward of his heroism, being
the means of bestowing a mark of Her Majesty's favour on one who had with
him opposed and triumphed over the gigantic power of Napoleon" "With much
grace and propriety," says Dr. Henry, m his "Recollections of a Staff
Officer," "one eminent soldier was thus the Royal Representative in
conferring this honour on another gallant companion in arms; and that well
tried sword which had led the Fifty-Second to victory on many a hard-fought
field and finally waved before them when they routed a column of Napoleon's
Guards on the evening of Waterloo, was now most fitly employed in bestowing
knighthood on the. stalwart and indomitable defender of Hougoumont." Sir
James, in addition to the gold medal for Maida and the Waterloo medal, had
the Peninsular medal with clasps for Salamanca, Vittoria, Neville and the
Nive. He had also received the Order of Maria Theresa, and was slso Knight
(fourth class) of St. Vladimir. He was principal Equerry to the Queen
Dowager.
He was, of course, a frequent
visitor to his friends and relatives in Glengarry during his command in
Canada. Upon the occasion of his first visit he was presented with an
address by the leading gentry of the County and the adjoining County of
Stormont. The original of his answer is in my possession and is as follows:
To the Inhabitants of the
Counties of Glengarry and Stormont,
Gentlemen,—I return you my
most sincere thanks for the congratulation with which you have met my
arrival amongst you, and for the marks of affectionate kindness I have
received in the Counties of Glengarry and Stormont. From the moment in which
I received the intimation that Her Majesty had been graciously pleased to
approve of my nomination to the Staff of British North America, I promised
to myself the pleasure of visiting you, and I looked for welcome, not on my
own account, but for the sake of my deserted brother, who, when in life,
loved you more than life itself thro' me you have honoured his memory, and
have thus convinced me that Highland hearts beat as warmly in the Canadas as
on the heath-covered mountains of our Mother Country.
Gentlemen, you have justly
said that it is not necessary to assure me of your warm and unshaken
attachment to your Sovereign and the Constitution of the Parent State: You
have proved it by your past conduct, and should circumstances again call for
your active services, I know you will uphold the character you have already
established.
J. Macdonell, Major-Ger'l.
To the address presented to
him on his retirement from his command he made the following reply:
To the Magistrates and other
Inhabitants of the Counties of Glengarry and Stormont,
Gentlemen, —I have received
with no ordinary feelings of pride and gratification the address which has
been presented to me. I am conscious that your expressions of regret at my
approaching retirement from the command I have had the honour of holding in
this country, spring from no other source than that of a pure and kindly
character; and the assurance you convey to me of your loyalty and attachment
to our Beloved Queen enhances your tribute of regard.
Your allusion to my military
services I estimate as a soldier, and with the pride of one shall ever
gratefully remember.
Should it please my most
gracious Sovereign to again require my services, it will be my duty to obey,
and believe me when I assure you that that portion of Her Majesty's Canadian
possessions, which contains a population of such devoted zeal and fidelity
as that of the Counties of Glengarry and Stormont, shall never be forgotten
by me.
I am truly sensible of your
esteem and regard, and shall derive no small degree of consolation when far
removed from all intercourse with you by reflecting that the ties which bind
us to each other are those of loyalty and honour.
Your allusion to the memory
of my departed brother !s grateful to my heart. If, as you justly designate
him. "the noble, highlander and patriotic Glengarry," how truly have those
who this day honour me with their kindly expressions of attachment,
cherished his memory by me in the hour of danger, maintaining the honour of
their country.
And now, gentlemen, permit me
to bid you farewell, and to once more assure you that individually and
collectively I shall pray for your happiness and prosperity.
J. Macdonnell, Lt.-Gen'l.
Srr James Macdonell had
evidently, previous to his leaving Canada, been offered the command of the
Forces or the Lieutenant-Governorship of the Upper Province, as I find the
following in one of his letters (December, 1840) relating to family masters,
"I have declined Uppei Canada, as the brevet which I confidently look for
must remove me from the Staff of North America, and if even a brevet should
not appear, I mean to return to England with the Brigade of Guards should
they be called home in spring or summer which is more than probable."
Sir James died unmarried in
1857. |
