Interesting Perspectives – Accounts of the War of 1812 in Upper Canada

​By Tom Fournier


These are excerpts that I thought of interest from Reminiscences of Niagara, No. 11.  Niagara Historical Society.

As a number of these are given decades after the war or are passed along by subsequent generations, it is to be assumed that there are some distortions whether it be from distant memories or endeavours to portray the witness’ participation in the best possible light.

All the same, taken with this perspective in account, they still provide fascinating insights!

I would like to offer a sense for the location for many of these reminiscences.  Modern day Niagara-On-The-Lake was first know as Butlersburg and then Newark.  At the time of the War of 1812 and for some time afterwards it was known as the Town of Niagara.​

Andrew Kemp:  Recollections of a Boy of 1812

A son of United Empire Loyalist parents originally from New Jersey.  Andrew was born in Niagara in 1800.
His father, David moved to Amherstburg early in the 19th Century where he was employed in the Engineer Department.
During the War of 1812, David accompanied the British troops to Brownstown and when Proctor initiated the retreat from Amherstburg, David was one of the last to leave Fort Malden as he stayed to supervise the dismantling of the fort and the destruction of stores.

Andrew was 13 years old at the time.  Some of his recollections of the war were recorded by his grandsons.
“After General Hull’s demonstration against Fort Malden, which ended in his retreat to Detroit and the surrender of that post to General Brock, I saw Brock at Amherstburg; he was a fine jolly looking, middle aged man. I also saw Tecumseh; he was a handsome, noble looking fellow, very clean and neat about his person, and usually dressed in a white shirt, deer skin leggings and other usual Indian apparel, but sometimes in a military redcoat, for he ranked as a Major-General. I have spoken to him. He was a Shawanee, who in common with many with many other Western Indians had been at war with the Yankees and came all the way to Canada to fight for the British.” 

“A battle on the lake took place about 25 or 30 miles from Amherstburg, where we heard the guns. The British ships were mostly small merchantman with a gun on board, commanded by a captain of the Royal Navy as Commodore. He had lost an arm at Trafalgar. The provincials were poor sailors compared to British seamen, being mostly French Canadians and some of the crews were only soldiers. The vessels were undermanned and there were not sufficient guns, and what guns there were not good while the American gunboats carried 32prs.”

Referring to Proctor’s retreat during which (on the evening before the battle of the Thames the Kemps were taken prisoners, Mr. Kemp said:-

“We were taken prisoners a short distance above the village of Chatham while ascending the Thames. Father had been left behind at Chatham to destroy a vessel which was there, and only came up with our detachment a short time before we were taken. It was very late when he reached us. He at once went ashore to reconnoiter from a hill nearby, from there he saw the Kentucky Rifle Militia coming across the fields on horseback. We intended to reach an old empty house on the other side of the river and attempted to do so, but before we succeeded the bank was full of men who fired some shots at us because we did not come ashore fast enough when ordered, and they shot a woman through the cheeks. When they got us ashore, they robbed us of everything they could carry away even my mother’s young baby’s clothes. They chopped up everything else including a feather bed, and out blankets they put around their shoulders. Father was furious; he told them if there had been only half a dozen of them named Naggs, who knew us, and who had formerly lived in Detroit, had to beg and pray of father to be quiet, fearing they would shoot him. Soon after the America Regulars under General Harrison came up, my father was placed under a regular guard when he at once complained of the treatment we had received. He was advised to complain to the General and so mother went and spoke to him. Harrison was very kind to her and said, “My good woman I will do everything I can for you.” But the Militia only said “who cared for General Harrison? None of his business what we do.”

“My father was taken to Petite Cote near Sandwich where he lived on parole
for a time (during the winter) until one day an officer came down and told him his parole would be up on a certain day, and that he was to go to Detroit; when with other prisoners he would be sent to Greenbush. When he got to Detroit and had reported himself, he noticed that the Americans seemed very lax in the way they looked after their prisoners, so he began walking about and getting farther and farther away, and at last he slipped around a corner when he took to his heels and made his way to the back of the town, where he had plenty of friends who hid him, and helped him to get across the river again to the Canadian side.” 

“Father and I then set out on April 7th, 1814, to join the British forces at Niagara. My mother went to some friends at Sandwich. The first day out we had a canoe to travel in, the second day being on foot, we met a man named Johnson who was out looking for his horses, he had one horse with him and this he allowed me to ride all day. When we reached Johnson’s house, we were obliged to stay there two days lying quiet, because we heard there of a party of Americans who were near. After this we continued our journey on foot. On one day our way lay through the ‘Long Bush’ where the road was just a cart track and no house for twenty-seven miles. The walking was dreadful, the snow newly fallen being about a foot deep with almost another foot of mud underneath. I got so tired that I lagged behind continually and father would have to wait for me, finally he made me walk ahead of him. I felt very downhearted and miserable, and father kept trying to cheer me up. At last we heard a cowbell which raised my spirits a little, and about dark we got into the village of Delaware, where we had plenty to eat and were made comfortable. Soon after that we had to go through the Township of Burford where the farmers were a very disaffected lot. They were very suspicious and inquisitive as to where we came from and grumbled very much when we asked for a bed. They made us shake down in front of the fire, which the hired man put out by sticking a large log on it, and there we lay and shivered all night on the floor which was made of rough logs with large cracks between, while there was a hole under the door large enough for a hog to come in at.”

“When we got to the Grand River the bridge was broken down, but we could
almost wade it. Where Hamilton now stands there was only one house at that time; a small stone cottage near the mountain.”

“We reached Niagara safely April 20th and went to a friend’s. When we arrived, General Riall was down by the river, and sent up soon after to ask if there was a man belonging to the Engineer Department come from Sandwich, father went out to him, and was told he was wanted over at the Fort at once. General Riall asked him if he had brought his little boy with him and father said ‘Yes.’ The General then asked if I was a mechanic and father told him ‘No’ I had been at school. The General said, “Well, that’s better for him, but bring him along and we’ll make him useful.”

 “I was put on regular rations of bread, meat and run, and my pay was fifteen dollars per month. We stayed here in good quarters till the end of the war. I used to sell my rum for two dollars a quart. All the men got two dills extra to work on. I have seen a hogshead  knocked in the morning and all gone by dark. My work was to serve out tools and rum to the men. It was excellent rum, quite thick, it is very hard to get any rum like it nowadays. It was worth twenty-five cents a gill.” 

“Our work was done outside near the Fort. There was a shanty here and father used sometimes to leave small sums of money on a shelf there so as to be handy. It was always stolen when he did so, and suspicion fell on a man of the 1st Royal Scots, so a watch was set on him. He was a German, there were two loose stones in the foundation of the hut so that it was possible to get under the building. A hole was made in the floor and a watch set, and sure enough the man was caught and got 200 lashes.”

“The Colonel of the Royal Scots in order to make his men hardy, used to make them do sentry-go in the depth of the winter of 1814-1815 without their great coats. They had come to Canada from the West Indies.”

“There was a British gun-boat destroyed a few miles from Niagara. She was at York and her commander – a lieutenant was ordered to proceed to Niagara. On his own responsibility he under took to give passage to some ladies who were going to Burlington and went in there to land them. The wind was then in his favour but towards evening it changed, and he found himself beating up against it, trying to make the mouth of the river, with two Yankee gun-boats rapidly getting the weather gauge of him. The chase could be seen from Niagara, and the ramparts on the lakeside were lined with people watching the struggle. The Americans kept heading the Britisher off, firing at him all the time and he replying to their shots. Finding it impossible to gain the shelter of the shore batteries, the commander of the British vessel ran her ashore in the mouth of a creek a few miles off and blew her up. It was then dusk and the explosion and fire in the wreck could be plainly seen by the lookers on. The British officer was court-martialled and the dismissed from the service. It was said he afterwards joined the American service.”

“The village of Queenston changed very little from the time I was there in
1815, up to when I visited it last a few years ago.”

“There was a woman who lived in Amherstburg at the time of Proctor’s retreat when the Americans overran the place, who used to make plate pies out of sour green apples to which she put no sugar, and made up the paste without a particle of shortening in it. She sold the pies to the American soldiers at twenty-five cents each.”


The family were united in Amherstburg after the close of the war. Andrew Kemp was an ensign in the 1st Essex Militia in after years, and assisted in the capture of the Schooner ‘Anne’ during the trouble of 1937-8. He also formed one of the expedition to Pelee Island, March 3rd, 1938, from whence the regulars and militia after a smart action drove the “Patriot Army” (otherwise “Brigands,” as they are described on the old monument at Amherstburg.) Soon after the rebellion Andrew Kemp entered the Engineer Department. David Kemp died in 1842, leaving a large number of descendants. His son Andrew removed to Kingston in 1848, and retired from the Department in 1869, being then Clerk of Works. He died in 1887 in his 87th year.

Recollections of Mrs. Elizabeth Quade, nee Henry

In the Wilson Star of Oct. 11th, 1888, is an article by a reporter who interviewed Mrs. Quade, then 84 years of age, She said:

“that the population of Niagara in 1812 was about 400, while Youngstown at that time consisted of two frame houses owned by men of the names of Grinset and Swain. There was no church there, and the officers and soldiers stationed at Fort Niagara crossed over to Fort George and attended services on Sunday, and coming in contact with Canadian and British officers there a friendship sprung up between the officers of both armies. I remember when war was declared in June 1812, when the news reached Fort George great excitement prevailed. Some American officers over at Fort George left the King’s Wharf near there and parted with sincere regret. On Sunday before the declaration of war General Brock attended St. Mark’s church and Dr. West from Youngstown, had with him his two pretty little daughters, General Brock bid them goodbye, and said to Dr. West “Good-Bye, when we meet again we shall be enemies.” 

The reporter goes on to say Mrs. Quade saw many exciting times during the war. The Americans had one day been firing and she was playing house with several children near the lighthouse when a man came along and picked up a cannon ball which had just been fired, he was passing along with it in his arms when another ball which had just been fired struck the one he had in his arms and he was killed instantly, Capt. Bernard Frey. At another time she and several other children were playing in a wheelbarrow near the lighthouse when a cannon ball struck about two feet from them. They then ran behind the lighthouse and in another moment another ball struck the wheelbarrow they had just left, smashing it to atoms. Another time an old lady, named Grier, was feeding her cat when a red hot ball struck the cat, killing it instantly, the old lady was greatly incensed against the enemy.

When the town was burned the lighthouse was left as it benefited the Americans as
well as the British. General Harrison when stopping a short time at Fort George 1813, called at the lighthouse and engaged in a conversation with her father, the keeper, who gave the details of several battles favorable to the British. Being in civilian’s clothes Henry did not know for some time that he was talking to General Harrison and begged him not to consider his conversation very serious, he having spoken very freely, but was told that he could not be blamed for standing up for his country.”

“My mind has been carried back to my childhood’s days to the time of the building of Fort Mississauga. I think perhaps there is no other person living who can tell what I can about it. I saw the first sods dug that were used in the building of that fort. The lighthouse stood on the ground where the old tower now stands, our dwelling house also stood near the lighthouse and there is the place where I was born and my childhood days were past there and after the war the lighthouse was torn down and the tower built from the stone and bricks from the ruins of the town and lighthouse. I can remember far better what took place in those days than I can things that transpired but a short time ago, I well remember the day General Brock and his Aid-de-Camp were killed. I was at the funeral, I remember hearing the muffled drums beating and of seeing the soldiers standing in line and the band marched between the two lines of soldiers across the common to Fort George where he was buried, and the American flag at Fort Niagara was at half mast. The day after the funeral my mother took us children up to Queenston to let us see where General Brock was killed. It was at the foot of the hill near a thorn tree, I have been there many times since and think I could go to the very spot now. 

I remember when the Americans took Niagara and well do I remember when they left it leaving the village in flames, and I can remember many other things that occurred then of which I have not time to write now. Many of the people of the town brought furniture and articles of value to our house while the town was burning till the house was full and we could take no more. It is now fifty-five years since I left Niagara and settled in the town of Porter, now called Ransomville. I should like to know how many of the inhabitants are now living who were in Niagara when I left in 1831.”


Reverand John McEwan

From letters by Reverand McEwan, a son of Captain McEwan who fought at Queenston Heights:
“I was born in Niagara in 1811, Niagara in my boyhood was a flourishing town, it was the market for the farmers living within a radius of forty miles. Many brought their produce to market in large boats, great crowded market wagons could also be seen in the marketplace. It was a sight for the boys to see the four horse coaches in the morning as they came from Niagara Falls with travelers. On 13th Oct., 1824, I was present when the remains of General Brock and his aid were taken from the ramparts of Fort George to the monument on Queenston Heights. When General Brock’s coffin was opened the flesh was still on his face, it continued thus however only for a moment of two after the air struck it. The hearse was a large army wagon covered with black cloth, it was drawn by four black horses, driven by a black driver, four black men walked by the head of the horses. Boy like I was followed the procession, though young, walking to Queenston and back again. 

When we got back to Capt.Cooper’s Grove there was a halt called and a rest taken. I have always understood that the building between Fort George and Butler’s Barracks was the Parliament House. The lighthouse on the American side must have been built as early as 1815, I can remember it at an early period of my life on the large building at the north east corner of the Fort. General Brock was buried in the north east corner of the ramparts of Fort George. I have been at his grave often. On the east side of the Fort there was a fine fish pond for the officers of the regiment. It was close to the Fort built of stone, a spring of clear water supplied it, so clear that the fish could plainly be seen. On the west side of the ramparts multitudes would assemble on race days to see the races.

On the first street, south of St. Mark’s running east and west, the hill leading to the river was cut down to make it more easy of ascent and Indian bones, kettles, and other articles used by Indians were found, it was supposed to have been an Indian burying ground before Niagara was peopled by the whites. I can give the names of the merchants, hotel keepers, steamboats. 

An old tree stood at the south corner of Mr. Jno. Secord’s farm, the first farm from the town on the Lake Road, it was the most gigantic oak I ever saw, was I think double the height of any tree near it and with the exception of Brock’s Monument, was the first thing seen in crossing from Toronto. The Free Masons used to meet in Alexander Roger’s Hotel. I have always understood that the first Parliament met in the building used as a Military Hospital in my time. 

The ramparts of Fort Mississauga were enclosed with oak pickets ten or twelve feet above the ground. The pickets were brought from the whirlpool and rafted down.

The night when the town was burned I have been told that a number of people were huddled together in a large smoke house, belonging to my father. Part of the time the English church was used as a prison. My father was there one night as a prisoner to the Americans and that night two prisoners were scalped by the Indians. My father, Capt. McEwan of the Flank Co. 1st Lincoln Regt., was wounded at the battle of Niagara, was found after the battle and taken home, but was taken prisoner out of his bed and sent to Green Bush near Albany, N.Y.”


Reminiscences of Mr. Daniel Field

Reminiscences of the war of 1812-13-14 as given by Mr. Daniel Field at a family gathering on the anniversary of his 80th birthday:

“I volunteered in a company of Dragoons, under the command of Major Merritt in 1811, and in June 1812 war was declared and I was called out on the 29th of June for active service. I was at the taking of Detroit for which I received a medal and was orderly to Major Glegg at the battle of Queenston Heights on the 13th October, 1812, during which General Brock fell.

During the ensuing winter I carried dispatches from Queenston to Chippewa, I also was engaged in the battle of Lundy’s Lane, our company got scattered and I got separated from them and was on the battle field all night carrying drink to the wounded, who lay scattered over the field, I was quite near Mr. Cockell, who was shot at that battle. Previous to this I was at the battle of Niagara on the 27th May. I was there carrying ammunition from Fort George to the army, during the battle I left my team and ran to the scene of action, when returning I came upon a wounded soldier who was unable to walk, so I took him on my back and carried him to the hospital, we were then forced to retire to Burlington Heights.

I was with the army during the whole of the ensuing summer, but received my discharge in November, and then returned to my home on the bank of the Niagara River, but had scarcely been there two hours when I was taken prisoner by the Americans and taken to Niagara town. The next day they took me and my horse over the river to Fort Niagara on the American side, where I was kept a prisoner for six weeks. It was while I was there that the town of Niagara was burned by the Americans and evacuated by them.

There were 16 white and 12 Indian prisoners in the Fort with me, through the aid of a friend I got home again. As soon as it was known by Col. Hamilton of the 100th Regt. and officers they called on me to give information with regard to Fort Niagara, which they contemplated attacking.

A few days after, Col. Hamilton with his regiment crossed over for that purpose, and I with a company, called the “Forlorn Hope” was the first to cross. I piloted them into the Fort, which was taken after much loss of life, and that was one of my last adventures of the war.

“And now the war is over boys, Down we’ll sit at ease,
We’ll plough and sow, And reap and mow,
And do just as we please.”


REMINISCENCES OF AMERICAN OCCUPATION OF NIAGARA FROM 27TH MAY TO 10TH DEC., 1813

These have been gathered from conversations with descendants of those living in the town or from letters and other documents.

Mrs. Follett remembers that her mother, Mrs. Whitten, daughter of Samuel Cassady, told her that on the day of the attack Mrs. Cassady with her children walked out to Butler’s farm for safety and the daughter Jane, afterwards Mrs. Whitten, carried her little brother on her back. They stayed all night in the barn and the mother returned in the morning to see how matters stood. The house was on Queen Street near Mr. John Sando’s and was found to be occupied by American officers. She had left bread recently baked in the house and on inquiring if she could return with her children, they asked who made the bread they found in the house and offered to let her return on the condition that she would bake for them, they supplying 100lbs of flour and she giving 100lbs. of bread and to have all the additional loaves for herself. This she did all the time they were in occupation a proof no doubt that Mrs. Cassady made good bread. She also remembers that the house nearby was occupied by her brother-in-law, Mr. Chas. Field, and on the soldiers ransacking the house they found in an upper room in a trunk the Free Mason Regalia as the meetings were held in the house at one time as evidently one of the fraternity, and the house was free from plundering on that account.

Mrs. Wm. Dickson when the town was burned was ill in bed and was carried out and lay on the snow watching the destruction of the house, the first brick house built in Niagara shown by a letter dated 1795.  The late Walter H. Dickson then a boy of six remembered them threatening to throw him in the well.

Mrs. McKee, whose husband was a prisoner at the Fort on the death of a child refused to have it buried till the husband and father could come to the funeral. He was blindfolded and brought over with a guard and then returned the same way. 

When the town was burned the family had seven buildings burned, the store with valuable goods from Montreal, a soap and candle manufactory, two dwelling houses, etc. They packed fifteen trunks with the most valuable things and their friend, the father of the late Dr. Rolls sent for them to his house near St. Catharines. The mother tried to keep her little girl from standing on the snow while watching the conflagration,  placed her on a large tea tray, but in spite of that all her toes were partly frozen. On reaching the Eight- Mile Creek the trunks were buried and covered with brushwood to be safe from marauders.

The late John Rogers told me that he was a boy of nine at the time and that he distinctly remembered being on the street when a cannon ball fired from Fort Niagara passed near him. Their home could have been saved as they had friends, indeed relatives among the American officers, but were told this would only be an injury as it would be thought they were disloyal and sympathizers with the enemy. It is told that one of the beautiful mantel pieces in the present house was saved by Mrs. Rogers, who carried it out herself.

Mrs. Winterbottom was in the house situated where Dr. Kerr’s house stands, and American officers boarded there. An Indian came in one day and demanded liquor, her child, the late W. B. Winterbottom, ran screaming that his mother was being killed, as on her refusal the Indian raised his tomahawk to kill her, but an officer fortunately struck him down with his sword. During the bombardment people retreated to their cellars, some hung blankets over their windows, some took refuge after the burning in a cave dug in the side of a hill or made huts of rough boards.

Wm. Hamilton Merritt says in his diary that “On the 6th we went down to Castle Chorus with Capt. Hamilton, Jarvis, McKenny and Ball to find some medicine buried there, next day procured a wagon had the chest dug up. Whilst there at breakfast at Squire P. Ball’s a fight commenced between Indians under Capt. Norton and Chief Blackbird and about 600 of the States Infantry. In Oct. Mr. Gordon, his brother-in-law took his family from 12 Mile Creek to Burlington for safety.
On Dec. 10th saw by the glare at night that the town was on fire. On the advance of Col. Murray nothing by heaps of coals and streets full of furniture was seen, Mr. Gordon’s house left standing. The barracks and woodwork nearly consumed. I returned to Rev. Mr. Addison’s almost famished and had a good sleep.”

In ten years of U.C., by Mrs. Edgar. A letter from T.G. Ridout to his father from St. Davids 20th July, 1813. “rode down to the Cross Roads three miles from Niagara where the Royal King’s and 600 and 700 Indians are posted. The Americans were advancing into Ball’s fields. Blackbird and Norton went to meet them. We rode to within 1 1/4 miles of the town. The road was covered with Indians, officers and soldiers from the Presbyterian Church. They must have judged our force 3000, but we had only 1000.”

The same officer writes from St. Davids 24th Aug., 1813. “Lieut. Col. O’Neil with 30 Dragoons of the 19th covered the advance of Lt.-Col. Harvey into the town.

Scouring several of the streets as far as the Presbyterian Church, Col. Harvey called at his old quarters and recovered a box he had left there. The enemy commenced a brisk fire from the garden walls and houses, but our troops retired in order and with little loss.

Sept. 15th, Headquarters near Niagara. We burn rails, steal apples, pears and peaches. I carry on foraging, onions, eggs, turkeys, musk melons, milk cows, etc.

Sept 4th, 1813, Four Mile Creek. We have changed quarters from St. Davids. The 8th, 104th part of the 89th and 100th on the edge of the wood, in front of the main road crossing the camp by Mr. Addison’s, where the General stays we took possession of an old house, made a straw bed on the floor. We collect balm from the garden for tea and carry on an extensive robbery of peas, onions, corn, carrots, etc., for we can get nothing but by stealing except milk. Bread and butter is out of the question, we have an iron pot which serves for teapot, roaster, and boiler, and two window shutters put upon three barrels serve for a table.

Sept. 21st, I carry on the foraging the nests are kept nice and clean from eggs.

We feed a turkey every day at the door, which is doomed for our Sunday dinner. I wish George could bring a little starch with him for the frills of my shirts. Peggy Nelles has just mended my blue coat and sent it down to me for which I thank her very much; concerning the shirts the starch has not yet come to hand.”

Mrs. R.N. Ball, says the Crooks family left for Thorold at 12 at night, 26th May from Crookston, one mile creek, carried a child of ten which was helpless. Old Jacob Ball’s wife also went to Thorold carrying a baby. The log house at Crookston was swimming with blood the day of the battle. The Ball home was 74 ft. long, part of logs, and additions were built in 1814. It was taken down and is now a packing house for fruit, the ceiling is high, and the old doors may yet be seen.
An American account?  P. McDonough, letters from Fort George, 1813, Newark, May 30th. “We are at last in Canada. The enemy met us on the shore and made an obstinate resistance of fifteen minutes. This is a delightful place, the people evacuated but are returning daily.

Aug. 4th. We still remain here doing nothing. If things go on no better than they are doing I shall be ashamed to return to Philadelphia next winter. War characters must rank low there.

Aug. 9th. I was out all afternoon and had a few shots at the Indians. Ours are coming over tomorrow about 400 or 500.
Oct. 8th. The Militia and Indians had a desperate engagement with a party of the British on the 6th for about two hours and a half fought at such a distance that four were killed. We can attempt nothing; Col. Scott’s positive orders are not to suffer himself to be drawn out of the Fort on any terms whatever or to permit an officer to leave it.”

Dr. Mann wrote of his medical and surgical experiences in the American army. He says that after Niagara was taken 27th of May, nearly 400 killed or wounded lay on the ground in a space 200 yds. by 15 showing how sternly contested was the battle.

In the summer the sickness among the soldiers was alarming. At Fort George and near it of 5000 men, more than one third were on the sick list from effluvia from sinks. When 700 men were in hospital there were only three surgeons fit for duty.

During June it rained almost incessantly, July and August were very hot, the enemy near, skirmish almost daily. In October and November rain, disease were typhus, diarrhoea, dysentery, many died from diarrhoeas, being stopped with acetate of lead which brought other dreadful diseases. A flying hospital was established at Lewiston.

The statement of Mrs. Henry serving out refreshments to our soldiers on the day of the battle has been already given.

In a letter from Alexander Hamilton, afterwards Sheriff Hamilton written to Edinburgh and dated St. Davids, July 4th are a few references to the state of affairs then and to familiar names.

​After giving a sketch of the battles of Detroit, Queenston, Fort George, Stoney Creek, Beaver Dams, He says,
“The Americans upon taking possession of Niagara allowed the inhabitants to remain in quiet possession of their homes and property but since their last adverse fortune they have taken up almost every gentleman of respectability and sent them over the river as prisoners of war. You will be sorry to hear Mr. Wm. Dickson is among the number. Mr. T. Dickson had to make his escape in the night; John Robertson, you will be glad to hear, has behaved himself with great propriety and approved himself a most gallant soldier, his wife and daughter are both well. Robert went up last winter with Mr. Robert Dickson to bring down for our support the Northwestern Indians and is expected back every day. George and myself are attached to Col de Haren, of the 104th Regt. From our knowledge of the country and roads to assist him. James is attached as a Lieutenant to the Incorporated Militia. It is with the utmost pleasure I say that although one or other of us, sometime two or three together have been in almost every action yet that not one of your friends has been hurt. Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, Mr. and Mrs. William and Thomas Dickson are all well. We are still determined that although the force of the enemy is still greatly superior to ours, to make one gallant attempt to drive them from our shores, trusting to that divine providence which has hitherto, so strongly upheld us, we have no fears.”



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