E. B. Brenton

“ Such zeal, Sir, strongly characterizes the soldier. The happy consequences to the public cause, although unfortunate to yourself, of your late gallant attack on the enemy's advanced post, demand the warmest acknowledgments, and the universal wish that you may speedily recover from your wounds, and that our gracious Sovereign may discern, and properly reward such distinguished merit. ”

“ The formidable defences which he had prepared both at Coteau du Lac, and at the Cedars, together with the imposing force of militia which had been assembled at a very short notice, must have convinced General Wilkinson that he could not hope to make any impression upon a people who shewed so much zeal and alacrity in defending themselves, and who were commanded by one who possessed their entire confidence and affection. ”

“ The character and conduct of individuals in high and responsible situations, will naturally and necessarily be the subject of free and open discussion. The conduct of a soldier is more particularly exposed to this scrutiny. His success or his failure is a matter of such powerful interest to his country, that he generally receives even more than his full measure of approbation or of blame. Notwithstanding all the difficulties of forming a correct judgment on the merits of military operations, there is perhaps no subject upon which public opinion expresses itself so quickly and so decidedly. ”

“ We early discovered your vigilance, and energetic zeal for the good of the province,—your acute discernment of its best interests,—your perseverance in the pursuit of every object that could lead to its welfare,—and your unwearied attention to its minutest concerns;—we soon discovered that excellent understanding, which has so well fitted you to govern, and that integrity and independence, which have rendered your government so beloved, and so respectable. ”

“ As you have not acknowledged the receipt of my instructions, transmitted to you by desire, by Major-General Sheaffe, to avail yourself of any favourable opportunity of retaliating upon the enemy for the attack upon York, by endeavouring to annoy their settlements upon Lake Erie, I fear his letter has not reached you. The arrival of Captain Barclay, who, I trust, with a small reinforcement of seamen, is with you long before this, will, I hope, enable you to place your Marine on such a footing as to check any attempts of the enemy, to gain a superiority on Lake Erie. ”

“ To your Excellency's active and fertile mind we look up with much confidence for the vigorous and energetic measures, to prosecute a war, into which the insidious policy of a faithless and inveterate enemy has involved our country and ourselves, and in which are feared every thing which can render life desirable at stake. ”

“ Equity has been the ruling principle of your administration, and the most unremitting attention to public business its invariable practice: your indefatigable zeal carried you into the most remote parts of the province, and you became early acquainted with our situation and our wants. The confidence with which you inspired the legislative body, induced them to provide ample supplies for the different branches of the public service. ”

“ To retain Plattsburg was not possible without the assistance of a fleet, which would have been necessary to the provisioning of our army; a retreat, therefore, after destroying all we could not carry away, would have been indispensable. Such was, however, the state of the season and of the weather, that 24 hours delay in retiring with our troops to Canada, would not only have made such a measure dangerous, from the advance of the enemy in every direction, but would have rendered the conveyance of our ordnance and stores exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. ”

“ We thank heaven for having preserved your Excellency's person from all the dangers to which you have been exposed, not only from the enemy in the long line of frontiers through which you had to pass, but from the contagious diseases, which rage through many parts of these Provinces, and other dangers incidental to a journey of upwards of a thousand miles in a country like this, still destitute of inns, and proper accommodations for travellers, and at the most inclement season of the year. ”

“ It has been often and confidently asserted, that both the enemy's squadron and our own were within reach, of the guns of the works. It is not, therefore, surprising that an unfavourable impression should have been made upon the minds of many persons with regard to the policy of not persevering in an attack, which might, under such circumstances, have led to the recovery of our own fleet, or the destruction of that of the enemy. ”

“ I have the honor to inclose you the resolutions of the Committee of the Patriotic Fund, on their taking into consideration the official account of the gallant and successful defence, made by you, and the brave men under your command, against the very superior force with which the enemy invested Dominica, on the 22d February last. That the sovereignty of the Island was preserved to the British Crown, must be in a great degree ascribed, under Divine Providence, to the talents with which you conducted the military operations; to the confidence which those who served under you had in those talents ”

“ The administration of the Civil Government of Lower Canada under Sir George Prevost, was mild, equitable, and unquestionably popular among the entire mass of the Canadian population, in whose loyalty from the commencement, he placed the most implicit confidence. To their fidelity, and to the prudent and conciliating policy of this Governor, Great Britain is indebted for the preservation of the Canadas, unavoidably left destitute of money and troops at the outset of hostilities with America, by reason of the urgent demands of the war in Spain. ”

“ Your Excellency having been a witness of the zeal and ardent courage of every soldier in the field, it is unnecessary in me to assure your Excellency that but one sentiment animated every breast—that of discharging to the utmost of their power their duty to their King and country ”

“ Nothing but a determination to attach blame to the conduct of Sir George Prevost could have induced the Reviewer to hazard so groundless and unmilitary a stricture. That Sir George was alive to the importance of attacking this place, and of destroying the means there possessed by the enemy for increasing their marine, and for carrying on from thence their offensive operations, will appear evident from the measure which will be immediately adverted to, and which has drawn upon the Commander of the forces the acrimonious censure of the Reviewer. ”

“ The able measures adopted by Sir George Prevost in the disposition of the regular troops, as well as of the militia, who displayed the most ardent spirit of loyalty, and the most resolute determination to repel every attempt of the enemy to invade the Colony, induced the American Commander in Chief to abandon any further intention of advancing. After pushing forward a few reconnoitring parties which were invariably forced to retreat without effecting their object, he was ultimately compelled, by the advanced season of the year, to close the campaign, and to put the army into winter quarters. ”

“ Sir George Prevost, soon after the declaration of war, had called the attention of Government, as well as that of the Admiral on the Halifax station, to this subject. He had, therefore, every reason to expect that either from England or from Halifax, he should early in the year receive officers and seamen sufficient to fit out and man a fleet equal at least, if not superior, to any that the enemy might at that time be able to prepare. In this expectation Sir George Prevost was not disappointed ”

“ At that very period, a reinforcement of 600 men, under Colonel Tuttle, reached Sackett's Harbour. With the overwhelming superiority which this accession to their force gave the enemy, it is obvious that with very moderate pretensions to either skill or enterprise, they might have opposed most formidable obstacles to our re-embarkation. A further perseverance in the attack on our part, or the least delay in the retreat, would probably have ended in the capture or destruction of the whole of our troops. ”

“ A great and good King, who can appreciate merit and bestow reward, will add stability to our expressions, and pronounce to the world, by his commendations, that we have not presumed to announce your merits, but from the truest heralds of your fame—men who have shared your dangers and received your smiles—the British soldiery. ”

“ The port of Trinite, which lies beyond the line of our operations, will, by order of Captain Beaver, of the navy, be taken possession of this day, by a detachment of seamen and marines from the squadron to windward, under the command of Captain Dick, of the Penelope. The Admiral, with the body of the fleet and store-ships, is in the vicinity of Pigeon Island, at the entrance of Fort Royal Bay. Our operations to windward have been vigorous and effectual in point of time; and the privations of the troops have been considerable, and borne in a manner worthy of the character of British soldiers. ”

“ He was, at that period, in the act of negociating with General Dearborn for the armistice, which afterwards took place, with the reasonable expectation that the revocation of the Orders in Council would lead to a return of peace between Great Britain and America. Our force at that time on Lake Ontario was so decidedly superior, not only to what the enemy possessed on those waters, but to any which they could hope for several months to fit out, that an addition, either to its amount or efficiency, seemed to be uncalled for and unnecessary. ”

“ At this critical period, when the prejudices and misguided councils of a neighbouring nation render it not improbable that we may be called upon to defend the invaluable privileges of Englishmen, it must be a source of satisfaction to every loyal subject, that His Royal Highness, in the name of our venerable sovereign, has entrusted the defence of these colonies to an officer, who has so frequently proved himself worthy of commanding British colonies. ”

“ Under your government, Sir, though a short one, the agriculture, commerce, and fisheries of the province have rapidly increased; religion has been cherished, schools established, extensive roads of communication with the capital opened and improved, the militia organized and disciplined, and under the most salutary regulations rendered efficient. ”

“ It may in this place be proper briefly to notice another assertion of the Reviewer, respecting our marine—that the enemy commanded the waters of Lake Champlain [44] with a flotilla, before the British Commander in Chief had directed the construction of a single gun-boat to oppose them. That this should have been the fact, will not appear at all remarkable, when it is known that the waters of that Lake belong exclusively to the Americans, who enjoyed the most abundant means and resources for fitting out a fleet, from the number of vessels constantly navigating it for the purposes of trade. ”

“ To have attempted to create any other force, except gun-boats, for the purpose of defending the Richelieu, would, when no offensive operations were contemplated, have been an useless waste of those means which were required and employed for the increase of our marine on the other Lakes.
These observations upon Sir George Prevost's conduct with respect to our marine on the Lakes, may be concluded by a reference to the opinion of the public bodies in Upper Canada, with regard to the exertions of the Commander of the forces, in preserving our naval ascendancy on those waters. ”

“ In the succeeding despatch from General Brock to Sir G. Prevost, dated 26th July, from Fort George, that officer writes as follows: "I have not deemed it of sufficient importance to commence active operations on this line by an attack on Fort Niagara; it can be demolished, [Pg 36] when found necessary, in half an hour, and there my means of annoyance would cease. To enable the militia to acquire some degree of discipline, without interruption, is of far greater consequence than such a conquest." ”

“ I have had the honor to receive a letter from Miss Prevost, acquainting me that the family of the late Lieut.-General Sir George Prevost are preparing a pamphlet, in vindication of his memory and conduct, so ungenerously and cruelly aspersed in the Quarterly Review for October, 1822, and appealing to me for the truth or falsehood of that portion of the article, which attributes the defeat and capture of His Majesty's squadron on Lake Erie, then under my command, to the imbecility of his conduct, and general inattention to our necessities. ”