in peace and abundance for several generations; the Great Sun, and those
who had remained with him, never thought of joining us, being tempted to
continue where they were by the pleasantness of the country, which was
very warm, and by the weakness of their enemies, who had fallen into
civil dissensions in consequence of the ambition of one of their chiefs,
who wanted to raise himself from a state of equality with the other
chiefs of the villages, and to treat all the people of his nation as
slaves. During those discords among our enemies, some of them even
entered into an alliance with the Great Sun, who still remained in our
old country, that he might conveniently assist other brethren who had
settled on the banks of the Great Water to the east of the large river,
and extended themselves so far on the coast, and among the isles, that
the Great Sun did not hear of them sometimes for five or six years
together.
“It was not till after many generations that the Great Suns came and
joined us in this country, when, from the fine climate and the peace we
had enjoyed, we had multiplied like the leaves of the trees. Warriors of
fire, who made the earth to tremble, had arrived in our old country, and
having entered into an alliance with our brethren, conquered our ancient
enemies; but attempting afterwards to make slaves of our sons, they,
rather than submit to them, left our brethren, who refused to follow
them, and came hither attended only by their slaves.”
Upon my asking him who those warriors of fire were, he replied, “that
they were bearded white men, somewhat of a brownish colour, who carried
arms that darted out fire with a great noise, and killed at a distance;
that they had likewise heavy arms which killed a great many men at once,
and like thunder made the earth tremble; and that they came from the
sun-rising in floating villages.”
“The ancients of the country,” he said, “were very numerous, and
inhabited from the western coast of the Great Water to the northern
countries on this side the sun, and very far up on the same coast beyond
the sun. They had a great number of large and small villages, which were
all built of stone, and in which there were houses large enough to lodge
a whole village. Their temples were built with great labour and art, and
they made beautiful works of all kinds of materials.”
“But ye yourselves,” said I, “whence are ye come?” “The ancient speech,”
he replied, “does not say from what land we came; all that we know is,
that our fathers, to come hither, followed the sun, and came with him
from the place where he rises; that they were a long time on their
journey, were all on the point of perishing, and were brought into this
country without seeking it.”
[Illustration: _Les Marches Naturelles,_
near Quebec.]
Moncacht-apé, after giving me an account of his travels, spent four or
five days visiting among the Natches, and then returned to take leave of
me, when I made him a present of several wares of no great value, among
which was a concave mirror, about two inches and a half diameter, which
had cost me about three half-pence. As this magnified the face to four
or five times the natural size, he was wonderfully delighted with it,
and would not have exchanged it for the best mirror in France. After
expressing his regret at parting with me, he returned highly satisfied
to his own nation.
Moncacht-apé’s account of the junction of America with the eastern parts
of Asia, seems confirmed by the following remarkable fact. “Some years
ago the skeletons of two large elephants and two small ones were
discovered in a marsh near the Ohio; and as they were not much consumed,
it is supposed that the elephants came from Asia not many years before.
If we also consider the form of government, and the manner of living
among the northern nations of America, there will appear a great
resemblance betwixt them and the Tartars in the north-east part of
Asia.”
Indians who have never seen the ebbing and flowing of the tide are
wonderfully struck with this phenomenon. Many of the inhabitants of
Quebec must still remember that the great deputation of Indian chiefs,
from the interior, and from the Mississippi, which came to Quebec during
the administration of Sir George Prevost, and had in their company the
sister of Tecumseh, were often to be seen sitting in a row upon a wharf
in the Lower Town of Quebec, contemplating in silence, and evidently
under the deepest impression of awe, the rising and falling of the
waters of the St. Lawrence.
The white men here described correspond in every particular with the
Chinese, who, there is reason to believe, held commercial intercourse
with the south of Africa long before Vasco de Gama discovered and
doubled the Cape of Good Hope. The Chinese are rather smaller than we
are, and have the palest complexion indigenous to Asia. Their muskets
are match-locks, and heavier than ours; their powder is inferior in
quality.
The stinking wood mentioned by the Indian chief is probably fustic,
yielding a yellow dye, which is the prevailing colour of the garments of
the superior classes in China.
-----
[2] The narrative of these proceedings must be received with due
allowance, as there is considerable discrepancy between the different
historians. The statements of Hakluyt are here generally followed.
[3] The first child born in Quebec of French parents was the son of
Abraham Martin and Margaret L'Angelois: it was christened Eustache on
the 24th of October, 1621.
CHAP. III.
LATER EVENTS IN CANADA.
* * * * *
Having presented the first two phases of the history of Canada—its last
period under the rule of the savage, and its first under that of
civilized man; we pass to the next, which brings us to our own time—its
rule by the government of England.
The war commenced by the United States against Britain in 1812, produced
a formidable crisis in the history of Canada, especially of the upper
province.[4] It is not proposed to enter into any discussion of the
grounds or merits of the hostile resolution adopted by Congress.
Doubtless, however, as Britain then stood with her whole disposable
force engaged against Napoleon, they calculated with full confidence on
obtaining possession of the Canadas, and, indeed, of all British
America. Dr. Eustis, secretary at war, said in Congress, “We can take
the Canadas without soldiers; we have only to send officers into the
provinces, and the people disaffected towards their own government will
rally round our standard.” Mr. Clay added: “It is absurd, to suppose we
shall not succeed in our enterprise against the enemy’s provinces. We
have the Canadas as much under our command as Great Britain has the
ocean. We must take the continent from them. I wish never to see a peace
till we do.” A similar impression prevailed in the colony itself,
defended then by only 4,500 troops, of whom not more than 1,450 were in
the upper province, though the most exposed, and presenting the most
extended frontier. Not a few were inclined, on the first alarm, to pack
up and quit the country; but Sir George Prevost, seconded by the
majority of the inhabitants, adopted a more spirited resolution. The
militia were called out; Quebec was garrisoned by the citizens; and the
frontier placed in a state of defence.
The States, though they had plunged into hostilities so eagerly, and
with such sanguine anticipations, were, by no means, in a forward state
of preparation. Few of the officers who had distinguished themselves in
the war of independence, survived the lapse of nearly thirty years.
General Hull, however, one of these veterans, was sent with a force of
2,500 men to open the campaign on the western frontier of Upper Canada.
On the 5th of July, 1812, he arrived at Detroit; and on the 12th crossed
the river, and took possession of Sandwich, whence he issued a
proclamation, inviting the colonists to join him, or at least to remain
neutral. He announced that no quarter would be given to a white man
fighting by the side of an Indian, though this is said never to have
been acted upon. Having no cannon mounted, he did not think it
practicable to attack Fort Malden, which covered Amherstburg, where
Lieut.-Colonel St. George, with his small force, was posted. Hull,
however, pushed forward detachments into the country, which gained some
advantages, and induced a few of the inhabitants to join them. But his
prospects were soon clouded. Capt. Roberts, with a small detachment, had
early reduced the fort of Michillimakinac, which “opened upon him the
northern hive of Indians.” Almost the whole of that race, indignant at
the encroachments of the Americans upon their territory, eagerly
espoused the British cause, and poured in from every quarter to support
it. Meantime, General Brock, having embarked all the troops that could
be spared from the Niagara frontier, arrived on the 12th of August at
Amherstburg, where he mustered about 320 regulars, 400 militia, and 600
Indians. Hull, whose force, weakened by sickness and by sending away two
detachments, is said not to have exceeded 800 effective men, retreated
across the river, withdrawing the cannon prepared for the siege of
Amherstburg, and shut himself up in Detroit. General Brock instantly
crossed, advanced upon the fort, and prepared for an immediate assault;
but a white flag then appeared from the walls, and a capitulation was
quickly signed, by which the whole American force, including the
detachments, were surrendered prisoners of war. The Canadian citizens,
who had despondingly anticipated speedy conquest, were not a little
surprised to see in less than three months the whole army destined for
that object marched in as captives. Loud complaints were made by the
Americans against the conduct of Hull, who was afterwards tried and
condemned to be shot, though spared on account of his age and former
services.
The Americans made great efforts to obtain a more fortunate result on
the Niagara frontier. Though the New England States, disapproving of the
war, withheld their militia, yet early in September more than 6,000 men
were brought to the banks of the river, with the view of crossing it,
and penetrating into Canada. They were encouraged by the exploit of two
row-boats, which captured the same number of British gun-brigs, with
valuable cargoes, as they were passing Fort Erie. The troops are
represented as filled with enthusiastic confidence, urging, and almost
compelling General Van Rensselaer, their commander, to commence active
operations. Accordingly, after one abortive attempt, he succeeded, on
the morning of the 13th of October, in pushing across to Queenston a
detachment, which, being well reinforced, gained possession of the
heights. General Brock, having come up, resolved to check their
progress, but, making his advance with too small a force, he was
repulsed and killed, closing his brilliant career by a glorious death.
Meantime, General Sheaffe, having brought up the main force of the
British from Fort George, and being joined by a body of Indians, with a
detachment from Chippeway, attacked the enemy, and, after a sharp
contest of half an hour, compelled the whole, amounting to above 900, to
surrender at discretion.
The Americans made yet another attempt to retrieve this unfortunate
campaign. General Smyth, who succeeded Van Rensselaer, had assembled, on
the 27th of November, 4,500 men in the vicinity of Black Rock. Early on
the following morning two detachments succeeded in crossing, and, after
a long confused fight in the dark, drove in with loss the British
outposts; but when day broke, and Lieut.-Colonel Bisshop had collected
about 600 regulars and militia, they hastily retired to the other side,
leaving a party of thirty to fall into the hands of the English. Another
division began to cross, but some rounds of musketry and artillery
induced them to return. In the course of the day, after a vain summons
to surrender Fort Erie, nearly half the force was embarked, though in
the afternoon the postponement of the enterprise was announced. After
several days of uncertain councils, it was finally decided that the
expedition should be abandoned for the season.
[Illustration: _Queenston._]
[Illustration: _General Brock’s Monument,_
above Queenston.]
The severity of the season caused a suspension of operations, scarcely
interrupted, unless by an attack on Ogdensburg by Captain M^{c}Donnell,
who, crossing the St. Lawrence on the ice, drove out the garrison, and
obtained possession of eleven pieces of cannon, and a considerable
quantity of stores. The Americans meantime were making extraordinary
exertions to open the new campaign under better auspices. At Sackett’s
Harbour, on the southern shore of Ontario, a naval armament was
equipped, which gave them for some time the control of that fine lake. A
large force had been assembled, and placed under a new commander,
General Dearborn. The plan of this campaign was limited to the conquest
of Upper Canada; the achievement of which, as that country was defended
by only 2,100 troops, was considered beyond the reach of chance. On the
25th of April, 1813, the general, with Commodore Chauncey, embarked
about 2,000 men, and sailed to York (Toronto), the rising capital of the
province. It was then very ill prepared for resistance, scarcely at all
fortified, and defended by General Sheaffe with only about 600 men. On
the morning of the 27th they reached the place, and succeeded in
landing, when, after a brave defence, protracted till two o’clock, the
English were obliged to abandon the town. The invaders suffered chiefly
by the explosion of a mine, which killed or wounded about 260, including
among the former General Pike, a young officer of distinguished merit,
who had planned and conducted the attack. After burning all the public
buildings, they carried off the artillery and naval stores, and by the
1st of May evacuated the place.
The next enterprise was still more important, being directed against
Fort George, near Newark, at the entrance of the Niagara channel,
considered the chief military position in the country. Nearly the whole
force was employed, a small part only being left to defend Sackett’s
Harbour. Brigadier-General Vincent, on the other hand, had only a
British detachment of about 1,000 regulars, and 300 militia; and Newark
had been exposed to so severe a fire from the American fort on the
opposite side, that it was no longer defensible. The enemy, therefore,
could be resisted only by opposing his landing, or by beating him
afterwards in the field. When Commodore Chauncey, on the 27th of May,
disembarked 4,000 men, under Dearborn and Lewis, both these operations
were attempted; but, after a long and severe contest, were rendered
unavailing by the superior numbers of the invaders. Vincent was obliged,
after calling in the garrisons of Chippeway and Fort Erie, to retreat,
first to the Beaver Dams, and then to Burlington Heights, near the
western extremity of Lake Ontario. The victors could not intercept his
retreat, but they established for the first time a regular lodgement in
Canada.
Meantime, a respectable naval force having been organised at Kingston by
Sir James Yeo, Sir George Prevost, the governor, was prevailed upon to
employ it in the attack of Sackett’s Harbour, defended only by a small
party, while the main body of the enemy was employed against Fort
George. He sailed on the 27th of May, with about 750 men, but on
approaching showed considerable hesitation, and even gave orders for a
return to Kingston, till, encouraged by the success of the Indians in
capturing twelve boats with seventy dragoons, he succeeded in effecting
a landing on the morning of the 29th. Notwithstanding the difficulties
of the ground, he drove the enemy before him, till they took shelter in
a log-barrack and stockaded fort: thence they kept up such a destructive
fire, that General Prevost, considering it impossible to force the
position, and panic-struck, it is said, by a false alarm raised by
General Brown in his rear, ordered a retreat. Much difference of
opinion, however, prevailed among the officers. Major Drummond is
reported to have said, “A few minutes, Sir, and I will put you in
possession of the place.” He was ordered to obey; upon which, discontent
and a want of confidence in the Commander-in-Chief became general, and
had a most injurious effect on the subsequent operations.
Fortune, so favourable to the Americans at the opening of the campaign,
did not continue so throughout. Extraordinary exertions were made in the
western States, particularly Kentucky. Two corps were formed, and
despatched under Generals Winchester and Harrison, to march in different
lines through Michigan; then to unite, and cooperate in recovering
Detroit, and invading the adjoining districts. Winchester, suspected of
a desire to achieve something before yielding the command to his
coadjutor, advanced with about 1,000 men to French Town, within
twenty-six miles of Detroit. Colonel Proctor, justly appreciating the
importance of attacking him before the junction, hastily collected all
the force within his reach, amounting to about 500 whites, and 450
Indians. With these, on the 22d of January, 1813, he succeeded in
bringing the enemy to action. They made an obstinate resistance, and,
being posted in houses and inclosures, caused considerable loss to the
assailants; but they were ultimately overpowered, and nearly all made
prisoners. The general himself was among the number, having fallen into
the hands of a Wyandot Indian, who stripped off his uniform, adorned his
own person with it, and could not without great difficulty be induced to
make restitution.
General Harrison, on receiving intelligence of this disaster, took up a
position near the rapids of the Miami, to await reinforcements. Colonel
Proctor felt equally the importance of attacking him before their
arrival. Having assembled about 1,000 regulars and militia, and 1,200
Indians, he embarked them at Amherstburg on the 23d of April, then
sailed across Lake Erie, and up the Miami. Many delays, however,
occurred, by which the enemy was enabled so to strengthen his position,
that the attack made on the 1st of May had very little effect. The
Americans were then encouraged to assume the offensive, which they did
with large bodies of troops, partly landed from the river, partly
sallying from the fort. At first they gained possession of the British
batteries, but they were then attacked at different points with such
decisive success, that upwards of a thousand were killed or taken, and
the rest with difficulty found refuge within the entrenchments. These
Proctor found himself still unable to storm; but he had so weakened the
enemy’s force, as to remove all immediate danger of invasion.
[Illustration: _Citadel of Kingston_
(from the St. Lawrence.)]
[Illustration: _View from the Citadel of Kingston._]
Let us now return to the main theatre of operations on the Niagara
frontier, where we have seen the British driven before the enemy to
Burlington Heights. Dearborn immediately sent forward Generals Chandler
and Winder with 4,000 men, to destroy if possible this shattered
remnant; a success which would have been followed by the conquest of all
the western provinces. On the 5th of June they took post at Stoney
Creek, to prepare for operations on the following day. In this critical
situation, Lieut.-Colonel Harvey, having carefully reconnoitred the
enemy’s position, suggested a night attack, to which General Vincent
readily assented. It was made with 700 chosen troops, and being favoured
by deep darkness, was completely successful; the Americans fled in every
direction, and the two commanders, with seven officers and 116 men, were
made prisoners. The British at day-light withdrew their small force. The
enemy’s loss, indeed, had not been great; yet such was the panic
inspired by the events of this night, that before eleven next morning
they had abandoned their camp, and commenced a retreat to Forty-mile
Creek, eleven miles distant. Here they received a reinforcement, but,
being threatened by Sir James Yeo, who had come with a squadron and a
small body of troops to support General Vincent, they determined on
retreating to Niagara. Nor did their disgrace stop here. Intelligence
being received that the English had a small advanced post at Beaver-dam,
Lieut.-Colonel Boerstler, with about 700 men, was sent to attack it.
That officer, however, being unexpectedly assailed, first by a party of
Indians, and soon afterwards by a small body of regulars, conceived
himself to be surrounded, and, on being summoned by Lieut. Fitzgibbon,
surrendered his whole corps prisoners of war. The Americans now held
nothing on the right bank of the river beyond Fort George. The British
even made incursions on the opposite shore; in one of which Col. Bisshop
gained possession of Black Rock, where he destroyed or carried off the
arms and stores; but being unfortunately attacked while re-embarking, by
a superior force, his party suffered some loss, and he himself received
three wounds which proved mortal.
The British at this time gained some advantages on Lake Champlain,
taking several vessels, and destroying the enemy’s magazines at
Plattsburg and Swanton. They were now, however, destined to experience
some severe reverses, and that too on the theatre of their most
brilliant triumphs.
The Americans made extraordinary exertions to retrieve their affairs on
the western frontier; volunteers crowded from Kentucky, a territory of
fierce and war-like habits; and by September they had succeeded in
augmenting General Harrison’s army to upwards of 5,000 men. They had
formed another fortified station on Sandusky River, which Major-General
Proctor, without success, attempted to reduce. A squadron of nine
vessels, mounting fifty-six guns, had been equipped by them on Lake
Erie, and it was with great difficulty that one at all able to contend
with it could be fitted out by the British, under Captain Barclay. An
engagement took place, which was maintained with the utmost obstinacy,
and the American commodore’s ship had even struck her flag; but fortune
afterwards turned, and the conflict ended in the defeat and entire
surrender of the English squadron. The event reduced General Proctor to
extreme distress, depriving him of access to supplies and
reinforcements, while his stock of provisions had become quite
inadequate for his own troops, and the numerous Indians who had joined
his standard. On the arrival, therefore, in the end of September, of
General Harrison at Detroit, he did not attempt to maintain his position
at Amherstburg, but retreated up the river Thames. The other pursued him
closely with 3,500 troops, while Proctor was deserted by most of his
Indians, of whom he had now only about 500, with 800 whites. At the
Moravian town, on the 5th of October, he took up a strong position,
flanked by the river on one side, and a wood on the other, where he
hoped to render unavailing the superior numbers of the enemy. Harrison,
however, had with him a body of combatants yet unknown in warfare, the
Kentucky mounted riflemen, accustomed to ride through the woods, using
their weapon with almost preternatural skill. Their very novelty he
justly hoped would make a strong impression. Following his instructions,
they received the fire of their opponents, then galloped forward, and in
a few minutes completely broke the British ranks, spreading among them a
general confusion. The severest conflict was with the Indians, who lost
their chief, Tecumseh, one of the bravest of the brave, stamped a hero
by the hand of nature, and equally distinguished by policy and
eloquence. The main object of his life had been to unite his followers
in a grand confederacy against American encroachment. In enmity to them
he had warmly attached himself to the cause of the British, and aided
them in successive victories. He was shot through the head by Col.
Johnson, a member of Congress. General Proctor retreated to Ancaster,
where he could rally only 200 men, with whom he joined the Niagara army.
Harrison, also, having thus recovered Michigan, and conquered the
western districts, marched to reinforce his countrymen in that quarter.