GATHERING CLOUDS
In 1811 the financial storm that had burst on England had spread to
France. Quarrels had again arisen between the latter country and the
two independent Baltic powers, Russia and Sweden, Denmark had taken
to piracy and had seized more than fifty American ships, and Russia
expected to fight France in order to protect neutral commerce in the
Baltic. England had that year almost ceased to send ships there, and
America swarmed in until the Russian market was glutted with its
goods. The United States had now a monopoly of the Baltic trade, but
while members were announcing in congress at Washington that
Napoleon's decrees had been withdrawn, Russia and Sweden were in the
act of declaring war against France in order to protect American
rights from the effects of those decrees.
The British prize court held that the French decrees had not been
repealed, therefore, that American vessels entering French ports were
good prize. It was truly a complicated state of affairs.
In the New England States there were some political changes which
boded ill for peace. In Massachusetts, where the Federalist party
had been {172} distinctly in favour of England,[1] Elbridge Gerry,
the Republican candidate for governor was elected and for the first
time the Republicans had a majority in the state senate. Senator
Pickering, possibly from his friendly action towards England, lost
his seat. It was he who at a banquet in Boston to Mr. Jackson, the
English envoy, gave as a toast, "The world's last hope; Britain's
fast-anchored isle."
There was a growing feeling of antagonism to England at Washington.
The report of the committee appointed by congress on foreign
relations, recommended an increase of ten thousand men to the army, a
levy of fifty thousand from the militia, the outfit of all vessels of
war not on service, and the arming of merchant vessels. In the
debate that followed, Mr. Randolph said: "Since the report of the
committee came into the House we have heard but one word, like the
whippoorwill's monotonous tone, 'Canada, Canada, Canada.'"
Napoleon kept the Americans still in doubt as to whether his Berlin
and Milan decrees were or were not revoked. Champagny, now Duke of
Cadore, said the emperor would favour the trade of the United States
so far as it did not cover or promote the commerce of England. The
Americans chose to believe that the decrees were revoked, but as soon
as they renewed their trade with France the British navy renewed
their blockade of New {173} York harbour, and His Majesty's ships,
the _Melampus_ and _Guerrière_ captured some American vessels bound
for France, and impressed the English seamen found on board. In
retaliation, Secretary Hamilton ordered the forty-four gun frigate
_President_ to sail at once and protect American commerce. Then
occurred near Annapolis the affair between the _President_, commanded
by Captain Rodgers, and the _Little Belt_, a corvette of eighteen
guns, commanded by Captain Bingham. The corvette was chased by the
frigate, and an action ensued in which the smaller boat was much
damaged. Eleven of her crew were killed and twenty-four wounded.
Both vessels disclaimed firing the first shot, and Captain Rodgers
said that in the dusk of the twilight he was unaware of the size of
his opponent. Whether it occurred by mistake or not, this affair
served to increase the bad feeling between the two nations.
[Sidenote: The "Little Belt"]
Brock wrote on the subject: "President Madison has committed himself
most openly and unjustifiably in the affair of the _Little Belt_ by
accusing that poor little sloop of a wanton act of aggression in
attacking a huge American frigate, when Commodore Rodgers himself
admits that he was nearly eight hours the chasing vessel."
In his address to congress, November 4th, 1811, the president said:
"With the evidence of hostile inflexibility in trampling on rights,
which no independent nation can relinquish, congress will feel the
{174} duty of putting the United States into an armour, and an
attitude demanded by the crisis, and corresponding with the national
expectation." This somewhat grandiloquent message showed plainly the
desire of the president for war.
In this address it was also mentioned that it had been necessary to
march a force towards the north-western frontier, in consequence of
murders and depredations committed by the Indians. The story of this
expedition may be briefly told.
[Sidenote: Tippecanoe]
On the banks of the Tippecanoe creek, near the river Wabash, not far
from Vincennes, and about one hundred and fifty miles south-east of
Fort Dearborn (Chicago), was a flourishing Indian village.
Cultivated fields testified to the industry of its inhabitants. As
the home and headquarters of the great chief, Tecumseh, the village
was frequented by bands of Indian warriors, then numbering about five
thousand in the territory, who hoped to keep for themselves and their
children a portion of the heritage of their forefathers. They were
animated by a spirit of patriotism, fostered by the teaching of their
leader. On July 31st, 1811, Tecumseh set off on a mission to the
Creeks in the far south. No sooner had he gone than the white
dwellers on the Miami River determined to take active measures
against the Indians. It happened that there had been depredations
committed by the latter, and a feeling of distrust had arisen among
the settlers, many of whom had encroached on the {175} Indian
boundaries, and had thus laid themselves open to attack.
General Harrison was at that time governor of Indiana, and was
authorized by the president to fit out an expedition, nominally as a
protection for the white inhabitants, but in reality with an
intention of breaking up the Indian settlement. Among the members of
this expedition were a number of hot-headed young Kentuckians, eager
to emulate the deeds of their fathers who had taken part in the old
Indian wars of the century before.
The expedition set off through what was then a wilderness, carrying
with them a rather scanty supply of ammunition and food. General
Harrison was himself in command, and pressed on with all haste in
order to reach the village before their supplies should give out. At
last they came to the banks of the Wabash, and there, within a short
distance of Tippecanoe they encamped for the night on a hill. Word
had gone to the village of their approach, and before the dawn a
party of nine hundred young Indian braves stole on the sleeping camp
and made a sudden attack. All was soon in confusion, and in the
_mêlée_ several hundred Americans, including some prominent
Kentuckians, were killed and wounded. Having accomplished their
task, and not waiting for the break of day, the Indians retired to
their village.
When day came, General Harrison gathered the remnants of his force
together, and marched {176} on the village, to find it, however,
deserted by its inhabitants, who had fled to escape his vengeance.
All that he could do in retaliation was to burn the wigwams, destroy
the stores of corn and fruits, and lay waste the fields. This done,
he took his shattered band back by the way they came. This
expedition was magnified by the Americans into a victory, and
henceforth General Harrison was known by the name, "Old Tippecanoe."
The Americans, willing always to blame the English government, placed
the responsibility for the fight on the latter, and accused them of
having incited the Indians to acts of aggression. One effect of the
so-called battle was to make the Indians more favourable to an
alliance with King George, and to make them hate, with a more bitter
hatred, the despoilers of their homes.
In January, 1812, Tecumseh returned to find famine where he had left
plenty, ruin and desolation where he had left a prosperous community.
From that time Indian hostilities began again on the frontier, and
were carried on with great ferocity.
In a letter to Sir James Craig on December 3rd, Brock wrote: "My
first care on my arrival in the province was to direct the officers
of the Indian department to exert their whole influence with the
Indians to prevent the attack, which I understood a few tribes
meditated against the American frontier. But these efforts proved
fruitless. Such was their infatuation, the Indians refused to listen
to {177} advice, and they are now so deeply engaged that I despair of
being able to withdraw them from the contest in time to avert their
destruction. A high degree of fanaticism, which has been for years
working in their minds, has led to the present state of things."
Again he writes, "The Indians felt they had been sacrificed in 1794.
They are eager to avenge their injuries."
[Sidenote: Plan of campaign]
In view of the expected American invasion, as early as December,
1811, General Brock gave his plan of campaign to Sir George Prevost.
After events proved how right he was in his forecast. He represented
that Amherstburg was a most important position, and that Detroit and
Michilimackinac ought to be taken in order to convince the Indians
that the British were in earnest about war. At that time the
garrisons of those two places did not exceed seventy rank and file,
but reinforcements, Brock thought, would be drawn from the Ohio,
where there was an enterprising, hardy race of settlers, famous as
horsemen and expert with the rifle. He also thought that unless a
diversion were made at Detroit, an overwhelming force would be sent
against Niagara.
In December, 1811, the militia at Amherstburg numbered about seven
hundred men. Brock proposed to increase the garrison there by two
hundred rank and file from Fort George and York. As for the
protection of the country between Amherstburg and Fort Erie, he
depended on the naval force on {178} Lake Erie, which consisted then
of one sloop, the _Queen Charlotte_, and one schooner, the _Hunter_.
The latter was old and out of repair, and yet was the only vessel
able to navigate Lake Huron. The Americans had on Lake Erie a sloop
and a fine brig, the _Adams_, of twelve guns. Both were in perfect
readiness for service.
General Brock counselled the immediate purchase or hire of vessels,
and also advised that gunboats should be built at once, constructed
to draw but little water. Owing to his representations another
schooner, the _Lady Prevost_, was ordered to be built on Lake Erie,
and also one on Lake Ontario, the _Prince Regent_. News had come
that the only American vessel of war on Lake Ontario, then lying at
Sacketts Harbour, was being manned as fast as possible. The
Americans were also recruiting for the navy at Buffalo, and had
crossed to Fort Erie to inveigle men away from there.
General Brock wrote to Sir George Prevost that he believed an attempt
at invasion would be made at the strait between Niagara and Fort
Erie, and that he thought he could raise about three thousand militia
and five hundred Indians to guard that line. He believed a
protracted resistance would embarrass the enemy, for their troops,
being volunteers, had hardly any discipline. He would need cavalry,
and he had had many offers from young men to form a troop, but they
would require swords and pistols. He considered Kingston a most
important {179} place to guard, for he believed a strong detachment
of the enemy would follow Lord Amherst's route of 1760, and enter the
province by way of Oswegatchie (Ogdensburg), where the river St.
Lawrence is one thousand six hundred yards broad.
The militia between the Bay of Quinté and Glengarry were, he thought
of excellent quality. They could not be better employed than in
watching such a movement. "Mr. Cartwright, the senior militia
colonel at Kingston," he wrote, "possesses the influence to which his
firm character and superior abilities so deservedly entitle him."
[Sidenote: Dépôts of arms]
Sir George Prevost wished to establish dépôts of arms throughout the
country. Brock proposed that there should be proper places at each
post where arms could be deposited after the militia had exercised.
Sir George proposed sending two thousand three hundred and
twenty-nine muskets to Upper Canada; but as there was no place to
store them there Brock urged the completion at once of the proper
buildings for the purpose at York.
In the summer of 1811 the 41st Regiment was at Montreal, eight
hundred strong. In October it was moved to York. In November three
hundred recruits for the regiment arrived at Quebec. They had been
sixteen weeks on the passage, and had suffered much. "What a noble
battalion this will be when brought together," Brock writes. It was
not long before their mettle was tried and proved.
The work of raising the corps of Glengarry {180} Fencibles, proposed
some years before, was now gone on with, and Colonel George Macdonell
was entrusted with the task. Among the officers appointed to it were
three sons of General Æneas Shaw, then adjutant-general of
militia.[2] It was decided that the uniform of this corps should be
dark green, like that of the 95th Rifles. Recruiting went on for the
Glengarries, as they were called, not only in the province of Upper
Canada, but also in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and sturdy
Highlanders were gathered from the coast and gulf, men who in the
stern days to come fought to the death for Canada.
In January a letter from Colonel Baynes told Brock that by the
October mail had come the long-looked-for permission for him to
return to England for service in Spain. Brock sent his formal
acknowledgment of the receipt of this permission to leave Canada, but
on account of the strong presumption of war with the Americans, he
begged to be allowed to remain in his present command. Sir George
{181} Prevost wrote saying that he had heard from Colonel Baynes that
General Brock would not avail himself of his leave of absence, and
expressed himself as much pleased that at this critical time he was
not to be deprived of his services.
A scheme of General Brock's was now carried out under his immediate
supervision, namely, the formation of flank companies, in the
different militia regiments, of specially drilled men, in order, as
he said, to organize an armed force to meet future exigencies, and to
demonstrate, by practical experience, the degree of facility with
which the militia might be trained to service. The companies were to
consist of one captain, two subalterns, two sergeants, one drummer,
and thirty-five rank and file. In General Brock's address to the
officers of these companies, he said: "Assisted by your zeal,
prudence and intelligence, I entertain the pleasing hope of meeting
with very considerable success, and of being able to establish the
sound policy of rendering permanent a mode of military instruction
little burdensome to individuals, and in every way calculated to
secure a powerful internal defence against hostile aggression."
The arms and accoutrements for the flank companies were to be
obtained from Fort Erie. General Brock also asked for clothing for
them from the king's stores. As to their training, they were to
drill six times a month, and as there was no provision for
remunerating the men, Brock asked that the {182} commissariat should
issue rations for the number actually present at exercise.
This organization proved a very useful measure, as the flank
companies were ready when the war broke out. The numbers embodied at
first were about seven hundred; when the companies were completed
they might be reckoned at eighteen hundred.
During the winter of 1811-12, military works were going on with all
speed throughout the province. Artificers were preparing temporary
magazines for the reception of spare powder at Fort George and
Kingston, the proposed fortifications at York were begun, and
ship-building was in progress. "Be ready," was the watchword for the
spring.
[1] On this occasion the state was divided into districts in party
interests. Hence the word "gerrymander" so well-known in Canada.
[2] On page 154 reference was made to General Brock's engagement to a
lady in York. Fuller confirmation of the story has been since
received, although in the form of a family tradition unsupported by
letters. It was to a daughter (Susan) of Lieutenant-General Shaw
that Brock was said to be engaged. The lady in question never
married, but died at an advanced age at the house of her sister, Mrs.
John Baldwin. Another sister, Isabella, was said to be the fiancée
of John Macdonell, Brock's friend and A.D.C. She afterwards married
the eldest son of Chief Justice Powell. His granddaughter, Mrs.
Ridout, now aged ninety, relates the story heard in her youth of the
romantic engagement of the two sisters whose lovers fell together on
Queenston Heights.
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