In the following year, upon the outbreak of our second war with England,
Boyd, who had been commissioned a brigadier-general, commanded a
division of Wilkinson's army in the abortive American invasion of Upper
Canada, and, on November 11, 1813, fought the drawn battle of Chrysler's
Field. "Taps" were sounded to his picturesque career on October 4, 1830.
He died, not as he would have wished, sword in hand at the head of
charging squadrons, but quite peacefully in his bed, holding the prosaic
position of port officer of Boston, to which post he had been appointed
by that other gallant fighter, President Andrew Jackson. As the end
approached I doubt not that in mind he was far away from the brick and
plaster of the New England city, and that his thoughts harked back to
those mad, glad days when he and his lancers rode across the plains of
Hindustan and his elephants rocked and rolled behind him.