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Bibliographic Citation

Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Vol. 13, series, Section 2, 1919 : a contemporary account of the Navy Island episode, 1837.

10168097

Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Vol. 13, series, Section 2, 1919 : a contemporary account of the Navy Island episode, 1837.

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A CONTMTORART CCOUNT OF THE NAVY Intaili IFISODIS, 1837.
R. Riddell

By From

--

The Royal. Society or Canada, 1919.

NIAGARA FALLS PUBLIC IfIRAF Lf
-

SECTION II,

1919

[57]

TRANS.

R.S.C.

A Contemporary Account of the Navy Island Episode, 1837
THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM RENWICK RIDDELL, LL.D., F.R.S.C.
(Read May Meeting, 1919)

The following account of the destruction of the "Caroline," etc.,
was written by George Coventry at the time, in order to be sent to England, where his people resided. It is dated at Chippewa, Upper
Canada, 1838, and is in the form of a letter to his sister in England.
George Coventry, whom, when I was a boy, I knew in Cobourg,
was born at Copenhagen Fields House at Wandsworth Common in
the house "at the corner near the city road" and "within the sound of
Bow Bell." His father was a ward of Baron Dimsdale of Thetford,
and was placed by his guardian with Jones, Havard & Jones, merchants, in London. His mother was Elizabeth Thornborrow, from
Lupton Hall, Westmorland, who was visiting at Sir Joshua Reynolds',
when she was won by Coventry. Coventry, Senior, was afterwards a
member of the firm of Jayson & Coventry, and seems to have been a
man of literary tastes and considerable ability. The son was born on
28th July, 1793. He had the misfortune to lose his mother who died
of cancer when Coventry was three years old. The lad was then placed
in a Ladies' School, at Peckham, Surrey, kept by Mrs. Freith and her
three daughters, one of whom, the elder Coventry afterwards married.
George Coventry was then sent to a Boys' Boarding School at
Hitchin, Hertfordshire, kept by Mr. Blaxland, where he stayed for
about three years. On the death of Mr. Blaxland, his undermaster,
Mr. Payne, started a school near Epping Forest, which young Coventry attended until his fourteenth year when he was sent to Dover
where he completed his education. He afterwards engaged as an
employee in his father's firm, and in that capacity travelled over the
greater part of Great Britain. He also visited France, where he thinks
he saw at Fontainebleau some flowers, the offspring of certain plants
which he had seen leaving Dover, a present from the Queen of England to the Empress Josephine. He came to Canada in the fourth
decade of the 19th century, was an eye-witness of some of the occurrences of the Rebellion of 1837, and returned to England in 1838.
Returning to this Province he lived for a time in St. Catharines;
afterwards he was in Cobourg, then in Picton as editor of a paper
there, then he returned to Cobourg and made that his home for the
remainder of his life. He died at Toronto, February 11, 1870, and is
buried in the St. James Cemetery at Cobourg.

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

He left at his death a considerable mass of manuscripts, one being
"The Concise History of the Late Rebellion in Upper Canada" from
which the accompanying is taken. The greater part of this history,
which runs to about 20,000 words, is familiar ground; it does not differ
from the current accounts of the rebellion and no small part of it is
invective against Mackenzie and his followers. I have therefore not
thought it worth while to copy all of it.
Coventry also left a considerable mass of poetry, more or less
good; amongst the manuscripts is one seemingly based on Chaucer,
which purports to be a poetical account of a fishing and hunting party
at Rice Lake—it brings in a great many persons who were well known
in Cobourg, Port Hope and the township of Hamilton, and each one of
these is made to tell a story. At the present day, the stories are rather
vapid and of little interest to anyone except those who were acquainted
with the persons to whom they are attributed—I knew most of them by
sight and all by name.
He also left a manuscript, "Reminiscences," which contains an
account of his life up to the end of the second decade of the last
century. He gives an interesting story of John Wesley, which I attach
to this paper, and he also has the following:
"I was at Vauxhall the night that George IV died. Everyone
was in full black dress, which gave the Gardens a most remarkable
appearance. Such a sight will never be seen again, for they are now
abolished."
Coventry was employed by the Government of Canada to collect
material for the history of Canada, and it was through his efforts
that the "Simcoe Papers" were obtained.
According to my recollection, Coventry was a man of fine presence and dignified bearing, and with the courtesy of an English
gentleman. I have no reason whatever to suppose that he has misrepresented anything, although his account of the destruction of the
"Caroline" does not agree in all respects with that given by Dent and
others, nor with that given by an officer "G. T. D." (the late George
Taylor Denison, Sr.) in the Canadian Monthly for April, 1873, Vol.
3, p. 289.
ANECDOTE OF JOHN WESLEY
"In after years my father often narrated events that happened
at that period; not the least remarkable was the following:
"There was another quiet house not far distant from Wandsworth Common at which the celebrated John Wesley visited, and my
father being a neighbour was sent for when John arrived on his visit,

ABA ZALL

LIB1L

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NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

59

which was pretty frequent. The little coterie assembled was more
like a quiet Methodist meeting than a feast, there being some 20 or
30 generally present. Among these seekers of truth was an old man
who knew the Bible by heart. His name was Samuel Best, who went
under the cognomen of 'Poor Help,' as an innocent-minded man.
The tea and evening passed pleasantly enough, all edified with Mr.
Wesley's account of his voyage across the Atlantic. When the hour of
ten announced the time of his departure, he being an early man and
an early riser, his coat was brought and as was his custom he went
round the room and shook hands with all present. On accosting
`Poor Help,' he remarked: 'Why Samuel, thee have been unusually
silent this evening. I have not heard thee speak a word. There must
be something remarkable on thy mind.' To which Sam replied: 'Yes,
John, there is, and I cannot refrain from telling thee what it is, "Set
thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." ' My father
said the affair was taken in good part; but whether it operated on a
mind at all times inclined to be superstitious, it is a singular fact that
Wesley died in less than a fortnight, March, 1791. At this period my
father was a bachelor, not being then of age.
"When I paid a visit to England in 1838 to see my father for the
last time, I was one morning strolling around the Bricklayers' Arms,
Kent Road, waiting for the Brighton stage, when I was arrested by a
railing around an old church yard, and on peeping through, the first
tombstone that caught my eye was the following!
'Here lies
Samuel Best,
Commonly called
Poor Help.
Aged 93.
"This was the identical man who gave John Wesley his warning
to prepare for death. There are many remarkable circumstances
connected with Sam Best which can be found in the magazines of
the day; but Southey, in his life of Wesley, has not mentioned this,
and perhaps never heard of it, although perfectly true.
"My father still continued to visit at this conference where he
formed an intimacy with Sam Best, who gave him several texts of
scripture applicable to his future movements in life. Strange to say
he would never show them to any one, but he told me in after years
that every one came true. He had great faith in Best's discrimination of character and looked upon him as a prophet.
"The King went one day in disguise with Lord Sandwich and two
or three other eminent men. Best looked hard at the monarch, whom

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

he had never seen, and told him to write down in his Tablet, Proverbs,
Chap. 25, verse 5. After a little conversation the party retired. On
reaching Saint James, the King turned to his Bible and read aloud to
his courtiers, 'Take away the wicked from before the King and his
throne shall be established in righteousness.' Sandwich was very
angry with old Best, as well he might; but the King ever after was a
friend to him and said he should never want, which was verified."
So far I have copied accurately the manuscript of Mr. Coventry.
There is, however, a good deal about Mr. Best which he does not seem
to have known. The D. N. B. gives us most of the following:
This pretended prophet, Samuel Best, was born in 1738, and before he was 50 years of age he had become an inmate of the Work
House at Shore Ditch. His life before that time is rather obscure.
By some he is said to have been a Spitalfields weaver and by others a
servant in different establishments in the city of London. Before he
was 50 years of age he disowned his children, he discarded his original
name and took that of "Poor-help" (not Poor Help as Coventry
thinks), describing as he thought his special mission.
He was a visionary and enthusiast, not wholly unlike his contemporary, the celebrated Richard Brothers who came from Newfoundland. He probably was a little touched with insanity and probably
believed in his own prophetic and supernatural powers. He was in
the habit of receiving his visitors, we are told, in a room adorned with
fantastic emblems and devices; he would inspect the palms of their
hands and from them give an outline of their past lives. He would
also furnish guidance for the future in phrases of scripture, just as he
did with Coventry's'father; he also believed, or at least claimed, that
by licking the hands of his patients he could determine the disease
with which they were afflicted.
After acquiring considerable notoriety he removed to a house in
the Kingsland Road and was consulted by many of the upper classes
whom he also visited at their own homes He professed to eat no
food but bread and cheese and to drink only gin' tinctured with rhubarb.
He spent his nights, as he claimed, in communion with the celestial
powers. For the last 30 years of his life he was convinced that he was
to be the leader of the children of Israel to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. In that regard he imitated Richard Brothers, who about the
same time, that is, the latter part of the 18th Century, gave himself
out as a descendant of David, declaring that he was to be revealed as
Prince of the Hebrews and Ruler of the World.
Brothers was more fortunate in some respects than Best in that
he convinced many educated Englishmen, members of Parliament
:

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NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

61

amongst them, of the verity of his claims, while Best never had any
great following. Best, however, had the security of mediocrity, for
he ended his life in peace and without prosecution, dying in 1825,
while poor Brothers was first charged with treasonable practice and
confined as a criminal lunatic, and was subsequently removed to a
private asylum.
We have at the present day some instances of the same kind of
prophet. Joseph Smith was a strong example, and since his time we
have had the Holy Rollers, the Holy Ghost and Company, and like
bodies of visionary enthusiasts.
Some of them are still with us.
COVENTRY'S ACCOUNT.

Grand Island belongs to our Neighbours, therefore to secure
themselves from Molestation, they [that is Mackenzie's Forces] agreed
to make the Conquest of Navy Island belonging to the British Government, and inhabited only by one old Woman and her daughter, whom'
they sent over to Grand Island in snug quarters there at a Log Hut
within sight of their previous location.

That no opposition should be made to their landing, they kept the
place of their destinatidn a profound secret, and marched through a
Wild forest for four or five Miles, frequented by Nothing whatever but
Deer and Wild Cats.—It so happened however, that early intelligence
reached us, and had it been acted upon promptly, the whole trouble,
confusion, expence and Inconvenience, might have been Easily avoided.
It was early in the Morning of the 11th of December, I was at Captain
Ussher's, when a respectable farmer called to give his deposition
relative to their Movements. He stated he wished to do so from a
fear that his Cattle and property would be plundered by these Brigands
on their March. He owned a large farm on Grand Island as well as
300 acres of Land in Upper Canada—and therefore claimed our protection, by dispersing the pirates as quickly as possible. He happened
to be at Tonawonta at the very time when they embarked—suspecting their place of destination, which on Enquiry was Confirmed,
he hastened thro the Island to the shore—took his Canoe—came over
and gave us the Information. This was the first Intelligence that
reached us—we took down his deposition in writing—Aritnessed it,
and after breakfast, Captain Ussher mounted one of his Horses and
rode off to the Commanding Officers then at Fort Erie to give him
Intelligence.—It was considered an event so highly improbable, that

'

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

no further notice was taken of it, further than passing the Communication on to another quarter; we were displeased, being firmly convinced that the farmer's testimony was implicitly to be relied on,
but having No authority to act, nothing could be done, altho' Mr.
Ussher volunteered for one to go over and keep guard—there were
also numbers in readiness to join him.—The remainder of the day,
we kept a sharp look out, allowing no Boats to pass without permission
of a Magistrate, yet notwithstanding our vigilance some spies had
been Known to Cross, higher up the River.—One of these, however,
Corroborated the farmer's Testimony by mentioning the Circum3
stance at a small Tavern about A
Mile distant, where I called every
hour to ascertain if there were any suspicious Characters.—At four
o'clock in the Morning, we went down to Chippewa and stated this
fact also—but the Colonel was as little inclined to belief as the other;
he promised however that a conference should be held in the Course
of the day—which was accordingly done, but the golden opportunity
was lost, by reason of the Time that elapsed in passing, repassing and
conferring together. A handful of Men at that Crisis would have
prevented the diKeful disasters that afterwards occurred. I wished
for the spirit of Lord Peterborough's Movements, at that Juncture
to act promptly, in order to prevent the annoyance which must
inevitably arise from those Marauders taking quiet possession of an
Island, from which, if they intrenched themselves well, they could
with difficulty be removed.—The Militia are all very well as Secondaries, but from the Circumstance of being so little engaged in Warlike
operations, they make but poor primaries in a case of Emergency of
this kind.—This does not arise from any defect in personal Courage,
because the late Events have proved this fact to the Contrary. It
arises from a want of organised plans and extension of service, to teach
them the importance of every position and advantage to be taken of
the Movements of an Enemy, which can only be acquired by tact
and Experience.
I nevertheless agree with my friend, that common foresight and
prudence, should have induced the Colonel of the District, in the
absence of any Regulars, to send over a guard to the Island, knowing,
as he must have done, that Mackenzie was in Buffalo, inflaming the
Minds of the People to revolt against us.
From ocular demonstration, it was proved, on the following day, 2
that our Information was Correct, for we could plainly see the pirates,
walking around the Island, and preparing their fortifications.—All
Night long, the axe was heard, felling Trees for breast work, and the
Constructions of Shantys, as temporary huts to shelter them from the

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NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

63

Cold, until they could convey lumber over for building, which was
soon effected, necessity being with them the rallying point to raise
quarters as speedily as possible, not only for themselves, but from the
Anticipated Kentucky boys, we could see them cutting down and
carrying away fern and brushwood for Beds to repose on: they kept
up large fires, most of them being apparently accustomed to Night
Campaigning in the open air.
Dreary as our Midnight patrolling was before the arrival of the
Gineral and his advanced Guard, you may readily suppose, we were
no better off after the arrival of our piratical Neighbours whose plans
we were totally ignorant of : they might come over in Boats, burn
the Houses and pillage the Country, then return with the greatest
alacrity without being Caught, for we had as I before stated, no other
Guard along the frontier. Fortunately, however, they were too closely
engaged in their Military Tactics and Shanty building to trouble us,
although the circumstance of their being armed and not knowing
precisely their Numbers, was a source of great alarm all around the
Country.—
The very possession of our Soil, small as the Island is, aroused the
Indignation of the Loyalists, and prompted them to greater exertion
than they had hitherto manifested. The News, which had gone forward to Toronto as doubtful, was no sooner confirmed than Volunteers marched from all quarters, and dispatches forwarded to the
Lower Province, to recall all the regulars they could spare. Order
being partially restored in that quarter, since the destruction of Saint
Charles and the flight of the prominent leaders, the Troops promptly
obeyed the call and prepared for departure.
In Common Seasons, their transportation by Water would have
been Impracticable, such an Occurrence being rarely remembered
of Steam Boats plying towards the End of December. This Season
however, as if aided by a superintending power in favour of our cause,'
was mild, enabling the Boats to run without interruption from the Ice.
Detachments of the 24th and 32nd regiments quickly arrived at
Toronto, from whence they rapidly pushed on, without the harass
and fatigue of travelling by Land.—Whilst these brave fellows were
on their route, Volunteers from various districts had arrived from as
far North as Port Hope, Cobourg, Prescott and other Settlements
along the Lake Shore.—Colonel MacNabb also had returned from the
West and pushed on with 300 Men, joined by Captain Kerr and his
200 Indians, who had painted their faces Red, a custom among them
on warlike Expeditions.—We were not a little pleased at their arrival,
having some chance of being relieved on our Midnight Guard.
-

3

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64

The quiet Village of Chippewa suddenly assumed quite an
animated appearance from the Influx of so many strangers. So
rapid had been the Movements of the Troops that in a very short
time upwards of 4000 had arrived to our protection.—Bands of
Music — Bugles — Marching — Countermarching — drilling—firingCannon exercising—the bustle and stir of the Commissariat department—waggon loads of Bread—Beef, pork & potatoes moving along
the road from the surrounding farms—presented a spectacle quite
Novel to me, who for the first time was located in the very heart of
the Contending parties—Private Houses were all turned into Barracks
and the Methodist Chapel into a Hospital—our worthy Clergyman
turned the sword of the Spirit into an Instrument of war, nothing in
fine being thought of but preparations for defence in the Event of an
Invasion—This all-engrossing Topic superceded every other consideration.
I should tell you, that in conformity with the Colonel's assurance,
preparations were made for going over to the Island to make remonstrance against American Citizens taking possession of our
Territory. ACcordingly, some of the Magistrates, accompanied by
Volunteer rowers, proceeded on their way thither. This was an illjudged Experiment,' as they must have been aware that the Brigands
were too numerous and too well armed to allow them to land, although
it was their policy to have done so, which would have secured the
party prisoners, and secured the Boats.—Willing, however, to shew
us that they, in reality had commenced their fortifications, and
possessed Cannon;—so soon as the Boat neered the Northern Extremity of the Island, they opened their Battery and fired a Six
pounder upon the adventurers. This was too warm a reception, so
they deemed it most prudent to return, which they quickly did,
without accomplishing the End in view. Two or three more shots
were fired, but without effect, their artillerymen not being insufficient
practise to level a good aim, or make that allowance in the art of
Gunnery with a Moving object, so as to do any injury.
4

So incredulous were the authorities in power, as to their numerical •
force, considering that merely a few lawless fellows had gone there on a
freak, that they determined on another Experiment, which took
place shortly after, and would doubtless have succeeded had they
manned a sufficient Number of Boats. Unluckily however, as I
hinted at the outset, we had no Boats of any consequence, but they
were very quickly supplied from Queenston and Elsewhere. The
Sleighing being good, a grand Movement took place, and it was really
curious to see the rapid arrival of so many Boats. In a few days,

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65

near 100 were collected together. I saw one Immense Boat that
would hold 50 men, -drawn all the way from Hamilton, a distance of
44 miles, by 36 oxen,—a sight, I shall in all probability, never witness
again. Schooners also were ordered from the shores of Lake Erie,
and every other kind of craft that the Country possesed.—The two
first Boats were soon brought into service, without waiting for a general
attack, which, at one time, was determined on. These were manned
by a reconnoitering party,' consisting of Intrepid young fellows, who
had freely volunteered their services. The current being strong,
they were towed up the river a little beyond Mr:, Ussher's.—The
party, consisting of Six in one boat, and Eight in the other, proceeded
towards the Island, intending to row down the stream between Navy
and Grand Islands. The object in view, was to ascertain what force
was stationed at the back part, where the old lady's cottage stood,
then taken possession of by VanRanselaer and Mackenzie, with their
aid de Camps.
No sooner however, had they reached the line opposite the
extremity of the Island, than a brisk Cannonading, with 6 pounders,
opened upon them. It was an interesting and Novel sight, tho' an
alarming one, lest our brave Countrymen should be swamped by a
Cannon Ball. At the first fire, we distinctly saw where the ball
struck the water, well directed as to the line, but too much elevated,
so that the Ball passed over their heads, and struck some distance
off.—The second shot was better directed and fell very near the bow
of the Boat.—Finding it would be impracticable to get round, they
rowed back and returned to Chippewa, about Midway in the Current
on this side, but sufficiently near to the Island for any experienced
Rifleman to have done great execution. By this time, a vast number
had assembled with their rifles, who kept up one incessant firing,
but all to no effect. I should think at the least, there were 200 balls
fired, still no harm done, which satisfied us there was less to fear
from the Brigands than had, by many, been anticipated, although
it had been given out that their aim was as unerring as the Indians.—
Whilst the Boats kept gliding along, our fine fellows only laughed at
them, twirling, at the same time, a Hat at the End of a boarding
Sword, with which they were all well armed, as well as pistols.
Before they cleared the Island, another Cannonading commenced,
with similar ill-success., The ruffians discharged 7 Six pounders,
but none near Enough to either Boat even to splash them. One
Ball, I noticed, dropped in the water, midway between the 2 Boats.
This was the second best shot that was made.—On reaching Chippewa,
they gave 3 cheers, and landed amid the applause of the byestanders.

ti L71

=.',"

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

After Mr. Ussher had played "God Save the Queen" on his Bugle, we
walked down to see the results. I examined the Boats carefully, but
no symptoms of a single bullet mark, out of the 200 fired on the
Occasion, convincing us, that the recruits must be better practised
in the art of Gunnery, before they attempted to cross over and pay
us a visit.
These reconnoitering parties ceased soon afterwards, and a Council of War Was held as to the best course to pursue to dislodge the
Marauders. It was desirable, if possible, to spare the effusion of human
blood, and on this account, it was considered advisable to act on the
defensive, particularly as our reinforcements were numerous, and
detachments arriving daily from distant districts. The Jewish
Monarch declared formerly, that in the multitude of Councillors
there is safety: Unfortunately however from there being too many,
the Country was harassed much longer with apprehensions of alarm
than was consistent with the general character of the British Nation.
This Indecision was afterwards a source of reproach by the American
Authorities, who considered that it was our duty to remove a lawless
band, who had taken possession of our soil, contrary to the existing
Treaty between the two Countries.—Colonel McNabb was of opinion
that the first shedding of blood by forcibly removing them, would
weigh but trifling in the scale of Contention and prevent numbers
afterwards falling a Sacrifice by the Sword, an Idea which was
looked upon by the most Intelligent Men as a moral Certainty: indeed
it was on the Eve of being accomplished, but afterwards Countermanded.—A plan of the Island was drawn by my friend Captain
Ussher and Myself, where every spit was marked, so intimately acquainted were we with its location, from having gone over so frequently on shooting expeditions. This was forwarded to the Governor,
preparatory to his taking a circuit along the frontier.—
Whilst the subject of attack was under Consideration, various
Magistrates assembled at Fort Erie in Council, who drew up a remonstrance, signed by Mr. Merritt, chairman, requesting the Mayor and
Authorities at Buffalo to inform them whether the aggression complained of were noticed by them, or in any way "sanctioned,, or
whether in reality, any preparations were making for hostilities—an
Event wherein there appeared some probability, from the circumstance of Drummers parading the streets of Buffalo on recruiting
Service.—
Dr. Trowbridge, the Mayor, an Intelligent and highly reputable
Man, finding the enthusiasm of the people had gone beyond the power
of the Law to restrain their proceedings, resigned his situation in

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• IRIDDELLI

67

favour of Mr. Barker:—previous to this, however, he wrote a reply
to the Magistrates assembled at Port Erie assuring them that every
thing practicable would be done to restore order, and that, so far
from the Government wishing to sanction the proceeding of the
Rabble, every precaution would be taken to allay the excitement.
"Had these resolutions been promptly followed up by the Marshall and others in Authority, quiet would soon have been restored,
and the rebellious faction disbanded—but a strong party of speculators
arose in their favour and winked at their procedings, allowing Boats
to convey arms, Ammunitions and provisions to them, which might
easily have been prevented. Certain Authorities even saw Cannon
with the United States mark upon them, and yet took no measures to
secure them or to detain the parties who were known to be the pilferers.—
A steam Boat' was also hired for the conveyance of recruits, arms,
Ammunition, etc., to the Island, which had arrived from Rochester
and other districts on Sleighs, where the Jurisdiction of the Marshall
extended.—A guard also, in time of peace, being allowed to watch
the Boat at Night, without any warning that it was an infringement
of Neutrality was truly unaccountable.—Strange as this conduct may
appear to you, I have it from the best information—gentemen who
were over there when the Marshall conversed with Van Ransellaer
and who saw a Cannon in his Boat belonging to the American Government.
Conduct so reprehensible, could not escape the Censure of our
Authorities, who, finding that so much listlessness and apathy prevailed, considered it high time to look out for themselves, having
previously ascertained that the American Militia refused to act.—
All these circumstances being taken into consideration, a Council
of War, which was held at Chippewa, determined upon some vigorous
measures to prevent further aggressions upon our Territory, and to
open the eyes of the deluded Buffalonians, as to the impolitic course
they were pursuing.—They would have rejoiced had the Authorities
on the other side done their Duty, by putting a stop to Innovations
so hourly Notorious. After allowing the American authorities a fortnight, and finding all their remonstrances unavailing, they determined
to act decisively and to perform that Service which it was the bounden
duty of the American Government to have done themselves. No
alternative remaining, six8 Boats were manned, under the Command
of an intrepid officer, Captain Drew, with instructions from Colonel
McNabb to proceed at Night and take possession of the piratical

e

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

Steam Boat, the "Caroline," which was known to be illegally conveying
Cannon, Arms, Ammunitions, recruits and provisions over to the
Marauders and rebels on Navy Island.—She was seen plying on the
afternoon of the 28th and not returning, was supposed she would
moor there for the Night.—In whichever case, however, they were to
take possession of her at all hazards.—Accordingly about 10 o'clock
at Night, the preparations were completed and the Boats manned
and well-armed for the Expedition—a more hardy, or intrepid set of
fellows could no where be found, all in good spirits, and ready to
achieve any event however hazardous.—On nearing the Island, they
found that the said Steamer had left in the Evening for Schlosser on
the American shore thinking to be protected and beyond our Control,
but the result proved the Contrary. The first two Boats Kept ahead
of the rest, having more experienced rowers and on arriving alongside,
were hailed by the Sentry for the Countersign.—No satisfactory
answer being given, the party on guard fired, but without effect;
the Boat was soon boarded and taken possession of, but hot without
the loss of several lives in the Confusion that ensued.—This is a brief
outline of the proceeding, columns of which have been written on the
subject containing more untruths than I need trouble you with.—As
the Current was too strong towards the rapids and falls, to tow her
over, which was the original intention, she was set fire to, in three or
four different places—unmoored and allowed to drift her course over
the falls, a species of Navigation that was certain to consign her to
oblivion for Ever. The Night was very dark, consequently, as you
may suppose, it was a very grand sight, to see her gliding with the
Current towards the whirlpool of her destination, whither she in due
time approached and no vestige of her remains ever seen afterwards.'°
9

The Boats quietly rowed back into the Chippewa, having two
prisoners" and three of the party wounded", one of whom, Mr. McCormack, suffered severely, and afterwards received a Pension for his
bravery—the other two soon recovered.—After eliciting all the Information they could obtain from the Prisoners, they were allowed to
return home the following day, it appearing that they were strangers,
who had taken shelter there for the Night, the small Tavern at
Schlosser being quite full.—Many others being similarly situated
took to their heels as fast as they could on escaping from the Vessel.
The American papers as you may suppose published the most exaggerated statements, alleging that 40 or 50 individuals were on board
when the Steamer was unmoored, who had no time to escape; but this,
from the Nature of things was totally impracticable, as some time
elapsed in setting fire to the Vessel; she was also moored so tight with

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NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

'69

a chain that the party had considerable difficulty in unloosing her—
during these preparations therefore, ample time was afforded for any
one to escape.—I saw several of the Gents who went on the expedition,
the following Morning, but in the Confusion that ensued and the darkness of the Night, it was difficult to elicit the loss of the Enemy.—Mr.
Chandler thought only one" and three or four wounded.—Lieut.
Elmsley told me he believed five or six, which I believe to be the sum
total of their loss.—One only, was actually found who had acted in
the capacity of Sentry—he was interred in Buffalo amidst a large
Concourse of sympathizing spectators—but however many might
deplore his fate, others considered he had voluntarily placed himself
in danger, when ought to have been Industriously employed elsewhere.
The rebels on the Island were also very Indignant at losing so
great an augmentation to their resources; they vented their spleen by
opening a brisk Cannonading the following Morning on our houses
opposite, as well as the Military Waggons and passengers who were
passing and repassing along the frontier.—This they had occasionally
done for a week, without doing much damage. I am sorry however
to inform you that three Lives" were unhappily lost—one Individual
who had taken shelter in Mr. Ussher's barn was so seriously wounded
in the abdomen, that he died soon afterwards; another had his legs
shot off; the third on undergoing amputation sunk with exhaustion.
The houses which contained Companys of Guards were battered
severely; a ball went through the upper part of a room where 20 or
30 Men were stationed.—In the adjoining house, a Tavern, two Balls
went through which induced the parties to decamp. A red hot ball
fell near Captain Ussher which was afterwards preserved. In the
house beyond, where I had been located for a Month—a ball entered
the front door through the parlour and just took the corner of the
Dining Table, forming a line on the surface as if ruled—went through
Mrs. Ussher's bedroom and did considerable Damage.—Six others
passed the House in different places, which ultimately rendered it
untenable.—It was high time therefore to shift apartments below
stairs into a Kitchen which was built behind an Embankment; here
we were safe, but it was beyond a Joke the whizzing of the Balls,
which at times came very near us.—You would have imagined that
the people were here disciples of Charles the 12th of Sweden, had you
seen the number of people congregated on the frontier, not only in
waggons looking over to the Island, but on foot.—They were even
imprudent Enough to stand in groups as a Mark for the rebels to fire
at. I was one Morning walking with Mr. Meredith and Doctor

.

70

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

Hamilton in front of Mr. Ussher's house, when a warm firing Commenced—a ball passed behind us within 60 yards and tore up the
ground; the whizzing Noise induced us to put our hands to our ears
and I for one involuntarily lowered my head, upon which Dr. Hamilton
coolly replied, it was better to walk on quietly upright; he however
was used to such Matters in the last war.—Strange as it may appear,
I believe now that it is possible even to be fond of the excitement,
for Mr. Merritt's son who was up there one day, went away quite
disappointed that he could not see them fire, and on those days when
the Cannonading did take place, I have heard the byestanders exclaim "Go it ye Devils and take better aim."—There were many hairbreadth escapes and considering the immense number of times they
fired, it is extraordinary so few fell a sacrifice.—A short time before
the breaking out of the affray, we had built a foot bridge across the
Creek at the back of Mr. Ussher's house. Captain Adams told me
he was marching his Men across when a Ball struck in the Bank close
beside them. I also saw one strike the water under the Bank when
three officers were passing on Horseback.
Doubtless you will ask where the Balls were procured in so short
a time for the use of the Ruffians, for I can call them No better.—
Some they stole from the Arsenals, but the greater part were cast at
a foundry in Buffalo.

The Insurrection being quelled at Toronto and in the West, the
Governor crossed the Lake to take a survey of the frontier. Landing
at Niagara, he proceeded to Queenston and from thence to Chippewa,
along the shore to Fort Erie, opposite Buffalo, the termination at that
time of the guarded Coasts.—On his return, he was accompanied by
Mr. Merritt and two other Gentlemen, who pointed out, as they rode
along, every thing worthy of Notice on our own frontier, as well as
the opposite shore and the Island where the rebels were encamped.—
I was standing opposite Mr. Ussher's unconscious of their approach,
when the Governor politely withdrew from his Company—shook
hands and expressed his satisfaction at finding all along the line so
vigilant and at their posts. I asked him when the Marauders would
be dislodged, as they were a source of great annoyance to us by their
frequent firing;—he replied that in a few days, on the arrival of the
artillery, then on its way— it would be effected.—At this Intelligence
from the fountain head, we were satisfied.—I have no doubt at the
Time, this was fully contemplated, but on a Council of War being
held, it was considered advisable if possible to spare the effusion of

4

NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

[RIDDELL]

71

human blood. On leaving Chippewa, however, he left orders with the
Colonels in command to use their own discretion.
The Artillery at length arrived and a Number of Men were despatched up the river to raise embankments and breast work, preparatory to a general Bombardment. This was done at Night, the
first set of Men being obliged to retire from their work in consequence
of Cannon having fired to dislodge them, which was soon effected.
None of the workmen received any Injury, but the works having first
commenced in front of my friend's House, sad dilapidation ensued:
the front wall fell in soon afterwards, which rendered the building
quite unsafe and uninhabitable. At length the works were completed
and our Mortars and Cannon being in readiness, a regular attack was
contemplated, but so many schemes and plans were devised, that ,
Nothing effectual took place after all. Three Schooners were manned
and stationed up the river under the Command of Captain Graham,
Lieutenant Drew and Lieutenant Elmsley—three Gentlemen of
confirmed bravery—they were to cut off all Communication by water
with Buffalo; then there were near 100 Boats of various sizes in readiness
which, when manned, were to effect a landing at one End of the Island,
whilst the Artillery were playing upon the Centre and Northern End;
these however were quiescent, to try the effect first of all, of the Bombardment; when this commenced, the Bravados were alarmed not a
little. The 24 pounders and Mortars raked the Trees and the Shanties
—tore up the ground and Killed some of the Rebels: but main body
still clung to the Island. Had the Boats been ready Manned, a landing
might with ease have been effected during their panic: this scheme
was however overruled—so much for a multiplicity of Councillors, in
which we are told safety Consists. The prolongation of storming
the Island had a bad effect, inasmuch as the alarm was unabated;
it also drove many peaceable families from their homes and domestic
firesides at an inclement Season of the year. I never could comprehend
the policy of their operations, further than what I stated before—
the desire to prevent the dreadful Massacre that must have ensued
for very few I apprehend would have escaped, so Indignant were the
people on this memorable occasion.
That you may judge the situation of the contending parties,
I hand you a small Map of our positions, sufficient to guide your
Ideas to the spot, remarkable in history. There lay entrenched a
handful of desperate fellows who Kept a whole Country in agitation
for upwards of a Month, and we residing within Cannon shot, liable
at a Moment's impulse to have a ball sent through the House or perhaps
a leg shot off whilst perambulating the Banks of the River.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Sec. II, Sig. 6

*

*

*

*

72

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

From the time of their arrival there on the 13 December to the
period of their Evacuation on the 15 January, you may be sure such
restless adventurers were not idle in concocting mischief—fortunately however thro' the fickleness of their plans and their constant
differences and quarrels, no measures were effected for our annoyance
further than what I mentioned relative to their occasional Cannon
Exercise and rifle shooting:—It was imagined however, that one
Night,,they were ripe for some expedition, and in order to give signals
and divert us from their Movenients—they lighted up a Machine
which was moved to and fro on the Island.—From it issued a most
dazzling and brilliant light, which could be seen for many miles around.
It was supposed to consist of Tar Barrels and other Inflammable
Materials, which burnt for several hours.—No movement however
took place.—They had schemes to divert our attention in various
ways, which were afterwards acknowledged.

Their general Correspondence, which was freely
carried on by Spies, notwithstanding our vigilance. They knew all our
movements, although we could gather nothing of their's from their
peculiar locality on an Island
Nearly a day elapsed before we knew of their departure and great
conjecture arose as to their point of destination. In the course of
the day one solitary Individual was seen waving a flag but this was
looked upon with suspicion—In the afternoon authentic Intelligence
arrived of the Event, yet, very many even then were incredulous,
altho from the circumstance of seeing none on guard as usual it was
apparent some Movement had taken place.—To settle the question,
a party volunteered to go over; it was considered a hazardous undertaking, more especially as many surmised that they had excavated
subterraneous caverns to Enter, and knowing the schemes they
planned to deceive us it Was no wonder a source of anxiety to learn
the result. At the time, the Information of very few could be relied
on, as so many strange rumours were afloat and so many spies over
here awaiting our Movements and spreading reports to mislead us.—
A great number assembled on the shore as you may imagine to know
the result, and many anxious hearts were relieved when a general
huzza proclaimed that the Island was once more in our possession
and the British flag flying.
Their movements had been so rapid to clear out, as they termed
it, that one poor wretch was left behind," who was glad enough to
hail his rescuers, from the thraldom he had so long entrammellcd in-

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NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

73

he stated that he was asleep, and knew nothing of their movements;
on his examination but little could be elicited from him, further, than
that he had been a hewer of wood and drawer of water and was heartily
glad that the expedition was abandoned—he was soon released from
Captivity, having been taught a lesson for his folly that he will not
easily forget.
Had it been Brobdignag Island, greater Curiosity could not
have been evinced to see it :—An old Shoe or a slip of Cloth were as
great curiosities as some of the relics they shew you in France:
grape Shot—pieces of punched Iron from Steam Boilers, furnished
from Black rock foundry were as precious as current Coin; and as to
Pikes, they were trophies of too intrinsic value to fall to the lot of
many; they decorated Halls and curious Cupboards, whilst half a
Bombshell or a Cannon Ball embellished a lady's work Table.—The
few of the rebels who wore shirts carried them away, filthy as they
were on their backs as scarce a vestige of linen was found with the
exception of part of the tail of a shirt that had bound up a wounded
Leg. Nothing can exceed the Miserable Condition of a Buccaneer's
Life, far worse than that of savages, for they know no better.
The number who were killed or wounded, by our bombardment
was never ascertained," as their burying place was on Grand Island,
where they occupied a Log-hut as Hospital—one newly made grave
was found, which on digging the Earth away, was found to contain
the body of a poor wretch who was supposed to have been shot by
their own party, as he was lying with his arms pinioned; who this
Individual was has never been ascertained."
The miserable state of existence they must have endured, baffles
all description. It is almost impossible to convey to you the disgusting scene which was exhibited. The Shanties wherein the Miserable
wretches bivouacked were scarce fit receptacles for pigs, being strewed
with beans, peas, pork rhine, vermin and dirt. Their beds were
composed of brushwood, and nothing to shelter them from the Inclemency of the Weather but pine branches. Here they Congregated
at night, eating, drinking, smoking, swearing and sleeping. For an
occasional bivouac on a deer hunting expedition, such a logement
would pass Current but for fifty or sixty human beings to assemble
nightly for one Month together, betokens a race of desperados worse
than Savages.
Mrs. Mackenzie was over there part of the Time" living in a dirty
house at the back of the Island which I before described to you. The
only accommodation for her at Night was on a shelf covered with
straw.

•
74

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA
NOTES

In the following notes, contractions will be employed as follows:
"Dent." The story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion by John Charles Dent,
Toronto, 1885. This work is more than usually accurate in the account of the
"Caroline" episode. I have not referred to "The Cutting out of the 'Caroline' and
other Reminiscences of 1837-38" by Robert Stuart Woods, Q.C., (afterwards Judge
Woods), Chatham, Ont., 1885—everything of value in that work has been utilized
by Dent.
"Head." A 'Narrative by Sir Francis B. Head, Bart. 2nd Edn., London, 1839.
I have not quoted Head's "Emigrant"—it does not afford any useful material.
"Leg. Ass." Journal of the House of Assembly, Upper Canada, Session 1837-8,
Toronto, 1838 (Official).
"G. T. D." The Burning of the"Caroline," by G.T. D. (George Taylor Denison,
Sr., father of the Police Magistrate of Toronto, of the same name). The Canadian
Monthly and National Review, Vol. 3, 289 (April 1873). The head note reads "The
following narrative is by a Canadian officer who served against the rebels and their
American sympathisers." It does not appear that Denison took part in the cutting
out.
"Trial." Gould's Stenographic Reporter, Vol. II, Washington, D.C., 1841.
This contains a full stenographic account of the trial at Utica, N.Y., October, 1841,
of Alexander McLeod, charged with the murder of Amos Durfee at Schlosser, at the
cutting out of the "Caroline." It was satisfactorily proved that McLeod was not in
the expedition at all, although both he and his friends had claimed that he was.
"Kingsford." The History of Canada, by William Kingsford, LL.D., F.R.S.
Can., Toronto, and London, 1898, Vol. X.
"Lindsey." The Life and Times of Wm. Lyon Mackenzie, by Charles Lindsey,
two volumes, Toronto, 1862.
1
Probably Col. Kenneth Cameron, formerly of the 79th Highlanders and at
that time Assistant Adjutant General.
2
Possession was taken by the "Patriots" of Navy Island, December 13th, 1837.
3
Colonel (afterwards Sir) Allan Napier MacNab arrived at Chippewa, December 20th. His name is found spelled in many ways: McNab, McNabb, M'Nab,
M'Nabb, Macnab, Macnabb. He was placed in command on this frontier and was
afterwards knighted for his services.
4
Lieutenant Governor Francis Bond Head as early as December 13th, 1837,
had sent a remonstrance to Governor Marcy, of the State of New York, concerning
the agitation at Buffalo to procure countenance and support for the disaffected in
Upper Canada. Head. 332; Leg. Ass., 97—the Governor, December 19, issued a
Proclamation against attempts to set on foot military expeditions or enterprises in
violation of the laws of the land, and the relations of amity between the United
States and the United Kingdom, Leg. Ass., 98—this was almost a dead letter and
practically nothing was done for weeks to check the movement. On Navy Island
being occupied, Head, December 23, sent Archibald McLean, Speaker of the House,
to Washington with a full account for the British Ambassador, Henry S. Fox. Head,
335; Leg. Ass., 98.
6
I have not seen this "experiment" of the Magistrates noted by any other writer.
6
Richard Arnold's account is as follows (Dent, Vol. 2, p. 215):
"The next day (i.e. December 26, 1837) I and several other volunteers accompanied Captain Drew on a reconnoitering expedition. We set out from Chippewa
Creek in a small boat and proceeded to circumnavigate Navy Island, where we

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NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837

.75

could see the rebels in full force. As we approached the island they fired round after
round at us, and the bullets whistled thick and fast over our heads. Our position
was one of extreme peril. 'What a fool I am,' exclaimed Captain Drew, `to be here
without a pick-up boat. Should we be disabled we shall find ourselves in a tight
place.' One of the rowers in our boat was completely overcome by fear, and funked.
'I can't help it boys,' said he—and threw himself at full length along the bottom of
the boat. We made the trip, however, without any accident. The next day we
made another expedition in a large twelve-oared gig, with a picked crew, chiefly
composed of lake sailors. Again the shots whistled over our heads, and struck the
water on both sides of us, but in the course of a few hours we found ourselves back
again in Chippewa Creek without having sustained any injury. We had by this time
become used to being under fire, and didn't seem to mind the sound of the whistling
bullets."
7
This was the "Caroline," a steamboat about 75 feet long and of 46 tons burthen, the property of William Wells of Buffalo, which was cut out of her berth in the
ice at Buffalo and brought down to Schlosser, December 28th, plying across to Navy
Island.
8
Captain Drew, R.N., who was in command of the expedition, in his report,
December 30th, says: "I directed five boats to be armed and manned with fortyfive volunteers." Leg. Ass., 90. G. T. D. ,,says: "Five boats were prepared, well
manned, well armed and with 'unified oars." Can. Monthly, Vol. 3, 290. Richard
Arnold says: "The expedition consisted as far as I can remember of seven boats,
each containing seven men, i.e. four rowers and three sitters." Dent, Vol. 2, 216.
The number of boats is given as seven by most authors and is probably correct.
Sir Allan MacNab, under oath in the McLeod trial, says: "they were seven in number
. . . . seven or eight men in each boat . . . . about forty persons." Trial,
124. "The boats did not all return at the same time. Five arrived at about the same
time, two at a different time." Trial, 125. John Harris gave the same evidence.
Trial, 129. "Seven boats left Chippewa, five only reached the Caroline, five returned
in company." With this Edward Zealand agrees word for word, Trial, 135. Robert
Armour says: "Seven started, five crossed the river," Trial, 147; so do Christopher
Bier, Trial 157, 159, Hamilton Robert O'Reilly, Trial, 162, 165, Sheppard McCormick
Trial, 169, Frederick Claverly, Trial, 170, 175, and several others. The fact seems
to be that seven boats started but two lost the way and did not cross the river.
9
This should be "29th."
19
It seems quite certain that the "Caroline" did not go over the Canadian Falls,
nor as a whole (at least) over the Falls at all. Her engines seem to have sunk and
portions of her charred wood work went down the river and over the Falls on the
American side.
" Both British subjects—one was Sylvanus Fearns Wrigley, of the Township
of Dumfries, who had enlisted with Dr. Duncombe; after Duncombe's men were
dispersed, he crossed the Niagara River to join the "Patriots." He was on his way
to Navy Island where he was captured. He was detained in gaol for three months
and then discharged on giving bail for good behaviour. The other was Alfred Luce,
a native of Lower Canada, who had also joined Dr. Duncombe; he shared in Wrigley's adventures until his capture. He was released the following day and sent across
the ferry to the United States, as there seemed to be doubt whether he was not a
citizen of that country. Dent, Vol. 2, 213; Leg. Ass., 91.
12
Lieutenant Shepherd McCormack (so named by Drew in his official report,
December 30, 1837, Leg. Ass., 90—but both his names are spelt in different
ways, e.g. the pensioning Statute, 1838, I Vic. c. 46, calls him Sheppard McCormick)

76

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

was shot in several parts of his body and also received two cuts from a cutlass. He
was permanently injured; he received a pension from Upper Canada of £100 ($400)
per annum, counting from December 29, 1837. The Preamble of the Act is worth
copying:
"Whereas Sheppard McCormick, Esquire, a retired Lieutenant in the Royal
Navy, received several severe wounds in action at the capture and destruction of
the piratical steamer 'Caroline,' in an attempt to invade this Province by a lawless
banditti, by which he is disabled and it is just and right that he should receive a
Pension during such period as he may be so disabled by said wounds."
He received the pension until his death when it was continued to his widow.
It was the conventional thing for all loyal Canadians from the Lieutenant
Governor down to call the Canadian Rebels and their American "Sympathisers,"
" Pirates"—they were "Pirates" to precisely the same extent and in the same way as
William of Orange and his English and Dutch followers—"Pirates," however, offset
"Patriots" with "apt alteration's artful aid." "Banditti" ("we call them plain thieves
in England") is another term of opprobrium equally well deserved: "a Banditti" is
not quite without precedent in our literature—but then I recall a student of mine,
Consule Planco, speaking of the distance between "one foci of an ellipse and the other."
And Parliament is like Rex, super grammaticam.
The second reported wounded was Captain John Warren, formerly an officer
in the 60th Regiment—his wounds were trifling and he resumed duty the following
day, Dent, Vol. 2, 212; Leg. Ass., 89, 90. The third was Richard Arnold (wrongly
called John Arnold in the official report, Leg. Ass., 90). His story is given in Dent,
Vol. 2, 214—he was "struck by a cutlass on the arm and got a pretty deep gash
just above the elbow;" he was "invalided and sent home to Toronto in a sleigh next
day;" "there his wound healed rapidly, leaving him none the worse." He died in
Toronto, June 18, 1884. He always was properly proud of being the last man to
leave the "Caroline." _
" Captain Drew in his official report said, "I regret to add that five or six of
the enemy were killed," Leg. Ass., 90; but it is reasonably certain that there was
only one killed—this was Amos Durfee of Buffalo, for the murder of whom Alexander
McLeod was tried at Utica, N.Y., in 1841. There were several wounded, more or
less severely.
la MacNab, writing to Lt.-Col. Strachan, from Chippewa, January 19, 1838,
says, "Three of our brave and loyal Militia have unfortunately lost their lives in
the service of their country against the Rebels and their piratical allies upon Navy
Island. They were all killed by gunshot wounds." Leg. Ass., 264.
He was arrested as a spy but released.
18
The existing accounts mention that the casualties on the Island were one killed
by a round shot, and one slightly wounded by a splinter. Dent, Vol. 2, 224, note.
17
I have not seen any reference to this circumstance in any of the other accounts.
18
Mrs. Mackenzie, née Isabel Baxter, a native of Dundee, was married to
William Lyon Mackenzie at Montreal, 1822, when Mackenzie was living in Dundas.
She was a woman of sterling character, a devoted wife and mother. She was the only
woman who spent any time on Navy Island. "She arrived there only a few hours
before the destruction of the 'Caroline,' and remained nearly a fortnight with her
husband, making flannel cartridge bags and inspiring with courage by her entire
freedom from fear, all with whom she conversed. At the end of about a fortnight,
illhealth obliged her to leave." Lindsey, Vol. 1., 38, Vol. 2., 163.
Navy Island was abandoned by the "Patriots," January 14th, 1838, Dent,
Vol. 2, 223.
15



A CONTMTORART CCOUNT OF THE NAVY Intaili IFISODIS, 1837.
R. Riddell

By From

--

The Royal. Society or Canada, 1919.

NIAGARA FALLS PUBLIC IfIRAF Lf
-

SECTION II,

1919

[57]

TRANS.

R.S.C.

A Contemporary Account of the Navy Island Episode, 1837
THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM RENWICK RIDDELL, LL.D., F.R.S.C.
(Read May Meeting, 1919)

The following account of the destruction of the "Caroline," etc.,
was written by George Coventry at the time, in order to be sent to England, where his people resided. It is dated at Chippewa, Upper
Canada, 1838, and is in the form of a letter to his sister in England.
George Coventry, whom, when I was a boy, I knew in Cobourg,
was born at Copenhagen Fields House at Wandsworth Common in
the house "at the corner near the city road" and "within the sound of
Bow Bell." His father was a ward of Baron Dimsdale of Thetford,
and was placed by his guardian with Jones, Havard & Jones, merchants, in London. His mother was Elizabeth Thornborrow, from
Lupton Hall, Westmorland, who was visiting at Sir Joshua Reynolds',
when she was won by Coventry. Coventry, Senior, was afterwards a
member of the firm of Jayson & Coventry, and seems to have been a
man of literary tastes and considerable ability. The son was born on
28th July, 1793. He had the misfortune to lose his mother who died
of cancer when Coventry was three years old. The lad was then placed
in a Ladies' School, at Peckham, Surrey, kept by Mrs. Freith and her
three daughters, one of whom, the elder Coventry afterwards married.
George Coventry was then sent to a Boys' Boarding School at
Hitchin, Hertfordshire, kept by Mr. Blaxland, where he stayed for
about three years. On the death of Mr. Blaxland, his undermaster,
Mr. Payne, started a school near Epping Forest, which young Coventry attended until his fourteenth year when he was sent to Dover
where he completed his education. He afterwards engaged as an
employee in his father's firm, and in that capacity travelled over the
greater part of Great Britain. He also visited France, where he thinks
he saw at Fontainebleau some flowers, the offspring of certain plants
which he had seen leaving Dover, a present from the Queen of England to the Empress Josephine. He came to Canada in the fourth
decade of the 19th century, was an eye-witness of some of the occurrences of the Rebellion of 1837, and returned to England in 1838.
Returning to this Province he lived for a time in St. Catharines;
afterwards he was in Cobourg, then in Picton as editor of a paper
there, then he returned to Cobourg and made that his home for the
remainder of his life. He died at Toronto, February 11, 1870, and is
buried in the St. James Cemetery at Cobourg.

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He left at his death a considerable mass of manuscripts, one being
"The Concise History of the Late Rebellion in Upper Canada" from
which the accompanying is taken. The greater part of this history,
which runs to about 20,000 words, is familiar ground; it does not differ
from the current accounts of the rebellion and no small part of it is
invective against Mackenzie and his followers. I have therefore not
thought it worth while to copy all of it.
Coventry also left a considerable mass of poetry, more or less
good; amongst the manuscripts is one seemingly based on Chaucer,
which purports to be a poetical account of a fishing and hunting party
at Rice Lake—it brings in a great many persons who were well known
in Cobourg, Port Hope and the township of Hamilton, and each one of
these is made to tell a story. At the present day, the stories are rather
vapid and of little interest to anyone except those who were acquainted
with the persons to whom they are attributed—I knew most of them by
sight and all by name.
He also left a manuscript, "Reminiscences," which contains an
account of his life up to the end of the second decade of the last
century. He gives an interesting story of John Wesley, which I attach
to this paper, and he also has the following:
"I was at Vauxhall the night that George IV died. Everyone
was in full black dress, which gave the Gardens a most remarkable
appearance. Such a sight will never be seen again, for they are now
abolished."
Coventry was employed by the Government of Canada to collect
material for the history of Canada, and it was through his efforts
that the "Simcoe Papers" were obtained.
According to my recollection, Coventry was a man of fine presence and dignified bearing, and with the courtesy of an English
gentleman. I have no reason whatever to suppose that he has misrepresented anything, although his account of the destruction of the
"Caroline" does not agree in all respects with that given by Dent and
others, nor with that given by an officer "G. T. D." (the late George
Taylor Denison, Sr.) in the Canadian Monthly for April, 1873, Vol.
3, p. 289.
ANECDOTE OF JOHN WESLEY
"In after years my father often narrated events that happened
at that period; not the least remarkable was the following:
"There was another quiet house not far distant from Wandsworth Common at which the celebrated John Wesley visited, and my
father being a neighbour was sent for when John arrived on his visit,

ABA ZALL

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which was pretty frequent. The little coterie assembled was more
like a quiet Methodist meeting than a feast, there being some 20 or
30 generally present. Among these seekers of truth was an old man
who knew the Bible by heart. His name was Samuel Best, who went
under the cognomen of 'Poor Help,' as an innocent-minded man.
The tea and evening passed pleasantly enough, all edified with Mr.
Wesley's account of his voyage across the Atlantic. When the hour of
ten announced the time of his departure, he being an early man and
an early riser, his coat was brought and as was his custom he went
round the room and shook hands with all present. On accosting
`Poor Help,' he remarked: 'Why Samuel, thee have been unusually
silent this evening. I have not heard thee speak a word. There must
be something remarkable on thy mind.' To which Sam replied: 'Yes,
John, there is, and I cannot refrain from telling thee what it is, "Set
thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." ' My father
said the affair was taken in good part; but whether it operated on a
mind at all times inclined to be superstitious, it is a singular fact that
Wesley died in less than a fortnight, March, 1791. At this period my
father was a bachelor, not being then of age.
"When I paid a visit to England in 1838 to see my father for the
last time, I was one morning strolling around the Bricklayers' Arms,
Kent Road, waiting for the Brighton stage, when I was arrested by a
railing around an old church yard, and on peeping through, the first
tombstone that caught my eye was the following!
'Here lies
Samuel Best,
Commonly called
Poor Help.
Aged 93.
"This was the identical man who gave John Wesley his warning
to prepare for death. There are many remarkable circumstances
connected with Sam Best which can be found in the magazines of
the day; but Southey, in his life of Wesley, has not mentioned this,
and perhaps never heard of it, although perfectly true.
"My father still continued to visit at this conference where he
formed an intimacy with Sam Best, who gave him several texts of
scripture applicable to his future movements in life. Strange to say
he would never show them to any one, but he told me in after years
that every one came true. He had great faith in Best's discrimination of character and looked upon him as a prophet.
"The King went one day in disguise with Lord Sandwich and two
or three other eminent men. Best looked hard at the monarch, whom

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he had never seen, and told him to write down in his Tablet, Proverbs,
Chap. 25, verse 5. After a little conversation the party retired. On
reaching Saint James, the King turned to his Bible and read aloud to
his courtiers, 'Take away the wicked from before the King and his
throne shall be established in righteousness.' Sandwich was very
angry with old Best, as well he might; but the King ever after was a
friend to him and said he should never want, which was verified."
So far I have copied accurately the manuscript of Mr. Coventry.
There is, however, a good deal about Mr. Best which he does not seem
to have known. The D. N. B. gives us most of the following:
This pretended prophet, Samuel Best, was born in 1738, and before he was 50 years of age he had become an inmate of the Work
House at Shore Ditch. His life before that time is rather obscure.
By some he is said to have been a Spitalfields weaver and by others a
servant in different establishments in the city of London. Before he
was 50 years of age he disowned his children, he discarded his original
name and took that of "Poor-help" (not Poor Help as Coventry
thinks), describing as he thought his special mission.
He was a visionary and enthusiast, not wholly unlike his contemporary, the celebrated Richard Brothers who came from Newfoundland. He probably was a little touched with insanity and probably
believed in his own prophetic and supernatural powers. He was in
the habit of receiving his visitors, we are told, in a room adorned with
fantastic emblems and devices; he would inspect the palms of their
hands and from them give an outline of their past lives. He would
also furnish guidance for the future in phrases of scripture, just as he
did with Coventry's'father; he also believed, or at least claimed, that
by licking the hands of his patients he could determine the disease
with which they were afflicted.
After acquiring considerable notoriety he removed to a house in
the Kingsland Road and was consulted by many of the upper classes
whom he also visited at their own homes He professed to eat no
food but bread and cheese and to drink only gin' tinctured with rhubarb.
He spent his nights, as he claimed, in communion with the celestial
powers. For the last 30 years of his life he was convinced that he was
to be the leader of the children of Israel to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. In that regard he imitated Richard Brothers, who about the
same time, that is, the latter part of the 18th Century, gave himself
out as a descendant of David, declaring that he was to be revealed as
Prince of the Hebrews and Ruler of the World.
Brothers was more fortunate in some respects than Best in that
he convinced many educated Englishmen, members of Parliament
:

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61

amongst them, of the verity of his claims, while Best never had any
great following. Best, however, had the security of mediocrity, for
he ended his life in peace and without prosecution, dying in 1825,
while poor Brothers was first charged with treasonable practice and
confined as a criminal lunatic, and was subsequently removed to a
private asylum.
We have at the present day some instances of the same kind of
prophet. Joseph Smith was a strong example, and since his time we
have had the Holy Rollers, the Holy Ghost and Company, and like
bodies of visionary enthusiasts.
Some of them are still with us.
COVENTRY'S ACCOUNT.

Grand Island belongs to our Neighbours, therefore to secure
themselves from Molestation, they [that is Mackenzie's Forces] agreed
to make the Conquest of Navy Island belonging to the British Government, and inhabited only by one old Woman and her daughter, whom'
they sent over to Grand Island in snug quarters there at a Log Hut
within sight of their previous location.

That no opposition should be made to their landing, they kept the
place of their destinatidn a profound secret, and marched through a
Wild forest for four or five Miles, frequented by Nothing whatever but
Deer and Wild Cats.—It so happened however, that early intelligence
reached us, and had it been acted upon promptly, the whole trouble,
confusion, expence and Inconvenience, might have been Easily avoided.
It was early in the Morning of the 11th of December, I was at Captain
Ussher's, when a respectable farmer called to give his deposition
relative to their Movements. He stated he wished to do so from a
fear that his Cattle and property would be plundered by these Brigands
on their March. He owned a large farm on Grand Island as well as
300 acres of Land in Upper Canada—and therefore claimed our protection, by dispersing the pirates as quickly as possible. He happened
to be at Tonawonta at the very time when they embarked—suspecting their place of destination, which on Enquiry was Confirmed,
he hastened thro the Island to the shore—took his Canoe—came over
and gave us the Information. This was the first Intelligence that
reached us—we took down his deposition in writing—Aritnessed it,
and after breakfast, Captain Ussher mounted one of his Horses and
rode off to the Commanding Officers then at Fort Erie to give him
Intelligence.—It was considered an event so highly improbable, that

'

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

no further notice was taken of it, further than passing the Communication on to another quarter; we were displeased, being firmly convinced that the farmer's testimony was implicitly to be relied on,
but having No authority to act, nothing could be done, altho' Mr.
Ussher volunteered for one to go over and keep guard—there were
also numbers in readiness to join him.—The remainder of the day,
we kept a sharp look out, allowing no Boats to pass without permission
of a Magistrate, yet notwithstanding our vigilance some spies had
been Known to Cross, higher up the River.—One of these, however,
Corroborated the farmer's Testimony by mentioning the Circum3
stance at a small Tavern about A
Mile distant, where I called every
hour to ascertain if there were any suspicious Characters.—At four
o'clock in the Morning, we went down to Chippewa and stated this
fact also—but the Colonel was as little inclined to belief as the other;
he promised however that a conference should be held in the Course
of the day—which was accordingly done, but the golden opportunity
was lost, by reason of the Time that elapsed in passing, repassing and
conferring together. A handful of Men at that Crisis would have
prevented the diKeful disasters that afterwards occurred. I wished
for the spirit of Lord Peterborough's Movements, at that Juncture
to act promptly, in order to prevent the annoyance which must
inevitably arise from those Marauders taking quiet possession of an
Island, from which, if they intrenched themselves well, they could
with difficulty be removed.—The Militia are all very well as Secondaries, but from the Circumstance of being so little engaged in Warlike
operations, they make but poor primaries in a case of Emergency of
this kind.—This does not arise from any defect in personal Courage,
because the late Events have proved this fact to the Contrary. It
arises from a want of organised plans and extension of service, to teach
them the importance of every position and advantage to be taken of
the Movements of an Enemy, which can only be acquired by tact
and Experience.
I nevertheless agree with my friend, that common foresight and
prudence, should have induced the Colonel of the District, in the
absence of any Regulars, to send over a guard to the Island, knowing,
as he must have done, that Mackenzie was in Buffalo, inflaming the
Minds of the People to revolt against us.
From ocular demonstration, it was proved, on the following day, 2
that our Information was Correct, for we could plainly see the pirates,
walking around the Island, and preparing their fortifications.—All
Night long, the axe was heard, felling Trees for breast work, and the
Constructions of Shantys, as temporary huts to shelter them from the

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63

Cold, until they could convey lumber over for building, which was
soon effected, necessity being with them the rallying point to raise
quarters as speedily as possible, not only for themselves, but from the
Anticipated Kentucky boys, we could see them cutting down and
carrying away fern and brushwood for Beds to repose on: they kept
up large fires, most of them being apparently accustomed to Night
Campaigning in the open air.
Dreary as our Midnight patrolling was before the arrival of the
Gineral and his advanced Guard, you may readily suppose, we were
no better off after the arrival of our piratical Neighbours whose plans
we were totally ignorant of : they might come over in Boats, burn
the Houses and pillage the Country, then return with the greatest
alacrity without being Caught, for we had as I before stated, no other
Guard along the frontier. Fortunately, however, they were too closely
engaged in their Military Tactics and Shanty building to trouble us,
although the circumstance of their being armed and not knowing
precisely their Numbers, was a source of great alarm all around the
Country.—
The very possession of our Soil, small as the Island is, aroused the
Indignation of the Loyalists, and prompted them to greater exertion
than they had hitherto manifested. The News, which had gone forward to Toronto as doubtful, was no sooner confirmed than Volunteers marched from all quarters, and dispatches forwarded to the
Lower Province, to recall all the regulars they could spare. Order
being partially restored in that quarter, since the destruction of Saint
Charles and the flight of the prominent leaders, the Troops promptly
obeyed the call and prepared for departure.
In Common Seasons, their transportation by Water would have
been Impracticable, such an Occurrence being rarely remembered
of Steam Boats plying towards the End of December. This Season
however, as if aided by a superintending power in favour of our cause,'
was mild, enabling the Boats to run without interruption from the Ice.
Detachments of the 24th and 32nd regiments quickly arrived at
Toronto, from whence they rapidly pushed on, without the harass
and fatigue of travelling by Land.—Whilst these brave fellows were
on their route, Volunteers from various districts had arrived from as
far North as Port Hope, Cobourg, Prescott and other Settlements
along the Lake Shore.—Colonel MacNabb also had returned from the
West and pushed on with 300 Men, joined by Captain Kerr and his
200 Indians, who had painted their faces Red, a custom among them
on warlike Expeditions.—We were not a little pleased at their arrival,
having some chance of being relieved on our Midnight Guard.
-

3

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64

The quiet Village of Chippewa suddenly assumed quite an
animated appearance from the Influx of so many strangers. So
rapid had been the Movements of the Troops that in a very short
time upwards of 4000 had arrived to our protection.—Bands of
Music — Bugles — Marching — Countermarching — drilling—firingCannon exercising—the bustle and stir of the Commissariat department—waggon loads of Bread—Beef, pork & potatoes moving along
the road from the surrounding farms—presented a spectacle quite
Novel to me, who for the first time was located in the very heart of
the Contending parties—Private Houses were all turned into Barracks
and the Methodist Chapel into a Hospital—our worthy Clergyman
turned the sword of the Spirit into an Instrument of war, nothing in
fine being thought of but preparations for defence in the Event of an
Invasion—This all-engrossing Topic superceded every other consideration.
I should tell you, that in conformity with the Colonel's assurance,
preparations were made for going over to the Island to make remonstrance against American Citizens taking possession of our
Territory. ACcordingly, some of the Magistrates, accompanied by
Volunteer rowers, proceeded on their way thither. This was an illjudged Experiment,' as they must have been aware that the Brigands
were too numerous and too well armed to allow them to land, although
it was their policy to have done so, which would have secured the
party prisoners, and secured the Boats.—Willing, however, to shew
us that they, in reality had commenced their fortifications, and
possessed Cannon;—so soon as the Boat neered the Northern Extremity of the Island, they opened their Battery and fired a Six
pounder upon the adventurers. This was too warm a reception, so
they deemed it most prudent to return, which they quickly did,
without accomplishing the End in view. Two or three more shots
were fired, but without effect, their artillerymen not being insufficient
practise to level a good aim, or make that allowance in the art of
Gunnery with a Moving object, so as to do any injury.
4

So incredulous were the authorities in power, as to their numerical •
force, considering that merely a few lawless fellows had gone there on a
freak, that they determined on another Experiment, which took
place shortly after, and would doubtless have succeeded had they
manned a sufficient Number of Boats. Unluckily however, as I
hinted at the outset, we had no Boats of any consequence, but they
were very quickly supplied from Queenston and Elsewhere. The
Sleighing being good, a grand Movement took place, and it was really
curious to see the rapid arrival of so many Boats. In a few days,

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65

near 100 were collected together. I saw one Immense Boat that
would hold 50 men, -drawn all the way from Hamilton, a distance of
44 miles, by 36 oxen,—a sight, I shall in all probability, never witness
again. Schooners also were ordered from the shores of Lake Erie,
and every other kind of craft that the Country possesed.—The two
first Boats were soon brought into service, without waiting for a general
attack, which, at one time, was determined on. These were manned
by a reconnoitering party,' consisting of Intrepid young fellows, who
had freely volunteered their services. The current being strong,
they were towed up the river a little beyond Mr:, Ussher's.—The
party, consisting of Six in one boat, and Eight in the other, proceeded
towards the Island, intending to row down the stream between Navy
and Grand Islands. The object in view, was to ascertain what force
was stationed at the back part, where the old lady's cottage stood,
then taken possession of by VanRanselaer and Mackenzie, with their
aid de Camps.
No sooner however, had they reached the line opposite the
extremity of the Island, than a brisk Cannonading, with 6 pounders,
opened upon them. It was an interesting and Novel sight, tho' an
alarming one, lest our brave Countrymen should be swamped by a
Cannon Ball. At the first fire, we distinctly saw where the ball
struck the water, well directed as to the line, but too much elevated,
so that the Ball passed over their heads, and struck some distance
off.—The second shot was better directed and fell very near the bow
of the Boat.—Finding it would be impracticable to get round, they
rowed back and returned to Chippewa, about Midway in the Current
on this side, but sufficiently near to the Island for any experienced
Rifleman to have done great execution. By this time, a vast number
had assembled with their rifles, who kept up one incessant firing,
but all to no effect. I should think at the least, there were 200 balls
fired, still no harm done, which satisfied us there was less to fear
from the Brigands than had, by many, been anticipated, although
it had been given out that their aim was as unerring as the Indians.—
Whilst the Boats kept gliding along, our fine fellows only laughed at
them, twirling, at the same time, a Hat at the End of a boarding
Sword, with which they were all well armed, as well as pistols.
Before they cleared the Island, another Cannonading commenced,
with similar ill-success., The ruffians discharged 7 Six pounders,
but none near Enough to either Boat even to splash them. One
Ball, I noticed, dropped in the water, midway between the 2 Boats.
This was the second best shot that was made.—On reaching Chippewa,
they gave 3 cheers, and landed amid the applause of the byestanders.

ti L71

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

After Mr. Ussher had played "God Save the Queen" on his Bugle, we
walked down to see the results. I examined the Boats carefully, but
no symptoms of a single bullet mark, out of the 200 fired on the
Occasion, convincing us, that the recruits must be better practised
in the art of Gunnery, before they attempted to cross over and pay
us a visit.
These reconnoitering parties ceased soon afterwards, and a Council of War Was held as to the best course to pursue to dislodge the
Marauders. It was desirable, if possible, to spare the effusion of human
blood, and on this account, it was considered advisable to act on the
defensive, particularly as our reinforcements were numerous, and
detachments arriving daily from distant districts. The Jewish
Monarch declared formerly, that in the multitude of Councillors
there is safety: Unfortunately however from there being too many,
the Country was harassed much longer with apprehensions of alarm
than was consistent with the general character of the British Nation.
This Indecision was afterwards a source of reproach by the American
Authorities, who considered that it was our duty to remove a lawless
band, who had taken possession of our soil, contrary to the existing
Treaty between the two Countries.—Colonel McNabb was of opinion
that the first shedding of blood by forcibly removing them, would
weigh but trifling in the scale of Contention and prevent numbers
afterwards falling a Sacrifice by the Sword, an Idea which was
looked upon by the most Intelligent Men as a moral Certainty: indeed
it was on the Eve of being accomplished, but afterwards Countermanded.—A plan of the Island was drawn by my friend Captain
Ussher and Myself, where every spit was marked, so intimately acquainted were we with its location, from having gone over so frequently on shooting expeditions. This was forwarded to the Governor,
preparatory to his taking a circuit along the frontier.—
Whilst the subject of attack was under Consideration, various
Magistrates assembled at Fort Erie in Council, who drew up a remonstrance, signed by Mr. Merritt, chairman, requesting the Mayor and
Authorities at Buffalo to inform them whether the aggression complained of were noticed by them, or in any way "sanctioned,, or
whether in reality, any preparations were making for hostilities—an
Event wherein there appeared some probability, from the circumstance of Drummers parading the streets of Buffalo on recruiting
Service.—
Dr. Trowbridge, the Mayor, an Intelligent and highly reputable
Man, finding the enthusiasm of the people had gone beyond the power
of the Law to restrain their proceedings, resigned his situation in

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67

favour of Mr. Barker:—previous to this, however, he wrote a reply
to the Magistrates assembled at Port Erie assuring them that every
thing practicable would be done to restore order, and that, so far
from the Government wishing to sanction the proceeding of the
Rabble, every precaution would be taken to allay the excitement.
"Had these resolutions been promptly followed up by the Marshall and others in Authority, quiet would soon have been restored,
and the rebellious faction disbanded—but a strong party of speculators
arose in their favour and winked at their procedings, allowing Boats
to convey arms, Ammunitions and provisions to them, which might
easily have been prevented. Certain Authorities even saw Cannon
with the United States mark upon them, and yet took no measures to
secure them or to detain the parties who were known to be the pilferers.—
A steam Boat' was also hired for the conveyance of recruits, arms,
Ammunition, etc., to the Island, which had arrived from Rochester
and other districts on Sleighs, where the Jurisdiction of the Marshall
extended.—A guard also, in time of peace, being allowed to watch
the Boat at Night, without any warning that it was an infringement
of Neutrality was truly unaccountable.—Strange as this conduct may
appear to you, I have it from the best information—gentemen who
were over there when the Marshall conversed with Van Ransellaer
and who saw a Cannon in his Boat belonging to the American Government.
Conduct so reprehensible, could not escape the Censure of our
Authorities, who, finding that so much listlessness and apathy prevailed, considered it high time to look out for themselves, having
previously ascertained that the American Militia refused to act.—
All these circumstances being taken into consideration, a Council
of War, which was held at Chippewa, determined upon some vigorous
measures to prevent further aggressions upon our Territory, and to
open the eyes of the deluded Buffalonians, as to the impolitic course
they were pursuing.—They would have rejoiced had the Authorities
on the other side done their Duty, by putting a stop to Innovations
so hourly Notorious. After allowing the American authorities a fortnight, and finding all their remonstrances unavailing, they determined
to act decisively and to perform that Service which it was the bounden
duty of the American Government to have done themselves. No
alternative remaining, six8 Boats were manned, under the Command
of an intrepid officer, Captain Drew, with instructions from Colonel
McNabb to proceed at Night and take possession of the piratical

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Steam Boat, the "Caroline," which was known to be illegally conveying
Cannon, Arms, Ammunitions, recruits and provisions over to the
Marauders and rebels on Navy Island.—She was seen plying on the
afternoon of the 28th and not returning, was supposed she would
moor there for the Night.—In whichever case, however, they were to
take possession of her at all hazards.—Accordingly about 10 o'clock
at Night, the preparations were completed and the Boats manned
and well-armed for the Expedition—a more hardy, or intrepid set of
fellows could no where be found, all in good spirits, and ready to
achieve any event however hazardous.—On nearing the Island, they
found that the said Steamer had left in the Evening for Schlosser on
the American shore thinking to be protected and beyond our Control,
but the result proved the Contrary. The first two Boats Kept ahead
of the rest, having more experienced rowers and on arriving alongside,
were hailed by the Sentry for the Countersign.—No satisfactory
answer being given, the party on guard fired, but without effect;
the Boat was soon boarded and taken possession of, but hot without
the loss of several lives in the Confusion that ensued.—This is a brief
outline of the proceeding, columns of which have been written on the
subject containing more untruths than I need trouble you with.—As
the Current was too strong towards the rapids and falls, to tow her
over, which was the original intention, she was set fire to, in three or
four different places—unmoored and allowed to drift her course over
the falls, a species of Navigation that was certain to consign her to
oblivion for Ever. The Night was very dark, consequently, as you
may suppose, it was a very grand sight, to see her gliding with the
Current towards the whirlpool of her destination, whither she in due
time approached and no vestige of her remains ever seen afterwards.'°
9

The Boats quietly rowed back into the Chippewa, having two
prisoners" and three of the party wounded", one of whom, Mr. McCormack, suffered severely, and afterwards received a Pension for his
bravery—the other two soon recovered.—After eliciting all the Information they could obtain from the Prisoners, they were allowed to
return home the following day, it appearing that they were strangers,
who had taken shelter there for the Night, the small Tavern at
Schlosser being quite full.—Many others being similarly situated
took to their heels as fast as they could on escaping from the Vessel.
The American papers as you may suppose published the most exaggerated statements, alleging that 40 or 50 individuals were on board
when the Steamer was unmoored, who had no time to escape; but this,
from the Nature of things was totally impracticable, as some time
elapsed in setting fire to the Vessel; she was also moored so tight with

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'69

a chain that the party had considerable difficulty in unloosing her—
during these preparations therefore, ample time was afforded for any
one to escape.—I saw several of the Gents who went on the expedition,
the following Morning, but in the Confusion that ensued and the darkness of the Night, it was difficult to elicit the loss of the Enemy.—Mr.
Chandler thought only one" and three or four wounded.—Lieut.
Elmsley told me he believed five or six, which I believe to be the sum
total of their loss.—One only, was actually found who had acted in
the capacity of Sentry—he was interred in Buffalo amidst a large
Concourse of sympathizing spectators—but however many might
deplore his fate, others considered he had voluntarily placed himself
in danger, when ought to have been Industriously employed elsewhere.
The rebels on the Island were also very Indignant at losing so
great an augmentation to their resources; they vented their spleen by
opening a brisk Cannonading the following Morning on our houses
opposite, as well as the Military Waggons and passengers who were
passing and repassing along the frontier.—This they had occasionally
done for a week, without doing much damage. I am sorry however
to inform you that three Lives" were unhappily lost—one Individual
who had taken shelter in Mr. Ussher's barn was so seriously wounded
in the abdomen, that he died soon afterwards; another had his legs
shot off; the third on undergoing amputation sunk with exhaustion.
The houses which contained Companys of Guards were battered
severely; a ball went through the upper part of a room where 20 or
30 Men were stationed.—In the adjoining house, a Tavern, two Balls
went through which induced the parties to decamp. A red hot ball
fell near Captain Ussher which was afterwards preserved. In the
house beyond, where I had been located for a Month—a ball entered
the front door through the parlour and just took the corner of the
Dining Table, forming a line on the surface as if ruled—went through
Mrs. Ussher's bedroom and did considerable Damage.—Six others
passed the House in different places, which ultimately rendered it
untenable.—It was high time therefore to shift apartments below
stairs into a Kitchen which was built behind an Embankment; here
we were safe, but it was beyond a Joke the whizzing of the Balls,
which at times came very near us.—You would have imagined that
the people were here disciples of Charles the 12th of Sweden, had you
seen the number of people congregated on the frontier, not only in
waggons looking over to the Island, but on foot.—They were even
imprudent Enough to stand in groups as a Mark for the rebels to fire
at. I was one Morning walking with Mr. Meredith and Doctor

.

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Hamilton in front of Mr. Ussher's house, when a warm firing Commenced—a ball passed behind us within 60 yards and tore up the
ground; the whizzing Noise induced us to put our hands to our ears
and I for one involuntarily lowered my head, upon which Dr. Hamilton
coolly replied, it was better to walk on quietly upright; he however
was used to such Matters in the last war.—Strange as it may appear,
I believe now that it is possible even to be fond of the excitement,
for Mr. Merritt's son who was up there one day, went away quite
disappointed that he could not see them fire, and on those days when
the Cannonading did take place, I have heard the byestanders exclaim "Go it ye Devils and take better aim."—There were many hairbreadth escapes and considering the immense number of times they
fired, it is extraordinary so few fell a sacrifice.—A short time before
the breaking out of the affray, we had built a foot bridge across the
Creek at the back of Mr. Ussher's house. Captain Adams told me
he was marching his Men across when a Ball struck in the Bank close
beside them. I also saw one strike the water under the Bank when
three officers were passing on Horseback.
Doubtless you will ask where the Balls were procured in so short
a time for the use of the Ruffians, for I can call them No better.—
Some they stole from the Arsenals, but the greater part were cast at
a foundry in Buffalo.

The Insurrection being quelled at Toronto and in the West, the
Governor crossed the Lake to take a survey of the frontier. Landing
at Niagara, he proceeded to Queenston and from thence to Chippewa,
along the shore to Fort Erie, opposite Buffalo, the termination at that
time of the guarded Coasts.—On his return, he was accompanied by
Mr. Merritt and two other Gentlemen, who pointed out, as they rode
along, every thing worthy of Notice on our own frontier, as well as
the opposite shore and the Island where the rebels were encamped.—
I was standing opposite Mr. Ussher's unconscious of their approach,
when the Governor politely withdrew from his Company—shook
hands and expressed his satisfaction at finding all along the line so
vigilant and at their posts. I asked him when the Marauders would
be dislodged, as they were a source of great annoyance to us by their
frequent firing;—he replied that in a few days, on the arrival of the
artillery, then on its way— it would be effected.—At this Intelligence
from the fountain head, we were satisfied.—I have no doubt at the
Time, this was fully contemplated, but on a Council of War being
held, it was considered advisable if possible to spare the effusion of

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71

human blood. On leaving Chippewa, however, he left orders with the
Colonels in command to use their own discretion.
The Artillery at length arrived and a Number of Men were despatched up the river to raise embankments and breast work, preparatory to a general Bombardment. This was done at Night, the
first set of Men being obliged to retire from their work in consequence
of Cannon having fired to dislodge them, which was soon effected.
None of the workmen received any Injury, but the works having first
commenced in front of my friend's House, sad dilapidation ensued:
the front wall fell in soon afterwards, which rendered the building
quite unsafe and uninhabitable. At length the works were completed
and our Mortars and Cannon being in readiness, a regular attack was
contemplated, but so many schemes and plans were devised, that ,
Nothing effectual took place after all. Three Schooners were manned
and stationed up the river under the Command of Captain Graham,
Lieutenant Drew and Lieutenant Elmsley—three Gentlemen of
confirmed bravery—they were to cut off all Communication by water
with Buffalo; then there were near 100 Boats of various sizes in readiness
which, when manned, were to effect a landing at one End of the Island,
whilst the Artillery were playing upon the Centre and Northern End;
these however were quiescent, to try the effect first of all, of the Bombardment; when this commenced, the Bravados were alarmed not a
little. The 24 pounders and Mortars raked the Trees and the Shanties
—tore up the ground and Killed some of the Rebels: but main body
still clung to the Island. Had the Boats been ready Manned, a landing
might with ease have been effected during their panic: this scheme
was however overruled—so much for a multiplicity of Councillors, in
which we are told safety Consists. The prolongation of storming
the Island had a bad effect, inasmuch as the alarm was unabated;
it also drove many peaceable families from their homes and domestic
firesides at an inclement Season of the year. I never could comprehend
the policy of their operations, further than what I stated before—
the desire to prevent the dreadful Massacre that must have ensued
for very few I apprehend would have escaped, so Indignant were the
people on this memorable occasion.
That you may judge the situation of the contending parties,
I hand you a small Map of our positions, sufficient to guide your
Ideas to the spot, remarkable in history. There lay entrenched a
handful of desperate fellows who Kept a whole Country in agitation
for upwards of a Month, and we residing within Cannon shot, liable
at a Moment's impulse to have a ball sent through the House or perhaps
a leg shot off whilst perambulating the Banks of the River.

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Sec. II, Sig. 6

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

From the time of their arrival there on the 13 December to the
period of their Evacuation on the 15 January, you may be sure such
restless adventurers were not idle in concocting mischief—fortunately however thro' the fickleness of their plans and their constant
differences and quarrels, no measures were effected for our annoyance
further than what I mentioned relative to their occasional Cannon
Exercise and rifle shooting:—It was imagined however, that one
Night,,they were ripe for some expedition, and in order to give signals
and divert us from their Movenients—they lighted up a Machine
which was moved to and fro on the Island.—From it issued a most
dazzling and brilliant light, which could be seen for many miles around.
It was supposed to consist of Tar Barrels and other Inflammable
Materials, which burnt for several hours.—No movement however
took place.—They had schemes to divert our attention in various
ways, which were afterwards acknowledged.

Their general Correspondence, which was freely
carried on by Spies, notwithstanding our vigilance. They knew all our
movements, although we could gather nothing of their's from their
peculiar locality on an Island
Nearly a day elapsed before we knew of their departure and great
conjecture arose as to their point of destination. In the course of
the day one solitary Individual was seen waving a flag but this was
looked upon with suspicion—In the afternoon authentic Intelligence
arrived of the Event, yet, very many even then were incredulous,
altho from the circumstance of seeing none on guard as usual it was
apparent some Movement had taken place.—To settle the question,
a party volunteered to go over; it was considered a hazardous undertaking, more especially as many surmised that they had excavated
subterraneous caverns to Enter, and knowing the schemes they
planned to deceive us it Was no wonder a source of anxiety to learn
the result. At the time, the Information of very few could be relied
on, as so many strange rumours were afloat and so many spies over
here awaiting our Movements and spreading reports to mislead us.—
A great number assembled on the shore as you may imagine to know
the result, and many anxious hearts were relieved when a general
huzza proclaimed that the Island was once more in our possession
and the British flag flying.
Their movements had been so rapid to clear out, as they termed
it, that one poor wretch was left behind," who was glad enough to
hail his rescuers, from the thraldom he had so long entrammellcd in-

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73

he stated that he was asleep, and knew nothing of their movements;
on his examination but little could be elicited from him, further, than
that he had been a hewer of wood and drawer of water and was heartily
glad that the expedition was abandoned—he was soon released from
Captivity, having been taught a lesson for his folly that he will not
easily forget.
Had it been Brobdignag Island, greater Curiosity could not
have been evinced to see it :—An old Shoe or a slip of Cloth were as
great curiosities as some of the relics they shew you in France:
grape Shot—pieces of punched Iron from Steam Boilers, furnished
from Black rock foundry were as precious as current Coin; and as to
Pikes, they were trophies of too intrinsic value to fall to the lot of
many; they decorated Halls and curious Cupboards, whilst half a
Bombshell or a Cannon Ball embellished a lady's work Table.—The
few of the rebels who wore shirts carried them away, filthy as they
were on their backs as scarce a vestige of linen was found with the
exception of part of the tail of a shirt that had bound up a wounded
Leg. Nothing can exceed the Miserable Condition of a Buccaneer's
Life, far worse than that of savages, for they know no better.
The number who were killed or wounded, by our bombardment
was never ascertained," as their burying place was on Grand Island,
where they occupied a Log-hut as Hospital—one newly made grave
was found, which on digging the Earth away, was found to contain
the body of a poor wretch who was supposed to have been shot by
their own party, as he was lying with his arms pinioned; who this
Individual was has never been ascertained."
The miserable state of existence they must have endured, baffles
all description. It is almost impossible to convey to you the disgusting scene which was exhibited. The Shanties wherein the Miserable
wretches bivouacked were scarce fit receptacles for pigs, being strewed
with beans, peas, pork rhine, vermin and dirt. Their beds were
composed of brushwood, and nothing to shelter them from the Inclemency of the Weather but pine branches. Here they Congregated
at night, eating, drinking, smoking, swearing and sleeping. For an
occasional bivouac on a deer hunting expedition, such a logement
would pass Current but for fifty or sixty human beings to assemble
nightly for one Month together, betokens a race of desperados worse
than Savages.
Mrs. Mackenzie was over there part of the Time" living in a dirty
house at the back of the Island which I before described to you. The
only accommodation for her at Night was on a shelf covered with
straw.

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA
NOTES

In the following notes, contractions will be employed as follows:
"Dent." The story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion by John Charles Dent,
Toronto, 1885. This work is more than usually accurate in the account of the
"Caroline" episode. I have not referred to "The Cutting out of the 'Caroline' and
other Reminiscences of 1837-38" by Robert Stuart Woods, Q.C., (afterwards Judge
Woods), Chatham, Ont., 1885—everything of value in that work has been utilized
by Dent.
"Head." A 'Narrative by Sir Francis B. Head, Bart. 2nd Edn., London, 1839.
I have not quoted Head's "Emigrant"—it does not afford any useful material.
"Leg. Ass." Journal of the House of Assembly, Upper Canada, Session 1837-8,
Toronto, 1838 (Official).
"G. T. D." The Burning of the"Caroline," by G.T. D. (George Taylor Denison,
Sr., father of the Police Magistrate of Toronto, of the same name). The Canadian
Monthly and National Review, Vol. 3, 289 (April 1873). The head note reads "The
following narrative is by a Canadian officer who served against the rebels and their
American sympathisers." It does not appear that Denison took part in the cutting
out.
"Trial." Gould's Stenographic Reporter, Vol. II, Washington, D.C., 1841.
This contains a full stenographic account of the trial at Utica, N.Y., October, 1841,
of Alexander McLeod, charged with the murder of Amos Durfee at Schlosser, at the
cutting out of the "Caroline." It was satisfactorily proved that McLeod was not in
the expedition at all, although both he and his friends had claimed that he was.
"Kingsford." The History of Canada, by William Kingsford, LL.D., F.R.S.
Can., Toronto, and London, 1898, Vol. X.
"Lindsey." The Life and Times of Wm. Lyon Mackenzie, by Charles Lindsey,
two volumes, Toronto, 1862.
1
Probably Col. Kenneth Cameron, formerly of the 79th Highlanders and at
that time Assistant Adjutant General.
2
Possession was taken by the "Patriots" of Navy Island, December 13th, 1837.
3
Colonel (afterwards Sir) Allan Napier MacNab arrived at Chippewa, December 20th. His name is found spelled in many ways: McNab, McNabb, M'Nab,
M'Nabb, Macnab, Macnabb. He was placed in command on this frontier and was
afterwards knighted for his services.
4
Lieutenant Governor Francis Bond Head as early as December 13th, 1837,
had sent a remonstrance to Governor Marcy, of the State of New York, concerning
the agitation at Buffalo to procure countenance and support for the disaffected in
Upper Canada. Head. 332; Leg. Ass., 97—the Governor, December 19, issued a
Proclamation against attempts to set on foot military expeditions or enterprises in
violation of the laws of the land, and the relations of amity between the United
States and the United Kingdom, Leg. Ass., 98—this was almost a dead letter and
practically nothing was done for weeks to check the movement. On Navy Island
being occupied, Head, December 23, sent Archibald McLean, Speaker of the House,
to Washington with a full account for the British Ambassador, Henry S. Fox. Head,
335; Leg. Ass., 98.
6
I have not seen this "experiment" of the Magistrates noted by any other writer.
6
Richard Arnold's account is as follows (Dent, Vol. 2, p. 215):
"The next day (i.e. December 26, 1837) I and several other volunteers accompanied Captain Drew on a reconnoitering expedition. We set out from Chippewa
Creek in a small boat and proceeded to circumnavigate Navy Island, where we

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could see the rebels in full force. As we approached the island they fired round after
round at us, and the bullets whistled thick and fast over our heads. Our position
was one of extreme peril. 'What a fool I am,' exclaimed Captain Drew, `to be here
without a pick-up boat. Should we be disabled we shall find ourselves in a tight
place.' One of the rowers in our boat was completely overcome by fear, and funked.
'I can't help it boys,' said he—and threw himself at full length along the bottom of
the boat. We made the trip, however, without any accident. The next day we
made another expedition in a large twelve-oared gig, with a picked crew, chiefly
composed of lake sailors. Again the shots whistled over our heads, and struck the
water on both sides of us, but in the course of a few hours we found ourselves back
again in Chippewa Creek without having sustained any injury. We had by this time
become used to being under fire, and didn't seem to mind the sound of the whistling
bullets."
7
This was the "Caroline," a steamboat about 75 feet long and of 46 tons burthen, the property of William Wells of Buffalo, which was cut out of her berth in the
ice at Buffalo and brought down to Schlosser, December 28th, plying across to Navy
Island.
8
Captain Drew, R.N., who was in command of the expedition, in his report,
December 30th, says: "I directed five boats to be armed and manned with fortyfive volunteers." Leg. Ass., 90. G. T. D. ,,says: "Five boats were prepared, well
manned, well armed and with 'unified oars." Can. Monthly, Vol. 3, 290. Richard
Arnold says: "The expedition consisted as far as I can remember of seven boats,
each containing seven men, i.e. four rowers and three sitters." Dent, Vol. 2, 216.
The number of boats is given as seven by most authors and is probably correct.
Sir Allan MacNab, under oath in the McLeod trial, says: "they were seven in number
. . . . seven or eight men in each boat . . . . about forty persons." Trial,
124. "The boats did not all return at the same time. Five arrived at about the same
time, two at a different time." Trial, 125. John Harris gave the same evidence.
Trial, 129. "Seven boats left Chippewa, five only reached the Caroline, five returned
in company." With this Edward Zealand agrees word for word, Trial, 135. Robert
Armour says: "Seven started, five crossed the river," Trial, 147; so do Christopher
Bier, Trial 157, 159, Hamilton Robert O'Reilly, Trial, 162, 165, Sheppard McCormick
Trial, 169, Frederick Claverly, Trial, 170, 175, and several others. The fact seems
to be that seven boats started but two lost the way and did not cross the river.
9
This should be "29th."
19
It seems quite certain that the "Caroline" did not go over the Canadian Falls,
nor as a whole (at least) over the Falls at all. Her engines seem to have sunk and
portions of her charred wood work went down the river and over the Falls on the
American side.
" Both British subjects—one was Sylvanus Fearns Wrigley, of the Township
of Dumfries, who had enlisted with Dr. Duncombe; after Duncombe's men were
dispersed, he crossed the Niagara River to join the "Patriots." He was on his way
to Navy Island where he was captured. He was detained in gaol for three months
and then discharged on giving bail for good behaviour. The other was Alfred Luce,
a native of Lower Canada, who had also joined Dr. Duncombe; he shared in Wrigley's adventures until his capture. He was released the following day and sent across
the ferry to the United States, as there seemed to be doubt whether he was not a
citizen of that country. Dent, Vol. 2, 213; Leg. Ass., 91.
12
Lieutenant Shepherd McCormack (so named by Drew in his official report,
December 30, 1837, Leg. Ass., 90—but both his names are spelt in different
ways, e.g. the pensioning Statute, 1838, I Vic. c. 46, calls him Sheppard McCormick)

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THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

was shot in several parts of his body and also received two cuts from a cutlass. He
was permanently injured; he received a pension from Upper Canada of £100 ($400)
per annum, counting from December 29, 1837. The Preamble of the Act is worth
copying:
"Whereas Sheppard McCormick, Esquire, a retired Lieutenant in the Royal
Navy, received several severe wounds in action at the capture and destruction of
the piratical steamer 'Caroline,' in an attempt to invade this Province by a lawless
banditti, by which he is disabled and it is just and right that he should receive a
Pension during such period as he may be so disabled by said wounds."
He received the pension until his death when it was continued to his widow.
It was the conventional thing for all loyal Canadians from the Lieutenant
Governor down to call the Canadian Rebels and their American "Sympathisers,"
" Pirates"—they were "Pirates" to precisely the same extent and in the same way as
William of Orange and his English and Dutch followers—"Pirates," however, offset
"Patriots" with "apt alteration's artful aid." "Banditti" ("we call them plain thieves
in England") is another term of opprobrium equally well deserved: "a Banditti" is
not quite without precedent in our literature—but then I recall a student of mine,
Consule Planco, speaking of the distance between "one foci of an ellipse and the other."
And Parliament is like Rex, super grammaticam.
The second reported wounded was Captain John Warren, formerly an officer
in the 60th Regiment—his wounds were trifling and he resumed duty the following
day, Dent, Vol. 2, 212; Leg. Ass., 89, 90. The third was Richard Arnold (wrongly
called John Arnold in the official report, Leg. Ass., 90). His story is given in Dent,
Vol. 2, 214—he was "struck by a cutlass on the arm and got a pretty deep gash
just above the elbow;" he was "invalided and sent home to Toronto in a sleigh next
day;" "there his wound healed rapidly, leaving him none the worse." He died in
Toronto, June 18, 1884. He always was properly proud of being the last man to
leave the "Caroline." _
" Captain Drew in his official report said, "I regret to add that five or six of
the enemy were killed," Leg. Ass., 90; but it is reasonably certain that there was
only one killed—this was Amos Durfee of Buffalo, for the murder of whom Alexander
McLeod was tried at Utica, N.Y., in 1841. There were several wounded, more or
less severely.
la MacNab, writing to Lt.-Col. Strachan, from Chippewa, January 19, 1838,
says, "Three of our brave and loyal Militia have unfortunately lost their lives in
the service of their country against the Rebels and their piratical allies upon Navy
Island. They were all killed by gunshot wounds." Leg. Ass., 264.
He was arrested as a spy but released.
18
The existing accounts mention that the casualties on the Island were one killed
by a round shot, and one slightly wounded by a splinter. Dent, Vol. 2, 224, note.
17
I have not seen any reference to this circumstance in any of the other accounts.
18
Mrs. Mackenzie, née Isabel Baxter, a native of Dundee, was married to
William Lyon Mackenzie at Montreal, 1822, when Mackenzie was living in Dundas.
She was a woman of sterling character, a devoted wife and mother. She was the only
woman who spent any time on Navy Island. "She arrived there only a few hours
before the destruction of the 'Caroline,' and remained nearly a fortnight with her
husband, making flannel cartridge bags and inspiring with courage by her entire
freedom from fear, all with whom she conversed. At the end of about a fortnight,
illhealth obliged her to leave." Lindsey, Vol. 1., 38, Vol. 2., 163.
Navy Island was abandoned by the "Patriots," January 14th, 1838, Dent,
Vol. 2, 223.
15