Part 3 (1/2)
There were surrendered with the fort, 29 pieces of cannon, 2500 stands of arms and a considerable quant.i.ty of military stores and provisions.
At 2 o'clock we were sent on board a schooner, (the same we had taken possession of while at Sandwich) where wounded and sick men, women and children were stowed away without discrimination. We received no provisions from the British for two days; but fortunately some of the men had brought a small quant.i.ty on board with them, which was shared among us while it lasted.
Aug. 18.--We were transferred to another schooner and sent to Malden, where we met with our former comrades who were taken prisoners on the 2nd July, confined on board an old vessel in the river. They said they had been well treated by the British, but were frequently insulted by the Indians who pa.s.sed along the sh.o.r.e. Sergt. Jennison has favored the author with the following minutes of the conduct of the Indians while he remained a prisoner at Malden:
”On the 18th July we were informed that an engagement took place at the river aux Canard between our troops and the British, and that the former were driven back. A British soldier was killed in the action, and buried near the river; the Indians afterwards dug up the body, (supposing him to be an American) and took off the scalp.
Towards evening they came into the town with the scalp fixed to a pole, which they shook at us, saying ”one yankee gone home.””
July 19.--A number of Indians came in from a skirmish with our troops, having one of their number badly wounded; when they came opposite to us, they suddenly halted and pointed their rifles towards us as we were walking the deck, in order to frighten us, as we supposed; but not taking any particular notice of them, they discharged several pieces at us; some of their shot came very close, but they did no injury.
July 21.--The Indians received new blankets and guns from the King's store. An American prisoner was brought to the fort by the name of Burns--he was shot through the thigh, and had been awfully beat by the squaws: an officer found means to purchase him, and thereby saved his life.
Aug. 4.--The Indians at Brownstown agreed in council to take up the tomahawk against the Americans, and a number of boats pa.s.sed across the river to a.s.sist them over with their effects.--Gen. Brock soon after arrived with troops from York. Nothing more of consequence took place here until the arrival of our troops from Detroit.
On our arrival at Malden we were put on board of different vessels in the river: The private property taken in the schooner the 2d of July was restored to its right owners.
Aug. 19.--The regular troops were put on board the Queen Charlotte and another small vessel in the river. Provisions were dealt out to us, consisting of pork and flour; but we had no convenience allowed us to cook it, and were obliged to eat our pork raw. The flour, we contrived to mix into small cakes, and when the greasy cook to the vessel saw fit to grant us permission, we threw them into his kettle, where they were boiled.
The Militia prisoners departed in two vessels for Cleveland where they were to receive their paroles.
Aug. 20.--We set sail from Malden for fort Erie in the Queen Charlotte and a schooner.--Our situation on board the schooner was truly deplorable: being 150 of us in number, there was hardly room sufficient for us to stand together in the hold. Only a few were allowed to remain on deck at a time, and at night all were turned below, where we were obliged to huddle together and each one rest the best way he could. The hold became so foul before morning that the men would gather at the hatchway, greatly distressed for fresh air.
After a pa.s.sage of three days we arrived at Fort Erie, half famished with hunger; although we had a plenty of provisions on board such as it was;--raw pork and dough may answer two or three meals for a _soldier_, but a continuance of such food would starve even him.
Aug. 23d.--We were landed, and informed that an armistice had been concluded between the two governments.--We tarried here but a short time--drew provisions for the day, and at ten o'clock we were formed, and under a guard proceeded on our march for Fort George. As we pa.s.sed Black Rock, the American fort on the opposite sh.o.r.e, we beheld many of our country soldiers viewing us from the ramparts. At sunset we arrived at Chippewa and were confined in a large building where we remained for that night. Two or three of our men escaped from the British and crossed the river to the American side on a gate which they had taken from the fence near the building where we were confined.
Aug. 24.--A quant.i.ty of cooked provision was dealt out to us; and at 8 o'clock we again commenced our march; pa.s.sed through Queenstown, and arrived at Fort George, about two o'clock, P.M.--We were paraded and a strict examination made for British deserters; but none were found among us.
One of our men by the name of Barker, an American by birth, had been previously claimed, and was taken from us as a British deserter--he had been in the British service at Quebec several years before, and from which he deserted, and enlisted at Fort Independence in Boston, in 1809.
Aug. 27.--We embarked on board two gun brigs, the Royal George and Prince Regent, and in two days arrived at Kingston, where we were well treated and had plenty of provisions allowed us. One of our men was prevailed upon to enter the British service, on board the Royal George.
Aug. 28.--Two hundred British troops arrived from Montreal in Batteaux; and at the same time we received orders to be in readiness to embark the next morning and proceed on our pa.s.sage.
A Corporal and Musician of Captain Brown's Company made their escape by swimming to a small island a short distance from where we were confined.
Sept. 1.--We drew provisions for 4 days, and embarked on board the batteaux, and ordered to Montreal. A strong guard of soldiers, in boats carrying a small swivel in the bow, loaded with grape shot, escorted us on our pa.s.sage;--we were compelled to row ourselves in the boats, which much fatigued us in our weakly situation; but complaints were of no other consequence here than an addition of abuse: he who complained least fared best.--Each night the boats were brought ash.o.r.e, and a guard lined the beach to prevent us from leaving them.
We were not allowed to go three rods from the boats, and if in that compa.s.s we could procure fuel sufficient to cook our provision, it was well, otherwise our next day's fare must be on raw pork, as usual. At dark we were all driven to the boats, where we remained till morning, in a very uncomfortable situation, there being from twelve to fifteen men in each it was impossible to lay in any convenient position for resting or sleep.
Sept. 7.--We arrived at a small village, seventeen miles from Montreal--crowds of people had collected at this place, to have a peep as they said, at Gen. Hull's ”_exterminating yankees_,”--Our guard was strengthened by a fine looking company of volunteers, and about three o'clock we were paraded in sections, and commenced our march for the city, where we arrived about 8 o'clock in the evening. The streets through which we pa.s.sed, and the houses were filled with spectators, holding lights from their windows. A band of music joined the escort, and struck up our much admired ditty, ”_yankee doodle_,” in which they were joined by all of us who could whistle the tune; and like merry yankee soldiers we jogged on, and when they ceased to play, yankee doodle was loudly called for by the regiment. At last somewhat mortified at our conduct, they began ”Rule Britannia,” which was cheered by the mult.i.tude; but we still continued our favorite song, some singing and others whistling till we reached the barracks.
Sept. 7.--Many people crowded about the barrack yard, but none were permitted to converse with us. In the afternoon we were paraded by companies, and a list descriptive of each individual of the regiment was taken by the British officers.
Sept. 8.--We embarked on board of boats to descend the river to Quebec--we arrived very late at the mouth of the river Sorel, and were immediately landed; pa.s.sing two lines of soldiers with charged bayonets, to a large stone house, and were shut close during the night. Notwithstanding our repeated calls for water not a drop would they allow us; neither would they permit us to pa.s.s out in any case whatever. At sunrise we were turned out and ordered to the boats, and were permitted to cook our breakfasts on the sh.o.r.e, provided we could find fuel near us, for they would allow us none but what we could pick up about the boats. It is somewhat singular that our officers, (many of whom were with us) could be so regardless of our situation. Had they manifested the same spirit for the welfare of their men in _captivity_, that they did in _active service_, we should never have been so shamefully abused. Sergeant Tracy of the late Capt. Baen's company, was the only man among us who had spirit enough to speak _openly_ to the British officers of our treatment in this case--they said that our being _closely confined_ was without the orders of the commanding officer; and the officer who commanded the guard had been severely reprimanded for his conduct--poor consolation enough for _our_ sufferings.
Sept. 9.--We embarked and continued on our pa.s.sage--four of our men were missing.--At sunset we arrived at Cornwall--were landed, and marched into the jail yard, which appeared by the filth about us, to have been a rendezvous for all the hogs of the village. The gate was closed upon us, and we spread our blankets upon the ground and lay quietly until morning. We tarried here the following day, and no man was permitted to leave the yard on any consideration whatever.
Sept. 11.--We proceeded on our pa.s.sage, and about 4 o'clock, P.M.
arrived at a town called Three Rivers; here our guard was relieved by a company of the Glengary regiment. In this company we recognized several of the former soldiers of the 4th regiment, who had deserted us on our march through Pennsylvania.