Stranica 54 [54]
from the proprietors of the iron furnace, then
building at that place, that no munitions of war
should be cast there, and returned with his com¬
mand to the Canadian side. A plan was formed to
attack the party, when passing down the river to
Black Lake, but, from fear of exciting retaliation,
it Was not carried out.
Major Lemon, of Maitland, relates the following:
In 1811, a young man named Underhill came from
the United States, and se@iired a situation as school
teacher, at Halleck’s school house, above Brockville.
It was soon ascertained that Underhill was a de¬
serter from the United States army. A Canadian
named Montgomery, who owned a small schooner,
lent it to a kidnapping party of Americans, who
One day the
vessel dropped down the river, until opposite Ful¬
were anxious to arrest the deserter.
ford’s, the party proceeding through the woods to
the school house, where they seized Underhill. The
prisoner was gagged, and dragged away in the
direction of the river. Underhill, seizing a good
opportunity, broke away from his captors, and ran
for the settlement. He was immediately shot dead,
and left in the woods. By this time, the children
had given the alarm, and the Canadians started in
pursuit of the murderers, but were, unfortunately,
too late, the Americans making their escape in the
Schooner. The event created great excitement at
the time, and contributed in no small degree to the
bitter feeling which subsequently existed along the
frontier.
Among the most active of the Loyalists during the
war, were the Grant brothers. One of them, Lieu¬
tenant Grant, and Captain Reuben Sherwood, were
employed along the frontier in the Secret Service.
On one occasion, Grant and Sherwood were up
among the Thousand Islands prospecting, having
with them a force of nine men, when they ascer¬
tained that the Americans were building a block
house at Gravelly Point. Leaving their men on an
island, they proceeded in a small boat, and landed
a short distance below the point, in the woods.
Sherwood proposed to Grant, that they should take
the entire party prisoners. Proceeding through
the woods, they came suddenly upon the militiamen
who, with muskets lying on the ground, were pre¬
paring the timber for the block house. .The
Americans were astonished at the appearance of
two British officers in full uniform. Sherwood, in a
loud voice, called out, “what are you doing here,”
and in the same breath demanded to be shown to
Turning at the same time to Grant,
he said, “consider these men prisoners, and if one
of them attempts to pick up a musket, give the
signal to the Indians, but don’t do so unless abso¬
headquarters,
ry
lutely necessary." Sherwood then proceeded to the
Majors headguarters, near at hand, and demanded
his sword, which was promptly surrendered, that
officer laboring under the belief that he was sur¬
rounded by a band of Indians, who only waited for
a signal to rush upon and scalp every Yankee.
Sherwood then proceeded to parole the men one by
one, for the remainder of the war, despatching them
by a circuitous route for their homes. The Major
was marched down to the boat, where great was his
Surprise to find that he had been outwitted by
shrewd Canadians, and that only two officers were
necessary to capture a score of armed Americans.
exchanged for Colonel Carley, who had been taken
prisoner in their midnight raid upon Brockville.
From the declaration of war, until the close of
hostilities, the Americans were forced to suffer the
most humiliating and mortifying defeats and re¬
The British regulars and Canadian militia
formed a solid phalanx, which invariably” hurled
verses.
back the invaders, though, in some. instances, their
numbers were considered overpowering. Along the
frontier, the tide of battle turned against the foe,
who at first looked upon the conquest of the country
A poor and sparsely
settled province proved more than a match for the
boasted Republic, and well may our citizens be
as a foregone conclusion.
(c Who scorned to bend a knee ”
to the flag of hostile democracy.
CHAPTER sent,
VETERANS OF 1812-15.
SUMMERS came and winters departed ; the middle¬
aged dropped, one by one, into the grave; the boys
and young men found their heads whitened by de¬
cades of toil and trouble ; political parties wrangled
for the seats of office; demagogues and patriots
contended for popular favor; parliaments assembled
with glittering promises, and sank amid execrations
into oblivion: yet, among the long list of petitions
and pledges, there was not one which read, “Do
Mindful
only of the present, the hardy sires who saved
Canada were permitted to recline in the ingle nook,
and only, on some wintry night, recount to youth
and maiden, the story of the struggle of long ago.
In its infancy, Canada was assailed by a powerful
neighbor, bent on victory. On lake, on river, and
on land, the arm of conquest was thrust out, ready
honor to the heroes and veterans of 1812":