Stranica 91 [91]
the commander-in-chief, and his fear was strong that
General Drummoud himself would be captured. It
a whole regiment in rear of our line, most of them
stationed near the centre, so that the men or officers
going to the rear would be captured. Most of the
prisoners taken were inthat way. Major Loring had
been ordered to bring up a troop of dragoons that
were some distance in the rear, when riding back,
and he thought not a hundred yards from the
General, he was among the enemy, pulled off his
horse and made prisoner ;
groundless.
his fears, however, were
The action beginning not far from six
M., lasting till past ten, gave time for Col. Scott,
with the 1o3rd Regiment and some militia, about a
thousand strong, to march from St. Catharines, a
distance of thirteen miles, after the action had com¬
menced, and to close it by driving the enemy
from. the field, regaining two or three pieces of
own guns. I being in rear of them, I could see all
their movements and judge oftheir numbers. When
they had marched to Chippewa, after retreating from
the field of battle, Major Loring and myself were
taken from our tent to the main road, where we
fell in with all our officers and men that had
been made prisoners, about fifty
eighteen officers. Amongst the latter, were General
Riol, the late Chief-Justice McLean, Hamilton Mer¬
ritt, etc. We were all
VizZ,, men and
marched a distance above
Chippewa, and put in a large Durham boat, and,
surrounded by a strong guard, rowed across the
ip: short distance above the Falls. After leaving the
boat, we were encompassed by a strong guard,
Early in the
morning, we were taken (that is, the officers, only,
where we remained until daylight.
as the privates were not then taken across) in charge
of a new guard, and marched to Buffalo, which we
reached early in the evening, and were kept that
night in a large unfurnished house, used as a hotel.
We enjoyed our rest and food, having suffered for
wantofboth. Next day, we were visited by the com¬
manding officer of Buffalo. They had paroles made
out, by which we promised to go to Greenbush, and
report to the commanding officer there. These
being signed by all, the guard was withdrawn, and
we were no longer close prisoners. The next day,
conveyances were provided, and all started for
Greenbush, except General Riol and Captain Wash¬
burn, who, being wounded, were allowed to remain
near Buffalo. After travelling six or eight days
in covered wagons provided, I reached Albany, in
company with the late Hon. Hamilton Merritt, and
78
selves to the’ general commanding there, and was
by him allowed to remain at Albany eight days,
then to go on to Massachusetts, the place of our
destination. Accordingly, in eight days, stages
were engaged, and all, being then eighteen in
number, went on to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the
headquarters of prisoners of war, having signed
new paroles, not to leave the Township of Cheshire,
the place assigned us being ten miles east of Pitts¬
field. We went there the same evening, procured
lodgings, and remained there nine months, until
the news of peace being proclaimed, when we were
discharged, and allowed to return home to Canada,
Our captured soldiers were marched from Buffalo
to Pittsfield, and there confined in prisons until
released by the peace. All officers received a cartel
allowance of $20 per month, paid us monthly by the
American Marshall, as their agent, and on which
they subsisted, and their expenses home. The
soldiers drew rations.
Soon after my return, I commenced trade at
Unionville, ten miles in rear of Brockville, and was
also employed by the Commissariat Department in
the settlement of the emigrants who first settled in
I forwarded
all the families by wagons to the Bay (now the
Village of Portland), and had to cut a road the last
three miles, to reach the lake. Thence, ina large
scow, they were taken down the Rideau Lake, below
Perth and vicinity, in the year 1816.
Oliver’s Ferry, toa deep bay above the mouth of
River Tay; then down on ox sleds, through the
woods about a mile and a-half, to the Tay, above
(now) Pike Falls;
River Tay, to the Depot, the present town of Perth.
then, in another scow, up the
The same spring, I was employed by the Govern¬
ment to purchase wheat, oats, and potatoes for the
emigrants, being sent to the settlement by the same
route. I had sent forward provisions the winter
previous by the ice and roads cut between the lakes.
The following autumn, a road was cut by Peter
Howard, M. P., from the present site of Toledo to
Oliver’s Ferry and Perth, nearly on the line now
traveled.
In the month of June, 1816, I was married, being
then 21 years of age, by the late Rev. William Smart,
to Elizabeth Baldwin (a sister of the wife of the late
Sheriff Sherwood, and the wife of the late Roderick
Easton), and the same year built a stone house, and
settled at Unionville. We have had born to us
eight sons and one daughter. Five of our sons are
buried. Horace Kilborn, the eldest, now resides at
Newboro’; is Clerk of the Division Court and keeps
a drug store. He is married, and has a family.
The second son, Roderick, is settled in Australia.
He is married, and has a family. He has been