Stranica 91 [91]
OCR
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 commenced, 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 Merritt, 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 commanding 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 These being signed by all, the guard was withdrawn, and we were no longer close prisoners.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 Washburn, 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 Pittsfield. 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 Government 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
