Some Account of the Public Life of the Late Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Bart Part 20

His Excellency was pleased to make the following answer:

_To the Inhabitants of the City of Montreal, and the neighbouring Parishes._

"Gentlemen,

"The alacrity with which you have hastened to prevent the distance of your residence from being an obstacle to the expression of your kind wishes on my sudden and unexpected departure, gives to them all the additional value of eager sincerity.

"Your good will is to me a most acceptable offering: and as I am now content if your good opinion of my services during my Administration is proportioned to my desire to promote your welfare, so shall I ever be ambitious that your estimate of my exertions may be found as correct as the favourable judgment which I early formed of His Majesty's subjects in Canada, which experience has now fully justified."

_Letter from M. de Salaberry to Sir George Prevost._

A son Excellence Sir George Prevost, &c. &c.

Qu'il plaise a votre Excellence,

Me permettre d'ecrire, puisque je ne peux sortir. J'en suis empeche par une maladie opiniatre et apparemment dangereuse, puisqu'encore hier j'ai tombe sans connaissance sur le plancher. Je suis bien peine d'etre prive par les accidens d'aller vous rendre mes respects, avant que vous vous laissiez.

Sir George, vous portez pour vous justifier--Quoi! une justification de vous! Qui pouvait s'y attendre? Mais s'il en faut une, la voici d'un mot: LE CANADA EST ENCORE A L'ANGLETERRE. Cela repond a tout. Le resultat est tout, il est frappant, il est grand. Voila _un fait_, celui-la: on ne peut le nier. Devant lui doivent disparaitre les vaines paroles, les accusations sophistiques; sous lui doivent succomber les efforts de la malveillance, l'envie, les pa.s.sions haineuses; mais le merite et la vertu sont sujets a la persecution. Vous en triompherez glorieus.e.m.e.nt: j'ose vous le predire avec a.s.surance, et je la souhaite du profond de mon coeur, comme je souhaite aussi tous les bonheurs pour vous, Sir George, et pour ce qui vous est cher. Avec ces vrais sentimens, et ceux du plus grand respect, j'ai l'honneur de me souscrire,

Mon General, De votre Excellence, Le tres-humble, tres-obeissant Et tres devoue serviteur, L. de SALABERRY, Col. M. Quebec.

_A Beauport, 28 Mars, 1815._

P. S. Oui, les Canadas sont encore a l'Angleterre, mais n'y serraient plus sans un effort perseverant de prudence, d'activite, de patience courageuse, et d'habilite consommee, dans un commandement et un genre de guerre aussi difficiles, dont la conduite exige un art tant particulier. Voila ce qu'avoueront tous ceux qui ont de vraies connaissances de la nature de ces pays de situations si extraordinaires, a des prodigieuses distances, a travers des forets immenses.

Ce ne sont pas des guerres _d'Europe_, ou sous un beau ciel et dans des riches plaines cultivees, toutes les parties d'armees se touchent, ou sont toujours a-portee, de se donner la main, dans des localites rapprochees et dont les communications sont si faciles. Daignez, mon General, traiter mes reflexions avec indulgence, puis qu'elles viennent d'un vieux et loyal soldat, qui a commence a faire la guerre il y a precis.e.m.e.nt quarante ans cette annee.

No. x.x.xIII.

_Extract from Christie's Memoirs of the Administration of the Colonial Government of Lower Canada, by Sir James Henry Craig, and Sir George Prevost._

"The administration of the Civil Government of Lower Canada under Sir George Prevost, was mild, equitable, and unquestionably popular among the entire ma.s.s of the Canadian population, in whose loyalty from the commencement, he placed the most implicit confidence. To their fidelity, and to the prudent and conciliating policy of this Governor, Great Britain is indebted for the preservation of the Canadas, unavoidably left dest.i.tute of money and troops at the outset of hostilities with America, by reason of the urgent demands of the war in Spain. The Provincial Legislature, by giving a currency to Army Bills and guaranteeing their redemption, effectually removed all apprehensions of a deficiency in the financial resources of the Colonial Government. The organization of a respectable force of embodied Militia, and the power delegated to the Governor, of turning out the whole of the effective male population of the Province, in cases of emergency, enabled him to withstand the efforts of the United States, during two successive campaigns, with scarcely any other resources than those derived from the Colony. They who had been partial to the preceding Administration, and who probably may have been instrumental in the arbitrary measures with which it is reproached, were, as might be expected, adverse to the policy of the present Governor, and spared no pains to represent in England the affairs of the Colony in the falsest colours. The disappointments experienced at Sackett's Harbour and Plattsburg, gave occasion to his enemies to discredit his military character: but whatever may have been his capacity as a general, (which we leave to the judgment of military men) it must be admitted, that as a civil governor, at the head of a people irritated by arbitrary measures under the preceding Administration, he judiciously explored his way through a period of unprecedented embarra.s.sments and danger, without a recurrence to Martial Law, or the least exertion of arbitrary power. His manners are represented by those who were familiarly acquainted with him as una.s.suming and social.

His public speeches or addresses partook of even cla.s.sical elegance. His smooth and easy temper placed him beyond the ordinary pa.s.sions of men in power, and though aware of the intrigues of unprincipled and implacable enemies labouring at his destruction, and loaded with the obloquy of the press, he is known to have harboured no resentment against the former, and to have reasoned with that coolness and unconcern with respect to the latter, which can only spring from a virtuous and ingenuous mind."

_Extract from Bouchette's Topographical Account of Lower Canada, p. 121._

"At a time when the military resources of the Province were so greatly curtailed by the most arduous continental warfare that ever Great Britain was engaged in, it is a matter of surprise that so much could have been effected with such slender means. An enemy, emboldened by possessing an ample force, and inspired by the prospect of obtaining a fertile country, long the object of inordinate desire, could only be successfully opposed by a union of the greatest energy with the most active measures; that such was presented to him is incontrovertible, and the credit of having brought them into action by unceasing perseverance, will attach to the judicious dispositions of the Governor-General, Sir George Prevost, and for his strenuous efforts in turning the enthusiasm of the people into a bulwark stronger, and more impenetrable than entrenchments or fortresses against an invader."

_The following Extract from James's Naval Memoirs, p.

411, shewing the opinion of the American Naval Commander, as to the result of the action on Lake Champlain, was intended to form a note to page 175._

"Commodore Macdonough, taking Lieutenant Robertson, when presenting his sword, for the British Commanding Officer, spoke to him as follows:--'You owe it, Sir, to the shameful conduct of your gun-boats and cutters, that you are performing this office to me; for, had they done their duty, you must have perceived, from the situation of the Saratoga, that I could hold out no longer: and indeed, nothing induced me to keep up her colours, but seeing, from the united fire of all the rest of my squadron on the Confiance, and her unsupported situation, that she must ultimately surrender.'--Here is an acknowledgment, candid and honourable in the extreme."

No. x.x.xIV.

_Inscription on the Monument erected to the Memory of Sir George Prevost in Winchester Cathedral, p. 177._

Sacred to the Memory Of Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Baronet, of Belmont, in this County, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in North America; In which command, by his wise and energetic measures, And with a very inferior force, He preserved the Canadas to the British Crown, From the repeated invasions of a powerful Enemy.

His Const.i.tution at length sunk Under incessant bodily and mental exertions, In discharging the duties of that arduous station, And having returned to England, He died shortly afterwards in London, on the 5th Jan. 1816, Aged forty-eight years; Thirty-four of which had been devoted To the service of his Country.

He was interred near the remains of his Father, Major-General Augustin Prevost, At East Barnet, in Middles.e.x.

His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, To evince in an especial manner the sense he entertained Of his distinguished conduct and services, During a long period of constant active employment, In situations of great trust, both military and civil, Was pleased to ordain, As a lasting memorial of His Majesty's Royal favour, That the names of the Countries, Where his courage and abilities had been most signally displayed, The West Indies and Canada, Should be inscribed on the banners of the supporters, Granted to be borne by his Family and his descendants.

In Testimony of his private worth, His piety, integrity, and benevolence, And all those tender, domestic virtues Which endeared him To his Family, his Children, his Friends and Dependants, As well as to prove her unfeigned love, grat.i.tude and respect, Catharine Ann Prevost, His afflicted Widow, caused this Monument to be erected, Anno Domini, 1818.

No. x.x.xV.

_Private Despatch from Sir George Prevost to Earl Bathurst, p. 179._

(Private.)

"_Montreal, 21st Sept. 1814._

"My Lord,

"In my despatch from Plattsburg, of the 11th inst. I reported to your Lords.h.i.+p the unfortunate event which induced me to withdraw the troops with which I had advanced into the enemy's territory. My reasons for that measure I can more fully explain to your Lords.h.i.+p in a private communication than it might be proper to do in a public letter.

"Your Lords.h.i.+p must have been aware from my previous despatches, that no offensive operations could be carried on, within the enemy's territory, for the destruction of his Naval Establishments, without naval support. Having ascertained that our flotilla was in every respect equal to the enemy's, and having received from Captain Downie the a.s.surance, not only of his readiness, but of his ability to co-operate with the army, I did not hesitate in advancing to Plattsburg, and confidently relying upon the successful exertions of the squadron, I made my arrangements for the a.s.sault of the enemy's works the moment it should appear.

"The disastrous and unlooked for result of the naval contest, by depriving me of the only means by which I could avail myself of any advantage I might gain, rendered a perseverance in the attack of the enemy's position highly imprudent, as well as hazardous. From the state of the roads, each day's delay at Plattsburg rendered my retreat more difficult. The enemy's Militia was raising _en ma.s.se_ around me, desertion increasing, and our supply of provisions scanty.

"Excluded from the use of water communication, and that by roads pa.s.sing through woods and over swamps, becoming, from the state of the weather, as well as from the obstructions made by the enemy, nearly impa.s.sable--under these circ.u.mstances, I had to determine whether I should consider my own fame, by gratifying the order of the troops in persevering in the attack, or consult the more substantial interests of my country, by withdrawing the army which was yet uncrippled, for the security of these provinces; in adopting the latter measure, I feel that I have accorded with the views of His Majesty's Government, and that a contrary conduct would have been attended with immediate and imminent danger to this Province.

"The most ample success on sh.o.r.e, after the loss of the fleet, could not have justified the sacrifice I must have made to obtain it. Had I failed, and such an event was possible, after the American army had been cheared by the sight of a naval victory, the destruction of a great part of our troops must have been the consequence, and with the remainder I should have had to make a precipitate and embarra.s.sed retreat, one very different from that which I have made.

"These are considerations which, without doubt, will have their due weight with your Lords.h.i.+p, and induce you, I trust, to view the measures I have adopted as those best calculated to promote, as well the honour of His Majesty's arms, as the safety of this part of his dominions.

"I herewith transmit a comparative state of the force of the two squadrons, in order that your Lords.h.i.+p may be satisfied with my reasons for not discouraging a Naval Engagement, in which, if all had done their duty, I should have had a very different report to make.

"I have the honour to be," &c.

"_The Right Hon. Earl Bathurst_."

FOOTNOTES:

[99] Captain Watson of the Tweed; Tate of the Nancy; and Higgins of the Betsey.

[100] Compte O'Duin's own expression.