February and March, 1815 - "Word of Peace"

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pud
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February and March, 1815 - "Word of Peace"

Post by pud » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:23 am

Source: Merry Hearts Make Light Days (The War of 1812 Journal of Lieutenant John LeCouteur, 104th Foot). Edited by: Donald E. Graves. Carlton University Press, Ottawa, Canada 1993. pp. 222 – 224.

"21 February
Increasing rumors of peace.
,…

24 February
Heard the American official news of peace!

25 February
Several American officers came over from Sackett's Harbour with the news. We received them very well, gave them a dinner, and made our Band play "Yankee Doodle" on drinking the President's health which gave them great pleasure.

This I heard from my brother officers for Col. Moodie came to my quarters and asked me at what time I could start express for Montreal with the dispatches and news of Peace. "In five minutes" I said. "Good. Well Johnny, You shall have a quarter of an hour. I'll go and send a Sleigh for you and bring you the despatches." I was writing a long letter to my dear Mother, put it under cover, and wrote "the Ratification of Peace by Mr. Madison just arrived from Sackets harbour and I am sent express to Montreal with the news. Adieu, LeCouteur."

,…

It was about six in the morning when I disturbed good old General DeRottenburg who sent me word I was very welcome, with my official despatches but He had received private intelligence of the Peace the previous night. I called again at the official hour and was presented to the pretty Mrs. DeRottenburg - then about the period of Fat, Fair & Forty, scarcely a wrinkle on her lively brilliant countenance.,…

On the 16th of March I wrote My Father urging Him, now that the war was over, to apply to the Duke of York to be allowed to join him at Curacao either on his staff or on leave. The Regiment was under orders for New Brunswick, it was said, either to be reduced or to be garrisoned there. I was anxious to quit a country of which I had seen all I desired but I would go through the States to see the domestic habits of the people to whom we had been opposed and were old anglo-Saxons. They had turned out very good soldiers. Their officers were gallant and enterprising, and altho’ our Engineers said they do not understand Fortification, they had shown that the rules of common sense and effectual defence guided them. They would have a fine army ten years hence and [because of] that, we should keep twenty thousand men in Canada."

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