Some Account of the Public Life of the Late Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Bart. / Particularly of His Services in the Canadas, Including a Reply to the Strictures on His Military Character, Contained in an Article in the Quarterly Review

by E. B. Brenton

No. XXXI.

Extract from Vermont Paper, dated Burlington, Sept. 1814, p. 168.

"The articles in your paper of last week, republished from the Montreal papers, are interesting, as they evince the spirit of our Canada neighbours, and the high hopes they had entertained from their late expedition.

"That the result is not such as they could have wished we believe, but that its failure should be ascribed entirely to the misconduct of Gov. Prevost is wholly unaccountable. It is not our business or desire to shield Gov. Prevost from the censure of his subjects, but after the decision of the contest between the hostile fleets, we can perceive no object of national importance which could have justified the further operations of the army.

"It is possible that an army of 12,000 men might have carried the works at Plattsburg, but the positive assertions on this subject betray great ignorance of our resources, and the spirit of our people. Grant, that after much hard fighting, and the loss of many valuable lives, they had succeeded in taking the forts, do they suppose they could have retained them against all the forces we can bring against them? If they do, we can only say, that they are grossly mistaken.

"Do they suppose that an army of 12,000 men can march through a country, every county of which contains more than that number of souls; or do they suppose their progress would not be obstructed?

"A large proportion of our citizens are opposed to the present war, and from principles the most noble and virtuous. They will not, under existing circumstances, consent to aid in offensive operations against their neighbours. But let no one suppose their love of peace will destroy their love of country, and that they can make war upon us without danger. We will not willingly molest them, but they must not disturb us. He is unworthy any country who would not protect his own from invasion; and we are happy to know that this country is inhabited by men who need no additional inducement to protect their rights and privileges at every hazard.

"People."
"Messrs. Hinckley and Fish."