1814
Active operations were continued during the winter, when the weather permitted; and in the spring of 1814, Lieut.-Colonel Williams, of the Thirteenth foot, had charge of the advance-posts on the river Richelieu.
The American commander, Major-General Wilkinson, concentrated a considerable force for the invasion of Lower Canada; the Thirteenth and forty-ninth regiments, the Canadian voltigeurs, a troop of the nineteenth light dragoons, and a field train, were assembled at St. John’s, and its vicinity, to oppose the invaders. This force was placed under the orders of Colonel Sir Sidney Beckwith, and it was ordered to dislodge a body of Americans, who had taken post at Philipsburg, in the seigniory of St. Armand; but the enemy made a precipitate retreat across the ice on Lake Champlain.
On the 30th of March, the American light troops entered Odell-town, followed by three brigades of infantry, a squadron of cavalry, and eleven guns; they drove in the British piquets, and attached the post at Burton Ville; but were so well received by the troops stationed there, that they soon desisted in the attempt on that post. Their leading brigades afterwards attacked the mill and block-house on the La Cole river, where a detachment of the Thirteenth foot and a party of Canadians were stationed, under Major Handcock, of the Thirteenth. The Americans drove in the piquet, gained possession of a wood, established a battery among the trees, and opened a sharp fire upon the post, which was gallantly defended. Major Handcock having ascertained that the flank companies of the Thirteenth had arrived at the mill, directed an effort to be made to capture the American artillery, when Captain Ellard led his company to the charge with distinguished bravery, and a spirited attempt was made on the battery; but the wood was found crowded with American infantry. Captain Ellard was severely wounded, and the few men who had made the sally, finding themselves opposed by several entire regiments of the enemy, withdrew from the unequal contest. The Americans persevering in the attack, a second attempt was made to capture their guns, but their brigades were too numerous to admit of a chance of success. The post was, however, successfully defended; every attempt of the Americans to capture it was repelled, and they retired, after sustaining considerable loss.
Major Handcock, and the officers and soldiers who had so nobly defended this post, were thanked for their conduct, by the commander of the forces, Lieut.-General Sir George Prevost. The regiment had thirteen rank and file killed; Captain Ellard, Ensign Whitford, two serjeants, and forty-six rank and file wounded.
In April the war with France was terminated, and Napoleon Buonaparte was removed from the throne of that kingdom; but the contest in America was continued, and the Thirteenth regiment was employed on the frontiers of Lower Canada, but it had no opportunity of distinguishing itself.
1815
Peace was concluded with the United States in 1815, when the regiment received orders to return to England: it embarked from the Isle aux Noix in bateaux, was removed into smaller boats at William Henry, on the river St. Lawrence, and embarking in transports at the Three Rivers, arrived at Portsmouth on the 15th of July, when it landed, and was employed in garrison duty at that fortress. The period of its arrival from America, did not, therefore, afford an opportunity of the services of the regiment being available on the occasion of the return of Buonaparte to France, his overthrow at Waterloo, nor on the restoration of Louis XVIII.
The regiment remained at Portsmouth until August, when it embarked for the island of Jersey, where it was stationed upwards of two years; and its orderly conduct, on all occasions, procured for it the respect and esteem of the inhabitants and civil authorities of the island.