On the 20th November, the fleet sailed for Bermuda, consisting of the Flag Ship of Admiral Sawyer, the Spartan and Melampus, Frigates; the Atalanta, Ratler and Indian, Sloops-of-War.
At the commencement of the year the following Ships of War, under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren, were on this station, viz.: Swiftsure, 74; Guerriere, 40; Melampus, 36; Æolus, 39; Cleopatra, 32; Euridice, 24; Little Belt, 22; Halifax, 18[67]; Indian, 18; Emulous, 18; Atalanta, 18; Colibre, 18; La Fantome, 18; Plumper, 12 and the schooners Vesta, Juniper, Holly, Barbare, Bream, Cuttle and Chub. The old Centurian was the receiving ship; she remained for many years off the dockyard. The Pyramus was afterwards used as a receiving ship for the fleet lately sold and broken up; she was an old-class 50 taken from the Danes at the capture of Copenhagen.
The Eighth and Ninety-eighth British regiments, the Nova Scotia Fencible Infantry, with a battery of Artillery and a company of Engineers composed the Garrison of Halifax. Captain Philip Van Cortlandt was Town Major, and Stephen Hall Binney, Barrack-master. The former was succeeded by Lieutenant John McColla as Town Major, who resided in Halifax for a number of years, and was Adjutant General of the Provincial Militia. Major-General Balfour[68] commanded the Garrison. Captain J. N. Inglefield, R. N.,[69] was Commissioner of the Dockyard, and Mr. P. F. Wallis, first clerk. Mr. W. was father of Admiral Sir Provo Wallis, who distinguished himself in the action of the Shannon and Chesapeake.
A Marine Humane Society existed at Halifax in 1811. Their drags, for the recovery of drowned persons, were advertised as being lodged in the respective stores of Hon. And. Belcher, John Pryor, John Brown, Samuel Muirhead and John Starr.
The 30th September was marked by a severe gale of wind from the S. E., by which many of the wharves in the town were ripped up and much damage done to the shipping in the harbour and along the coast.
The year terminated by a proclamation opening the Port of Halifax to vessels of neutrals. The proclamation bears date the 24th December.
Among the deaths recorded this year was that of James Gautier, Esq., for many years clerk of His Majesty's Council and keeper of the public records in the Secretary's office. He died poor. The Legislature voted £30 to defray the expenses of his funeral. He left no family.
The principal retail merchants in the town at this time were Martin Gay Black, Smith & Thom, Carret & Alfort at the corner lately occupied by Messrs. Duffus; John Liddell & Co., H. Ford, McDonald & Co., Robert Lyon, W. Bremner, John Lawson, Kidston, Dobson & Telford, Scaiffe & Bain, Thomas Heaviside, James Fraser, Arthur Brymer, all Dry Goods—Moody & Sinclair, C. & R. Hill & Co., Red store, road leading to Dockyard, Thomas Leaver and William Remmington, all Auctioneers, William Minns and Geo. Eaton, Stationers. Mr. Minns occupied the old building in Barrington Street below the Parade, opposite Dalhousie College, where he died about 1825. He conducted a paper called the Weekly Chronicle for above 20 years. Windham Madden and William Conroy kept Livery Stables.
1812. Orders had been issued early this season to put the Forts in repair; the works on the Citadel Hill having again fallen into a dilapidated condition. Captain Nichols, commanding the Royal Engineers, made an elaborate report, and operations were commenced forthwith under his superintendence. The United States had now declared war. Commodore Rogers, in command of an American Squadron, had fallen in with the British Frigate Belvidere, 36 guns. She sustained the attack for two or three hours and at length got off with the loss of several of her crew killed, the Captain and 22 wounded. The Belvidere came into the harbor on the 27th June, and on the following evening a special dispatch arrived from the Governor of New Brunswick with intelligence of the Declaration of War. Sir John immediately made the necessary arrangements for calling out the militia. All able-bodied men between 18 and 50 were to be billetted for service and a portion of them to be immediately embodied. This was arranged by Order in Council dated 28th June. The Belvidere, after she had escaped from the American Squadron, captured three American merchant vessels which she brought in with her. Halifax being the headquarters of the Naval force under Admiral Warren, who had upwards of 60 pendants under his command, prizes now began to be brought into port. The Court of Admiralty under Judge Croke was in active operation, and the newspapers of the day appear filled with advertizements of sales of prizes and prize goods. Cartels frequently came and went between Halifax and the American ports for the exchange of prisoners. With all this bustle of business money became plenty, and the foundations of small fortunes began to be laid by the Crown lawyers and the prize agents. The presence of a large army and navy caused much dissipation in the town. Festivities of all kinds prevailed. Subscription assemblies at Mason Hall were kept up during the winter under the management of Mr. Jeffery, Collector of the Customs, Capt. Brenton, of the navy, and Lieut.-Col. Robertson, of the garrison. Dinner parties at Government House, and balls and levies on state days, with the frequent rejoicings on the news from time to time of the success of the British Armies, both in Europe and America, completed the round of Halifax festivities.
The capture of the British ship Guerriere, a first class frigate commanded by Capt. Dacres, belonging to the Halifax squadron, by the Americans, in August, caused much talk and excitement throughout the community. Capt. Dacres, a young and inexperienced officer, it was thought had surrendered too early to the enemy. He had only left the harbor a short time when he lost his ship.