War of 1812 Bicentennial

Upper Canada.

General Order.

His Excellency the Commander of the Forces is pleased to direct that the following extract from a district General Order, given out in Upper Canada by Major General Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe, be published for the information of the Forces serving in the North American Provinces.

By his Excellency's Command,

District General Order.

The Major General Commanding having received the returns from the Corps of the Line engaged with the enemy on the 27th ultimo, laments to find that so many brave men suffered on that day. Though the result of it was not such as has been customary whensoever the enemy has been encountered in his attempts on this Province, it is consolatory to reflect, that in gaining this novel success, accidental circumstances to which the operations of war are always liable, concurred to favor the enemy's vast superiority of numbers and combination of force, to oppose which the means of defence and situation of York could afford but inadequate aid.

By the explosion of a battery Magazine, the loss which the Forces had in the action sustained of some of its best soldiers, was considerably augmented. Our total loss in killed and wounded was about 130, among the former the Major General deeply regrets that Captain M'Neal of the 8th, or King's Regiment, is numbered. He nobly fell at the head of his brave Grenadiers. The loss of Donald McLean, Esq. Clerk of the house of Assembly, is also to be lamented; he gallantly volunteered his services with a musket, as did Mr. Belkie, Mr. Alexander Wood, Mr. Quetton St. George, and perhaps others whose names are at present unknown. Captain Jervie, of the Incorporated Militia, and Lieut. De Kovan, of the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles, were wounded. The number of the enemy's troops that landed are stated to have amounted to 2,500. It was not disgraceful for 200 to retreat from such a force.—The Powder Magazine was blown up, and the new Ship and Naval Stores destroyed to prevent their falling into the enemy's hands.