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Still angered by the revelations of fraudulent misspending in the Six Nations’ Indian Department, Haldimand wrote to Major Arent DePeyster at Detroit on November 1 to express his annoyance that the pursuit of the Virginia rebel, George Rogers Clark (who had enjoyed so much success in prior years on the far western frontier), had been abandoned “owing to the caprice of the Indians in dispersing at the time their assistance was most wanted to give an ultimate blow to the enterprise and hopes of Mr. Clark in that country.” He continued in full torrent:
Southeast view of the basin of Quebec. Surgeon Wasmus observed two hundred transports and an escort of six warships assembled on this body of water ready to sail to Britain.
But this conduct has been uniformly their system, and notwithstanding the treasure which has been, I must say from their conduct, thrown away upon them this year, it appears that no more than one hundred could be brought to action, and those from the influence and under the direction of Joseph, a Six Nations Chief. If even as many more and the Company of Rangers had joined that party, Mr. Clarke’s fate would have been decided … and in the meantime, you will have perpetual demands for assistance, equipment, &c, to oppose incursions upon the Indian villages…. [T]hose Indians who distinguish themselves with Brant should be well rewarded from the donations intended for those who have not so well deserved them.18
The governor was clearly already primed for the complaints he would soon receive from Major Ross when he returned from his arduous expedition.
The same day that Haldimand wrote his angry letter to DePeyster about the Lakes’ and Ohio Indians, he had Mathews deliver a tough message to John Butler:
I am directed … to acquaint you that however sensible His Excellency is of and desirous to reward Captain [Walter] Butler’s merits, he cannot, in justice to the Army, promote him to the rank of Major over the heads of so many elder and more experienced officers, and to the Service commit to his care and direction the economy and discipline of a young Corps, a task so arduous that Officers possessed of approved military knowledge and long experience without entering into a detail of the many requisites, find it difficult and are very fortunate when they accomplish it. Could His Excellency get over the first difficulty, he appeals to yourself … whether a young Corps now complete to ten companies, and to be recommended to His Majesty, should be delivered up to the direction of (allowing him every possible merit to be derived from his experience) a very young Officer. Or whether it would be more for the advantage of the Service (which is His Excellency’s chief care), and of the Corps (which is yours), to find out some officer of experience in every respect, or as nearly as can be found, qualified to take upon him that very serious charge. Such a person, His Excellency is now looking out for. He thinks it still more necessary as there are so few of your Officers who have been brought up in the Army and consequently require themselves instruction.
Mathews’s letter arrived at Niagara about the same time as the news of Walter’s death and must have added to the father’s distress. In any event, the issue of Walter’s rank was now put to bed.
There was more unpleasant news for John. Haldimand said that Carleton’s promises to the two Butlers must “be considered conditional and entirely depend[ent] upon contingencies.” How this news must have disappointed Butler, a man who had sacrificed so much to ensure the friendship of the Six Nations while his wife, daughter, and two sons were held hostage in the Mohawk Valley and his second-eldest son was imprisoned in New England. Guy Carleton had fully appreciated John Butler’s selfless contributions, but it was Haldimand who sat in Quebec City now.
Mathews gently chided Butler that his regimental return had not been signed by General Powell, as it should have been before being sent to the king with the request for his Royal Bounty. He concluded this painful letter with a tiny bit of positive news. The governor agreed that the 10th company should be the lieutenant-colonel’s and commanded by a captain-lieutenant, which would allow John to draw pay as the company’s nominal captain.19
Mathews then wrote to Brigadier Powell about Lieutenant-Colonel Butler’s memorial on behalf of his officer corps requesting that the phrase “To serve with the Indians” be expunged from their commissions, as it was considered a liability should they fall into enemy hands. The governor acceded to this appeal and promised to send out new commissions accordingly.
Further, he advised that the complaint of the Rangers’ captains concerning the rank of John McKinnon (who had been thrust upon the corps as a patronage appointment) would be answered by the adjutant general and that commissions were coming for a captain-lieutenant and two lieutenants of the 10th company.
On November 2, Mathews wrote to advise Lieutenant-Colonel Butler that his warrants for pay, arms, and medicines had been approved, although the meticulous governor was upset that the indent did not specify the corps involved, nor was it signed by the regimental or post surgeon, and Brigadier Powell.20
As soon as Willett returned to Fort Rensselaer on November 2 from his pursuit of Ross, he celebrated the news of Cornwallis’s capitulation with the firing of a 12-pdr gun and small arms’ volleys by his Levies and local militia, followed by the roasting of an ox.
As the term of Willett’s Massachusetts companies was now expired, their officers were ordered to have their men deliver their ammunition to the Conductor of Ordnance before marching for home.21
Reverend Stuart had received the governor’s permission to establish a scholastic academy in Montreal and on November 3, the priest’s advertisement to attract students came to the governor’s attention. Ever sensitive about Canadien Roman Catholics, Haldimand severely chastised Stuart, noting that, “Principally Intended for the Children of Protestants Could not fail to Create Jealousies, [and was] at all times improper, but more particularly so at present.” Stuart was most apologetic, advising that boys of all faiths were already in attendance at his school.22
Plan of the town and fortifications of Montreal.
On November 4, Major Gray wrote to the adjutant general, Major Richard Lernoult, 8th, with a grim account of the state of the arms in 1KRR:
Sir John Johnson has applied for arms to his Regiment sometime ago, I beg here to mention it again we have not 100 stand of good arms in the Regiment —, its true we goat 150 stand of good arms two winters ago, betwixt Prisoners taken & Arms Brock upon service & great many of them are Lost, what arms we goat before that, were old Repaired Arms not worth sixpence for Service, nor were we ever at any time Completed with Arms, good and Bad arms we have not above 250, now I should be glad to know whether we are to have Arms this winter.23
The next day, 1KRR’s surgeon, Charles Austin, reported that Volunteer John Thompson of the Major’s Company was lying “dangerously ill at his Quarters, in consequence of the ill Treatment he met with from some Canadians last Thursday at Pt Clair.” An examination into the incident was held by James McGill, the commissioner of the peace for Montreal and district. John Helmer, a fellow Royal Yorker, testified that,
