170 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Resolved, That the Board of Directors shall not be at liberty to 
bestow Medals or other Honorary marks of Distinction upon any 
Militia Man or Soldier who shall be convicted of Desertion or 
absenting himself from his Duty without leave from his Superior 
Officer, or to afford any Relief whatever from the Funds of this 
Society, to the Family of such Person. 
Lieut. Col. Nichol to Talbot. 
My Dear Colonel Niagara Decr. 18— 1812. 
You must think me the worst of men for the apparent neglect of 
you since my return from Montreal— but when you know that I have 
not had time even to see my own wife you will not I am sure think me 
much to blame— This cursed office to which for my sins I have been 
appointed engrosses all my time and if I dont soon get leave to resign 
it I believe I shall go crazy. 
I have not had it in my power to attend as yet to «ither your 
affairs or my own— 
Alas my Dear Colonel we are no longer commanded by Brock— 
& our situation is most materially changed for the worse— Confidence 
seems to have vanished from the land and gloomy dispondency has 
taken its place— I dare not trust myself to write you all I feel the 
Field Officers of the Troops & Militia have saved the country for a 
time—but their efforts will be unavatiing against bad management and 
aespondency in those who are at our head and who ought to be better 
qualified to fill energetically the high and important situations they 
hold. You may however depend upon it that those on this line will 
not relax in their exertions to save the country. I enclose you the 
only scrap of Paper I have I have no longer access to the Staff papers 
i however learn, by the mail just arrived that a body of about 700 of 
the Enemy attempted to surprise one of our Pickets at Odell Town— 
they retired without doing us any damage—loosing 60 or 70 in killed 
and Wounded—we took five Prisoners— | 
It is a long time since we have had any Continental intelligence 
but there is no doubt our affairs will continue to prosper in Spain— 
In Russia I fear matters are not so favorable. Gray the Assistant 
but now acting Depy Q. M. General arrived here a few days ago—he 
goes off this morning to lay down the keel of a Frigate at York and 
a sloop of War at Kingston the one to carry 30 guns viz 24 32 Pd. 
Canonades & 6 long 18s— the other—of the class of the Royal George 

