[cruIKSHANK«] GENERAL HULL’S INVASION OF CANADA IN 1812 269 
“Everybody considers the fate of the country is settled and is 
afraid to appear in the least conspicuous to retard it. A petition has 
already been carried to General Hull, signed by many inhabitants about 
Westminster, inviting him to advance, with a promise to join him. 
The ungrateful and infamous conduct of the Indians on the Grand 
River is still more mortifying.” 
His determination to prorogue the Legislature was confirmed by 
the knowledge that a motion had been carried in the Assembly to the 
effect that it would be lawful for the militia to return to their homes 
in case they did not receive their pay upon a certain fixed date. 
On reassembling, the Executive Council reported unanimously that 
it was expedient upon the prorogation of the Assembly to proclaim and 
exercise martial law. 
On the 5th of ‘August the Assembly was accordingly prorogued, 
after adopting a most spirited address to the inhabitants of the Province, 
in which they declared that “the spirit of loyalty had burst forth in 
all its ancient splendour,” and that “the militia in all parts of the 
Province have volunteered their services with acclamation and {displayed 
a degree of energy worthy of the British name.” 
This address was printed and widely circulated. In conjunction 
with Brock’s proclamation it had a marked effect upon the well-disposed 
inhabitants. There was no longer any difficulty in obtaining volunteers 
for the proposed expedition to relieve Amherstburg. As it was not 
advisable to weaken the militia force on the Niagara frontier, Captain 
Samuel Hatt, of the 5th Lincoln Regiment, was authorized to enlist a 
company of volunteers at Ancaster, in which he quickly succeeded and 
marched to Port Dover, with two officers and sixty-two non-commissioned 
officers and privates. Highty-three volunteeers were selected from the 
1st and 3rd York Regiments by Captain Stephen Heward, in addition 
to Captain Peter Robinson’s rifle company from the 1st York, consist- 
ing of two officers and twenty-two non-commissioned officers and privates. 
These detachments crossed the lake in open boats to Burlington Bay, 
and marched across the country to Port Dover, where Lieut.-Colonel 
Nichol was collecting boats for the transportation of four hundred men. 
Lieut. Merritt had already performed effective service with his 
small party of dragoons. After riding hard for two days he arrived 
at Oxford on the last day of Juiy, accompanied by only six troopers. 
Lieut.-Colonel Henry Bostwick had begun to assemble the Oxford Regi- 
ment at that place, and it was reported that Watson was at Delaware 
with about a dozen horsemen. Merritt at once determined to push 

1Brock to Prevost, 4th August, 1812. 
