28 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
were directed to report the facts with their opinion as to “the terms of 
a modified allegiance or security for good conduct on which they may 
be permitted to reside.”? 
A proclamation was published at the same time announcing that 
“every citizen of the United States who did not report himself to one 
of these boards before the first day of January, 1813, should be con- 
sidered as an alien enemy and become liable to be treated as a prisoner 
of war or a spy as circumstances might dictate.’’? 
As already stated one of those who appeared before the board 
sitting at Kingston was Michael Smith, the Anabaptist preacher and 
author of the Geographical View of Upper Canada. He relates in his 
book that “twelve days after the battle of Queenston, Colonel Graham 
on Yonge Street ordered his battalion to assemble that a number might 
be drafted to go to Fort George. Forty of them did not come but went 
out to Whitchurch township which was nearly a wilderness and joined 
thirty more fugitives that were already there. Some men who were 
home for a few days volunteered to go and bring them in but since they 
were not permitted to take arms, they failed and the number of fugitives 
increased by the first of December to 300. When on my way to Kingston 
to obtain a passport I saw about fifty of these people near Smith’s 
Creek in the Newcastle District on the main road with fife and drum 
beating for recruits and huzzaing for Madison. Some of these men 
remained in the woods all winter and Indians went out in the spring of 
1813 and drove them into their caves where they were taken. None of 
the militia in the Neweastle District bore arms except twelve at Presqu’ 
Isle harbour. They were universally in favor of the United States.”’ 
About the end of December a number of aliens were sent under 
escort from York to Niagara to be put across the frontier but it was 
finally decided that it would be imprudent to allow them to enter the 
United States at that time and General Sheaffe directed their passports 
to be suspended and granted them permission to reside without moles- 
tation at their former homes, when these were situated at a safe distance 
from the frontier, until further notice. Many aliens appeared before 
the board at Niagara of whom a considerable number were permitted 
to cross the river. 
Several officers of the Essex militia who had absented themselves 
from duty without leave during the invasion of the province were 
superseded and reduced to the ranks.‘ 

' Cireular letter appointing boards, November 9, 1812; Instructions to boards. 
Can. Arch. C 688 B, pp. 154-6. 
? Proclamation, November 9, 1812. 
3 Sheaffe to Powell, January 9, 1813. 
* General order, January, 1813.. 
