ISO ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



of the regiment iind then became, by purchase^ a captain in the 40tli 

 IJegiment. But he aspired to independent command, and wished above 

 all things to become the commander of a partizan corps of Light in- 

 fantr}'. His ambition was finally gratified by his appointment to the 

 command of the Queen's Rangers with the rank of major in October, 

 1777. His services in the Rangers have been fully detailed in this paper. 

 The severe work of campaigning greatly injured his health and he went 

 to England after the surrender of Cornwallis. In 1790 he was elected 

 a member of Parliament and took part in the debates on the Quebec Bill. 

 He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and took an 

 active part in the settlement of that province. He held the office for 

 five years and in that time made Upper Canada so thoroughly British 

 that the subsequent attempts of the Americans in 1812 to shake the 

 allegiance of the people were wholly futile. In 1794 Simcoe was made 

 a Major-General. and in 1796 was appointed Commander-in-Chief in 

 San Domingo which had been taken possession of by the British. He 

 returned to England in 1797, and the following year was made a Lieu- 

 tenant- General. He was appointed to an important command in con- 

 hexion with the defence of England in 1801 when Napoleon was threat- 

 ening invasion and in 1806 was sent to Portugal to arrange a scheme of 

 defence for that country. He was, however, taken ill on the voyage, and 

 was obliged to return immediately to England where he died a few hours 

 after he landed. He was then only 54 years of age, and the appointment 

 of the chief command of the British forces in India had just been con- 

 ferred upon him. Of Simcoe and his regiment, Sir Henry Clinton wrote 

 in May, 1780, to Lord George Germaine: — 



" Lieut.-Col. Simcoe has been at the head of a battalion since Oc- 

 tober, 1777; and since that time has been the perpetual advance of the 

 army. The history of the corps imder his command is a series of gallant, 

 skilful and successful enterprises against the enemy, without a single 

 reverse. The Queen's Rangers have killed or taken twice their own num- 

 bers. Col. Simcoe himself has been twice wounded ; and I do not scruple 

 to assert, that his successes have been no less the fniit of the most ex- 

 tensive knowledge of his profession which study and the experience 

 within his reach could give him, than of the most watchful attention and 

 shining courage." 



Yet this handsome compliment was written before his two last and 

 most brilliant campaigns. 



MAJORS. 



James Wemyss became commander of the Queen's Rangers in 1777 

 and led them at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He re- 



