[cruikshank] FROM ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 27 



the militia of both provinces. At the same time the Commissary 

 General was directed to contract locally for six thousand suits of cloth- 

 ing to be made of any material he could obtain, as a makeshift. 1 



A tender from John Molson of the steamboat Accommodation 

 for the public service in the transportation of troops and light stores 

 between Quebec and Montreal during the next season of navigation 

 was accepted after a successful trial had been made. Another steam- 

 boat of equal size had already been laid down in his shipyard at Mont- 

 real by the same enterprising builder and was expected to be ready for 

 launching early in the spring. 2 



About the middle of December de Rottenburg reported that 

 Dearborn was still at Burlington, employed in building a large number 

 of sleighs, with the intention, it was surmised, of moving the greater 

 part of his troops toward Upper Canada after the snow fell. He was 

 consequently instructed to reinforce the garrison of Kingston with 

 a bombardier and ten gunners of the Royal Artillery and two com- 

 panies of the Glengarry Light Infantry which might enable Colonel 

 Vincent to detail a few gunners and one company of the 49th for the 

 protection of York. This insignificant detachment was as large a 

 force as Prévost considered it prudent to spare from the troops allotted 

 for the defence of the Montreal District at that moment. The 103rd 

 Regiment, which had arrived at Quebec in July, although nominally 

 900 strong, was so largely composed of bad characters and boys, 

 that it was not regarded as fit for service near the frontier. The 1st 

 battalion of the Royal Scots, which had also arrived about the same 

 time, had been stationed for ten years in unhealthy parts of the West 

 Indies, and after landing many of the men were so weak as to be unfit 

 for the lightest duty. Fifty-three foreigners, mainly Frenchmen, 

 were serving in its ranks. One transport, conveying nearly two hun- 

 dred of this corps, had been taken in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, by the 

 United States frigate Essex and the prisoners sent into Halifax 

 under parole. The remainder, about eight hundred of all ranks, 

 were quartered for two months at Quebec and Point Levi to regain 

 their health before being sent to the seat of war. In September the 

 flank companies were transferred to Montreal and two months later 

 the battalion companies received orders to proceed to St. Jean where 

 they were stationed for the winter. 3 



1 Prévost to Sheaffe, Dec. 10; Prévost to Bathur^t, Dec. 16; Mil. Secty. to Maj. 

 Gen. Glasgow, Dec; 21, Mil. Secty. to Commy. Gen. Robinson, Dec. 22. 



2 Mil. Secty. to Molson, Dec. 15. ' 



3 De Rottenburg to Prévost, Dec. 14; Mil. Secty. to de Rottenburg, Dec. 17; 

 Prévost to Sheaffe, Dec. 19; Quebec Mercury, 1812; Cannon, Historical Record of 

 the Royal Scots. 



