Reports of General Brady on the Patriot War

REPORTS OF GENERAL BRADY ON THE PATRIOT WAR HE Canadian Rebellion of 1837-8 had serious repercussions on American-Canadian relations. Along the border, from Vermont to Michigan, Canadian refugeesand their American sympathizerskept up strongand unprincipledagitation, creating sparks which nearly touched off an explosionof war between England and the United States. These self-styled "Patriots," inspiredby strangemixturesof democraticfervourand hopesfor economicgain, preparedexpeditionsin the United Statesfor the invasion of Canada. The focus of the excitement was the New York frontier, with the celebratedaffairs of the Carolineand the Sir RobertPeel, but a secondimportant point of activity Was Detroit. Here, as in other border communities, the agitators found a sympatheticreceptionamongthe inhabitants,and from thiscentretheywereabletolaunchextensive, though unsuccessful, attacks acrossthe international boundary.• In a positionof key importance duringthe troubledmonthsof 1838and 1839wasBrigadierGeneralHugh Brady of the United States Army, commandingthe Seventh Military Department, with headquarters at Detroit. A man of long army experience andbeloved bythecommunity inwhichhelived,hewasadmirably fitted to play the roledemandedof him, in maintaininga correct diplomatic attitude on behalf of the United States government whileenergetically endeavouring to curbthe illegaloperations of the Patriots. Hamperedby the shortage of regulartroopsat his command and fearingto rely on state militia taintedby Patriot fever,GeneralBradysteered a steadycourse. He wasconvincing in his desireto maintain American neutrality, and he seriously weakened the chances of successful invasions of Canada. The official letters of General Brady printed here are reports to hissuperiors:to Major GeneralWinfieldScott,commanding the Eastern Division, to the adjutant general,RogerJones,and •Anexcellent recentstudyof theborderdisturbances is thevolumeby Albert B. Corey, The Crisis of1850-18• in Canadian-Amer,i,c, anRelations (New Haven, 1941). Other accounts of valueare Orrin Edward Tiffany, ' The Relationsof the United States to the Canadian Rebellionof 1887-1888" (in Publicationsof the Buffalo Historical Society, VIII, 1905); WilsonPorter Shortridge,"The Canadian-American Frontier duringtheRebellion of1887-1888" (Canadian Historical Review, VII, Mar., 1926,13-26); andEdwinC. Guillet,TheLivesandTimesofthePatriots(Toronto,1988). Detailson activities of thePatriotsin the Detroit regioncanbefoundin RobertB. Ross,"The PatriotWar" (MichiganPioneer andHistoricalSociety Collections, XXI, Lansing,1894, 509-609), andin Charles Lindsey, TheLifeandTimes of Win.LyonMackenzie (Toronto, 1863). 56 REPORTS ON THE PATRIOT WAR 57 to the secretary of war. They tell the straightforward story of the Patriot war at Detroit and in its vicinity. They contain ample evidence that United States officials were sincere in their efforts to prevent the illegal actions of the Patriots in order to preservethe neutrality and to maintain the supremacyof the laws of the United States. One can follow the course of events as the agitation waxed hot or cold, with tranquillity reigning one day, only to be disturbed the next by somenew outbreak. The disaffection of militia troops, the activities of the loyal American citizens, the General's contempt for the Patriots, and his overall optimism that they would fail in their designsare noteworthy items in the letters. Included, too, are reports of the major raids made by the Patriots in the West. Here is a contemporaryaccountof the Patriot war, written by a man trained to careful observation and judicious reporting. General Brady was in a positionto know what was happening, and hehad the ability to presenta coherentstory of the significant events. The note of uncertainty on which the letters end comes from the very nature of events. There could be no abrupt conclusionto the General's reports becauseno decisiveevent marked a culmination of the Patriot disturbance. Rumours about new plans for aggressiveaction only gradually died away. Apprehensionof renewedactivity kept the military commanderalert for many monthsuntil at lengththe Patriots realizedthe hopelessness of their cause. The trial and conviction of their leaders, American determinationto enforce theneutralitylaws,andincreased military organization in Canada lessenedthe chancesof a successfulinvasion . And the possibilityof war betweenGreat Britain and the United States, which the Patriots would have warmly welcomed, disappearedwith the settlement provided by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. The letters, all bearing the heading, "Head Quarters 7th Military Dept., Detroit," exist in two forms today: thosewhich actually were sent to higherheadquartersand the copiesretained by General Brady at Detroit.• Where minor differencesin the two seriesappear, the letters reproducedhere follow the former, unlessotherwiseindicated. Peculiaritiesof spellingand punctuation have beencopiedexactly. FRANCIS PAUL PRUCHA Cambridge, Mass. aTheseletters are in the National Archives, Washington, D.C. The original lettersarein the filesof LettersReceived,Adjutant General'sOfficeor Letters Received, HeadquartersEastern Division. GeneralBrady...