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of which, shocking to mention, had almost totally destroyed our army. Above 300 were wounded, and almost 60 killed dead on the spot by stones of all dimensions falling like a shower of hail in the midst of our ranks. The enemy had almost 20 killed and wounded by the explosion, the main body had retreated far out of the Garrison. After this sad disaster, our Army marched into the Garrison, hawled down the British coat of arms (which they were too haughty to do), and raised the American Standard in its place. “The wounds were of the worst kind,“ Baumont recorded, “compound fractures of legs, thighs, and arms, and fractures of skulls” and “the night of the explosion we were all night engaged in amputating and dressing the worst of them, the next day also, and the day after I performed four amputations and three trepannings.” In a second notebook, Beaumont – in a passage that has often been quoted – paints a terrible picture of the sights and sounds in the makeshift hospital where he and the other medical personnel treated the wounded:
28th, Ock A.M. Just got time to suspend capital operation, whilst I can take a little refreshments to sustain life for the first time since four O’clock yesterday. Return again to the bloody scene of distress, to continue dressing, Amputating and Trepanning. Dressed rising of 50 patients from simple contusions to the worst of compound fractures, more than half of the last description. Performed two cases of amputation and one of trepanning. 12 Ock. P.M. retired to rest my much fatigued body and mind…. 1st. May About my professional employment, dressing the wounded, the most of them doing well. Amputated an arm. On orders for getting all the sick and wounded on board the ships prevents any more operations today. Several more will have to be performed. The wounded on board. All the property taken from his Majesty’s stores, estimated to the amount of 2,000,000 and a half dollars. Burnt the ruins of Government house, the Block-house, one or two public stores and an old sloop. John Walworth, who seems to have had a rather anxious personality, worried whether his deeds in the battle would be properly acknowledged. In a letter written to his father-in-law on May 13, he expressed his belief that Major-General Henry Dearborn, the American commander,
has his particular favorites in whom he places important confidence and they undoubtedly tell a good story for themselves – it is sufficient to say that he is a most unpopular man with that part of the army that I know of – It was unfortunate for me that Gen Pike fell as he did. I have the vanity to think I should have been handsomely complimented by him, as I led the Van of the army – I was advanced considerably in from the column took two charges of Cannister and grape from a long 18 pounder when within fifty yards of the Enemies first battery, and advanced upon it with my plattoon took possession of it, there force having fled
Over the next few days, Beaumont is busy with his professional duties:
midst the shells bursting asunder above A their heads, with dark smoke choking the air and shot striking the ground about their feet, the young drummer boys stood firm, steadfast; the sound of their martial music pushing their comrades unto glory. Or so the story goes. Reality was much different for the drummers 8th of the (King’s) Regiment at York in April 1813 and far from the romanticized – and incorrect – archetype of the young “drum boy” in battle. The regiment was in the midst of shifting its strength from Kingston to Fort George, and York’s garrison and stores made it the natural rest stop along the way. At the time of the American attack on April 27, two companies were present: Captain McNeale’s grenadier company, which had enjoyed a day of rest after arriving by 25th, batteaux on the and No. 3 company under Captain Eustace, augmented by a detachment A drummer of the 8th of men from various other companies. poses in this unsigned At full strength, a battalion mustered 22 published in 1912. drummers in addition to a drum major: two drummers for each battalion the practical work company, and four for the grenadiers. Far from being “drum boys,” by 1813 wounded and supplying all the drummers in the King’s Regiment were between the age of 20 and 30 with most having between four and seven years of experience. Attached to Eustace’s company were William Ash and William Chandler. Drummer Ash had joined the regiment in August 1803 and was 27 at York. An illiterate weaver, he was born in Stone, Staffordshire and measured an average height of 5’5”. The four drummers of McNeale’s company were James Hinds, Benjamin Meaton, John Smith, and Joseph Taylor. Drummer Meaton was 26 and, like Ash, also joined in 1803 and saw action in the West Indies when the regiment participated in the taking of Martinique. Standing 5’8”, he was the third-tallest drummer in the regiment and was a natural fit among the grenadiers. Drummers played an integral role in regulating the soldiers’ day from waking the men by beating Reveille, calling the men to drill and posting guards, to summoning the men back to barracks and ending the day by beating The Taptoo and The Retreat. Regimental inspection reports leading up to the war find no deficiency in the drummer’s abilities and show a competent and experienced group of musical warriors. The appearance of the American fleet on the evening of April 26 disrupted the regular routine of duty beatings. Once it became apparent the Americans intended to land in force,
midst the shells bursting asunder above A their heads, with dark smoke choking the air and shot striking the ground about their feet, the young drummer boys stood firm, steadfast; the sound of their martial music pushing their comrades unto glory. Or so the story goes. Reality was much different for the drummers 8th of the (King’s) Regiment at York in April 1813 and far from the romanticized – and incorrect – archetype of the young “drum boy” in battle. The regiment was in the midst of shifting its strength from Kingston to Fort George, and York’s garrison and stores made it the natural rest stop along the way. At the time of the American attack on April 27, two companies were present: Captain McNeale’s grenadier company, which had enjoyed a day of rest after arriving by 25th, batteaux on the and No. 3 company under Captain Eustace, augmented by a detachment A drummer of the 8th of men from various other companies. poses in this unsigned At full strength, a battalion mustered 22 published in 1912. drummers in addition to a drum major: two drummers for each battalion the practical work company, and four for the grenadiers. Far from being “drum boys,” by 1813 wounded and supplying all the drummers in the King’s Regiment were between the age of 20 and 30 with most having between four and seven years of experience. Attached to Eustace’s company were William Ash and William Chandler. Drummer Ash had joined the regiment in August 1803 and was 27 at York. An illiterate weaver, he was born in Stone, Staffordshire and measured an average height of 5’5”. The four drummers of McNeale’s company were James Hinds, Benjamin Meaton, John Smith, and Joseph Taylor. Drummer Meaton was 26 and, like Ash, also joined in 1803 and saw action in the West Indies when the regiment participated in the taking of Martinique. Standing 5’8”, he was the third-tallest drummer in the regiment and was a natural fit among the grenadiers. Drummers played an integral role in regulating the soldiers’ day from waking the men by beating Reveille, calling the men to drill and posting guards, to summoning the men back to barracks and ending the day by beating The Taptoo and The Retreat. Regimental inspection reports leading up to the war find no deficiency in the drummer’s abilities and show a competent and experienced group of musical warriors. The appearance of the American fleet on the evening of April 26 disrupted the regular routine of duty beatings. Once it became apparent the Americans intended to land in force,
the undermanned garrison prepared to defend the incomplete and untenable works at York; regimental and company commanders sought every able body to contest the landing. So desperate was the situation and the want of men that Colonel Heathcote, commanding the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, ordered seven of his drummers capable of bearing arms to carry firelocks. These drummers left their drums behind in the barracks and took their place in the ranks to fight. While certainly unusual and indicating the garrison’s precarious position, the drummers of the King’s Regiment were not strangers to the other ranks and most certainly drilled, albeit occasionally, with firelocks. It was not uncommon for a drummer to find himself serving as a private, and for a private to trade his musket for a drum. Drummer Thomas McMahon was broken to private in July 1812, and Private John Truss was promoted Regiment to drummer in June 1813 to fill casualty vacancies. watercolour Drummers William Dix and George Young were broken to private on the same day in March 1814, presumably for a related of clearing the transgression. Even drum majors were not ammunition immune to being broken. William Ankers was promoted to drum major from corporal in January 1811 until his reduction to private in May 1814, when he was replaced by Private Hugh Brown. Unlike the Royal Newfoundland Regiment’s drummers, those of the King’s carried their drums as they marched against the enemy. Captain McNeale fell leading his charging grenadiers at the water’s edge, and the British regrouped at the ruins of Fort Rouillé, where No. 3 company joined the fight. It was during the ensuing firefight that the drummers undertook their battlefield role, not one of playing martial music but the practical work of clearing the wounded and supplying ammunition. With cartridges running low, Captain Eustace ordered his drummers to the rear to fetch more, and it is likely the grenadier drummers were ordered to do the same. Either Ash or Chandler left his drum beside the portable magazine in the Western Battery for safe keeping as he went to replenish his company’s ammunition supply. Under fire by both the American infantry and the vessels just offshore, the British retired and began to reform at the Western Battery. Then, the battery’s portable magazine exploded, blasting away the men manning the guns and the silent drum. It was clear York could not be held, and the British regulars began their long retreat to Kingston without knapsacks, great coats, canteens,
the undermanned garrison prepared to defend the incomplete and untenable works at York; regimental and company commanders sought every able body to contest the landing. So desperate was the situation and the want of men that Colonel Heathcote, commanding the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, ordered seven of his drummers capable of bearing arms to carry firelocks. These drummers left their drums behind in the barracks and took their place in the ranks to fight. While certainly unusual and indicating the garrison’s precarious position, the drummers of the King’s Regiment were not strangers to the other ranks and most certainly drilled, albeit occasionally, with firelocks. It was not uncommon for a drummer to find himself serving as a private, and for a private to trade his musket for a drum. Drummer Thomas McMahon was broken to private in July 1812, and Private John Truss was promoted Regiment to drummer in June 1813 to fill casualty vacancies. watercolour Drummers William Dix and George Young were broken to private on the same day in March 1814, presumably for a related of clearing the transgression. Even drum majors were not ammunition immune to being broken. William Ankers was promoted to drum major from corporal in January 1811 until his reduction to private in May 1814, when he was replaced by Private Hugh Brown. Unlike the Royal Newfoundland Regiment’s drummers, those of the King’s carried their drums as they marched against the enemy. Captain McNeale fell leading his charging grenadiers at the water’s edge, and the British regrouped at the ruins of Fort Rouillé, where No. 3 company joined the fight. It was during the ensuing firefight that the drummers undertook their battlefield role, not one of playing martial music but the practical work of clearing the wounded and supplying ammunition. With cartridges running low, Captain Eustace ordered his drummers to the rear to fetch more, and it is likely the grenadier drummers were ordered to do the same. Either Ash or Chandler left his drum beside the portable magazine in the Western Battery for safe keeping as he went to replenish his company’s ammunition supply. Under fire by both the American infantry and the vessels just offshore, the British retired and began to reform at the Western Battery. Then, the battery’s portable magazine exploded, blasting away the men manning the guns and the silent drum. It was clear York could not be held, and the British regulars began their long retreat to Kingston without knapsacks, great coats, canteens,
or haversacks, the men having been ordered to leave them in barracks at the start of the action. The King’s Regiment would go on to take part in nearly every major action of the war and ended 1814 very much a broken regiment. At the war’s end, the corps of drums numbered 16 drummers, many of whom were new faces, though all the drummers present at York survived. Benjamin Meaton was wounded in the right thigh at Sackets Harbor a month later but would go on to serve the remainder of the war as a drummer and an additional ten years as a private. William Chandler found himself facing another amphibious assault at Fort George a month later and was wounded and taken prisoner. James Hinds was broken to the ranks of the light company in March 1814. Joseph Taylor and William Ash spent several months in 1814 sick at York, and John Smith emerged unscathed. Seth Ferguson is a former member of The Drums of the Crown Forces 1812 and 8th is writing a history of the (King’s) Regiment during the War of 1812. He lives in Milton, Ontario.
Seth Ferguson is a former member of The Drums of the Crown Forces 1812 and 8th is writing a history of the (King’s) Regiment during the War of 1812. He lives in Milton, Ontario.
or haversacks, the men having been ordered to leave them in barracks at the start of the action. The King’s Regiment would go on to take part in nearly every major action of the war and ended 1814 very much a broken regiment. At the war’s end, the corps of drums numbered 16 drummers, many of whom were new faces, though all the drummers present at York survived. Benjamin Meaton was wounded in the right thigh at Sackets Harbor a month later but would go on to serve the remainder of the war as a drummer and an additional ten years as a private. William Chandler found himself facing another amphibious assault at Fort George a month later and was wounded and taken prisoner. James Hinds was broken to the ranks of the light company in March 1814. Joseph Taylor and William Ash spent several months in 1814 sick at York, and John Smith emerged unscathed.
A cartridge pouch of the sort carried by every fully equipped British foot soldier during the war. It held 60 cartridges of ball and powder wrapped in a paper cylinder, spare flints, and tools and materials for cleaning the musket. At about 14 lead balls to the pound, this ammunition was heavy. That the first troops to challenge the Americans soon needed resupply suggests that at least some of the fighting that morning was intense (and it’s not likely they went into the fight with less than a full load). Courtesy Toronto Museums & Heritage Services (1987.10.1).
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