John Vincent (general)
Encyclopedia
General John Vincent was the British commanding officer
of the Niagara Peninsula
in Upper Canada
when the United States
attacked in the spring of 1813. He was defeated at the Battle of Fort George
but was able to rebound and establish the new lines at Burlington Heights
. He directed the campaign during the summer and fall that eventually forced the American to abandon the Niagara area in December 1813. Due to illness he was replaced by General Phineas Riall
, though of the several officers of the 49th Regiment
who reached high command during the War of 1812
, Vincent was the longest-serving of them. British and Canadian accounts of the War give the impression of a modest, well-liked and generous officer, who gave whatever help he could to other commanders. From 1814, he had held the sinecure
post of Lieutenant-Governor of Dumbarton Castle
.
, the son of John Mardyke Vincent (1734-1779) of Parteen House, Co. Limerick, Sheriff of Limerick
, by his first wife, Catherine (d.1768), daughter and co-heiress of John Love (d.1750), of Castle Saffron (later renamed Creagh Castle), near Doneraile
, Co. Cork, great grandson of Sir Philip Perceval
. Vincent entered the army as an Ensign
in 1781. He transferred as a Lieutenant
into the 49th Foot in 1783, becoming a Captain in 1786. He saw service with the regiment in the West Indies and was present at the taking of Haiti
. After being promoted to Major in 1795, he was ordered back to England
for his health, but the vessel on which he sailed was captured by a French frigate
and he was detained a prisoner in France
for one year. He took part in the Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland
in 1799 (was promoted to Lt.-Colonel in 1800), and was present at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker. Two years later, the 49th were posted to Upper Canada
, and Vincent was accompanied there by his nephew, William Vincent (who had married Frances Blood of Castle Fergus, Co. Clare, descended from the noted bravo and desperado Colonel Thomas Blood
), who had joined the 49th in 1800. Vincent performed various garrison duties at York (Toronto
), Fort St. George (Niagara-on-the-Lake
) and Kingston, Ontario
for the next ten years or so.
to Kingston, Ontario
, and was commander of this post during the winter of 1812 to 1813, being promoted to Brigadier General
. His forces fought off one half-hearted attack by ships under the American Commodore Isaac Chauncey
, and over the winter he successfully bluffed the American Commander-in-Chief, General Henry Dearborn
, into thinking his forces were much larger than they actually were and deterred any attack.
Vincent was subsequently transferred to the Niagara
frontier. On 27 May 1813, his positions were attacked in the Battle of Fort George
. Although his British and Canadian regulars made a determined defence, Vincent realised that he was about to be outflanked and surrounded, and ordered a rapid retreat.
Vincent's forces halted at a defensive position at Burlington Heights
, where Vincent received news of his promotion to Major General
. The pursuing American forces halted at Stoney Creek (Hamilton, Ontario
). Their camp was insecure, and Vincent followed a suggestion by his second in command, Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey
, to mount a night attack. The resulting Battle of Stoney Creek
was a tactical draw but badly shook the Americans. Vincent himself took little part. He was injured when thrown from his horse in the confusion of battle and was finally found wandering in the woods, seven miles from the battle scene, in a state of confusion, convinced that the entire British force had been destroyed; his horse, hat and sword all missing. Harvey kindly and considerately did not mention this on his report of the battle.
The Americans subsequently retreated to Fort George, and Vincent's forces maintained a blockade of them for several months. During this time Vincent's regiment, the 49th, won the nickname 'Green Tigers' from the Americans because of the fierceness of their fighting and the colour of their facings. After the British defeat at the Battle of Moraviantown, which threatened Vincent's rear, he retreated again to Burlington Heights. By this time, Vincent was ill, and was transferred first to Kingston once again, then to Montreal
, before leaving for England.
He never again saw active service, but was promoted Lieutenant General
in 1825 and full General in 1843. He had held the sinecure
post of Lieutenant Governor
of Dumbarton Castle
since April, 1814, and became Colonel
of the 69th Foot in 1836. He died unmarried in London
.
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Niagara Peninsula
Niagara Peninsula
The Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Southern Ontario, Canada lying between the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie. It stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario in the west. The population of the peninsula is roughly 1,000,000 people...
in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
when the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attacked in the spring of 1813. He was defeated at the Battle of Fort George
Battle of Fort George
The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured the Fort George in Upper Canada...
but was able to rebound and establish the new lines at Burlington Heights
Burlington Heights
Burlington Heights refers to an area of flat land sitting elevated above the west end of Burlington Bay in the city of Hamilton, Ontario.The "Heights" were the location of a British Army post during the War of 1812. Afterwards, the former army barracks were used as a hospital for immigrants with...
. He directed the campaign during the summer and fall that eventually forced the American to abandon the Niagara area in December 1813. Due to illness he was replaced by General Phineas Riall
Phineas Riall
Sir Phineas Riall, KCH was a British army officer, who fought in the War of 1812. was born in Clonmel, Ireland into a wealthy Protestant landowning family, the third son of Phineas Riall of Heywood, Co. Tipperary, whose father had founded the Riall Bank of Clonmel, and Catherine Caldwell of Dublin...
, though of the several officers of the 49th Regiment
49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 49th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. During the Childers Reforms it was united with the 66th Regiment of Foot to form Princess Charlotte of Wales's Berkshire Regiment.-Service history:The 49th Regiment was formed in 1744, during the War of the Austrian Succession...
who reached high command during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Vincent was the longest-serving of them. British and Canadian accounts of the War give the impression of a modest, well-liked and generous officer, who gave whatever help he could to other commanders. From 1814, he had held the sinecure
Sinecure
A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
post of Lieutenant-Governor of Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Great Britain. It overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton, and sits on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high.-Iron Age:...
.
Early life
He was born in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the son of John Mardyke Vincent (1734-1779) of Parteen House, Co. Limerick, Sheriff of Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, by his first wife, Catherine (d.1768), daughter and co-heiress of John Love (d.1750), of Castle Saffron (later renamed Creagh Castle), near Doneraile
Doneraile
Doneraile is a town in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is located on the R581 regional road 8 km east of the N20 road which runs from Limerick to Cork. It is about 12 km north of Mallow town...
, Co. Cork, great grandson of Sir Philip Perceval
Philip Perceval
Sir Philip Perceval , was an English politician. He was knighted, 1638: obtained grants of forfeited lands in Ireland to the amount of , and lost extensive property in Ireland owing to the rebellion of 1641...
. Vincent entered the army as an Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in 1781. He transferred as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
into the 49th Foot in 1783, becoming a Captain in 1786. He saw service with the regiment in the West Indies and was present at the taking of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. After being promoted to Major in 1795, he was ordered back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for his health, but the vessel on which he sailed was captured by a French frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
and he was detained a prisoner in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for one year. He took part in the Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland
Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland
The Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland refers to the campaign of 27 August to 19 November 1799 during the War of the Second Coalition, in which an expeditionary force of British and Russian troops invaded the North-Holland peninsula in the Batavian Republic...
in 1799 (was promoted to Lt.-Colonel in 1800), and was present at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker. Two years later, the 49th were posted to Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, and Vincent was accompanied there by his nephew, William Vincent (who had married Frances Blood of Castle Fergus, Co. Clare, descended from the noted bravo and desperado Colonel Thomas Blood
Thomas Blood
Colonel Thomas Blood was an Irish colonel best known for attempting to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671...
), who had joined the 49th in 1800. Vincent performed various garrison duties at York (Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
), Fort St. George (Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
) and Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
for the next ten years or so.
War of 1812
On the outbreak of war, Vincent led a detachment of the 49th from Lower CanadaLower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
to Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, and was commander of this post during the winter of 1812 to 1813, being promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. His forces fought off one half-hearted attack by ships under the American Commodore Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey was an officer in the United States Navy.-Biography:Chauncey, born in Black Rock, Connecticut, 20 February 1779, was appointed a Lieutenant in the Navy from 17 September 1798...
, and over the winter he successfully bluffed the American Commander-in-Chief, General Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn was an American physician, a statesman and a veteran of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Born to Simon Dearborn and Sarah Marston in North Hampton, New Hampshire, he spent much of his youth in Epping, where he attended public schools...
, into thinking his forces were much larger than they actually were and deterred any attack.
Vincent was subsequently transferred to the Niagara
Niagara Peninsula
The Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Southern Ontario, Canada lying between the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie. It stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario in the west. The population of the peninsula is roughly 1,000,000 people...
frontier. On 27 May 1813, his positions were attacked in the Battle of Fort George
Battle of Fort George
The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured the Fort George in Upper Canada...
. Although his British and Canadian regulars made a determined defence, Vincent realised that he was about to be outflanked and surrounded, and ordered a rapid retreat.
Vincent's forces halted at a defensive position at Burlington Heights
Burlington Heights
Burlington Heights refers to an area of flat land sitting elevated above the west end of Burlington Bay in the city of Hamilton, Ontario.The "Heights" were the location of a British Army post during the War of 1812. Afterwards, the former army barracks were used as a hospital for immigrants with...
, where Vincent received news of his promotion to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. The pursuing American forces halted at Stoney Creek (Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
). Their camp was insecure, and Vincent followed a suggestion by his second in command, Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey
John Harvey (governor)
Lieutenant-General Sir John Harvey, KCB KCH was a British Army officer and a Lieutenant Governor.He was commissioned into the 80th Foot in 1794 and served in several different locations, including France, Egypt, and India...
, to mount a night attack. The resulting Battle of Stoney Creek
Battle of Stoney Creek
The Battle of Stoney Creek was fought on 6 June 1813 during the War of 1812 near present day Stoney Creek, Ontario. British units made a night attack on an American encampment...
was a tactical draw but badly shook the Americans. Vincent himself took little part. He was injured when thrown from his horse in the confusion of battle and was finally found wandering in the woods, seven miles from the battle scene, in a state of confusion, convinced that the entire British force had been destroyed; his horse, hat and sword all missing. Harvey kindly and considerately did not mention this on his report of the battle.
The Americans subsequently retreated to Fort George, and Vincent's forces maintained a blockade of them for several months. During this time Vincent's regiment, the 49th, won the nickname 'Green Tigers' from the Americans because of the fierceness of their fighting and the colour of their facings. After the British defeat at the Battle of Moraviantown, which threatened Vincent's rear, he retreated again to Burlington Heights. By this time, Vincent was ill, and was transferred first to Kingston once again, then to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, before leaving for England.
He never again saw active service, but was promoted Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1825 and full General in 1843. He had held the sinecure
Sinecure
A sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
post of Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Great Britain. It overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton, and sits on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is high.-Iron Age:...
since April, 1814, and became Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 69th Foot in 1836. He died unmarried in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.