- Reaction score
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- Points
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During the Battle Of Queenston Heights, 13 October 1812, an American regimental colour belonging to a New York State infantry regiment was captured by a soldier from one of the flank companies of the 2nd Regiment of Lincoln Militia. The Americans surrendered a short time after.
John Clark, who had arrived at Queenston during the battle, saw General Sheaffe in the vicinity of the Redan Battery minutes after the surrender of the Americans with the Colour wrapped about him.
John Beverley Robinson, a young officer of the York Militia (later knighted and Chief Justice of Upper Canada ) saw the Colour displayed at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea on 24 November 1815 :
“Here, on the west side, is the Colour taken from the Americans at Queenston, placed by them on our battery, when they gained possession of it just before Brock fell.
It was taken by a private militiaman of one of the Chippawa companies in our advance under Sir Roger Sheaffe in the afternoon, and presented to him on the field. I saw him with it round him on the field. I have heard that the gallant fellow who seized it on the battery while the enemy were yet there was suffered to remain unrewarded.”
The capture of an enemy regimental colour in combat is a unique feat in Canadian military history. The colour is still in the museum at Chelsea.
So far, a search of Canadian and British records to identify the American unit to which the Colour belonged has produced no results.
Can anyone who has researched the American records identify the unit?
John Clark, who had arrived at Queenston during the battle, saw General Sheaffe in the vicinity of the Redan Battery minutes after the surrender of the Americans with the Colour wrapped about him.
John Beverley Robinson, a young officer of the York Militia (later knighted and Chief Justice of Upper Canada ) saw the Colour displayed at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea on 24 November 1815 :
“Here, on the west side, is the Colour taken from the Americans at Queenston, placed by them on our battery, when they gained possession of it just before Brock fell.
It was taken by a private militiaman of one of the Chippawa companies in our advance under Sir Roger Sheaffe in the afternoon, and presented to him on the field. I saw him with it round him on the field. I have heard that the gallant fellow who seized it on the battery while the enemy were yet there was suffered to remain unrewarded.”
The capture of an enemy regimental colour in combat is a unique feat in Canadian military history. The colour is still in the museum at Chelsea.
So far, a search of Canadian and British records to identify the American unit to which the Colour belonged has produced no results.
Can anyone who has researched the American records identify the unit?