Page:Brock centenary 2nd ed. 1913.djvu/97

 THE SPEECHES

eventually killed at the battle of Fort Erie, in 1814, in command of an American regiment, and Mallory serving throughout the war as a major in the same corps.

This measure enabled Brock also to deal sum- marily with their disloyal partisans and followers, much more numerous and infinitely more danger- ous than is now generally supposed. He imme- diately issued a proclamation ordering all persons suspected of conniving with the enemy to be appre- hended, and treated according to law. Those who had not taken the oath of allegiance were ordered to do so or leave the Province ; many were sent out of the country; large numbers left of their own accord; those who refused to take the oath or to take up arms to defend the country, and remained in the Province after a given date, were declared to be enemies and spies, and were treated accord- ingly ; a large number of this disloyal element were arrested and imprisoned early in the war, as on the day of the Battle of Queenston Heights the jail and Court House at Niagara as well as the block- house at Fort George were filled with political prisoners, over three hundred aliens and traitors being in custody, some of whom were tried and sentenced to death, while others were sent to Quebec for imprisonment.

This pressing and important business having been accomplished, General Brock entered actively upon his campaign, and determined upon offensive measures by an assault upon Detroit. Colonel Macdonell accompanied him as his military secre- tary and aide-de-camp. When the American, Gen- eral Hull, in command of a greatly superior force and in possession of a strongly fortified position, on the 16th August proposed a cessation of hostili- ties with a view to his surrender, it was Colonel Macdonell whom General Brock entrusted with the delicate and important task of preparing the terms of capitulation. He returned within an hour

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