Note P — JOURNAL OF THE CAMPAIGN, &c. &c.

Six of us, who formed a mess, stopped at a Major Boon’s, and asked him “if we might stay all night.” He said we could. His father, who lived with him, let us know he had been a Tory major in the American revolution. He said “he had lived in the Jerseys, and had one of Lord Howe’s commissions in the house then, and was a half-pay officer.” He said “the Americans would have no possible chance to take Canada, for the British next spring would bring seventy thousand Indians from the north-west, and as many negroes from St. Domingo, besides three hundred thousand Turks!” Said James Allen, “I suppose you will set dogs on us next!” The old fellow said “it was very evident the Lord was on their side!” Then said Allen, “If the Lord has joined with the British, savages, and negroes, to massacre his own people, it is surprising! But I rather think it is only your Canadian lord that acts in this manner.” The old fellow then ordered him out of the house. He told him “he was very well suited in a room, and would stay till morning.” They still continued arguing. The old fellow said “We had no business on their soil,” alluding to Frenchtown. Allen told him “we were on our own soil.” He said “it was a lie, for Michigan Territory was given up to them by General Hull.” Said Allen, “Hull was such a fellow as the d——l, who offered Christ all the kingdoms of the world if he would fall down and worship him; when, poor old sneaking whelp, he did not own a foot on earth.” Said Boon, “You had better stayed away, for all you have done; the Major who commanded the Indians on the 18th was here a few nights ago, and said there was not one killed, and but three wounded.” Said Allen, “I would not believe my father if he were to tell me so, for I saw a number that were killed and scalped and lay on the snow for days; and if there were but three wounded, there must have been an abundance of blood in them to have stained the snow for miles square.” Said he, “Did you scalp them? you are bloody dogs.” “Yes,” said Allen, “you might say so, if we had hired the savages to kill your women and children, and massacre and burn your wounded, when we had promised to take care of them.” He said “the British had never hired the Indians to kill women and children; they were too humane a people to do so.” “Yes,” said Allen, “they showed humanity in the time of the American Revolution, when they paid the Indians for infants’ scalps that were taken out of their mothers’ wombs; they call themselves Christians, and when the Indians sent home to them scalps, from the unborn infant to the gray hairs, in bales like goods, they had days of feasting, rejoicing, and thanksgiving to the Lord, for the victory they had gained—the d——l would be ashamed to acknowledge such a people as any part of his offspring.” The old fellow again ordered him out of the house; but Allen told him “he would go in the morning.” Allen said “we had more friends in Canada than they had.” “Yes,” said he, “there are men mean enough to join against their own country.” Allen replied, “none but a mean, low-lived wretch would fight against his own country.” The old fellow took the hint, as he had been a tory, and got in a violent passion. He asked Allen “if he was not a Congressman?” Allen said “No.” “Are you an Assemblyman?” “No.” “Are you a Yankee lawyer?” “No.” “Well, you are a Yankee liar, then.” Allen said, “if we were of an age, and on an equal footing, you would not give me the lie so often.” The old fellow told Allen “he must be an antediluvian, for he appeared to know all things that had passed, and all the crimes that England ever committed seemed to be fresh on his mind; he supposed he was one of the greatest enemies the British had.” Allen said “he had done his best; and if he was exchanged he would shoot at them as long as he could crook his finger to draw the trigger.” A young woman who was in the house said “we were only coming to drive them off their lands.” Allen said “we were only coming to set them free, so that those lands might be their own, and not King George’s.” She said “the Americans that were killed at Queenstown had deeds in their pockets for all their best plantations.” Said Allen “I must believe it because you say so, but if I had seen it myself I would not.”

The old fellow’s passion subsided, and Allen and he were friendly.