theless joined the Knight of Glin Yeomantry
Corps, a local militia unit, and quickly made
sergeant. In 1798, he transferred to the Tar-
bert Infantry Fencibles, which soon after was
incorporated into the British army as the 49th
Regiment of Foot. This unit, whose red coats
were adorned by green coatee collars and
cuffs, soon became known as the Green
Tigers on account of ferocity in battle. In
1799, Fitzgibbon first experienced combat
while campaigning in the Netherlands, and
two years later he won the Naval General Ser-
vice Medal while acting as a marine during
the Battle of Copenhagen. In 1802, he accom-
panied the regiment to Canada, where he was
to remain for the next 45 years. After 1805 the
famous Isaac Brockbecame the regimental
colonel, and he took particular interest in
Fitzgibbon’s military career. Given his com-
mon background and lack of education,
Fitzgibbon lacked the money to purchase a
commission in the officer corps. Nonetheless,
Colonel Brock, overlooking his coarse, some-
what uncouth manners, felt he had the mak-
ings of a fine company-grade officer and en-
couraged him to study reading, writing, and
etiquette. Education and hard work paid im-
mediate dividends in 1809, when Fitzgibbon
gained promotion first to ensign and adjutant
in 1806, then lieutenant in 1809. By 1812, he
had resigned his adjutant responsibilities to
facilitate further study, but this activity was
interrupted by the onset of war with the
United States in June.
For several months into the war, Fitzgibbon
was preoccupied with the mundane but essen-
tial work of convoying supplies from Montreal
to Kingston down the St. Lawrence River, usu-
ally in full view of the Americans. In January
1813, he undertook the transport of 45 food-
laden sleds from Kingston to distant Niagara
without incident. Having fulfilled all these du-
ties competently, Fitzgibbon was allowed to
join the 49th Regiment as a combat officer. On
June 6, 1813, he served under Col. John Har-
veyat the Battle of Stoney Creek, where he
distinguished himself. Prior to the battle,
Fitzgibbon disguised himself as a butter ped-
dler, boldly entered the enemy camp, and
carefully noted troop and gun dispositions.
The Americans, whom the British surprised
while sleeping, that night beat off their as-
sailants but subsequently fell back to Fort
George when Gens. John Chandler and
William H. Winder were captured. A strategic
stalemate then settled over the Niagara fron-
tier. To keep Americans forces tied down, and
in recognition of his bravery and skill in parti-
san tactics, Fitzgibbon received command of a
select company of men to function as guerril-
las. This group, the self-styled “Bloody Boys,”
waged a constant war over outposts with a
like number of American partisans under Dr.
Cyrenius Chapin of Buffalo. At length, Gen.
John Vincentordered Fitzgibbon’s command
to establish itself as an advanced picket post
at DeCou House, about 25 miles from the
American position at Fort George. His nearest
assistance was a slightly larger outpost at
Twelve Mile Creek commanded by Lt. Col.
Cecil Bisshopp. Both officers were directed
to closely observe enemy movements.
Back at Fort George, Gen. John Boyd
sought to end the blockade of Fort George by
Indian forces by launching an attack at
against DeCou House. He then selected Lt.
Col. Charles Boerstler, 14th U.S. Infantry, with
about 600 men from his and other regiments
to accomplish the task. Boerstler had no
sooner set out than a large force of 400 Mo-
hawks under John Norton ambushed his
force and commenced a costly running fight
at Beaver Dams. Meanwhile, little of note
transpired at DeCou House until the morning
of June 24, 1813, when Fitzgibbon was in-
formed by Laura Secordthat an American
expedition was heading his way. He then
adroitly marched his 46 men rapidly to the
scene of the fighting and approached the
Americans under a white flag. A force so
small could not make much of a contribution
to the battle in progress, so the wily lieu-
tenant resorted to a clever ploy. Having ac-
costed Boerstler in person, Fitzgibbon
claimed that British forces numbered in ex-
cess of 1,500 men and 500 Indians, then de-FITZGIBBON, JAMES