the small core of British soldiers at any cost
and trading the vast spaces of Upper Canada
for time. His reaction to the November 28,
1812, attack by Gen. Alexander Smyth at
Niagara should therefore come as no sur-
prise. This affair was handily repulsed by the
local commander, Lt. Col. Cecil Bisshopp,
who requested reinforcements. Sheaffe, cog-
nizant of the need to preserve his troops, in-
formed Bisshopp of the probable necessity of
abandoning Fort Erie and withdrawing up
the peninsula as far as Chippawa. The mere
suggestion of retreating angered Bisshopp
and other officers and further undermined
Sheaffe’s standing among the army. Many
civilian detractors, pointing out his American
origins, also began labeling him a traitor.
Such discontent was totally unjustified, but it
could not be easily brushed off by the gover-
nor-general.
Sheaffe was sick for most of the winter of
1812 and was temporarily replaced by Gen.
John Vincent. Nonetheless, in March 1813
Sheaffe presided over the opening of the leg-
islative session. Here he was saddled by indif-
ferent politicians and inefficient army depart-
ments, but he nevertheless managed to have
several important bills passed. These in-
cluded the issuance of army bills (paper
money) as legal tender, strengthening of exist-
ing militia units, and compensation for the
families of militiamen killed or wounded. He
also called for a rapid expansion of shipbuild-
ing on the lakes. Through these positive ac-
tions, Sheaffe enhanced Upper Canada’s de-
fensive posture—a near impossible task
considering his slender resources. Unfortu-
nately, the much-maligned general was to re-
ceive neither credit nor applause in light of
subsequent events.
On April 26–27, the Lake Ontario naval
squadron under U.S. Commodore Isaac
Chauncey conveyed part of Gen. Henry Dear-
born’s army to York Harbor. That afternoon
Gen. Zebulon M. Pike began landing 1,700 sol-
diers in a daring amphibious assault, spear-
headed by the riflemen under Lt. Col. Ben-
jamin Forsyth. Sheaffe attempted to meet the
invaders at the water’s edge with only 800
men but sustained heavy losses from the can-
nons of Chauncey’s fleet. Heavily outnum-
bered, he conducted a fighting retreat that did
British forces considerable honor. In the
course of battle, a magazine explosion killed
General Pike and upward of 250 Americans.
British losses were severe but acceptable.
Sheaffe had closely engaged a superior
enemy, inflicted serious harm upon him, and
extricated his army intact—precisely as or-
dered. Had it not been for the fact that York
was the province capital of Upper Canada, he
might have been roundly praised for his ac-
tions. Instead, Sheaffe was criticized for aban-
doning the town by several politicians, no-
tably the Reverend John Strachan, who knew
nothing of military affairs.
Sheaffe promptly returned to Niagara and
continued shoring up British defenses there.
However, he had been strongly advised by
Governor-General Prevost to impose martial
law if necessary. Sheaffe declined, citing his
lack of constitutional authority, but this re-
fusal only added fuel to the growing rift be-
tween the two leaders. Prevost, in fact, had in-
formed the British government that Sheaffe
had forfeited the confidence of the province
and requested his recall. In a prelude of what
would follow, Prevost ordered him back to
Montreal and replaced him with Gen. Francis
de Rottenburg. There he assumed command
of the reserves, whereupon Prevost next ac-
cused him of indifference while discharging
his duties and of failing to inform the gover-
nor-general of his plans. The hapless general
was finally ordered home in November 1813,
and he departed without ceremony. It was
scurrilous treatment for so brave a soldier,
but Sheaffe accepted the indignity quietly.
Back in England, Sheaffe was appointed to
the army staff and served capably. He subse-
quently won a promotion to lieutenant gen-
eral in 1821 and to general in 1838. Sheaffe
then resided with his family at Penzane,
Worcester, and Edinburgh before finally dying
at the latter place on July 17, 1851. His tenure
in Canada was an unhappy one, for he was al-SHEAFFE, ROGERHALE