Acadiensis/Volume 1/Number 4/Colonel Robert Moodie
Colonel Robert Moodie.
Carleton, West Ontario,
August 13th, 1901.
Dear Sir:
Can you give me, or obtain for me, any information as to the surviving family or friends of Lieut.-Col. Moodie, who was shot by the rebels, at Montgomery's tavern on Yonge street, in 1837, while going to Toronto to give information to the government of an intended attack on that city ?I was told yesterday that Col. Moodie was a native of Fredericton, and A. M. Howard, Esq., late president of the U. E. Loyalists' Association, showed me the Acadian magazine of which you are editor.
I have the honor to be president of the York Pioneer Society, and our attention has recently been called to the dilapidated condition of Col. Moodie's monument in the churchyard at Thornhill. When a boy I lived at Thornhill, which is twelve miles from Toronto, and have many a time seen the monument, which was then, sixty years ago, new, and of course in good preservation. If you can do anything to help us to some information, such action will help to bind together societies which have common aims.
I have the honor to be,
Dear sir,
Yours very faithfully,
C. E. Thomson.
D. R. Jack, Esq.,
Editor Acadiensis.
St. John, New Brunswick.
Major Robert Moodie went from New Brunswick with the 104th regiment.
February 11th, 1813, regiment left St. John for Quebec.
April 16th, 1817, regiment was reduced.
D. R. Jack.
August 24th, 1901.
[We publish below some notes concerning Col. Moodie which are quite interesting, and which have been furnished by Mr. Clarence Ward, the secretary of the New Brunswick Historical Society. Unfortunately the main point at issue, namely, as to the surviving family or friends of Col. Moodie, is still in abeyance. We shall very gladly receive and publish any further data regarding Col. Moodie which may be obtainable. Correspondence upon the subject from any persons who are in a position to furnish the desired information is respectfully solicited.—Ed.]
The first mention of Robert Moodie I can find is in the Winslow Papers, published by the N. B Historical Society.
In a letter from Penelope Winslow to Edw. Winslow, jr., dated 30th November, 1809, she writes: "Fanny Sproule and Moodie are just where you left them, but the world says they are inevitably to be married shortly. I confess I have no faith in such unreasonable long flirtations." From the same to the same, dated 26th March, 1810, writing about the gossip of Fredericton, she says: "Fanny is a spinster still. Moodie has been sick all winter, and I assure you it has not improved his appearance much." Same to the same, dated 6th June, 1811, she writes, "I am happy to say that matrimony flourishes here again Miss Sproule and Capt. Moodie have at last entered the 'holy estate.'" Judge Edward Winslow, writing to Edward Winslow, jr., under date September, 1813, says, "The late Lucy Miller (now Mrs. Woodford) is not with us. He husband is surgeon's mate in the 104th, late N. B. Regiment, now in Upper Canada, where that corps have lately had a severe brush with the Americans.[1] A great proportion of the officers, among whom were Leonard, Moodie, Drummond, Shore, A. Rainsford, etc., were wounded, and got back to their own shore at Kingston."[2]
Moodie was evidently quite a while living in Fredericton in the early years of the century, and on intimate terms of friendship with all the notable people. Frequent mention is made of him in the correspondence of the time. He was, undoubtedly, a military man, and at that time was called Capt. Moodie, though what regiment attached to before joining the 104th, I cannot at present ascertain. I am pretty certain he was a Scotsman by birth. After his marriage he lived at St. Andrews, in Scotland, from about 1820 till 1827. His aspirations were all military. He mentions in one of his letters, written from St. Andrews, that he was offered the command of the African Colonial Corps by General Sir Charles McCarthy.
He left for the old country in 1818, having placed Ward Chipman, jr., in charge of the property left his wife by her father, George Sproule, Surveyor General of New Brunswick.
Ward Chipman, jr., writing to him just prior to his departure for England in 1818, calls him Lt.-Col. Moodie.
Col. Moodie, writing to W. Chipman, jr., from St. Andrews, Scotland, November 9, 1822, mentions that his family consists of two boys and three girls (query? where are his descendants, or did these children all die in infancy or unmarried?)
In a letter dated St. Andrews, Scotland, Nov. 5, 1823, he mentions that he has been offered the Lt.-Colonelcy of the "African Colonial Corps by General Sir Charles McCarthy and thinks of accepting it."[3]
This last letter is dated St. Andrew's, Scotland, April 21, 1826., in which he speaks of having a visit from Mr. James Douglas, of St. Andrews, N. B., lately married to a Miss Grace R. Campbell. (This was James Douglas, afterwards of the firm of Douglas & Westcott, of Liverpool, G. B., and a brother of Mrs. Charles Ward, of St. John, N. B. He also wrote in the same letter of having a visit from Dr. Burns, for a considerable period minister of Saint Andrew's Kirk in St. John, N. B., who gave him all the news and gossip of St. John and Fredericton.
All these letters to Chipman, principally refer to his private business, Chipman having the management of his estate in Fredericton. During the early period of his residence in Scotland, judging from his remarks and urgency for remittance, he was in rather straitened circumstances, but lately he mentioned having inherited a considerable sum from an aged female relation, which has made him more comfortable from a pecuniary point of view.
The correspondence terminated abruptly, and I have not been able to trace his career any further. It is remarkable how little is known of him now in New Brunswick. We have evidences that he was on most intimate terms with all the leading families in New Brunswick in the early part of the century and down to 1818, reference to him continually occurs in the correspondence of that time, and he appears to have been a favorite in society; yet, so far, I have not been able to learn anything about his doings in Fredericton, where he came from, or how he happened to come to New Brunswick. I am of opinion that he came in the retinue of one of the governors in a military capacity, but that is only conjecture. Nor have I been able to ascertain why he went to Upper Canada, and what position, civil or military, he held there—except that he was killed by the rebels of "Montgomery Tavern." He was called Col. Moodie and was evidently acting as a military man.
April 2, 1811, Frances Sproule, daughter of George Sproule, Surveyor General, to Capt. Robert Moodie, 104th Regiment.
July 16, 1811, Miss ——— Sproule, daughter of Geo. Sproule, Surveyor General to Lieut.-Col. Halkett, 104th Regiment. 30th November, 1817, Hon. Geo. Sproule, Surveyor General and member of Council, died Fredericton, age 76.
Lt.-Col. Halkett and Major Moodie were brother officers in 104th regiment, and married sisters.
The March of the 104th Regiment from Fredericton.
Vincent had also been reinforced by the 104th, which had marched from Fredericton, N. B., to Quebec the preceding winter. From a short distance north of Fredericton to River du Loup the 245 miles was a wilderness.
The regiment consisted of 1,000 strong, with forty-two officers, under Colonel Moodie, whose melancholy death at Montgomery's tavern, north of Toronto, on the outbreak of the abortive rebellion in 1837 is still remembered. The march was commenced on the 14th of February. Each man was furnished with a pair of snowshoes, moccasins, and one blanket; a toboggan was given to every two men; it carried the two knapsacks, the two fire locks and accoutrements, the two blankets and fourteen days provisions. One drew the toboggan, the second pushed it from behind. The regiment was divided into sections, one following the other at a day's interval. The bugle sounded two hours before daylight to give the men time to cook and eat; the detachment marched with the first light. The column travelled until half-past two, when the halt was made for the day.
The rations, one pound of pork, including the bones, with ten ounces of biscuit, were insufficient for men in full manhood, exposed all day to the air, and taking the regular severe exercise of the expedition. It was said afterwards that the whole regiment continued hungry during the march, and would talk of nothing but the good feeding of the future.
No rum was issued; the drink was tea. At Lake Temiscouata the column was delayed for three days by so severe a snow storm, and such intensely cold weather that it was considered inadvisable to cross the lake. Captain Rainsford, with two men, Patroit and Gay, of the light company, volunteered to undertake the journey to River du Loup, distant 440 miles, to obtain provisions. The men had been ordered to half rations. We can conceive the relish with which the troops, after a march of thirty miles and a fast of thirty hours, came upon a relief with two bags of biscuits, and two tubs of spirits and water.
They crossed the ice at Quebec on the 27th day after leaving Fredericton, and arrived without losing a man; nor was a man on the sick list. After a rest of two days, they marched out to the seat of war.—History of Canada, Kingsford, Vol. VIII., pp. 186–7.
Death of Col. Moodie.
The passage of the insurgents southward from Holland Landing necessarily caused great excitement, as many of them were known. A meeting was held in the house of Col. Moodie, who lived to the north of Richmond Hill, to consider the course advisable to be taken. It was determined that the intelligence should at once be made known to the lieutenant governor. The messenger who was dispatched, a Mr. Drew, was within a short distance stopped and seized by the insurgents. The news reached the Loyalists at Richmond Hill, and Col. Moodie resolved to proceed in person to Toronto. Among those who accompanied him were Captain Stewart, of the navy, and a Mr. Brooke. They approached Montgomery's tavern, and had passed the first picket. On coming opposite the tavern they were ordered to halt. The party seems to have consisted of six people, but Moodie and Stewart were in front with a third person whose name is not mentioned. Moodie said that they must gallop through the guard, whatever the result at this time. Moodie and Stewart found themselves alone. "Never mind," said Moodie, "push forward, it is all right yet." They were, however, brought up by the guard, and pikes and bayonets were presented before the horses' breasts. Moodie asked who it was that was stopping them in the King's highway. The reply was: "You'll know that in time." Moodie then fired his pistol, upon which three guns were discharged, when Moodie exclaimed: "I'm shot! I'm a dead man!" He was then carried into Montgomery's tavern. Soon afterwards Mackenzie came into the house, when he asked for Stewart. Moodie survived but two hours.—History of Canada, Kingsford, Vol. X., pp. 389–390.
- ↑ At Backet's Harbour.
- ↑ Note.—The majors of the 104th in 1813 were William Drummond and Robert Moodie.
- ↑ Note.—It is fortunate for himself that he did not. General McCarthy invaded the Ashantee kingdom and was disastrously defeated. The General himself was killed, cooked and eaten by the Ashantees.
N. B.—McCarthy was at one time stationed in Fredericton.