week the Infantry would often march ninety miles, and the Hussars many more. They were penetrating and observant, skilled in ambuscade and stratagem, just the kind of corps suited to a country of wood and stream, of which they always endeavoured to make pitfalls for the enemy. There was a company of Highlanders added to the regiment, commanded by a most excellent officer, Captain McKay, who, like most Highlanders, did noble service for the King in the different campaigns which the Queen's Rangers went through. Before the war was over there was an accession to the regiment of an Irish company which added materially to the strength of the regiment. It was one of the privileges which the Queen's Rangers had, that when by the fortunes of war, death or disease, the regiment became reduced, the commanding officer, in order to fill up the ranks, was entitled to enlist Old Countrymen (as Europeans were termed in America) and deserters from the rebel army; so that were the officers, to whom the Commander-in-Chief delegated the inspection of the Provincial Corps able to execute their orders, the Queen's Rangers, however dangerously and incessantly employed, would never be in want of recruits; at the same time the major part of the regiment was made up of the native born Loyalists. The regiment, at its full strength, did not number more than five hundred and fifty Infantry, and yet was one of

There were as

the most effective in the service. many as twenty-seven other Provincial Corps of Loyalists who, no doubt, did excellent service, but as the Queen's Rangers was a flying column, specially detailed for outpost duty and roaming at large over the whole country, they were brought more into notice and were more prominent than other regiments which were raised to defend the loyal cause during the Revolution. It has been said of this corps "that no sentinel or guard of the Queen's Rangers was ever surprised' the reason given is that sergeant's guards were in a manner abolished, the guard duty being principally performed by the commissioned officers of the corps. It would occupy too much time, to give a complete account of the life of Major Simcoe while attached to the Queen's Rangers, or a detailed description of all the engagements in which his regiment was engaged during the War of Independence, but it may be allowable and pardonable to dwell at some length upon the memoirs of an officer who, on more than one occasion, received the thanks of his superiors in the service, and of his King and country. It will be convenient to divide up his military service into campaigns, and as he joined the Queen's Rangers late in 1777, the campaign of 1777-1778 may well be described as a notable period of his military life.

CHAPTER II.

THE CAMPAIGNS OF 1777-1778.

HE headquarters of the British Army in
October, 1777, was at Philadelphia. The

Queen's Rangers were posted about four miles from Philadelphia, on the road leading to Frankfort, a village on Frankfort Creek, about five miles from headquarters. It was there Major Simcoe first met the Polish officer Pulaski, in command of the Conti- . nental troops in that district. The opposing troops did not, however, come to close quarters, though it was thought that an encounter might take place at or in the vicinity of Frankfort. On the 3rd of November, 1777, the very distressing news came from New York that General Burgoyne's army on their march from Ticonderoga (which they had reduced) had reached Saratoga, where, being surrounded by the American forces, he was compelled to surrender to the American generals, Gates and Arnold, and that his troops were made prisoners of war. Such news, at such a time, read

in general orders to the Rangers on their parade, was very dispiriting indeed to the officers, and might have proved disastrous, were it not for the temper and spirit the men displayed on the distressing occasion. When Major Simcoe came to one of the articles of surrender proposed by the American generals, rejected by General Burgoyne's army in the following terms :— "Sooner than this army will consent to ground their arms in their encampment they will rush on the enemy determined to take no quarter," the whole corps thrilled with animation and resentment against the enemy, and every soldier of the regiment burned to revenge the insult put upon him by the Revolutionists.

It was always the policy of Major Simcoe to conciliate the people of the country as much as was in his power. In a civil war, where the masses divide in their allegiance, it often becomes difficult to distinguish friend from foe. The nearest relatives and nearest neighbours are often in opposing camps. In the campaigning around Philadelphia, he found many of the people well disposed towards the British, and to continue their friendliness it was necessary that the Rangers should afford them protection. Protection means abstaining from plundering and marauding. Consequently we find Major Simcoe very early in the campaign warning his force against this evil. When a general order was given out, enforcing the regulation to which I have

referred, Major Simcoe felt bound to declare "that it is with the utmost satisfaction Major Simcoe believes there would have been no necessity for the general orders of this day had every corps of the army been as regular in respect to their abstaining from plunder and marauding as the Rangers. He trusts that so truly a military behaviour will be continued, and that the officer and soldier of the corps will consider it as honourable to him as the most distinguished bravery."

To illustrate the method adopted by Major Simcoe to prevent plundering, it may be noticed that on the march he never halted, if he could avoid it, but in a wood; sent a safeguard to every house; allowed no man to leave the ranks; and was careful to instil into the minds of the men the belief that while they protected the country the inhabitants would give every information of the enemy's movements and ambuscades. At the close of the campaign of 1777 an attempt was made at headquarters to have the military dress of the Queen's Rangers changed from green to red. This move was opposed by Major Simcoe, his opinion being that green with dark accoutrements is beyond comparison the best colour for light infantry uniforms.

In the campaign of 1778 the first we hear of Major Simcoe is that about the end of February he and the Rangers were employed in opposing the force