GeneralJohn Vincent (1764–1848) was the Britishcommanding officer of theNiagara Peninsula inUpper Canada when theUnited States attacked in the spring of 1813. He was defeated at theBattle of Fort George but was able to rebound and establish the new lines atBurlington Heights. He directed the campaign during the summer and fall that eventually forced the Americans to abandon the Niagara area in December 1813, thanks in large part due to his victory over the Americans at theBattle of Stoney Creek. Due to illness he was replaced by GeneralPhineas Riall, though of the several officers of the49th Regiment who reached high command during theWar of 1812, Vincent was the longest-serving of them. British and Canadian accounts of the War give the impression of a modest, well-liked and generous officer, who gave whatever help he could to other commanders. From 1814, he had held thesinecure post ofLieutenant-Governor ofDumbarton Castle.
He was born inIreland, the son of John Vincent (1734–1779) of Mardyke,County Limerick, Sheriff ofLimerick, by his first wife, Catherine (d.1768), daughter and co-heiress of John Love (d.1750), of Castle Saffron (later renamed Creagh Castle),[1] nearDoneraile,County Cork, great grandson of SirPhilip Perceval.
Vincent entered the army as anEnsign in 1781. He transferred as aLieutenant into the 49th Foot in 1783, becoming aCaptain in 1786. He saw service with the regiment in theWest Indies and was present at the taking ofHaiti. After being promoted to Major in 1795, he was ordered back toEngland for his health, but the vessel on which he sailed was captured by a Frenchfrigate and he was detained a prisoner inFrance for one year. He took part in theAnglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799 (was promoted to Lt.-Colonel in 1800), and was present at theBattle of Copenhagen in 1801 underAdmiral Sir Hyde Parker. Two years later, the 49th were posted toUpper Canada, and Vincent was accompanied there by his nephew, William Vincent (who had married Frances Blood of Castle Fergus, County Clare, descended from the noted bravo and desperado ColonelThomas Blood), who had joined the 49th in 1800. Vincent performed various garrison duties at York (Toronto), Fort George (Niagara-on-the-Lake) andKingston, Ontario for the next ten years or so.
On the outbreak of war, Vincent led a detachment of the 49th fromLower Canada toKingston, Ontario, and was commander of this post during the winter of 1812 to 1813, being promoted tobrigadier general. His forces fought in theBattle of Kingston Harbour, against the American CommodoreIsaac Chauncey, and over the winter he successfully bluffed the American Commander-in-Chief, GeneralHenry Dearborn, into thinking his forces were much larger than they actually were and deterred any attack.
Vincent was subsequently transferred to theNiagara frontier. On 27 May 1813, his positions were attacked in theBattle of Fort George. Although his British and Canadian regulars made a determined defence, Vincent realised that he was about to be outflanked and surrounded, and ordered a rapid retreat.
Vincent's forces halted at a defensive position atBurlington Heights, where Vincent received news of his promotion tomajor general. The pursuing American forces halted at Stoney Creek (Hamilton, Ontario). Their camp was insecure, and Vincent followed a suggestion by his second in command,Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey, to mount a night attack. The resultingBattle of Stoney Creek was a clear British victory, badly shaking the Americans. Vincent himself took little part. He was injured when thrown from his horse in the confusion of battle and was finally found wandering in the woods, seven miles from the battle scene, in a state of confusion, convinced that the entire British force had been destroyed; his horse, hat and sword all missing.[2] Harvey, understandably, did not mention this on his report of the battle.
The Americans subsequently retreated to Fort George, and Vincent's forces maintained a blockade of them for several months. During this time Vincent's regiment, the 49th, won the nickname 'Green Tigers' from the Americans because of the fierceness of their fighting and the colour of their facings. After the British defeat at theBattle of Moraviantown, which threatened Vincent's rear, he retreated again to Burlington Heights. By this time, Vincent was ill, and was transferred first to Kingston once again, then toMontreal, before leaving for England.[2]
He never again saw active service, but was promotedLieutenant General in 1825 and fullGeneral in 1843. He had held thesinecure post ofLieutenant Governor ofDumbarton Castle since April, 1814, and becameColonel of the69th Foot in 1836.
He died unmarried inLondon.
TheVincent neighbourhood in Hamilton is named after him. It is bounded byKing Street East (north),Greenhill Avenue (south),Mount Albion (west) andQuigley Road (east). Landmarks in this neighbourhood includeGreenhill Park,Laurier Park andBishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School.
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| Preceded by | Colonel of the69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot 1836–1848 | Succeeded by |