John Vincent (British Army officer)

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This article is about the British Army officer. For other uses of the name, see John Vincent (disambiguation).

General John Vincent (1764–1848) was the British

Lieutenant-Governor of Dumbarton Castle
.

Early life

He was born in Ireland, the son of John Vincent (1734–1779) of Mardyke, County Limerick, Sheriff of Limerick, by his first wife, Catherine (d.1768), daughter and co-heiress of John Love (d.1750), of Castle Saffron (later renamed Creagh Castle),[1] near Doneraile, County Cork, great grandson of Sir Philip Perceval.

Vincent entered the army as an

Admiral Sir Hyde Parker. Two years later, the 49th were posted to Upper 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 Colonel Thomas Blood), who had joined the 49th in 1800. Vincent performed various garrison duties at York (Toronto), Fort George (Niagara-on-the-Lake) and Kingston, Ontario
for the next ten years or so.

War of 1812

On the outbreak of war, Vincent led a detachment of the 49th from Lower Canada to Kingston, Ontario, and was commander of this post during the winter of 1812 to 1813, being promoted to brigadier general. His forces fought off one half-hearted attack by ships under the American Commodore Isaac Chauncey, and over the winter he successfully bluffed the American Commander-in-Chief, General Henry Dearborn, into thinking his forces were much larger than they actually were and deterred any attack.

Vincent was subsequently transferred to the Niagara frontier. On 27 May 1813, his positions were attacked in the Battle 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 at

Lieutenant-Colonel John Harvey, to mount a night attack. The resulting Battle 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 the

Battle 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 to Montreal, before leaving for England.[2]

He never again saw active service, but was promoted

69th Foot
in 1836.

He died unmarried in London.

Tributes

The

King Street East (north), Greenhill Avenue (south), Mount Albion (west) and Quigley Road (east). Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Greenhill Park, Laurier Park and Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School
.

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". resources.knightfrank.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b Bailey, Thomas Melville (1981). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol I, 1791–1875). W.L. Griffin Ltd.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Colonel of the 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot
1836–1848 		Succeeded by
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