Reminiscences of General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane

28 REMINISCENCES OF
CHAPTER VII.
APPOINTED TO COMMAND A BRIGADE IN THE AMERICAN WAR ARRIVED IN THE END OF .11 LV
SAME YEAR ATROCITIES CHIEFLY ARISING FROM THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE INDIANS
SIR THOMAS SUCCEEDED IN PUTTING THEM DOWN NAPOLEON'S ESCAPE FROM ELBA,
MARCH 1, 1S15 EMBARKED FOR ENGLAND, TO REJOIN THE GREAT DUKE — -OFF THE
COAST OF FRANCE, HEARD OF WATERLOO AND THE FATE OF NAPOLEON ARRIVED IN
PARIS REMINISCENCES OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.
" The Duke of Wellington kindly sent to Grenade, about ten miles
from Toulouse, on the Garonne, to say that he wished to see me. Just
as I was entering his Grace's tent, I met Sir Thomas Picton coming-
out, who informed me that he had had a most delightful interview with the
Duke ; that he had received him most kindly, and that he had gone to ask
to take his leave, and to be permitted to return through France ; and he
concluded by saying that he had parted assuring the Duke that he should
never serve again, except he had the honour to serve under his Grace.
This affords an ample contradiction to the allegation of there having been
a coolness between the Duke and Sir Thomas Picton, and this contra-
diction is further confirmed by the fact of his having given him the com-
mand of one of his most distinguished divisions at the battle of Waterloo,
where he fell.
" It having been resolved by the British Government to send four
brigades to America, I was appointed to the command of one of them.
Accordingly on June 14th we proceeded down the Garonne to Bordeaux,
and embarked on board line-of-battle ships, and after a pleasant voyage,
we reached Quebec about the end of July, and proceeded from thence to
Montreal. On receiving my instructions from Sir George Prevost, the
governor and commander-in-chief, I proceeded to take the command of the
advance of the army close upon the enemy's frontier. The enemy had a
strong position at Plattsburgh, and a considerable number of ships of war