When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Offered here is an exceptional original manuscript memorandum, dated December 2, 1820, relating to British colonial military and administrative affairs in early 19th-century Canada. Written by W. S. Stinton and authenticated as a “true copy” by Lt. Col. Samuel Coughlan, Adjutant General at the District Office, this document provides a rare glimpse into the network of officials and officers operating between Upper and Lower Canada during the post-War of 1812 era.
The memorandum is addressed to Colonel John McNeil, directing him to cross the lines at Lewis’s House, visit key contacts, and gather information from prominent colonial officials, including:
Commissary General Crookshanks – handler of military funds.
Colonel Combe, Paymaster at the Bay of Quinte.
Colonel Allen McLean and Major Forth in Kingston.
Major Robert R. Laing, Civil Secretary in Quebec and aide to General Dralle.
These names represent an interconnected chain of military paymasters, commissaries, engineers, and administrators—reflecting the intricate logistical and intelligence work of British Canada in the decades following the American Revolution and War of 1812.
Historical Significance:
Documents from this transitional period are uncommon, especially those listing multiple military and civil officers by name. The memorandum captures the movement of intelligence and funds across major colonial centers—Montreal, Kingston, the Bay of Quinte, and Quebec City—just before the major political reforms and tensions that would shape Canadian governance later in the 19th century.
Physical Details:
Date: December 2, 1820
Medium: Ink on laid paper
Dimensions: Approx. [insert exact measurements]
Condition: Excellent for age, with strong legibility and minimal wear.
A remarkable addition for collectors of early Canadian history, British colonial military documents, or War of 1812/post-war administrative correspondence. Ready for framing or archival preservation.
