Revolutionist; born in
Canada, in 1780; was an American spy on the
Canada frontier during the
War of 1812-15.
He was living at
Clayton, N. Y., on the bank of the
St. Lawrence, when the “patriot” war in
Canada broke out in 1837.
Being a bold and adventurous man, and cordially hating the
British,
Johnston was easily persuaded by the
American sympathizers in the movement to join in the strife.
The leaders regarded him as a valuable assistant, for he was thoroughly acquainted with the whole region of the
Thousand Islands, in the
St. Lawrence, from
Kingston to
Ogdensburg.
He was employed to capture the steamboat
Robert Peel, that carried passengers and the mail between
Prescott and
Toronto, and also to seize the
Great Britain, another steamer, for the use of the “patriots.”
With a desperate band,
Johnston rushed on board of the
Peel at
Wells's
Island, not far below
Clayton, on the night of May 29, 1838.
They were armed with muskets and bayonets and painted like
Indians, and appeared with a shout, “Remember the
Carolina!” —a vessel which some persons from
Canada had cut loose at
Schlosser (on
Niagara River), set on fire, and sent blazing over
Niagara.
Falls.
The passengers and baggage of the
Peel were put on shore and the vessel was burned, because her captors could not manage her.
Governor Marcy, of New York, declared
Johnston an outlaw, and offered a reward of $500 for his person.
The governor of
Canada (
Earl of
Durham) offered $5,000 for the conviction of any person concerned in the “infamous outrage.”
Johnston, in a proclamation issued from “Fort Watson,” declared himself the leader of the band; that his companions were nearly all Englishmen; and that his headquarters were on an island within the jurisdiction of the
United States. Fort Watson was a myth.
It was wherever
Johnston was seated among the
Thousand Islands, where for a long time he was concealed, going from one island to another to avoid arrest.
His (laughter, a handsome maiden of eighteen years, who was an expert rower, went to his retreat at night with food.
At length he was arrested, tried at
Syracuse on a charge of violating the neutrality laws, and acquitted.
Again arrested and put in jail, he managed to escape, when a reward of $200 was offered for him. He gave himself up at
Albany, was tried, convicted, and sentenced to one year's imprisonment in the jail there and to pay a fine of $250. His faithful daughter, who had acquired the title of “The Heroine of the Thousand
[
185]
Islands,” hastened to
Albany and shared the prison with her father.
He procured a key that would unlock his prison-door.
His daughter departed and waited for him at
Rome.
He left the jail, walked 40 miles the first night, and soon joined her. They went home, and
Johnston was not molested afterwards.
The “patriots” urged him to engage in the struggle again.
He had had enough of it. They sent him the commission of a commodore, dated at “
Windsor, U. C., Sept. 5, 1839,” and signed “
H. S. Hand,
Commander-in-Chief of the
Northwestern Army, on Patriot Service in
Upper Canada.”
On that commission was the device seen in the engraving—the
American eagle carrying off the
British lion.
The maple-leaf is an emblem of
Canada.
He refused to serve, and remained quietly at home.
President Pierce appointed him light-house keeper on
Rock Island, in the
St. Lawrence, in sight of the place where the
Peel was burned.
