This collection includes 2 letters (7 pages) that Lieutenant Colonel John Herries wrote to Colonel Charles Herries while serving with the 102nd Regiment of Foot in Canada during the War of 1812, as well as a later manuscript service record (1 page).
Herries wrote his first letter (4 pages) from Moose Island, Passamaquoddy Bay, on October 30, 1814, and his second letter (3 pages) from St. John, New Brunswick, on August 5, 1815. Herries reflected on his military activities and reported recent war news, such as the Royal Navy's defeat at Lake Champlain in September 1814. Herries described New Brunswick as a "rascally country," and noted that its main population consisted of pioneers. In his second letter, he reported that he had read about the Duke of Wellington's victory at Waterloo. The final item is a manuscript document that provides details about Herries's military career, which included service in India, Europe, and North America. The record was compiled after his death; according to the docket, the document was "Read 12/2 51."
John Herries, a native of Great Britain, began his lengthy military career in India, where he served as a cadet for the East India Company before joining the 52nd Regiment of Foot as an ensign in June 1792. While in India, he participated in the capture of Pondicherry and witnessed the surrender of Sri Lanka. In August 1799, Herries became captain of the 35th Regiment of Foot, with which he served in Holland, the Mediterranean, Egypt, and the Ionian Islands. He commanded the 35th regiment at Zakynthos ("Zante") for two years as major. During the War of 1812, he served as lieutenant colonel with the 102nd (later the 100th) Regiment of Foot, which he commanded during the capture of Moose Island in Passamaquoddy Bay. Herries later served as commander of the 96th Regiment of Foot in North America and Bermuda. He died on November 6, 1832.