of the Men and the Camp, involved himself in much of their day to day activities.
Among the many duties of the Columbia Detachment was that of policing the Colony. Luard, as the Officer whose responsibilities
were primarily military in nature, was on a number of occasions called upon to maintain law and order in the Lower Mainland -
Among the many duties of the Columbia Detachment was that of policing the Colony. Luard, as the Officer whose responsibilities
were primarily military in nature, was on a number of occasions called upon to maintain law and order in the Lower Mainland -
" – 3 white men were found murdered some miles below New Westminster – Spalding, the magistrate, came up and requested
that an armed party might be sent in search of the murderers supported by the Indians living some miles above the Camp. I
and Luard each went in command of a boat with armed men and started up the River. There was also a party of Yankees all
armed, one man had no less than 3 revolvers on his waist belt. When we arrived at the Indian ranch we took 3 Indians
whom we had some suspicion of. The Yankees wanted to hang one of them right off the bat and requested Captain Luard,
the magistrate and myself to go away a short distance saying “That it would be all over by the time we got back and that no
one would be any wiser” – however Captain Luard told them, that that was not the way we did business, and they then said
they would put it to vote, endeavoring to get our men to join them. We immediately made our men fall in, put the prisoners
in my boat and returned to our Camp"
27 October 1859, Lt. Lempriere RE
that an armed party might be sent in search of the murderers supported by the Indians living some miles above the Camp. I
and Luard each went in command of a boat with armed men and started up the River. There was also a party of Yankees all
armed, one man had no less than 3 revolvers on his waist belt. When we arrived at the Indian ranch we took 3 Indians
whom we had some suspicion of. The Yankees wanted to hang one of them right off the bat and requested Captain Luard,
the magistrate and myself to go away a short distance saying “That it would be all over by the time we got back and that no
one would be any wiser” – however Captain Luard told them, that that was not the way we did business, and they then said
they would put it to vote, endeavoring to get our men to join them. We immediately made our men fall in, put the prisoners
in my boat and returned to our Camp"
27 October 1859, Lt. Lempriere RE
The events did not end there. Two days later Luard found himself back in a Whaler with an armed detachment of RE.
| "I and Luard left about 5am in charge of the Whaler and cutter with an armed force and went down the river. When near the mouth we saw a canoe with 3 Indians, all of whom we made prisoners. I was ordered to land on an island in search of another Indian shooting the other side, while Luard went round in his boat. He [?] him and called out to him to stop but as he would not he fired at him, and sounded for us to do the same. I got my men back into the Whaler as soon as possible and gave the rascal chase, but he managed in his small canoe to give us the slip and ran up a very narrow creek, quite impossible for our boat to get up. So I took the canoe we had captured and went up in pursuit. We found the other canoe with several bullet holes through it. We could not find the Indians who were in it. We then went on the bank of the river where we examined the Indian’s ranch. On quitting there to go round the other ranch, it came on very thick fog and unfortunately Luard got aground with his boat for about an hour. I managed to keep mine afloat and when he got off. The fog was so thick that we were pulling about for a couple of hours at sea, not knowing which way the land lay. At last fortunately it cleared up and we pulled for the river and after visiting the Indian ranch we were in search of, started home again with our prisoners. We did not get back till about 9 pm." 29 October 1859, Lt. Lempriere RE |
It all culminated the following February.
New Westminster Times
25th February, 1860
On Friday last a special court was held by His Honor Judge Begbie, to try some Indians who had been committed as
accessories in murdering 3 Italians, which created so much stir at the time. His Honor briefly addressed the Grand Jury in
appropriate words, when they retired and found a true bill against one Indian known by the name of "John Chinaman", who
has as yet escaped justice, and orders, against whom there was scarcely any evidence, were liberated. It may perhaps, be hardly
credited, but the cost of keeping these Indians at Langley is computed to be over 200 Pounds. Justice is evidently an expensive
article here.
25th February, 1860
On Friday last a special court was held by His Honor Judge Begbie, to try some Indians who had been committed as
accessories in murdering 3 Italians, which created so much stir at the time. His Honor briefly addressed the Grand Jury in
appropriate words, when they retired and found a true bill against one Indian known by the name of "John Chinaman", who
has as yet escaped justice, and orders, against whom there was scarcely any evidence, were liberated. It may perhaps, be hardly
credited, but the cost of keeping these Indians at Langley is computed to be over 200 Pounds. Justice is evidently an expensive
article here.
One of the arrangements that had been made while the RE were still in England was that the Colonial Government of British Columbia
would pay "Colonial Pay" to all of the Officer's and Men of the Columbia Detachment. This arrangement was not honored by the
Colonial Government as the Treasury was bankrupt. Luard was to have received 202 Pounds per annum as Regimental Pay as well as
Colonial Pay of 350 Pounds per annum.
During the time in British Columbia, Luard followed the established practice in the British Army of the era and took one of the Sappers
under his command as his orderly. This man, Sapper James Tribute appears to have served as Luard's Orderly from at least 1860 and
may have served Luard prior to this time. It was common for an orderly to serve alongside his Officer for years.
In March of 1861, Lady Franklin, wife of the famous Arctic explorer, came to the Camp. In addition the Royal Navy made the camp a
regular port of call.
The Winter of 1861-62 in the Lower mainland was so extreme that the Fraser River froze solid, right up to the Mouth. The Royal
Engineers were placed on half rations as all supplies ceased to arrive from Victoria. During this winter, as Officer's such as young Lt.
Palmer drove about on a red horse-drawn sleigh, others found themselves in dire straights.
Sometime in that cold winter of 1861/62, Luard meets a Miss Caroline Mary Leggatt of Victoria. Caroline Leggatt was the eldest
daughter of Fanny and George Leggatt. George died prior to the Leggatt family arriving in Victoria and his wife re-married a Thomas
Lett Wood, who was a practicing barrister and eventually Attorney General of the Colony of Vancouver's Island.
On the 1st of April 1862, Luard is promoted to Captain.
Eventually Luard and Miss Leggatt are engaged and one of Luard's fellow officers, Dr. J. Vernon Seddall was also engaged to Miss
Leggatt's sister.
In 1863 the Disbandment of the Columbia Detachment is been announced and the men who have come to the end of their enlistments
begin to leave the Camp to make their fortunes in the Colony.
Governor Douglas writes a confidential report to London regarding the Detachment and its officers. Douglas his report Douglas
recommends Luard be given the post of Commissioner of Lands and Works for the colony. Oddly, Governor Douglas does not inform
Colonel Moody or Captain Luard of this recomendation. This seeming breach in the normal chain of command gave rise to the so-called
“Luard Contreversay”. In the end, Colonel Moody denies Luard permission to remain behind in the Colony.
On the 8th of October 1863 marries Caroline at her church, Christ's Church, Victoria. The witnesses are Colonel Moody, Robert
Burnaby, and Thomas Lett Wood. Latter that month they depart for England.
On the 30th of December 1863, Luard and his bride arrive in England after a Duty in British Columbia of 5 years and 82 days. Captain
Luard then asks for and receives Leave for 61 days.
On the 1st of March 1864, Captain Luard is posted to the British Fortress Garrison at Portsmouth. It is during this time that the Luard's
take over a small English cottage, "Rose Villa" across the river's mouth at Gosport, Southampton. It is here that Caroline gave birth to
their son, Henry Arthur in December of 1865.
The Luard's stay in Portsmouth until the 15th of November 1866 (2 years, 260 days) when, Captain Luard is transferred to a posting at
the British Garrison at Athlone, Roscommon, Ireland.
Luard and his young family take Leave for the move on the 16th of November 1866 and arrive at Athlone on the 2nd of January 1867.
The Luard's take up residence in the Town and a girl is born into the family, Eleanor Mary.
On the 26th Of February 1870, after service in Ireland of 3 years and 56 days, Henry Reynolds Luard died.
would pay "Colonial Pay" to all of the Officer's and Men of the Columbia Detachment. This arrangement was not honored by the
Colonial Government as the Treasury was bankrupt. Luard was to have received 202 Pounds per annum as Regimental Pay as well as
Colonial Pay of 350 Pounds per annum.
During the time in British Columbia, Luard followed the established practice in the British Army of the era and took one of the Sappers
under his command as his orderly. This man, Sapper James Tribute appears to have served as Luard's Orderly from at least 1860 and
may have served Luard prior to this time. It was common for an orderly to serve alongside his Officer for years.
In March of 1861, Lady Franklin, wife of the famous Arctic explorer, came to the Camp. In addition the Royal Navy made the camp a
regular port of call.
The Winter of 1861-62 in the Lower mainland was so extreme that the Fraser River froze solid, right up to the Mouth. The Royal
Engineers were placed on half rations as all supplies ceased to arrive from Victoria. During this winter, as Officer's such as young Lt.
Palmer drove about on a red horse-drawn sleigh, others found themselves in dire straights.
Sometime in that cold winter of 1861/62, Luard meets a Miss Caroline Mary Leggatt of Victoria. Caroline Leggatt was the eldest
daughter of Fanny and George Leggatt. George died prior to the Leggatt family arriving in Victoria and his wife re-married a Thomas
Lett Wood, who was a practicing barrister and eventually Attorney General of the Colony of Vancouver's Island.
On the 1st of April 1862, Luard is promoted to Captain.
Eventually Luard and Miss Leggatt are engaged and one of Luard's fellow officers, Dr. J. Vernon Seddall was also engaged to Miss
Leggatt's sister.
In 1863 the Disbandment of the Columbia Detachment is been announced and the men who have come to the end of their enlistments
begin to leave the Camp to make their fortunes in the Colony.
Governor Douglas writes a confidential report to London regarding the Detachment and its officers. Douglas his report Douglas
recommends Luard be given the post of Commissioner of Lands and Works for the colony. Oddly, Governor Douglas does not inform
Colonel Moody or Captain Luard of this recomendation. This seeming breach in the normal chain of command gave rise to the so-called
“Luard Contreversay”. In the end, Colonel Moody denies Luard permission to remain behind in the Colony.
On the 8th of October 1863 marries Caroline at her church, Christ's Church, Victoria. The witnesses are Colonel Moody, Robert
Burnaby, and Thomas Lett Wood. Latter that month they depart for England.
On the 30th of December 1863, Luard and his bride arrive in England after a Duty in British Columbia of 5 years and 82 days. Captain
Luard then asks for and receives Leave for 61 days.
On the 1st of March 1864, Captain Luard is posted to the British Fortress Garrison at Portsmouth. It is during this time that the Luard's
take over a small English cottage, "Rose Villa" across the river's mouth at Gosport, Southampton. It is here that Caroline gave birth to
their son, Henry Arthur in December of 1865.
The Luard's stay in Portsmouth until the 15th of November 1866 (2 years, 260 days) when, Captain Luard is transferred to a posting at
the British Garrison at Athlone, Roscommon, Ireland.
Luard and his young family take Leave for the move on the 16th of November 1866 and arrive at Athlone on the 2nd of January 1867.
The Luard's take up residence in the Town and a girl is born into the family, Eleanor Mary.
On the 26th Of February 1870, after service in Ireland of 3 years and 56 days, Henry Reynolds Luard died.
"On the 26th Feb., at Athlone, after a few hours' illness. HENRY REYNOLDS LUARD, Captain Royal
Engineers, third son of the late Peter F. Luard, M.D., aged 41."
3 March 1870, The Times.
Engineers, third son of the late Peter F. Luard, M.D., aged 41."
3 March 1870, The Times.
| Notes: Captain Henry Reynolds Luard was the cousin of Colonel - later Lieutenant General Richard George Amherst Luard, CB who in 1880 became the General Officer Commanding theForces of Canada. Capt. Henry Arthur Luard, 2nd Battalion. East Yorkshire Regt., died of enteric [fever] at Winburg, Orange River Colony, Feb. 5th, 1901, while serving on the Staff there. He was the only son of the late Capt. H. R. Luard, Royal Engineers, was born Dec., 1865, and educated at Wellington College, where he was in the Blucher, 1877-84. He entered the Northamptonshire Regiment from the Royal Military College in 1886, being promoted captain in the 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment in Feb., 1898. Capt. Luard went to South Africa, Aug., 1900, and served in the Cape and Orange River Colonies up to the time of his death. |
