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John Parker Boyd
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John Parker Boyd
John Parker Boyd (December 21, 1764 – October 4, 1830) was an officer in the United States Army at various periods from 1786 to the end of the War of 1812. He attained the rank of brigadier general and commanded during the American defeat at the Battle of Crysler's Farm.
Boyd was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1764. Too young to serve in the American Revolution, but decided upon a military career, he served in the militia and joined the Army as an Ensign in 1786.
He served in the force sent to counter Shays' Rebellion, and resigned after three years in the Army to serve as a Soldier of Fortune in Central India. In 1793, Boyd was contracted by Ahilyabai Holkar to raise a battalion of infantry based on a European model, and later raised two more battalions of soldiers for Baji Rao II. In 1795, he led a force of 1,800 men in the Battle of Kharda, fighting on the side of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Boyd was a highly successful cavalry commander, but was discharged in July 1798, due to his "refractoriness, disobedience, and unreasonableness."
Boyd continued to offer his services as a mercenary in India. After the British conquest ended the conflicts in which he had taken part, he disbanded his units, sold their equipment, and returned to the United States.
Boyd rejoined the United States Army in October, 1808. Commissioned as Colonel of the 4th Infantry Regiment, during the Battle of Tippecanoe he served as a brigade commander and second-in-command to William Henry Harrison, with the rank of acting Brigadier General.
When the War of 1812 broke out, Boyd initially commanded a brigade under Major General Henry Dearborn in Albany, New York and in action in the area around Plattsburgh. He was promoted to permanent brigadier general in July.
In 1813, he successfully commanded a brigade at the Battle of Fort George. As illness or disgrace removed many of his contemporaries, he eventually commanded the garrison of captured Fort George. After a defeat at the Battle of Beaver Dams, Boyd's troops returned to Fort George and remained on the defensive.
Moving his troops from Fort George to Sacket's Harbor, he later participated in Major General James Wilkinson's ill-fated expedition to attack on Montreal (October, 1813). At the Battle of Crysler's Farm in November, 1813, the illness of Wilkinson and the army's second-in-command, Major General Morgan Lewis made Boyd the commander of the attack. His troops, poorly trained and dispirited from the rapid changes of command, straggled into action on unfavorable terrain. Boyd withdrew from the battle, allegedly under orders from either Wilkinson or Lewis, although later he could not recall who issued the order. Boyd lost control of the battle and was defeated. When the army retreated to French Mills, New York, Wilkinson sought to turn command over to Boyd. However, Wilkinson found an "insuperable repugnance" by other officers to serving under Boyd, and Wilkinson remained in command.
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John Parker Boyd
John Parker Boyd (December 21, 1764 – October 4, 1830) was an officer in the United States Army at various periods from 1786 to the end of the War of 1812. He attained the rank of brigadier general and commanded during the American defeat at the Battle of Crysler's Farm.
Boyd was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1764. Too young to serve in the American Revolution, but decided upon a military career, he served in the militia and joined the Army as an Ensign in 1786.
He served in the force sent to counter Shays' Rebellion, and resigned after three years in the Army to serve as a Soldier of Fortune in Central India. In 1793, Boyd was contracted by Ahilyabai Holkar to raise a battalion of infantry based on a European model, and later raised two more battalions of soldiers for Baji Rao II. In 1795, he led a force of 1,800 men in the Battle of Kharda, fighting on the side of the Nizam of Hyderabad. Boyd was a highly successful cavalry commander, but was discharged in July 1798, due to his "refractoriness, disobedience, and unreasonableness."
Boyd continued to offer his services as a mercenary in India. After the British conquest ended the conflicts in which he had taken part, he disbanded his units, sold their equipment, and returned to the United States.
Boyd rejoined the United States Army in October, 1808. Commissioned as Colonel of the 4th Infantry Regiment, during the Battle of Tippecanoe he served as a brigade commander and second-in-command to William Henry Harrison, with the rank of acting Brigadier General.
When the War of 1812 broke out, Boyd initially commanded a brigade under Major General Henry Dearborn in Albany, New York and in action in the area around Plattsburgh. He was promoted to permanent brigadier general in July.
In 1813, he successfully commanded a brigade at the Battle of Fort George. As illness or disgrace removed many of his contemporaries, he eventually commanded the garrison of captured Fort George. After a defeat at the Battle of Beaver Dams, Boyd's troops returned to Fort George and remained on the defensive.
Moving his troops from Fort George to Sacket's Harbor, he later participated in Major General James Wilkinson's ill-fated expedition to attack on Montreal (October, 1813). At the Battle of Crysler's Farm in November, 1813, the illness of Wilkinson and the army's second-in-command, Major General Morgan Lewis made Boyd the commander of the attack. His troops, poorly trained and dispirited from the rapid changes of command, straggled into action on unfavorable terrain. Boyd withdrew from the battle, allegedly under orders from either Wilkinson or Lewis, although later he could not recall who issued the order. Boyd lost control of the battle and was defeated. When the army retreated to French Mills, New York, Wilkinson sought to turn command over to Boyd. However, Wilkinson found an "insuperable repugnance" by other officers to serving under Boyd, and Wilkinson remained in command.
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