Andrew H. Bulger (1789–1858) was a soldier and colonial administrator, born at St John's in the Crown Colony of

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

. In 1804 he joined the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles as an ensign, and within two years received his commission as a lieutenant. On the outbreak of the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

, a substantial detachment from the regiment was sent to

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...

to serve as marines on armed vessels on the Great Lakes. With this contingent, Bulger saw action at the

Battle of Detroit A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...

and

Battle of Stoney Creek The Battle of Stoney Creek was a British victory over an American force fought on 6 June 1813, during the War of 1812 near what is now Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada. British units made a night attack on the American encampment, and due in larg ...

, and on the

Saint Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence (; 31 December 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the Persecution of Christians, persecution of the Christians that the Roman Empire, Rom ...

, as well as at the

Battle of Crysler's Farm The Battle of Crysler's Farm, also known as the Battle of Crysler's Field, was fought on 11 November 1813, during the War of 1812, in the British province of Upper Canada. A British and Upper Canadian force defeated a much larger American invas ...

. Late in 1813, he was appointed adjutant to Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDouall, newly appointed commander of the post at

Fort Mackinac Fort Mackinac ( ) is a former British and American military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century in the city of Mackinac Island, Michigan, on Mackinac Island. The Kingdom of Great Britain, British built the f ...

. Leading a party of the Royal Newfoundlanders, he was slightly wounded in the Engagement on Lake Huron in which two American gunboats were captured, saving the British post from blockade and starvation. He was subsequently appointed to command the post at Fort McKay, at

Prairie du Chien Prairie du Chien may refer to: Places *Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Prairie du Chien ( ) is a city in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 5,506 at the 2020 census. Often called Wisconsin's second- ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. He faced a hard winter, in which he had to contend with lack of supplies, mutinous troops, difficulties with

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

allies and a quarrel with the

Indian Department The Indian Department was established in 1755 to oversee relations between the British Empire and the First Nations of North America. The imperial government ceded control of the Indian Department to the Province of Canada in 1860, thus setting ...

representative, Robert Dickson. He nevertheless remained in charge until news arrived of the

Treaty of Ghent The Treaty of Ghent () was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. It took effect in February 1815. Both sides signed it on December 24, 1814, in the city of Ghent, United Netherlands (now in ...

, which ended the war. Red River Colony

It is notable that Bulger was the only British officer in the course of the 1812-1815 conflict who entered the war as a lieutenant, and retained that rank for the duration. Nearly 70 other officers were promoted over him during that time. At Fort McKay he was given jurisdiction with the local rank of captain, however he never received the full captaincy for which he had been recommended. Although his several post-war applications for a military appointment and remuneration for his services during the war were always fully supported by senior British officers, it was not until 1820 that he finally succeeded in obtaining a compensation of £500 and military allowance equal to the half-pay of a captain. In 1821, on the recommendation of

Gordon Drummond General Sir Gordon Drummond, GCB (27 September 1772 – 10 October 1854) was a Canadian-born British Army officer and the first official to command the military and the civil government of Canada. As Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Drum ...

, temporarily Governor General of Canada, Bulger was appointed Secretary for the

Red River Settlement The Red River Colony (or Selkirk Settlement), also known as Assiniboia, was a colonization project set up in 1811 by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, on of land in British North America. This land was granted to Douglas by the Hudson's Bay C ...

Rupert's Land Rupert's Land (), or Prince Rupert's Land (), was a territory in British North America which comprised the Hudson Bay drainage basin. The right to "sole trade and commerce" over Rupert's Land was granted to Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), based a ...

, taking up the post in 1822. He quickly found the situation there unappealing. He quarrelled with the local representatives of the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...

, who monopolised the fur trade and supplies in the colony. Eventually his stand was vindicated. Bulger left the Red River colony in 1823, in poor health. He subsequently served for many years as clerk to the office of Military Secretary in Quebec City and later in Montreal. In 1834 at Quebec City he married Alicia May Lowther, which whom he had eight children. Bulger died at Montreal in 1858 and was buried in the old Anglican cemetery.

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References

1789 births 1858 deaths Canadian people of the War of 1812 Royal Newfoundland Regiment Royal Newfoundland Regiment officers {{Authority control