The Cruise of the Breeze: The Journal, Art and Life of a Victorian Soldier in Canada

The Victorian soldier-artist, Henry Edward Baines, has left us a unique legacy of his time in North America -- his lively and descriptive journal of a pleasure cruise around Lake Ontario in the summer of 1863, illustrated with dozens of vibrant watercolour paintings and simple pen-and-ink sketches.

THE CRUISE OF THE BREEZE is an annotated version of Henry's journal reproduced in its entirety, together with the story of his early life, a discussion of his artwork, and the details of the events leading to his tragic death in 1866 in the Great Fire of Quebec, all set in the context of the British Empire of the mid-19th Century.

War between the United States of America and Great Britain seemed imminent in December, 1861, when the young Royal Artillery officer, Lieutenant Henry Baines, was dispatched to Canada along with thousands of other British troops. While war was averted, Henry remained on duty in Canada for the next five years.

In August, 1863, while stationed at Toronto, Henry joined several friends aboard the private yacht, Breeze, for a cruise around Lake Ontario. The illustrated journal that Henry kept includes his entertaining views on colonial Canada, comments on events of the American Civil War and encounters with the U.S. Army, as well as many other adventures he had and people he met at places like Cobourg, Prince Edward County and Kingston on the Canadian side of the lake, and at Sackets Harbor, Oswego and Rochester on the American side.

THE CRUISE OF THE BREEZE brings a unique perspective to a fascinating and turbulent period of Canadian and American history, and gives us a glimpse into the life and times of this remarkable Victorian soldier, artist, yachtsman and hero.

284 pages, 44 colour illustrations, 28 black & white images, 4 maps, appendix, bibliography, index

www.ontariohistory.ca

Author: Marc Seguin
Publisher: Ontario History Press
Published: 02/13/2018
Pages: 284
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 10.00h x 8.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780994010612

About the Author
Baines, Henry Edward: - Henry Edward Baines (1840-1866). British Army officer and amateur watercolour artist. Painted numerous Picturesque and topographical landscape scenes while stationed in Canada with the Royal Artillery, 1861-1866. Artistic influences include his mother, watercolourist Mary Rice Baines (1817-1870) and his landscape drawing master at the Royal Military Academy, James Bridges (1802-1865). Possibly influenced by Royal Artillery officer Philip John Bainbrigge (1817-1881), as well as by professional artists William Armstrong (1822-1914) and Cornelius Krieghoff (1815-1872).Baines, Henry E.: - Born April 4, 1840, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, son of Philip Ottey Egerton Baines and Mary Rice. Attended Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, 1858-1859. Commissioned lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, 1859. Served with No. 5 Battery, 10th Garrison Brigade, from 1859 until 1866. Stationed in the U.K. (Channel Islands, Portsmouth, Shoeburyness) 1859-1861, and in British North America (Halifax Nova Scotia, Toronto Canada, Quebec City) 1861-1866. Travelled extensively throughout Canada West (Ontario), Canada East (Quebec) and portions of New York State. Painted landscapes scenes of the places he visited. Died at Quebec City, October 27, 1866, from injuries sustained while fighting the Great Fire of Quebec. Buried in Quebec's Mount Hermon Cemetery with full civil and military honours.Seguin, Marc: - Marc Seguin brings his lifelong fascination with history together with his interest in documentary art in presenting this annotated journal of Henry Edward Baines: a young soldier and talented artist whose beautiful paintings and remarkable deeds have, until now, been largely forgotten. Marc has a degree in History from the University of Western Ontario. He is the founder of the Canadian heritage organization, Save Our Lighthouses, and is the author of the book For Want of a Lighthouse (2015). Marc lives on the shores of Wellers Bay in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and two sons.