portrait of Benjamin Lett
from Canada's History magazine
article "Benjamin Lett: Rebel Terrorist" by
Chris Raible, October/November 2002 issue
graphite on drawing paper
9" x 12" • 2002
Benjamin Lett (14th November, 1813 – 9th December, 1858) was an Anglo-Irish-Canadian filibusterer and disciple of William Lyon Mackenzie.
Although he did not participate in the Upper Canada Rebellion, Lett was charged in 1838 with the murder of Captain Edgeworth Ussher, pilot of Allan Napier MacNab's boats during what would come to be known as the Caroline affair. Fleeing to the United States, Lett unsuccessfully attempted to burn British ships anchored at Kingston.
In July of 1839, Lett and two others raided Cobourg, Ontario to rob and kill Robert Henry and abduct Sheppard McCormick, a veteran of the Caroline attack. However, the plot was foiled—and Lett just managed an escape to the American side of Lake Ontario. In the wake of the "Cobourg conspiracy", Lieutenant Governor Sir George Arthur posted a reward of £500 for his capture.
On 17th April, 1840 came the act Lett is best known for; the bombing of the Brock Monument near Queenston, Ontario. While the explosion caused serious and irreparable damage, it did not succeed in toppling the monument.
On or about the 5th of June, 1840 in Oswego, New York, Lett attempted to burn the British steamship Great Britain while she was leaving the harbour. The damage, however, was limited to a few broken windows in the ladies' cabin and the shattering of its skylight. Returning to dock, Lett and his accomplice were quickly apprehended. While being transported by rail to Auburn, N.Y. to serve a seven-year sentence for the crime, Lett—in shackles—escaped from the prison carriage and leaped to freedom within a few miles of its destination. This brought an additional $350 bounty for his capture.
In March 1841 Lett attempted to burn the steamship Minos, but failed.
Lett twice blew up the Welland Canal during this same period.
In December of 1858, Benjamin Lett was back in the news. On a business trip through several ports on Lake Michigan, he suddenly fell ill and was rushed to Milwaukee, where he died. The Milwaukee Sentinel reported, “The captain and mate of the vessel on which Mr. Lett came here expressed their confident belief that he was poisoned—and they doubted not by whom.” An autopsy confirmed his death by strychnine. The man accused of giving Lett the poison was never charged.
Lett's family were described as “respectable and cultured people, Orangemen and protestants.” Some neighbours, however, thought the grown Ben “a dangerous, queer man to have a difference with.” He was a loner. “When he brought his grist to the mill... he would borrow a book, disappear all day in the forest, return at night, and set off silently with his flour.”
My drawing of Benjamin Lett was based on a description from the Cobourg Star: “armed with 4 pistols and a bowie knife... 5 feet, 11 inches height, rather slim, sandy hair and whiskers, very red faced and freckled, light skinned, very large muscular hands, with round, long and very white fingers. Eyes light blue and remarkably penetrating. Had on a... blue coat with black velvet collar.” Its style is typical of monochromatic portraits from that era.
—adapted from Wikipedia and the article by Chris Raible
