Collection search - Journal of Lieutenant William Twiss [textual record]

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1
Journal of Lieutenant William Twiss [textual record]

Hierarchical level:

Item

Date:

[ca. 1779-1781].

Reference:

R5443-0-1-E, MG23-B54, Volume number: 1

Type of material:

Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

106787

Context of this record:

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Journal of Lieutenant William Twiss
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Record information – Details
Date(s):

[ca. 1779-1781].

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

2.9 cm of textual records (142 p.) photocopy.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Item is a photocopy of a typed version of the handwritten journal of Lieutenant William Twiss, written from 1779 to 1781, while surveying in Canada.

Provenance:

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Twiss, William, 1745-1827

Biography/Administrative history:

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Twiss, William, 1745-1827 : William Twiss, military officer, received a commission as practitioner engineer and ensign in 1763. In 1776 he accompanied Major General John Burgoyne to North America and was appointed aide-de-camp to Major General William Phillips. He was next appointed by Sir Guy Carleton to be comptroller of works to superintend the construction of a fleet for Lake Champlain. On Burgoyne's return from England in 1777, Twiss was appointed commanding engineer. In 1778, he was sent by Major General Sir Frederick Haldimand to Lake Ontario to form a naval establishment on the east side of the lake. He was promoted to the rank of captain in the Royal Engineers in 1786. In 1794, he was promoted to be brevet-major and in June of 1794, to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Royal Engineers. Promotions to the ranks of major general in 1800 and lieutenant general in 1810 were culminated by his appointment to the rank of general in 1825. He became the colonel commanding of the Corps of Royal Engineers on 24 June 1809.

During the American Revolution, he was sent, in 1778, with troops and artificers to establish a fort at the mouth of Lake Ontario. He did this on Carleton Island, naming the post Fort Haldimand.

Sources:

Kerry, Col. A.J. and Major W.A. McDill. The History of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, 2 vols. (Ottawa, 1962).

Porter, Whitworth. History of the Corps of Royal Engineers. 2 vols. (London, 1889).

Lee, Sidney, ed. Dictionary of National Biography. (London, 1909).

Finding aid:

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(No finding aid)

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Location of originals note:

Originals are located in the holdings of the Royal Engineers Museum in England.

Dates of creation note:

Item was photocopied in 1990.

Related material:

During the period in which Lieutenant Twiss was writing this journal, there is complimentary correspondence and other historical material in the papers of Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Haldimand (MG 21, Add. MSS. 21661-21892). Of particular interest are the following volumes: B 154, Add. MSS. 21814, reel H-1651, Correspondence with Officers of the Engineers, n.d., 1777-1784; and B 155: Add. MSS. 21815, reel H-1651, Returns from the Officer of Engineers, 1771-1784.
Subject heading:

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Surveying - Canada Sir Frederick Haldimand

United States - History - Revolution, 1775-1783 Major General William Phillips

Great Britain. Army. Royal Engineers
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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119-020219-0
1991/0010

Former archival reference no.:

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MG23-B54
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Access restriction document

http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/r000000029.pdf

Textual records

[Consultation95 Open, no copying]

Volume [MG23 B 54] 1

[Consultation 95 Open, no copying]

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Date modified:: 2024-07-24