John Vincent ( British Army officer ) General John Vincent ( 1764 – 1848 ) was the British commanding officer of the Niagara Peninsula in Upper Canada when the United States attacked in the spring of 1813 . He was defeated at the Battle of Fort George but was able to rebound and establish the new lines at Burlington Heights . He directed the campaign during the summer and fall that eventually forced the American to abandon the Niagara area in December 1813 . Due to illness he was replaced by General Phineas Riall , though of the several officers of the 49th Regiment who reached high command during the War of 1812 , Vincent was the longest - serving of them . British and Canadian accounts of the War give the impression of a modest , well - liked and generous officer , who gave whatever help he could to other commanders . From 1814 , he had held the sinecure post of Lieutenant - Governor of Dumbarton Castle . Early life . He was born in Ireland , the son of John Vincent ( 1734 – 1779 ) of Mardyke , Co . Limerick , Sheriff of Limerick , by his first wife , Catherine ( d . 1768 ) , daughter and co - heiress of John Love ( d . 1750 ) , of Castle Saffron ( later renamed Creagh Castle ) , near Doneraile , Co . Cork , great grandson of Sir Philip Perceval . Vincent entered the army as an Ensign in 1781 . He transferred as a Lieutenant into the 49th Foot in 1783 , becoming a Captain in 1786 . He saw service with the regiment in the West Indies and was present at the taking of Haiti . After being promoted to Major in 1795 , he was ordered back to England for his health , but the vessel on which he sailed was captured by a French frigate and he was detained a prisoner in France for one year . He took part in the Anglo - Russian Invasion of Holland in 1799 ( was promoted to Lt . - Colonel in 1800 ) , and was present at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker . Two years later , the 49th were posted to Upper Canada , and Vincent was accompanied there by his nephew , William Vincent ( who had married Frances Blood of Castle Fergus , Co . Clare , descended from the noted bravo and desperado Colonel Thomas Blood ) , who had joined the 49th in 1800 . Vincent performed various garrison duties at York ( Toronto ) , Fort St . George ( Niagara - on - the - Lake ) and Kingston , Ontario for the next ten years or so . War of 1812 . On the outbreak of war , Vincent led a detachment of the 49th from Lower Canada to Kingston , Ontario , and was commander of this post during the winter of 1812 to 1813 , being promoted to Brigadier General . His forces fought off one half - hearted attack by ships under the American Commodore Isaac Chauncey , and over the winter he successfully bluffed the American Commander - in - Chief , General Henry Dearborn , into thinking his forces were much larger than they actually were and deterred any attack . Vincent was subsequently transferred to the Niagara frontier . On 27 May 1813 , his positions were attacked in the Battle of Fort George . Although his British and Canadian regulars made a determined defence , Vincent realised that he was about to be outflanked and surrounded , and ordered a rapid retreat . Vincent ' s forces halted at a defensive position at Burlington Heights , where Vincent received news of his promotion to Major General . The pursuing American forces halted at Stoney Creek ( Hamilton , Ontario ) . Their camp was insecure , and Vincent followed a suggestion by his second in command , Lieutenant - Colonel John Harvey , to mount a night attack . The resulting Battle of Stoney Creek was a tactical draw but badly shook the Americans . Vincent himself took little part . He was injured when thrown from his horse in the confusion of battle and was finally found wandering in the woods , seven miles from the battle scene , in a state of confusion , convinced that the entire British force had been destroyed ; his horse , hat and sword all missing . Harvey kindly and considerately did not mention this on his report of the battle . The Americans subsequently retreated to Fort George , and Vincent ' s forces maintained a blockade of them for several months . During this time Vincent ' s regiment , the 49th , won the nickname ' Green Tigers ' from the Americans because of the fierceness of their fighting and the colour of their facings . After the British defeat at the Battle of Moraviantown , which threatened Vincent ' s rear , he retreated again to Burlington Heights . By this time , Vincent was ill , and was transferred first to Kingston once again , then to Montreal , before leaving for England . He never again saw active service , but was promoted Lieutenant General in 1825 and full General in 1843 . He had held the sinecure post of Lieutenant Governor of Dumbarton Castle since April , 1814 , and became Colonel of the 69th Foot in 1836 . He died unmarried in London . Tributes . The Vincent neighbourhood in Hamilton is named after him . It is bounded by King Street East ( north ) , " Greenhill Avenue " ( south ) , Mount Albion ( west ) and " Quigley Road " ( east ) . Landmarks in this neighbourhood include " Greenhill Park " , " Laurier Park " and Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School .