軍歴
He was appointed as a Midshipman RN. (He was released.) In October 1807 he took a commission as a Second Lieutenant (Provincial Marine) and was promoted to First Lieutenant in April 1812.
He had command of the brig General Hunter at Amherstburg until the arrival of the Royal Navy in 1813. (He participated in land battles such as the Battle of Frenchtown (January 1813) and the skirmish at the Canard River. In addition to the Cuyahoga, Rolette is considered to be responsible for the capture of over a dozen other prizes during the war, including small boats.) He was mentioned in dispatches by senior military officers on several occasions. At the capture of Detroit, Major-General Isaac Brock praised Rolette's conduct in the highest terms: “I have watched you during the action,” said the general, “you behaved like a lion and I will remember you.” On October 11, 1812, in a letter sent to Lieutenant-General George Prevost recounting the fate of two British ships, the Caledonia and the Detroit, Brock wrote further that he believed Lieutenant Rolette had “the character of a brave, attentive officer.” When wounded at the battle of the River Raisin, Rolette obstinately refused to leave the field: “I have been selected to work this gun, and it would be a lasting disgrace for me to leave it.” Finally, Commodore Robert Barclay, who commanded the British squadron on Lake Erie in 1813, said that “as long as he served under me, his [Lt Rolette's] excellent conduct deserved my greatest approbation, and I was fortunate in having so good a seaman.”
逸話
Just before the outbreak of the War of 1812, Frédérick Rolette was posted to Amherstburg, Ontario, as a Lieutenant in charge of the brig General Hunter. When word of the outbreak of war reached Amherstburg on July 3, 1812, Rolette acted immediately, capturing an American vessel, the Cuyahoga, before the crew became aware that their country had declared war on Britain. This was the first action of the War of 1812 and a significant prize, because onboard the Cuyahoga were American commander General William Hull’s papers and dispatches, providing the British with a great deal of intelligence on American strengths and deployment. Lieutenant Rolette was very active in the war, conducting several daring captures of American supply vessels and participating in land battles at the Capture of Detroit, the Battle of Frenchtown, and the skirmish at the Canard River.
He was the First Lieutenant (second in command) of the British schooner Lady Prevost at the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. When the captain was mortally wounded, he assumed command and fought the ship “with great skill and gallantry” until he himself was severely wounded, burned by an explosion and the ship was a broken unmanageable and sinking wreck. When the war ended, Lieutenant Rolette returned home to Québec City to a hero’s welcome and was presented with a fifty-guinea sword of honour by its citizens in recognition of his service. Vice Admiral Mark Norman, Commander Royal Canadian Navy said "“Throughout the War of 1812, Lieutenant Frédérick Rolette’s decisive and daring actions served this country well. As the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships are being named after Canadian naval heroes who displayed outstanding leadership and heroism while serving in the Navy during wartime, Lieutenant Rolette is an excellent choice. His leadership and courage model what it means to be a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.”
