The Lunar Rogue plan to steal a horse in Saint John, ride it to Cumberland, sell it, steal another, ride it back, sell it to Colonel Daniels of the 99th regiment and then escape to the US with the proceeds, started to wrong from the start.
Having stolen a saddle and bridle, he set out to steal a horse to ride to Cumberland. The horse, however, wasn’t co-operative. After chasing it around the pasture all night, Henry, deciding discretion was the better part of valour, hoisted the saddle on to his back and started out on foot. By the time he found another horse to steal, it was evening and with 30 footsore miles behind him, Henry put up in a barn to catch a few hours of sleep. He intended to continue the journey under cover of darkness.
It might have worked if the Lunar Rogue hadn’t succumbed to fatigue and overslept. A local resident saw him gallop away in the morning, gave the information to a Mr. Knox who was making inquiries about his missing horse and the chase was on. On July 24, 1814, 3 days and 170 miles later, Knox caught up with Henry and had him arrested.
Getting Henry back to the Kings County jail in New Brunswick to await trial was no easy task for Mr Knox and the Sheriff that accompanied him. Not only were there frequent, if predictable, stops along the way to return good stolen by Henry on his way through, but the Lunar Rogue began to reveal his talents as an escape artist.