h- 
 
 18?)7 
 
 MY CONNECTION WITH IT 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS STORROW BROWN 
 
 -♦-•-^ 
 
 QUEBEC 
 KAOUL KEI^AIIT/r, Publisher 
 
 1898 
 
m 
 

 
 %j 
 
 
 1837 
 
 
 ' ' MY COIMCTIOI WITH IT 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS STORROW BROWN 
 
 ■» •^ 
 
 QUEBEC 
 Rx\OUL RENAULT, Publisher 
 
 1898 
 
2 4 6 4 2 7 
 
 • 59 
 
 g R D U^ N jT r. 
 
^ 
 
 1837 
 
 
1837 
 
 AND MY CONNECTION WITH IT (1) 
 
 1') CRN ill St. Andrews, Province of New Brunswick, 1 
 ^y Jim a '••good Tory," and not. of a Revolutionary stock. 
 My fatlKn-'B fatlier, a Boston Tnorchant, sacrificed hia all for 
 tlie Royal cause, and left for Halifax with General Gage, 
 when Boston was evacuated, in 1776. My mother's mother 
 emigrated from Postmouth to New Hrunswick, with a 
 daugliter married to Ca[)tain Storrow, of the British army, 
 from wliora my name was taken. She was a *' Wentworth, '* 
 cousin to dolm Wentworth {afterwards Sir John, Governor 
 of Nova Scoti;i), the last Royal Governor of New Hampshire ; 
 niece to Sir Benning, his predecessor ; and gran«ldaughter to 
 John Wentwortli, who preceded him. These three " Went- 
 worths" — father, son, and grandson, — having governed New 
 Hampshire for more than forty years. 
 
 (1) This :\it !'•!«> \va.s originally publislicd iii the New Dominion 
 Monfhh/, \()\. IV, nuinbor ono, .^in'il, IHi'.'.t. It is now entirely out of 
 the reaoh of n"arly Jill of oin' i-f^atlers. We thought it proper to reprint 
 it, as it contains some interesting particulars in relation with jj^e 
 Rebellion of IS.}?. 
 
 The Neiv Dominion Monthly has been foumlecl in 1868, and has 
 subsisted, I think, until 1873. It contains several important historical 
 papers by Bourinot, LeMoine, Rev. Rand, and others. The complete fyle 
 iu scarce and worth to be ke])t in record. — R. K. 
 
— 6 — 
 
 When, at fifteen yoart* of age, I came to Montreal, in the 
 year J 818, I was already a politician from much reading of 
 newspapers ; but forming rny ideas of wliat was right in men 
 and things mostly from the lessons contained in '* riutaroh'a 
 Lives." In the same year the Parliament of Lower Canada 
 was for the first time called upon to make provision for the 
 . " Civil List," which included payment of all ]>rovincial sal- 
 aries, in accordance with an ofler made in 1810. 
 
 In tliose days there was no '' Responsihle Government " 
 in the colonies, and no Colonial Ministry. Each had a House 
 of Assembly elected by the people, a Legislative Council ap- 
 pointed for life by the C'rown, and a Governor, who was 
 some old military otlicer left on tlie hands of tlie Home Mi- 
 nistry by the Peace of 1815, and who knew little of govern- 
 ing beyond the word of command. The Executive Council, 
 responsible no where, and to nobody, was a mere council of 
 advice. That in J^ower Canada became a controlling power. 
 The representatives of the peoj)le could debate and vote, but 
 there were no means of carrying out their decisions. 
 
 Our Parliament had at this time cxisteil for nearly thirty 
 years, with nominally all the powers of the British House of 
 Commons ; but in the long period when our insufficient 
 revenue required that a large portion of the " Civil List," or 
 expenditure for provincial purposes, should be [laid from the 
 \^itary Chest — that is, the British Treasury, through tlie 
 Commissariat — the Assembly could hardly question the 
 expenditure, or its particular distribution. 
 
 1 shall in this article use the words " Canadian ", and 
 " English", as the French use them and according to our 
 
- -7- •_ 
 
 common acceptation here, — the ftrst moaning none but 
 French Canadians ; and the second, all who are not French 
 Oanadiaiis. With the call upon the Assembly to provide for 
 the Civil List, came the protest that culminated in 1837. The 
 Assembly was Canadian, and, acting upon its positive right, 
 demanded that all the revenue of the Province, should be 
 placeil at its disposal. The official body, including sinecurists 
 and pluralists, being mostly English in numbers, and more 
 80 on the pay-list, instinctly foresaw reduction for their order. 
 The Legislative Council, not a mere obedient appendage like 
 the Legislative Councils of our day, or the "Senate", was a 
 vigorous English body ; and, taking part with the office- 
 holders, put itself in direct antagonism to the Assembly. A 
 great portion of the legislation demanded by the people 
 through the Assemblj'- was thrown out by the Council, till 
 in the en«l there was an accumulation of over three hundred 
 bills, passed by the Lower House, and thrown out by the 
 Upper; and various governmental irregularities were com- 
 mitted, against continued remonstrances. : , / 
 
 The constant demand of the Assembly for all the revenue, 
 was met by tardy concessions by the British Government 
 year after year, only to increase irritation ; till in the end, 
 as should have been in the beginning, all was surrendered. 
 Then came the voting of supplies. The Assembly, having 
 no other check on the Government, on the office holders, 
 insisted on voting salaries annually and separately to each 
 service or individual. The Governor, supported by the 
 Council, insisted that they should be voted en bloc, — in a 
 lump sum — and for a term of years, to be devided by the 
 
— 8 — 
 
 Executive ; and thus the conduct of public affairs became so 
 insufferable that, in 1828, a deputation from Canadians 
 (there had been deputations in former years) carried home' 
 a petition, signed by 87,000 people, which was laid before a 
 Committee of the House of Commons. Tlie Committee 
 entered fully upon the question, gave the delegates a full" 
 hearing, and by a report sustained the House of Assembly 
 in its allegations or grievances, but left the remedy in the 
 hands of Government. 
 
 Promises of redress were profuse, but in the multiplicity 
 of reforms required at that time of the British Ministry, 
 ours were overlooked till 1835, when Lord Gosford, a good- 
 natured Irish gentleman, of n^^ political capacity or 
 knowledge, was sent out as Governor, accompanied by an 
 ex-captain of Engineers, and an excejitric Indian judge to 
 act with him as " Commissioners" to in(piire into our 
 grievances. The insult of appointing a commission to imj[uire 
 into facts that had been re-echoed for fifteen years, when 
 the Parliament of the Province could be tht; only inquest, 
 was only equalled by the imbecility of selecting three men 
 utterly incompetent for the task. The Commission was 
 never recognized by our Parliament, nor did the British 
 Ministry suppose it would be. It was sent out as a make- 
 shift ; and its reports, in which in turn each Commissioner 
 differed from his colleagues*, ended with the printing. 
 
 Lord Gosford, however, did something. He gave at Quebec 
 a St. Catherine's ball, and, to the disgust of all loyal Britons, 
 gave the chief place to a Canadian lady ; which disgust waa 
 
amplitield by concessions of many things, before withheld, 
 and 11 judicious bestowal of offices to certain Canadian poli- 
 ticians. On return, a portion of the Quebec wing of what 
 wan now called the " Papineau Party " split off, and desired 
 reconciliation. Satisfied with whnt thev had in hand, and 
 promises of more, they declare that the cry for reform meant 
 revoluuon. 
 
 To no parly in a colony does the Biitish nation, at home 
 and abroad, owe so much as to the *"• Papinciiu Party", to 
 which I had the honor ol" beintc attached. To no man born 
 in a colony does the British nation, at home and abroad, owe 
 po much as to T^ouis Joseph Papineau, — one who, by that 
 spirit that in heroic times falls upon choosen men, towered 
 gigjintically amidst his coinj^eers. Though here the stuggle 
 was presented as a contest between the French and English, 
 in other colonies it was distinctly between the people and the 
 colonial oligarchy. 
 
 In 1887, thcn^ was chroni(! disaffection in every British 
 cohiviv, find each was besicijins: the Colonial ( )ffice for redresH 
 of grievances, having their common sourec in the contest of 
 people, speaking through their Houses of Assembly, and 
 (yolonial Office holders supported by imbecile Governors, 
 through an irresponsible Legislative Council. The unwaver- 
 ing deternjination "f the Papineau Party forced (piestions to 
 their ultinuite decision ; and the British (lovermnent, when 
 awakened to the necessity, with a inngnanimity seldom found 
 in history, acknowledged the tirrors of the past, and noticed 
 all the colonies that henceforth their own government should 
 be in their own hands, aJid her authority never again be 
 
— 10 — 
 
 invoked against their rights. From that time to this there 
 has been no colonial disloyalty, discontent, disaffection, or 
 complaint. The question in England then wan, how sliall we 
 keep the colonies? The quoption now is, how can we shake 
 them off? 
 
 The scHsion of Parliament in 183G was, like its predeces- 
 sors, one of strife between its Lower and Upper House, and 
 ended without a vote of supplies. We then owed no public 
 debt; there were no public creditor!^, exeejil the provincial 
 oiFiciuls. There was for their payment one hun<lred an<l forty 
 thousand pounds in the provincial chest, but without the 
 "vote" not a shilling could be paid ; and, troni tlie judges 
 downwards, all were suffering for want of their "arrears". 
 
 Thus matters dragged till the 7th ol March, 1837, when 
 that great constitutional statesman, Lord John Russell, in 
 the spirit of an absolute despot, introduced into the House of 
 Commons a series of resolutiotis, authorizing the Governor 
 of Lower Canada to draw from the Provincial chest this one 
 hundred and forty thousand pounds, and pay offallarreara 
 of salary, without waitjjig for a vote of our House of Assem- 
 bly, which, vested so far as concerned the Province with all 
 the powers and privileges of the House of Commons, had the 
 sole control. Many members, who expressed the true Bristish 
 heart, protested against huch anti-British and unwarranted 
 resolutions, and told us we should be a disgrace to the 
 British name and to hnnumity if we did not resist them to 
 tlje uttermost ; but they were carried by a great majority in 
 the Httnse ; and in the Lords, Lord Brougham was the only 
 dissident. 
 
— 11 — 
 
 Lord Jolin, however, become frigthened with his own 
 success. lie siiid, in answer to inquiries, that he shouhl not 
 act upon the resohitions, but brin^ a bill. Though twitted 
 by Lord Stanley — now Earl Derby — the bill did not appear ; 
 and in June, uf'tcr the accession of our beloved Queen, he 
 declared tliat, not wishing to commence the reign with so 
 " harsh " a measure, he wonld (Irvp the rrsolutions, and add 
 one hundred ami forty thousand, pounds to the army estimates, 
 to enable the Governor to pay all the arrears from, the military 
 chest, and wait the return from the province to a convenient 
 season. And so it was done. The commissariat o]>tained the 
 money bv spe( ial bill> sold in New York, and commenced 
 paying salaries on the 1-th of Octobiir. 
 
 But the mischief was done. The news of the j>assage of 
 tlio rcsohitiona set the country in a blaze in April, and the 
 newsoftliis wretched ending only reached us in August, 
 when the tire was too wide-spread to bi> smothered. Had 
 Lord .lolm Riisscll [iroposed in March ro bornnv from the 
 military elK'>t, instead of to rob our own, there wonld have 
 been no '' rroni>k's «>f l8-^>7." Whatever may have been the 
 offences of that vear. his offence was the "greatest, and ho the 
 greatest of all otfcmlers. 
 
 Our organs, the Vindicator and Mincrve, takijig their direc- 
 tion from the philosophic democrats of the House of Oora- 
 niinis, on the 14th of April, sounded the key-note, — " Agi- 
 tate, agitate," — and (piickly came responses from all parts. 
 Parties became nrraved in most viuient antagonism. On one 
 side were all the Catuidianjf with the exception of a small 
 
10 
 
 party in Quebec atul a few straggle/rf, the Catlioli-' Irisb, and 
 a few scattering Englisli. On tlie otlior side w to all thtr 
 Englisli, witl) the above exceptions, and aonie in the town- 
 ships, who only iif the eounty of Missirifpjoi rnailo any great 
 denioiiKtrution. • 
 
 There being no Parliiinient in session, <»r likely to be 
 called, the peopleiould only speak by public meetings, which 
 it was decided should bt^ held by counties, l\''(;helieu led oft", 
 uiulei' the inijx'tuosity of Wolfrcd Nelson, on the 7th of Nfay. 
 Montreal followed on the loth of May, at St. Laurent, to 
 consider the means necessary to protect the rights and liber- 
 ties of the people, and Mr. I'apineau spoke for hours. Neither 
 at those meetings, nor in anv that followed in county after 
 county, from May t*) August, was any revolutionary [tropo- 
 sitions ado)>te<l, — the wliolo subject of addresses and resolu- 
 tions hemg a reiteratii»n of the co-mjilaints of maladminis- 
 tration in the (tovoi-nmiuit and neglect of our petitions, 
 declarations of approval ol" t\n^ House of Assembly, and of 
 the ]*ajtineau Party, and demands for redress. iVU that went 
 beyond this was to use no article of liritish maimfacture, and 
 by the use, encourage domestic matiufactures ; and so far as 
 conceriu'd other mer<'handize, to evade tlie payment of duties 
 by encouraging the smuggling frcmi the States, on the prin- 
 ciple tliat, the j)ayment of imposts to a Government, and the 
 legal expeditu re of the ])roceeds by the Government, were 
 reciprocal obligations, atid that when the law was violated, th« 
 first wat* dissolved. 
 
 T i ad for years been a steady adherent of the Papitieau 
 Party, at a pecuniary and social sacritice, inevitable to him 
 
— 13 — 
 
 who \h separated from those who may be considered his own 
 people, and found in stormy times ranked with an opposing 
 party, alien in blood and language. The reply to that article 
 of the capitulation of 1759, vvliieli required safe guard for 
 the Canadians was, " They are subjects of the King." In 
 1791, a free Parliament was granted to them, and it appeared 
 to me that manliness in the British people forbade the with- 
 holding of any right from a handful of French descent, that 
 the fortunes of war had left in British territory. I saw, too, 
 in their pretensions, the same principle that had been con- 
 secrated by the triumphs of the British Commons in their 
 victories over the " Trerogatives " in time past ; and felt that 
 an instructive ilread of French supremacy, which I could not 
 share, alone prevented the entire people from n)aking com- 
 mon cause against such a Government and Colonial Office as 
 we had. There was someting excitingly chivalric in devotion 
 to a cause where one had everything to lose and nothing to 
 gain. 
 
 Coming into town in the morning of the 20th June, I met 
 the late James Duncan Gibb, who informed me that Lord 
 Gosford had issued a proclamation forbidding the holding of 
 public meetings— or "Anti-Coercion Meetings" as they 
 where called. " This," said I, " is more than Bi-itish subjects 
 can subnjit to. Not only will the county meetings already 
 called be held, but we will hold one in Montreal ; " and this 
 I repeated to his party, before reaching any one of my own. 
 
 An Anti-Coertion meeting in Montreal involved serious 
 considerations, of riot and bloodshed, with which, in the bitter 
 tnmult of the previous ten years, our city was familiar. I 
 
_ 14 .- 
 
 vehemently urged the necessity of defiance to the proclama- 
 tion in Montreal, as encouragement to the country, which 
 might consider us poor braggarts who only dared to show 
 themselves where there was no man to oppose. Timid counsels 
 had well nigh prevailed when, at one of our discussion, a 
 young man in the corner, who I never heard speak in public 
 before or since, came out so violently m favor of the meeting 
 that none present dared to vote " No." The meeting was 
 held on the St. Lawrence Market, on the 29th of June, and 
 all passed off quietly. The English held an opposite meeting 
 about the same time, but no collision occurred. They also 
 held, during the summer, several meetings in the city, and 
 some small ones in the country, to denounce the proceedings 
 of the Canadians. 
 
 The meeting in Montreal, as I expected, gave new vigor 
 to country meetings. Justices of the Peace and militia offi- 
 cers, as conspicioua men, figured frequently as movers and 
 seconders of resolutions. The Governor, through his Secre- 
 tary, Mr. Walcott, addressed letters of inquiry to those per- 
 sons, and getting back somewhat sancy answers, they were 
 peremptorily dismissed. The Executive should never have 
 noticed these demonstrations. An imbecile opposition only 
 gave them greater consequence. The proclamation was treated 
 with great contempt. 
 
 An active moving power in our machinery of agitation 
 was the "Permanent and Central Committee", which held 
 open sittings at the Nelson Hotel, in Montreal, attended 
 by the ardent Canadians of town and country. Here every 
 movement in all parts of the province was echoed and 
 
— 15 — 
 
 apx)laudecl, and new ideas were sent forth for action elao- 
 where. Here, too, militia officers and magistrates who had 
 incurred Executive displeasure were glorified ; country nota- 
 bles, often made " Chairman ", went home elated with the 
 honor, especially when seen in print. 
 
 Though the Gosfordites were strong in Quebec, Papineau 
 was stronger in the neighboring counties, and one of the 
 largest Anti-Coercion meetings was held at St. Thomas. 
 Doctor Tachc — afterwards the Premier, Sir Ltienne, — was 
 indicted for assaulting a man wlio at this meeting shouted, 
 'llourra pour le Roi des Anglais^ — " Hurrah for the English 
 King " ! 
 
 Our Parliament assembled in the middle of August. Gosford 
 had in a manner, during the past two years, promised many 
 unaccomplished thing;?. lie had no answer for old complaints, 
 and the Assembly, declaring that the redress of grievances 
 must precede all legislative action, separated without waiting 
 for the hasty prorogation intended by the Governor. Thus 
 ended the last Parliament of Lower Canada. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm of the district of 
 Montreal, or the intelligence with which the questions of 
 the day were understood. The houses along the roads we 
 took to public meetings were decorated. Crowds stood for 
 hours listening to speeches and resolutions. In going to the 
 Napierville meeting, the train of vehicles behind us must 
 have been over two miles long. On one occasion, when 
 Mr. Papineau came from St. H^acinthe by the way of St. 
 
 Charles to Vereheres, and up the river to Montreal, the 
 
 %- 
 
— 16 — 
 
 people turned out en masse, and conducted liini from parish 
 to parish. 
 
 Though 80 politically active, 1837 was commercially a 
 hard year. Owing to a general faihireoi crops in 1836, wheat 
 was imported from Europe to New York, to sup^dy western 
 want. Many cargoes from the continent, were landed at 
 Quebec, and some were purchased for Tapper Canada. Nor 
 was wheat the only article ; even pork and butter were 
 imported at a profit. All the American Banks suspended 
 specie payment in May. Ours followed immediately, except 
 the Bank of Upper Canada, which the Governor would not 
 permit to do till some months afterwards. 
 
 Matters were not gloomy with leading politicians, who 
 paused and hesitated ; but the masses in their movement, 
 headed by men newly warmed to public action, saw no bar- 
 riers. Annoyed at the timid counsels that nearly stopped 
 our Montreal meeting in June, I iuid projected a " Young 
 Man's Party" ; but met with noencouragemeirt till the end 
 of August, when I found that a number of Young Cana- 
 dians had formed an anisociation, called the " Sons of Liberty," 
 to which 1 at once attached m^'self. It was in two divisions ; 
 the one civil, of which Mr. Ouimet, a young lawyer, Avas 
 President, and our late mayor, Mr. Beaudry, Vice-president ; 
 the other military. The city was divided into *' sections", 
 the young men of each, being under a chief, Chef de Section, 
 I was choosen general ; and we speedily became the most 
 offending of the oftcnders, holding frequent meetings, and 
 marching in strong numbers. 
 
 i 
 
\ 
 
 — 17 — 
 
 I had, in 1836, comraencjed a series of letters published 
 in the New York Exp) ess, over the signature of " L. M. N.", 
 whicli, at first, presumed to proceed from high authority, 
 were every where republished, and commented on like mani- 
 festoes of a party. They had reached the twelfth number, 
 threatening armed resistance, and were now known by our 
 party to be solely published by me on my sole responsibility. 
 I was a constant writer for the Vindicator, and autlior of 
 many " imprudent " articles. I had, perhaps, attended and 
 spoke at more public meetings than any other man, and none 
 had more to do with their organization, I was everywhere, 
 day and night ; one of the youngest of the actors, every- 
 where active, everywhere enthusiastic, everywhere confident. 
 My hand was on the plough, and I looked not back. The 
 Government of the country was at a dead lock. I saw no 
 remedy but to push on the movement we were engaged in 
 to its ultimate results, let that be wha*. it might. 
 
 Ardent, <levoted, dcKinterested, and fearless of conse- 
 quences, with no enmity against any one, and no self-object 
 in view, I felt impelled by a necessity that can alone be 
 understood or appreciated by those who, in times of peril, 
 find themselves forced into prominence. The course taken 
 by our party was the true one. Thirty years' reflections con- 
 firms the opinion that we pursued a right course, and the 
 only one open; We could not silently submit to Russell's 
 resolutions. We could only protest by public demonstrations. 
 They were legal, and we were, as British subj ts,- right in 
 resisting their suppression ; and when, in the end, illegal 
 
 2 
 
— 18 — 
 
 warrants for high treason were issued, we were jut<titieJ in 
 attempting self defeiiBe. 
 
 Many magistrates and militia officers, wlio had not been 
 questioned by the Executive for their part in public agitation 
 sent in their resignation accompanied by letters expressing 
 very determined opinions, which were published at length, 
 as more aliment for excite ii. nit. Not content with these 
 voluntary demonstrations, the people in many parishes forced 
 others to follow the same course. About the end of Octo- 
 ber, sixty-six voluntary or forced resignations were sent from 
 the County of Lacadie, with letters that, w^hen published, 
 filled a page of our newspapers. 
 
 The county of Two Mountains, guided by Girouard and 
 Scott, the members, and Chartier, Priest of St. Benoit, had 
 been particularly active from the beginjiing, and now held a 
 meeting which, after declaring that the country could have 
 no confidence in any person holding a commission from the 
 Executive, proposed that magistrates or pacificators should 
 be elected, to whom all matters of civil contest should be 
 referred for adjudication. 
 
 The Canadian clergy, with few exceptions, resolutely 
 opposed all public agitation. Never was there such severance 
 between the people and their pastors. Monseigneur Lartigue, 
 acting as bishop of the diocese of Montreal, issued a mande- 
 menty or pastoral letter, denouncing positively all agitation 
 and agitators. A few priests refused to read it to their parish- 
 ioners, or did so with an apology. In some of the parishes 
 the men left the church when the reading commenced. 
 
 :m 
 
 4 
 
— 19 — 
 
 The gi-catest and closing public meeting of the season, was 
 that of the " Five Counties", held at St. Charles, on the 23rd 
 day of October, which was attended by more men of superior 
 position than any of the preceeding. The speakers were Papi- 
 neau, L. M. Vigor, Louis Lacoste, E. E. Ilodier, and Dr. Cot^, 
 all members of Parliament, and myself. The resolutions, 
 moved and seconded by men of highest repute in the District 
 insisted on the duty of the British authorities to amend our 
 form of Government ; stigmatized the dismissal of officials ; 
 declared that there could be no conlidence in their successors, 
 which made the election of " pacificators ", as proposed in 
 Two Mountains, necessary ; protested against the English 
 Government for sending out troops for the destruction of our 
 liberties; disapproved all recent appointments of Lord Gos- 
 ford, as evidencing and continuing a system of fraud. The 
 organization of the Sons of Liberty was approved, and hopes 
 exjtressed that Providence, and the sympathies of our neigh- 
 bors — Provincial and American — would bring round a favor- 
 able opportunity for our emancipation. An armed party fired 
 salutes, and a plan for the confederation of six counties was 
 adopted. ' '' ' - V • 
 
 There were no secrets nor conspiracies with the Papineau 
 party, nor was anything committed till warrants were issued, 
 to which the charge of high treason couid attach. What was 
 known to one was known to all, and to the world at large. 
 There was no policy but what was expressed openly at public 
 meetings; revolt was only the dream of a few over-excited 
 men. There were no preparation, no purchase of arras or 
 
— 20 — 
 
 ammunition, nor even a proposition to provide for attack or 
 delciiso. The province was agitated to the utmost, and public 
 clamor was incessant, but all in words, condemning the British 
 Government for neglect of promised reforms, and approvitig 
 the House of Assembly for withholding a vote of supplies, till 
 our representations were acted on, and our grievances were 
 redressed. The leaders were a noble band. Any one of them 
 might, on any day, have sold himself to Lord Gosford for a 
 good cash price, and certainty of honorable consideration, 
 with his previous opponents ; but none even wavered. 
 
 In truth the " troubles " of Lower Canada were nothing 
 but a contest between two provincial parties, in which the 
 Governor, representing the British authority, and the mili- 
 tary men under him, took the lorong side ; and the subsequent 
 establishment of a form of government in accordance with the 
 "well understood wishes of the people", that we since 
 enjoyed, was an acknowledgement of error, and an honor- 
 able apology, though the merits of those who sacrificed most 
 in devotion to right cause have never been recognized. 
 
 I have said that one division of the Sons of Liberty was 
 " military ". We called out members for parade, but there 
 was no division into companies, or appointment of sub-officers, 
 or arms, or " drill." In our public address we only called the 
 young men of the Provinces to know their strength by organ- 
 izing, and being prepared to assist for independence at some 
 future day. In short we were only asking what the British 
 and Dominion Governments are now asking by the militia 
 laws. Our offence was in thinking too soon. 
 
lk.;.v- 
 
 — 21 — 
 
 Our IjiBt public meeting was annonnced for the Gtli of 
 November, when wo intomled to adjourn till May. Our 
 opponcntH wore the " Doric Club ", composed of a certain 
 number of stout .younu; '' EngliHJi ", and all the other 
 " Fngli8h ", who chose to turn out on days of tumult, with 
 cluos in their hands. The Dorics posted placards callin<; on 
 the loy}d to " nip treason in the bud ", by stopping this 
 meeting. Wo had no mayor or city government then ; the 
 " Tnai'lstrates " feared a demTlv tumult. On their assembliuiv 
 I waited on some of thoni to say our meeting mast he held ; 
 it was our right, and we wouhi not back down under threats ; 
 that if collision came, it would be their fault; tliey must 
 control their people, and 1 would control ours ; tbey should 
 not, come with music, nor in bands, but singly as citi/.ens, 
 and so separate, if unmolested. 
 
 \Vo mot in a largo yard, west of the pi'csent Ottawa Hotel. 
 Our resolutions wore mild enough ; but before we got through, 
 a crowd gathered outside St. James street gate, and some 
 stones were thrown over. A good portion of onr men passed 
 out quietly into Notre Dame streets The remainder, under 
 two hundred, 1 formed into companies, two deep, armed 
 with stout sticks, which botli parties tlion kept in readiness 
 at their respective rendezvous. My orders were that they 
 should cut their wa}' through the crowd, and then scatter 
 for their homes, for the troops and the big guns would be 
 soon out. Opening the gates, they sallied in four columns, 
 and rapidly reached the Place d'Armes ; for this sudden 
 ouhlaught cleared the street. Seeing all safe, 1 turned back 
 alone. It might be called fool-hardy ; but I was personally 
 
oo 
 
 on the best of terms with everybody, and when one has been 
 for months in danger, lie never thinks of it. At the corner 
 of St. Francois Xavier street, a crowd was collecting with 
 v^'^hom I exchanged a few words; and, on turning down the 
 street, I was felled by a blow from a bludgeon behind, which 
 was Ibllowed by others, with the cry, " Brown ! kill him ! 
 kill him ! " leaving me senseless in my blood. In addition 
 to cuts and braises, the optic nerve of ray right eye was 
 shattered, and I have never see^i with it since. 
 
 I was dragged into a neighboring house where a little 
 attention, and the sewing or plastering of cuts soon enabled 
 me to get home, and I remained confined there till the 16th. 
 The English having destroyed the Vindicator printing office, 
 were now in quiet possession of the city. The Canadians were 
 stmg in their houses, or at their various employments. Those 
 noisy demonstrations that liad continued night and day, 
 ceased suddenly. Leading men were keeping out of the way. 
 The first stage of jigitation came to a sudded end, and all 
 awaited the next development. 
 
 So sreneral was the idea abroad that we were organized and 
 ripe for revolt, that Mackenzie, who had planned a rising in 
 rear of Toronto, and an attack on the Capital, sent an agent 
 to communicate his designs, and learn ours. We had none, 
 and not even a committee with whom the agent could con- 
 sult. One of tiie few with wdiora he was able to eommunioate, 
 much alarmed at this notice of Makenzie's unexpected inten- 
 tions, brought this agent to my room for consultation. My 
 friend taking me aside, said : " You know we are doing 
 nothing, and iiave no designs for the future ; Mackenzie 
 
— 23 — • , 
 
 should be undeceived, and dissuaded from his intentions." I 
 replied that Mackenzie knew his own business, and should 
 be allowed to take his course, whieli, result as it might, could 
 only help us. What opinions the agent got elsewhere I know 
 not ; but the mission proved no hinderance to the Toronto 
 move. 
 
 There had been a tew arrests for sedition in the summer, 
 which ended too farcically to be repeated ; and Attorney- 
 General Ogden was sent up to endeavor to get out warrants 
 for high treason. Up to this time, there was no ground for 
 such writs, and the judges refused to grant them ; but two 
 excited magistrates were found willing to assume the res- 
 ponsibility. These two hot-headed men did what the judges, 
 partisans though they might be, feared to do, by reason of 
 its illegality. There was no high treason in 1837, except 
 that caused by resistance to the^e illegal proceedings. Writs 
 were issued on the 16lh November, and subsequently, that 
 tilled our gaol for the winter with prominent Canadian 
 citizens, against whom there was, in reality, no charge. 
 Martial law was not declared till the 5th December. 
 
 On the afternoon of the 16th November, I learned that a 
 warrant for high treason was issued against me. Consulting 
 no one, and knowing I could not leave the city, I passed down 
 St. Catherine street to the horse ferry-boat, at the foot of 
 the current, with no idea or intent to proceed direct to the 
 States to recover my strength there, and communicate with 
 my political friends, from whom I had been ten days separ- 
 ated, and who I presumed to be scattered in country parts. 
 
— 24 — 
 
 Arriving at the Hochelaga horso-boat at five o'clock, the 
 usual hour for crot^sing, I learned it would only go at sevon, 
 and then take over two companies of troops. Retreat' ng 
 hastily to a ferry-boat house, I tried to get over in a canoe. 
 The ferryman would not attempt crossing. It was too 
 Btormy ; and, to add to my perplexity, my carter declared 
 his horse, having worked all day, conld go no farther. An 
 hdbitdnt returning from the market, offered to take me to 
 his home at Pointe au.. Trembles. I got first into the cart 
 with too short rifles : the habitunf, catching on the lock of 
 one, as he got in, caused it to discharge, the ball whistling 
 straight between our heads. A slight inclination of the 
 barrel would have sent the ball through mine, iintl there 
 would have been the '' sensation " of a suicide, or a murder, 
 as the reporter might think best paying. We faced a furious 
 snow-storm from the north-east. The road then ran along 
 the river. The hahif'iDt was very drunk, and fearing he 
 would upset, I drove the horse. After ton days' confiuf- 
 ment and appliances to sooth my wounds, this exposure was 
 terrible, and the night I ])a3sod at the /uibiftnif'.'^ house was 
 one of excruciating agony. 
 
 In the morning I walked to tlie village of Pointe aux 
 TremVdes, where all was excitement ; but no one, except 
 myeelf, had arrived .'roni Montreal. Two boys took me 
 over to the opposite island, where in a small house T went to 
 bed, and spent the day. Sending for Dr. Duchesuois I 
 returned with him in a canoe to Varen»)es, and took supper 
 at liis house, with two of my clu'.fs <le section^ Doctor Gauviu 
 and Rudolphe Desrivieres, who brought news of the attack 
 
— 25 — 
 
 at Lonijueuil, by hahUavts under Bonaventure Viger, on a 
 party of eighteen Montreal Volunteer Cavalry, which liber- 
 ated Mr. Deniaray and Toctor Davignon, who were being 
 brought in as prisoners from St. Johns. I remarked : 
 
 "Then the ball has commenced. We muat all take our 
 places in the dance". \ 
 
 Gauvin repliful : 
 
 " Yes ; we will be chased no longer. Let us go to St. 
 Charles, established a camp, and be soldiers". 
 
 Revived by the day's rest and supper, I assented. Gauvin, 
 Desrivii'res, a brother of Besriviores that I had never seen 
 before, and myself, sit out ujion our ex[)edition. I gave one 
 of mv rifles to J)esrivicres. Gauvin, I think, had a pistol ; 
 and, thus armed and equiftped, wo declared for war, and 
 established the tirst " i^itriot " cfinip in Canada. 
 
 Those who have heard of the " Canadian Rebellion ", or 
 read the long debates of the period, or oftifteen thousand 
 troops sent out to su[)press that rebellion, nt a cost of more 
 than three millions sterling, may presume it commence with 
 preparation and »-ombination ; but the beginning was pre- 
 cisely what T here relate, and no more. Leaving Montreal 
 alone, with no intent but to take the shortest road to the 
 States, stopped by a tired-horse and an over-cautious ferry- 
 man, accident took me to Varennes, where accident brought 
 two of my city associates, and where one of them, without 
 premiditation, suggested going to St. Charles. I bad been 
 there once, and knew but one resident ; my companions were 
 
 r 
 
— 26 — 
 
 strangers. What could be more Quixotic than our design ? 
 Whatever might have been the offence, or responsibility of 
 armed resistance, of failure or of success, it rests in no way 
 on the people general) v, whether leaders or led ; but solely 
 on the few who were actually engaged, acting upon their 
 own individual impulses. 
 
 On the road, at a collection of houses and two taverns, we 
 found a crowd of excited people. 
 
 " Why are the chiefs deserting" ? said they. " We have 
 guns and powder, and can defend them ". 
 
 AVe were also told that Mr. Drolet, at St. Marc, had fifty 
 men with muskets guarding his house; but arrived there 
 soon after daybreak, we found neither men nor muskets- 
 A servant man, roused from his sleeping-bench, opened the 
 door. It was the large stone-liouse now occupied by the 
 " Fraser." Mrs. Drolet, with her two daughters and youngest 
 son, joined us at breakfast. A gentleman from Quebec, we 
 learned, had passed up the river, warning all ]i»rominentmen» 
 especially those noticeable at the meeting of the "five^ 
 counties ", of impending danger ; and all were either secreted 
 in the back concessions, or gone to the States for safety.^ 
 
 Crossing the Richelieu to St. Charle>>, we saw waiting for 
 us on the bank two carts. In them were Mr. Papineau, 
 Doctor Wolfred Nelson, Doctor 0'Callaghan,and another, on 
 tlieir way up tiie river. Tliey did not forbid our project. The 
 coincidence in the meeting with persons so prominent, at 
 this exact time and place, was most singular (our four names 
 
— 27 — 
 
 were the first on the hst for whom rewards were ottered). 
 Had I left Montreal with the intentlQn of finding these 
 gentlemen, I know not in what direction I should have 
 gone, or when 1 should have attained my end. Nelson wds 
 making {(reparations for defence at St. Denis. 
 
 I went in a house, and lay down to rest. Gauvin, finding 
 a sword, }»nt liimseH at the head of suddenly-formed squad 
 of seventeen men, armed with fowling-pieces, marched up to 
 the manor-house of Mr. Dehartzh, and tookttossession. Soon, 
 a servant camo with a tine horse, new saddle and bridle, for 
 the " (ieneral " ; and I rode up to the man»)r-hou3e, a large 
 one story wooden place, now transformed into a camp, with 
 sentries posted, and was addressed by all as the " General ". 
 The appointment was spontaneous, and I had no other. My 
 conimai\d was of m v own creation. At any other time this 
 would have been rather grand ; but, with aching bruises, a 
 swolleti head, one eye recently destroyed, and my jaws 
 closing, to stop eating, it required resolution to maintain the 
 position. This was Friday, the 17th of November. 
 
 On Sunday, there was no work done, for the Canadians on 
 tliis point obey the conmiandment. On Monday we continued 
 cutting down trees about the house, to form barricades to our 
 camp, intending to cover them with earth ; but this was so 
 little advanced that our defence had only reached the conse- 
 quence of a strong log-fence, with no military or engineering 
 pententions, when w^e were driven out. Two old rusty six- 
 pounders, found in a barn, were mounted on slcigh-ruimers 
 by the village blacksmith, and loaded, for want of other 
 
_ 28 — 
 
 missiles, with scraps of iron. These were our only artillery. 
 Our fame spread abroad. The country people, supposing the 
 time for rising had arrived, flocked in, witliout waiting for 
 special orders. Never could I forget the alacrity and devotion 
 of these men, coining forward, eveti before the call, to main- 
 tain the country's rights. Thoy were the right material. 
 With arms and officers, we coidd have improvised an army, 
 oft'hand ; but we had neither. In an old settled country, from 
 which game had disap[)eari'd, a singular collection of fusils 
 was in their hands, in all stages of dilapidation : some must 
 have come down from before the conquest ; and the whole 
 would have been an interesting variety for a museum. There 
 was, I think, but one musket ; and I do not remember seeing 
 a single baj-onet. A few kegs of powder were collected, and 
 cartridges made : but with such diversities of bore, T cannot 
 say that every man got what he could use. There had been 
 no general military organization or training since the con- 
 quest. Such had been the policy of the Government, and it 
 now reaped the advantage. 
 
 By another of the coincidences of St. Charles, Mr. Blan- 
 chet, the parish priest, was a "■ patriot "—almost the only 
 one in the province — and favored us. Mr. Debartzh's pre- 
 mises, well supplied with cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, and 
 breadstuffs, furnished our commissariat. The whole country 
 about us was " patriot ", with a small exception. Simon 
 Lesp^rance, a merchant of La Representation, and a few 
 others, suspected of opposite tendencies, were brought in as 
 prisoners by the neighl)ors. 
 
— 29 — 
 
 Such was the camp sit St. Charlen;. A few hundred men 
 assembled, and thousands were ready to join ; — a mere col- 
 lection of individuals, without appliances, or instruction, or 
 commanders, from corporals upwards, required for any action 
 military. But such was not the newspaper report published 
 abroad. There I had a strong, well-armed, and disciplined 
 force, in a well-fortified position, with two of " Bonaparte's " 
 generals under me, and a foundry for casting cannon ! 
 
 Sir John Colborne, now commanding in Montreal, deter- 
 mined to attack this formidable army. Two expeditions were 
 went out, — one under Col. VVetherall, by the way of Chambly ; 
 the other under Col. Gore, by the way of Sorol, — to secure 
 the capture of leading men, b3' an attack on both sides. 
 
 Dn the atternoou of Wednesday, the 22nd November, 
 Col. Gore left Montreal with two companies of the Twenty- 
 fourth Regiment, and one company of the Thirty-second 
 (Markham'.s), and a small party of volunteer cavalry, with 
 one howitzer 12-pounder. Two companies of the Sixty-sixth 
 joined them at Sorel. At ten o'clock at night, the march 
 commenced for St. Denis, eighteen miles. It was raining 
 heavily, and the road was knee deep almost in soft mud • 
 towards morning it commenced freezing, and a snow-storm 
 faced the troops. Cold and exhausted they struggled on, 
 Markham's (company leading, picking their way, as they 
 best could, expecting to breakfast at St. Denis, without 
 op])Osition. The first files had nearly entered the village, 
 when fire opened upon them. The howitzer, unlimbered at 
 250 yards, opened fire in return ; but the troops takiiig 
 
— 30 — 
 
 shelter round barns and houses, were too benumbed to 
 handle their mimkets. Markham, sheltered behind a long 
 barn, twice rushed out to lead an assault, and each 
 time received a musket wound, the last one very serious. 
 Firing continued for a few hours, chiefly from the howitzer, 
 and then the troops retreated to Sorel, leaving the gun 
 behind as atrophy for the " patriots ". Such was the relation 
 made to me by some wounded men, who were left prisoners, 
 and it corresponds with the official report. Had a dash been 
 made in the morning, the troops would have easily carried it. 
 Had the "patriots" followed the exhausted retreating troops, 
 in the afternoon, possibly all would have been captured ; but 
 neither knew the weakness of the other. 
 
 Wolfred Nelson, one of the bravest of the braves, com- 
 manded at St. Denis. He had not raised the standard 
 of revolt, but only defended himself against an illegal 
 warrant. In wa^ he would have been a groat General ; but 
 perhaps a Murat, greater in action than in council. He had 
 for defence only about fifty fowling pieces of any use ; a 
 small embankment across the road was a protection to 
 sharpshooters ; and the strongliold was a stout stone house, 
 at the lower end of the village. Round-shot knocked in the 
 upper gable, — there were three killed in the garret ; below 
 the rafters, the walls were too solid for injury. My most 
 intimate friend, Charles Ovide I'errault, who had been one ot 
 the most active agents of agitation, and the greatest young 
 man I ever met, was mortally wounded, while crossing the 
 street, by an accidental parting shot. 
 
— 31 — 
 
 One painful event marked the day. Lieut. Weir, of the 
 n2nd Regiment, left Sorel to overtake Col. Gore's command. 
 Accidentally getting upon a wrong road, he drove past, and 
 on to St. Denis, where he vvaH made a prisoner, as I was 
 early iiiformod by a letter from kelson, who said he would 
 be treated with every consideration. When the troops 
 approached in the morning, he was placed in a waggon to be 
 sent to me, at 8t. Charles (nine miles), in charge of two old, 
 respectable men. At a short distance, he jumped out to 
 escape ; and, in the scuffle to secure him, was killed. No 
 man lamented the sad event more than Nelson. 
 
 The troops lost, — killed, 6 rank and file ; wounded, 1 offi- 
 cer and 9 rank and file ; missing, 6 rank and file. The 
 patriots had 10 or 12 killed. 
 
 Col. Wetherall was now halted at St. Hilaire, nine milea 
 above St. Charles, with a brigade, consisting of four compa- 
 nies of the 1st Royals, a detachment of the 66th Regiment 
 (another company of the Royals followed from Cliambly), 
 with two six-pounders, and a detacliment of Volunteer 
 Cavalry. It was doubtful if he would come further after 
 the retreat of Col. Gore ; and indeed, from his report, his 
 advance would appear another accident. Reports, coming 
 from we know not where, informed us that the '" Patriots " 
 were armed in rear of Montreal, threatening the city, and 
 that Chambly, St. John's, and all the country from thence to 
 the lines, was in our hands. Disappointment soon followed. 
 On Friday evening, an American arrived from St. Albans, 
 to inform that Dr. C0t6 and the leaders of the county of 
 
— 32 — 
 
 Lacadie, with several of the prorninent men from the Riche- 
 lieu, from Montreal, and elsewhere, were there collecting 
 munitions of wai fjr invasion. Nelson and I thus found our- 
 selves alone. Had our frontier friends staid at home, com- 
 munication with the Staten would have l)een open for arms 
 and munitions, which would assuredly have come in. Tlie 
 invasion from St. Alhans was delayed too long. One day 
 earlier it might have proved successful. 
 
 Friday, t Uc 24th, was a beautiful day. A sharp frost made 
 the roads good. Having more tnen than I could lodge in the 
 camp, I proceeded with one hundred, and billeted them in 
 farm-houses up the river ; the advanced posts being at a 
 small stream two miles up, where I directed the bridge to 
 be destroyed and the passage desputed, and on a bank in 
 rear, where I directed a barricade of fence rails to be erected. 
 All were ordered to skirmish with any coming enemy by 
 tiring on the advance and falling back. 
 
 Still suffering from my old bruisi's, fitted for a liospital 
 rather than for a camp, I had hardly got to sleep, about 
 midnight, when I was awakene<i by a messenger from Des- 
 rivi^res at the barricade, to say he had made a good work 
 and he wanted more men. I could hardly make a reply, 
 when it appeared as if the whole picket was back in camjj 
 with a report that an enemy was upon us. it proved a false 
 alarm, but only a portion returned to their posts. There 
 was evidently a scare. 
 
 On the morning of Saturday, 25th, I inspected our forces ; 
 for, being collected from the neighboring parishes, their 
 
- 38 — 
 
 t 
 
 utttMulancc was somowliat irregular. There turned out in 
 camp precisely one liundred and nine fire-locks, or, I should 
 say, fiint-locks, for many of them refused to fire, when 
 essayed a few hours after. Just at thigi time, a raan riding 
 up delivered a letter from St. Matliias, opposite Chambly, 
 informing mo that ('ol. Wetherall hud orders to fall back to 
 Montreal, and was retreating. The after story was that Col. 
 Wetherall did not retreat, because these people had stupidly 
 stop the order from Sir John (.\)lb()rne to that ettect ; and, 
 ruoreovor that I, who was eighteen miles distant, with 
 Wetherall haUwav between, was in command of them. Most 
 of all, the man wlio was said to born(! the order, told me in 
 Montreal, seven years afterwards, that he was ready to make 
 oath th'.it he was not detained by iny orders. He did not see 
 nie, but knew my voice ! Sudi are the materials of history ! 
 Had "Wetherall retreated, our weakness would have been 
 undiscovered, and we should have remained masters of the 
 south side of the St. Lawrence. 
 
 Anticipating no danger for the day, I sot about improving 
 our camp, and then rode down to the village, to make 
 arrangements for grinding wheat. While consulting with 
 Bunker, the hotel-keeper, at his door, a messenger rushed up 
 to intorm me that the troops were approaching ; and, return- 
 ing to the camp, I found that my pickets, already redu- 
 ced to about twenty-five men, had all come back to bring the 
 news. Putting myself at their head, I went up about two 
 miles to reconnoitre, and from a slight eminence, saw the 
 whole brigade, in strength, beyond our means of opposition. 
 3 
 
— 34 — 
 
 Jlepoating my order to firo from heliiiid tho wood-pilo.-* that 
 flanked the road, to delay their niaroh, [ returned to camp. 
 My horse, making a sudden turn and jump, threw, mo, as 
 weak as I was, over his head a good distance, on the rough, 
 frozen road. The liorse caught, I mounted, and proceeded. 
 At another time, I shouhl liavo ro(|uired a tiurdlo for my 
 removal ; but, when the mind';* energies are strong, the body 
 is at best a mere incumbrance. Its suttererings are unheeded. 
 
 In the camp, or might be host called our enclosure, thore 
 were about eighty men, who bravely took their places behind 
 the defences. There were more, I knew, in the village, one- 
 third of a mile distant. They must be hurried up. Witiiout 
 an " aide ", [ must go myself, thinking the time abundant. 
 The fields were covered with men, women, and children, 
 flying before the troops, from their deserted houses, and the 
 more terrifiiul as smoke and flames shot up from barns set 
 on fire. 
 
 The last many of my men had seen of me was liurrying 
 from front to rear, as fast as my weak state would permit. 
 Just as I was turning to get back to camp, a stout habilant 
 breathless, in iiis shirt sleeves, came running from above, 
 to tell me that he was sent by tlie English commander 
 {" General Anglais ") to say that if we were dispersed, 
 nobody should ])e harmed (This afterwards was carroliorated 
 by sworn testimony ; and Col. Gugy, accompanying the 
 troops, told me it was he who sent him). Supposing by this 
 that Col. Wetherall was pressed by " Patriots " in the rear, 
 and was hurrying to Sorel, I sought a fit person to carry 
 
«- 35 — 
 
 back answer that if the troops laid down tlieir arms, they 
 would he allowed to proceed uninolcHted. This cause a few 
 Tninutes, delay ; he had to run for a coat ; and but for this 
 incident that day would probably have been my last. I liad 
 reached the ravine, within one minutes' ride from the camp, 
 when one round-shot after the other buzzed jtast me down 
 the road. Musketry was heard, and men falling back showed 
 me their broken and useless arms. All appeared to be coming. 
 My whole duty now was to endeavor to keep them together, 
 and make face on a new front. Finding this was impossible, 
 — for manv would break for their homes, and that I remained 
 unsupported, — my " occupation " at St Charles " gone ", 
 towards dusk, I joined Doctor Xelson at St Denis. 
 
 Wish such disparity of forces, the atlair was soon over. 
 Two six-pou"der guns tiring short aiul grape, and near four 
 hundred muskets, nuule short work with the handful in our 
 <*ainp ; but the maidy courage of these Caradians was of the 
 highest order, when they opened fire and stood their ground 
 till thirty three were left dead ; — none wounded escaped. 
 The names of all killed, which I have taken from the parish 
 registers, do not (juite ccpial this number. 
 
 The troops lost, by the return made, 1 sergeant and 2 rank 
 and file killed : 15 rank and file wounded. The Colonel's 
 horse was shot dead. The horses of Major Ward and Captain 
 David (cavalry) severely wounded. Tliey did not advance 
 below the camp till the next day, when they came into the 
 village, and picked up a few villagers to be conducted to 
 Montreal as prisoners. 
 
— 36 — 
 
 The published rei)ort8 announced a lons^, liard faught 
 hattle : I had fifteen hundred men, but ran away before tlie 
 action commenced ; and three hutidred were killed on our 
 side. A subsequent " official " report reduced them to one 
 hundred and twenty-five. The first exaggeration was about 
 ten times, — the last four ; and this, I presume, is a fair spe- 
 cimen ot the truthfulness of what we read of' battles" else- 
 where. I was told the day following by some ])eoi>lc' near 
 St. Denis, who did not know me, that the " general " had 
 sold himself to the English, and run away to the States, with 
 all the Patriot money. 
 
 It may well be asked what we expected to effort with 
 such wretched preparations at St Chnrkis ? I can only answer 
 for myself, that, seeing the determined animation of the 
 people, 1 th(nigiic the leaders would remain with them, and 
 the raising of the '' Patriot '' Hag at St. Charles, wtnild be 
 tln^ signal foi a general rising ; that men and arms would 
 flow in from the States, as into Texas; and that Sir dohn 
 Oolborne would ex'aeuate Montreal for (Quebec, leaving us all 
 the country outside. ITad thei'e been tlu' militia laws and 
 military knowledge of to-day, this was easy, l^hen I thought 
 we would in the winter send (Commissioners to England, 
 in mercantile }»hrase, " to make a settlement". Ours was 
 simply a provincial war of factions. The "' Bareatnu-ats " 
 vanquisiu'«l us, and tlie province had to wait a few years 
 tor a government based upon " the well-undersiood wishes 
 of the people." Had we vanquished them, there would have 
 been only a delay of a few months, with an immense saving 
 to the British Government, 
 
— 37 — 
 
 On Monday, the 27tli, alarmed with a report that Col. 
 Wethcrall would attack St. Deni^, the place was evacuated. 
 Br Nelson, the present Sir George E. Cartier, myself, and 
 few others, passed the day seated very stupidly in a swamp, 
 a few miles back from Richelieu. In the evening we learned 
 that Wethcrall was on the march back to Montreal, and the 
 next day we returned to St. Charles and St. Denis. I had 
 considered WetheralTs success at St. Charles of little moment, 
 — only a " Lexington ; " and, if favored by the usual bad 
 weather of the season, his command would be made pri- 
 soners before they recrossed the St. Lawrence. On the con- 
 
 • 
 
 trary, his success proved decisive. 
 
 We continued at St. Denis with a small armed party till 
 2nd Decemi>cr, when, on the secon<l approacli of Col. Gore, 
 tliere was a second evacuation. Dr. Nelson, myself, and four 
 others, passed over to St. Cesairc in the night to take the 
 woods. At the end of three days we got separated. T escaped 
 after various vicissitudes, through the States : my compan- 
 ions were (;aptured. Thetive hundred pouiids reward offered 
 for Nelson's apprehension was paid : the same sum (,)ff(r(!d 
 for mine still remains in the treasury. Soon learning the 
 determination of the American authorities, 1 took no part 
 with the " sympathizers.'" Leaving for the South, in the 
 autumn of 1838, 1 only heard of that year's attempt at inva- 
 sion from the States, at Key West, after my return from 
 Cuba. In Florida I remained till the spring 1844: when, 
 hearing that a nolle prosequi had, unasked, been entered in 
 my case, for what reason I never knew, I came back to Mon- 
 
— 38 — 
 
 treal, landing alone on the wharf; ami, paBsing throiigii the 
 streets, nhook hands cordially and indiscriminately with old 
 acquaintances, friends or toes, as though I had merely 
 returned from a long journey. Our angry passages of the 
 past wore all turned to jokes and good fellowship, and so they 
 have continued. (=^) 
 
 THOMAS ST(^IiK'()\V BROWN. 
 
 * 1 have tlie materials t'oi' n liistoi'V of IS.'iT. tli;it, ivitli the (lociiiiieiits. 
 Wdiild hll two voluiiu's, wliicli I may never liave time to piejiare lor 
 publication. That a record of many tliin^is. now in the lapse of time 
 only known to myself, may b<' preseived, I have sent this iuticle to the 
 iJoiiiinioii Moiithh/. It liiis been written of!" rapidly — the work of 
 evenings and <'ai'ly mornings — in on<' week T. S. V,, 
 
\^ 
 
 ■ QUEBEC :~PKINTED BY L. J. BEMEKS & KUfcRE 
 
 30, De la Fabrique .street 
 
 )'^'