B. Rebellion Events in Lower Canada

From HCO Jr

5. Conflict & Change: The Rebellion Years → A. Background of Discontent → B. Lower Canada Rebellion → C. Upper Canada Rebellion → D. Invasion & Aftermath → E. Road to Responsible Government

The Steps to Rebellion

What sparked the 1837 rebellion in Lower Canada? This is a difficult question. There are certain events that led some people to become violent. However, there has to be a series of events before the spark. A spark cannot spark cannot start a fire unless there is wood to burn.

The event that angered the reformers of Lower Canada was the British government rejecting the Ninety-Two Resolutions. The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada sent a copy of the resolutions to a government commission set up in England to study the problems in Lower Canada. The Commission rejected all of the resolutions.

Lord John Russell

On March 1, 1837, Colonial Secretary Lord John Russell made a presentation to the British Parliament. Russell, as colonial secretary, was responsible for all of Britain's colonies. Russell presented his own resolutions to Parliament. They were called the Ten Resolutions. Russell ignored everything that the Lower Canadian Patriots wanted.

Under the Ten Resolutions the Legislative Assembly and the Patriots lost a lot of political power. The Governor of Lower Canada was given control of all public money in Lower Canada. If French-Canadians did not like how the government spent public money they had no voice. The governor was not elected by the people. The only options for French-Canadians to oppose the government was to stop paying taxes, or rebel against the government.

Lower Canada Protests

On May 7, 1837, the Patriots held a protest against the Ten Resolutions. About 1200 people gathered at the town of St. Ours (near Montreal). On May 15, Papineau began to speak more openly against the British government. He said people should start smuggling goods from the United States into Lower Canada. Most taxes at this time were raised by putting taxes on goods that came in and out of the colony. Papineau said that Americans had boycotted imports from England to protest before the American Revolution. Papineau wanted French-Canadians to do the same thing.

Papineau on the Platform

The two opposing sides in Lower Canada were growing further apart. Papineau was angry at the treatment French-Canadians were receiving from the British government. However, the British government thought that Papineau and the Patriots were dangerous. It was now almost impossible for the reformers to sit down with the Tories and find a solution to the problem.

Matters quickly became worse. Governor Gosford of Lower Canada issued a new law that banned all public gatherings. He brought more British troops into the colony. Gosford also had John Colborne brought to Canada to command all the troops in both Upper and Lower Canada. Colborne had been in command of British troops during the Napoleonic Wars. It was clear to many people that Governor Gosford expected violence to break out in the colony. The Patriots, however, kept holding public meetings despite the new law.

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The Patriots Prepare for Rebellion

It was clear to Papineau and the other Patriots that the British goverment and the governor of Lower Canada would not listen to their demands for reform. On October 15, 1837, Papineau and other Patriot leaders met and created a new society. It was called L'Assocation des Fils de la Liberté (The Sons of Liberty). This was the same name adopted by those who supported the American Revolution.

One month later, L'Assocation des Fils de la Liberté published a manifesto (i.e.: a statement of what they believed in). In this manifesto they said that Lower Canada should become a republic. This meant that the British monarch should be rejected, and all political power should be with the people of Lower Canada not the British monarch. A few days later over one thousand young Patriots went on military manoeuvres to practice for the battles they thought would soon begin.

The Grand Assembly of the Six Counties

Wolfred Nelson

Matters in Lower Canada were steadily becoming worse. The Bishop of Quebec, Jean-Jacques Lartigue, issued a letter saying that it was wrong for anyone to revolt against the government. Howevever, several Catholic priests in Lower Canada disagreed and publicly said they supported the Patriots. Another Patriot leader, Dr. Wolfred Nelson, held an assembly called the Grand Assembly of Six Counties (because Patriots from six counties gathered together). Nelson said "the time has come to melt our spoons into bullets."

The day before the rally, the government issued a proclamation banning any military drill or parades in Quebec and Montreal. General Colborne brought in more soldiers from Upper Canada in case the protest turned violent.

Violence did occur on November 6, 1837. The Patriots held a rally in Montreal. Some English Montrealers who did not like the Patriots attacked a newspaper that supported the Patriot cause. A riot soon broke out between the French and the English. Papineau's house was also attacked. Stones were thrown through the windows and damage was caused to the property

Original Flag Used by the Parti Patriote in the Rebellion of 1837-38; the green represents the Irish in the ranks of the Patriotes. This flag was banned by the British authorities after the 1837-1839 revolution in Lower Canada.

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First Military Action

Montreal Volunteer Cavalry

It was only a matter of time before a battle broke out between British troops and the Patriots. The first shots in the rebellion were fired on November 10 at the town of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu. A group of Patriotes shot over the heads of a troop of militia who were advancing on the town. Other Patriot men hrassed the soldiers with pikes (long poles with spear points on the end).

Six days later, on November 16, at the town of Longueuil, a Rebel force of 150 men ambushed fifteen soldiers who were marching to the town of St-Jean. Shots were fired by both sides, and several men were wounded on both sides.

Map of the Rebellion; by Courtney Bond

News of these battles spread quickly. Governor Gosford issued orders that all Patriot leaders should be arrested and put in prison. The charge was high-treason: trying to overthrow the government. Patriot leaders fled Montreal to avoid being arrested. Papineau left Montreal in disguise for the town of St-Charles. There were 26 leaders in total, but only five were arrested. A group of armed Patriots attacked one prison, and freed two of the men who had been arrested. A crowd of 1000 supporters gathered to protest the arrest on November 19. A riot broke out. Soldiers put down the riot, and then the gates to the city of Quebec were locked to prevent people from entering or leaving the city.

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The Battles of St-Denis & St-Charles

Battle of St-Denis

Patriot men travelled to the town of St-Denis. They took cover in two buildings that had thick stone walls. They hoped that these walls would offer protection if the British troops brought cannons to attack them. Another group of Patriots took over the home of a wealthy seigneur in the town of St. Charles. There were only 100 Patriots at St. Charles. Both groups knew that British soldiers would soon find them, and battles would begin.

The first battle of the Rebellion was a victory for the Patriotes. British troops marched to the town of St-Denis, but were met with musket fire from the rebels who took up positions around the town. The battle last for seven hours. George-Etienne Cartier, who would later become a Father of Confederation, fought on the Patriot side at this battle. The British suffered six dead and eleven wounded soldiers. The Patriots lost twelve men, and seven more were wounded.

Battle of St-Denis

The Battle of St. Charles

Battle of St-Charles

The day after the Battle of St-Denis, British troops continued to march towrads the town of St-Charles. Patriote troops decided to hold their ground at St-Charles. The British troops reached the small town on November 25. The battle lasted two hours. Three hundred and fifty British troops attacked 100 Patriote troops who took cover in a large house just outside of the town. When the battle ended the Patriotes suffered 28 dead and about 30 wounded. The British lost only seven men, and 23 wounded. Some of the Patriote men were shot as they tried to swim across the Richelieu River away fro the British troops. British troops burned down the small town of St-Charles to punish the local people for supporting the rebellion.

Papineau Reward Poster

On December 1, Governor Gosford issued a proclamation in French and English promising an reward of 1000 pounds in provincial currency to anyone who captured the rebel leader Louis-Joseph Papineau, and gave him over to the British. However, it was too late for anyone to try and capture Papineau. He had already crossed the US border at Middlebury, Vermont, with Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan.

Papineau wanted the Patriotes to stop fighting. He realized they had no hope of defeating the British. However, the more radical Patriotes refused to stop fighting. This was a bad decision. Over the next few days British troops continued to patrol the area outside of Montreal. There were a few more small conflicts, but the British troops easily defeated the few Patriotes that they encountered.

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Slaughter at St-Eustache

The last battle was fought at St-Eustache. On December 5, Gosford proclaimed martial law in Lower Canada. Strict rules were put in place in the colony in an effort control the population. Gosford also ordered the military to turn its attention to the rebels north of Montreal. Spies had told Gosford that Patriote leaders Dr. Jean-Olivier Chénier and Amury Girod had tried to secure weapons at the French town of Oka. On December 10, British troops were sent to St-Martin to guard the bridge leading to St-Eustache and St-Benoît against Patriote rebels.

Attack on St-Eustache

On December 13 British troops numbering 1200 strong set out toward St-Eustache, 31 km northwest of Montreal. Along with the British troops was 600 troops from the Quebec garrison and 200 militia. This large force arrived at St-Eustache the following day. Most Patriotes had fled the town before the British arrived, but 400 rebels remained. They were led by Dr. Jean-Olivier Chénier and Amury Girod. Both of these leaders were holed up in the church, the presbytery, the convent and neighbouring houses. These were the sturdiest buildings in the town.

St-Eustache Church Under Bombardment

The Patriotes had little hope of defeating the British. Nearly 100 rebels were killed in the battle, including Chénier. Soldiers set fire to the church, and shot anyone who tried to escape by jumping out windows; eighteen Patriotes were taken prisoner and the village was burned to the ground.

Ruins of St-Eustache, 1838

On December 15, the British troops marched from St-Eustache to St. Benoît; and got the remaining 150 Patriotes to surrender their arms without a fight. The following day the Patriotes were released, but the town was burned to the ground.

On December 21, in order to assure the loyalty of his civil service, Lower Canada Governor Gosford delegated to certain officials the power to swear oaths of allegiance; those who refused were arrested under martial law.

Conclusion

The rebellion in Lower Canada had come to an end. It was in many ways a fruitless rebellion. There was little chance that the Patriotes could defeat the British troops. Perhaps if more French Canadians had risen up with the Patriotes the rebellion would have lasted longer. However, the Patriotes could never get enough men to support them. Also, the Patriotes were not well equipped compared to the well armed and well trained British troops.

The rebellion of Lower Canada, however, did not end on the battlefield. Along with the rebellion in Upper Canada, the ideas of the rebellion would carry forward in Canadian politics. Papineau had lost this battle, but their ideas would eventually win over Canadians.