1837-1838 armed conflicts

History is written by the victor. The events of 1837 and 1838 have thus been given the name of "rebellions", "insurrections", "uprisings" or "troubles" by the colonial power. This site prefers the more accurate expression of "Military Repression" "Armed resistance" for the first conflict and "Patriot War" or "Revolutionary War" for the second conflict. In Québec, these events are sometimes referred to as La deuxième Conquête (The Second Conquest).

1837

• March 1: London, England - Colonial Secretary, John Russell, future Earl Russell, and the British government reject the Ninety-Two Resolutions, a list of political and economic reforms drawn up by Papineau and his Parti patriote supporters.

• March 2: London, England - The British Colonial Secretary John Russell's Ten Resolutions are published. The British government rejects all of the elective assembly's grievances and reforms. Worst, the assembly's sole power, the power to control of the budget, is given to the colonial government.

• March 6: London, England - The British Parliament approves the Ten Resolutions. The Governor of Lower Canada can now pay salaries of the officials without the approval of the Assembly.

• April 10: Quebec, Quebec - Lower Canada's elected MPs angered as British Colonial Secretary Lord John Russell's Ten Resolutions are published in Canada.

• May 7: St-Ours, Quebec - Louis-Joseph Papineau is chosen leader of the Comité central et permanent de Montréal during a popular assembly of 1,200 people. Adoption of the Déclaration de St-Ours.

• May 15: St-Laurent, Quebec - Louis-Joseph Papineau speaks at a popular assembly at St-Laurent and St-Marc against Lord Russell's resolutions; advocates the boycott of imports from Great Britain and smuggling with the United States; Governor Gosford responds with a proclamation against the holding of popular assemblies.

• May 18: Quebec, Quebec - Lower Canada banks suspend payment until June 23, 1838; due to civil strife.

• May 23: Montreal, Quebec - The Permanent Central Committee of the Patriotes passes a resolution demanding free trade with the United States; led by Louis-Joseph Papineau, the PCC asks for a boycott of all taxable British imports, as a way of starving the government of funds.

• June 15: Montreal, Quebec - Governor Archibald Acheson, Lord Gosford, bans public meetings, and the movement toward "rebellion" intensifies.

• June 26: St-Thomas, Quebec - Patriotes hold illegal assemblies in Bellechasse and L'Islet.

• June 29: Montreal, Quebec - Patriote assembly at Montreal demands democratic rights.

• June 30: Toronto, Quebec - William Lyon Mackenzie helps found the Committee of Vigilance of Upper Canada.

• July 04: Missisquoi, Quebec - Patriote assembly meets at Stanbridge to demand democratic rights; many American sympathizers attend.

• July 16: Deschambault, Quebec - Patriotes hold illegal assembly at Deschambault.

• July 17: Napierville, Quebec - Louis-Joseph Papineau chairs an illegal protest meeting at Napierville with Cyrille-Hector-Octave Côté.

• July 25: Montreal, Quebec - Mgr. Lartigue tells his priests to warn their flocks that rebellion against the established authority is a sin.

• July 26: Yamachiche, Quebec - Patriotes hold an illegal assembly at Yamachiche, in the county of Saint-Maurice.

• July 29: L'Assomption, Quebec - Patriotes hold illegal assembly at l'Assomption.

• Jul 30: Vaudreuil, Quebec - Patriotes hold illegal assembly at Vaudreuil.

• August 18: Quebec, Quebec - Opening of fourth session of fifteenth Parliament of Lower Canada; opened until August 26; after long debate, the Assembly refuses budget subsidies to Gosford.

• August 22: Montreal, Quebec - Founding of the Association des dames patriotiques (Association of Patriotic Women); urge the wearing of local clothing to avoid imports.

• August 26: Quebec, Quebec - Governor Gosford dissolves the fourth session of fifteenth Parliament of Lower Canada.

• September 5: Montreal, Quebec - First meeting of the Fils de la Liberté (Sons of Liberty) at the Nelson Hotel in Montreal.

• October 4: Montreal, Quebec - The Fils de la Liberté publish a manifesto calling for the election of a republican government in Lower Canada.

• October 23: St-Charles, Quebec - Wolfred Nelson leads 5,000 Patriotes in the two-day Grand Assembly of the Six Counties - Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Rouville, Chambly, Verchères and L'Acadie - at St-Charles in the Richelieu Valley; After a moderate speech of Papineau, Nelson declares in French that "the time has come to melt our spoons into bullets"; At the instigation of their leader, Louis-Joseph Papineau, the conference delegates approve Thirteen Resolutions based on the Rights of Man; the young Sons of Liberty erect a Column of Liberty in the square.

• October 23: Montreal, Quebec - Mgr. Lartigue issues a pastoral letter condemning the reformist goals of the Patriotes, and asking the people of Lower Canada to obey the lawful authority. A small group of dissicent priests will disobey, including Curé Blanchet of St-Charles, and Curé Demers of St-Denis.

• October 23: Montreal, Quebec - Loyalist Assembly takes place in Montreal; opposing the demands of the Patriotes.

November 4: Montreal, Quebec - The Fils de la Liberté hold a massive Patriote rally in Montreal on the Place d'Armes; a riot breaks out when members of the Doric Club, determined to "crush rebellion in the bud", throw a hail of stones at the rebels, who fight back; Chevalier de Lorimier and Thomas Storrow Brown are seriously injured in the street fighting; under the eye of the militia, the English youths roam the streets and demonstrate in front of the house of Louis-Joseph Papineau.

• November 4: Quebec, Quebec - Government issues proclamation banning military drill in Quebec and Montreal.

• November 06: Montreal, Quebec - The Doric Club wrecks the offices of The Vindicator, and stones the houses of Louis-Joseph Papineau and André Ouimet, president of Les Fils de la Liberté. The patriots raise a liberty pole carrying the inscription "À Papineau, ses compatriotes reconnaissants, 1837."

• November 10: St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec - Patriotes fire on a troop of militia led by Commander Malo, and harass the soldiers with pikes; asks for reinforcements to be sent from Montreal.

• November 11: Quebec, Quebec - Authorities start arresting Patriotes; Louis-Joseph Papineau and other leaders decide to resist the arrest.

• November 13: Montreal, Quebec - Louis-Joseph Papineau flees Montreal in disguise after a warrant is issued for his arrest. He is heading for St-Denis.

• November 15: Toronto, Ontario - William Lyon Mackenzie 1795-1861 publishes a draft republican constitution based on the American one.

• November 16: Longueuil, Quebec - Rebel force of 150 led by Bonaventure Viger and Dr. Timothée Kimber ambush a fifteen-man troop of the Montreal Volunteer Cavalry led by Constable Malo en route to St-Jean to arrest Patriote leaders; shots are fired and there are several wounded on both sides; first military action in the Rebellion of 1837.

• November 16: Quebec, Quebec - Governor Gosford issues warrants for the arrest of 26 Patriote leaders on charges of high treason, after the Rebellion of 1837's first skirmish at Longueuil; Papineau and Wolfred Nelson among those named; only five leaders will be captured.

• November 18: St-Charles, Quebec - Thomas Storrow Brown, General of Les Fils de la Liberté seizes the manor of seigneur Pierre-Dominique Debartzch, south of the village of Saint-Charles and establishes a camp with 100 rebels.

• November 18: Montreal, Quebec - Colonel George Wetherall and a detachment of 350 British troops leaves Montreal and travels to Chambly.

November 18: Toronto, Ontario - William Lyon Mackenzie decides on a coup d'etat for December 7; to create a republican government in Upper Canada that would petition for union with the United States.

• November 19: Quebec, Quebec - Crowd of 1000 gathers at the Marché St-Paul to support those Patriotes put in jail; after rioting breaks out with loyalists, military authorities lock the gates of the city at 8 PM.

• November 22: St-Charles, Quebec - Louis-Joseph Papineau presides over a meeting of Patriote leaders at St-Charles.

• November 22: Montreal, Quebec - Charles Gore leaves Montreal for Sorel on the steamboat Saint George with 500 men; his plan is to meet up with Wetherall at St-Charles, and move with a combined force of 2,000 Waterloo veterans against the Patriotes in the Richelieu Valley.

• November 23: St-Denis, Quebec - Patriote leader Wolfred Nelson leads his followers in defeating Colonel Charles Gore and his 2,000 British troops at the battle of St-Denis. Gore's Waterloo veterans, 6 companies of infantry and a detachment of artillery, have no success against the deadly fire of the rebels, holed up in Nelson's distillery and behind the thick stone walls of the Maison Saint-Germain; after seven hours of fighting, the British suffer 6 dead and 11 wounded, Nelson's Patriotes lose 12 men and seven wounded; a British prisoner, Lt. Jack Weir, is also killed trying to escape; Nelson later jailed in Montreal; Louis-Joseph Papineau, Thomas Storrow Brown, Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan and a young George-Etienne Cartier flee to St-Hyacinthe, then to Vermont.

• November 23: St-Benoît, Quebec - Patriote leader Amury Girod sets up a rebel camp at St-Benoît, north of Montreal, intending to attack the city.

• November 25: St-Charles, Quebec - Colonel George Wetherall and 350 British troops charge Thomas Storrow Brown's 100 Patriote rebels holed up in the Manoir of seigneur Pierre-Dominique Debartzch, south of the village of St. Charles. The British storm the manor house, then burn the village before leaving; in two hours of fighting, they lose 7 dead and 23 wounded; the Patriotes lose about 30 wounded and 28 dead, some are shot as they swim across the Richelieu River. Patriote leader Thomas Storrow Brown flees the battle before it is over, and the spirit of the Patriote forces, elated after the victory of Saint-Denis, is crushed.

• November 25: St-Denis, Quebec - Funeral of the Patriotes killed at St-Denis.

• November 27: St-Charles, Quebec - Funeral for 24 Patriotes killed at St-Charles in battle with British troops.

• November 28: St-Mathias - Edouard Malhiot leads Patriote rebels in skirmish against Wetherall's British troops; two killed at Pointe-Olivier; most have fled on hearing of the defeat at St-Charles.

• November 30: Montreal, Quebec - Col. George Wetherall and his troops make a triumphal return to Montreal with 30 prisoners and the Liberty Pole that had been erected at Saint-Charles.

November 30: Oka, Quebec - Patriote leaders Dr. Jean-Olivier Chénier and Amury Girod, with 200 men try to secure weapons at Oka.

December 1: Montreal, Quebec - Governor Gosford issues a proclamation in French and English promising a reward of 1000 pounds (4000 piastres) to anyone who can apprehend and hand over rebel leader Louis-Joseph Papineau.

• December 1: Middlebury, Vermont - Patriote leaders Louis-Joseph Papineau and Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan arrive in free land.

• December 2: St-Denis, Quebec - Lt-Col. Charles Gore returns to St-Denis after earlier standoff by the Patriote rebels; troops sack and burn the village; Gore heads to St-Charles the following day, then to St-Hyacinthe.

• December 02: Middlebury, Vermont - At a Patriotes meeting, Louis-Joseph Papineau opposes immediate counterstike, advocating diplomatic talks to involve the Americans. Robert Nelson and other members disagree and decide to act alone.

• December 03: St-Charles, Quebec - Lt-Col Charles Gore and his troops arrive at St-Charles, and leave the following day for St-Hyacinthe.

• December 04: St-Hyacinthe, Quebec - Lt-Col Charles Gore leads British troops into St-Hyacinthe from St-Charles.

• December 05: Montreal, Quebec - Lord Gosford proclaims martial law in Lower Canada.

• December 06: Moore's Corner, Quebec - Militia Colonel Kemp and 300 Canadian volunteers ambush a group of 80 rebels at 8 pm coming across the US border with newly acquired weapons and 2 cannon; during the 20 minute skirmish, 4 Patriotes are captured, one killed; the rest retreat across the border when Colborne dispatches 600 British regulars and 3 cannon to St-Armand.

• December 07: Montreal, Quebec - Col. Charles Gore returns to Montreal with his British regulars after fighting Patriote rebels at St-Denis and St-Charles.

• December 10: Montreal, Quebec - British troops sent to St-Martin to guard the bridge leading to St-Eustache and St-Benoît against Patriote rebels.

• December 13: Montreal, Quebec - John Colborne, Baron Seaton sets out toward St-Eustache with 2,000 British Army regulars in two brigades commanded by Wetherall and Maitland.

• December 13: Buffalo, New York - William Lyon Mackenzie sets up a provisional government and proclaims "The Republic of Canada" on Navy Island in the Niagara River; his flag is a tricolour bearing two stars, one for Upper Canada, one for Lower Canada, symbolizing the states who will enter the American union; disgusted by a lack of support, he will leave a month later, and settle for a time in New York City.

• December 13: Brantford, Ontario - Dr. Charles Duncombe orders his 300 rebel followers to disperse after learning of Mackenzie's defeat at Toronto.

• December 14: St-Eustache, Quebec - John Colborne leads 1,200 British regulars, a regiment of 600 from the Quebec garrison commanded by Wetherall and Maitland, and 200 militia to the town of St-Eustache, in the County of Deux-Montagnes 31 km northwest of Montreal; most Patriotes have fled, but 400 rebels remain, led by Dr. Jean-Olivier Chénier and Amury Girod, holed up in the church, the presbytery, the convent and neighbouring houses; after noon Colborne gives the order to attack; nearly 100 rebels are killed, including Chénier, in five hours of withering British cannon and grapeshot fire; soldiers set fire to the church, and shoot any who try to escape by jumping out windows; 18 taken prisoner and the village burned to the ground.

• December 15: St-Benoît, Quebec - John Colborne marches from St-Eustache to St. Benoît; gets remaining 150 Patriotes to surrender their arms without a fight; the following day, Colborne orders them released, but puts the village to the torch.

• December 16: St-Benoît, Quebec - John Colborne, Baron Seaton 1778-1863 orders the 150 captured Patriotes released, but puts the village to the torch; orders Colonel Maitland to proceed to St-Scholastique and Ste-Thérèse.

• December 19: St-Eustache, Quebec - John Colborne frees 64 of the 120 Patriote prisoners taken at St-Eustache, then returns to Montreal.

• December 21: Quebec, Quebec - Lower Canada Governor Gosford delegates to certain officials the power to swear oaths of allegiance; those who refuse are arrested under martial law.

1838

• January 05: President of the United States Martin Van Buren proclaims the neutrality of his country.

• February 10: London, England - The British Parliament suspends the Constitution of Lower Canada and names John George Lambton Governor General and high commissioner to inquire on the rebellions.

• February 24: Elizabethtown, USA - A weapons robbery attributted to the Patriotes, occurs at arsenal of Elizabethtown in the State of New York.

• February 26: Alburg, Vermont - Robert Nelson, general of the Patriot forces, assembles between 600 and 700 Frères Chasseurs and American sympathizers to invade Lower Canada.

• February 27: Montreal, Quebec - John Colborne officially takes duty. The martial law is proclaimed.

• February 28: Caldwell's Manor, Quebec - A group of Patriotes, under the command of Robert Nelson and Cyrille-Hector-Octave Côté, invade the province and stop near Caldwell's Manor. Robert Nelson proclaims the Independence of Lower Canada.

• February 29: US Border - Nelson and the Patriots are forced to retreat on the other side of the frontier. The American Army arrest Nelson and Côté.

• March 30: London, England - Lord Durham is named Governor General of British North America. He is also made High Commisioner charged of enquring on the rebellions.

• April 27: Montreal, Quebec - Martial law is revoked in the district of Montreal, 501 people are imprisoned in Montreal for treason or sedition. 5 people are also imprisoned in Quebec City.

Sources

• Timeline of Rebellions of 1837-38
• The 1837 Rebellions: Chronology of Events
• Les patriotes de 1837-1838 (French)
• Les Rébellions des Patriotes (French)
• Chronologie de l'histoire du Québec (French)