The Patriot War
1837-1838
Purpose, Scope and Limitations
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The Patriot War was a rebellion in both Lower Canada (Quebec) against the establishment
known as the "Chateau Clique" and in Upper Canada (Ontario) as the "Family Compact".
These ruling bodies were appointed within themselves and were not elected by the people. It
became an international conflict when leaders sought American assistance in the struggle. In
1836 and 1837, MACKENZIE gathered support among farmers around Toronto, who were
sympathetic to his cause after an especially bad harvest in 1835. This had led to a recession,
and in the following years, the banks had begun to tighten credit and recall loans.
Organization and Development
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We review the main events in each of the areas of conflict and then review the results of the
Patriot War.
Presentation
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The persons, places and events give a summary of the short war that led to responsible
government in the Province of Canada. The Loyalists are shown such as PRINCE while the
rebels are shown as MACKENZIE.
Outline
LOUIS-JOSEPH PAPINEAU
Windsor and Sandwich
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Toronto and Prescott
Pelee Island and the· St. Clair River
Illustrations
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LOUIS-JOSEPH PAPINEAU
WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE
New Queen, Victoria
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WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE
Amherstburg and Fighting Island
Events Subsequent
The Patriot War
WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE
1795-1861
MACKENZIE was a Canadian journalist, politician, and leader
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He used the newspaper as a form of expressing the ideas of
himself and his reform party. In response to this, fifteen young
men from wealthy, well-known families of York raided his
printing office, damaged his press, and threw cases of type into
Lake Ontario in 1826. In 1828 he was elected to the Legislative
Assen:by ofypper Canada, but was expelled five times for libel,
each time being re-elected.
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of a rebellion. He was born in Dundee, Scotland and
immigrated to Upper Canada in 1820. From 1824 to 1834 he
published the newspaper the Colonial Advocate in York, Upper
Canada (now Toronto, Ontario) attacking the upper class clique
known as the "Family Compact".
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In 1834 he became the first mayor of Toronto. In 1837 he led
the Upper Canada Rebellion against Sir FRANCIS BOND
HEAD, the Lt. Governor, and the "Family Compact". BOND
HEAD, had sent all his British regulars at Fort York to help
suppress 'the patriotes' in Quebec; the militia had to respond.
MACKENZIE
had appointed SAMUEL LOUNT and
ANTHONY VAN EGMOND as his military commanders.
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The rebel advance guard, without MACKENZIE, gathered at
Montgomery's Tavern, somewhere in the vicinity of Yonge and
.•.. Dundas, met a twenty-strong militia picket and "what ensued
was pure comedy: each side discharged their muskets and
turned and fled in great precipitation in opposite directions".
MACKENZIE forces waited for BOND HEAD's force of about
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1000 men and one cannon, led by Colonel lAMES
,. FITZGIBBON (of Battle of Beaver Dams, War of 1812 fame),
which outnumbered MACKENZIE's approximately 400 rebels.
A dozen rebels were killed, two dozen more wounded, and the
remainder fled. LOUNT and VAN EGMOND were captured;
LOUNT was hanged and the latter died awaiting execution.
Others were transported to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania).
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Meanwhile, a group of rebels from the settlement of London (in the
west of Upper Canada), led by CHARLES DUNCOMBE, marched
toward Toronto to support MACKENZIE. Colonel ALLAN
MACNAB met them near Hamilton, Ontario on December 13, and
the rebels fled.
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The Patriot War
WILLIAl\1 LYON MACKENZIE
1795-1861
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The uprising (at Montgomery's Tavern) was suppressed, but --------,
its leader, WILIAM LYON MACKENZIE, fled to American soil
to collect recruits, arms and money for a renewed attempt at
his contemplated liberation of the colony. He set up a
provisional government on Navy Island in the Niagara River.
His flag of Upper and Lower Canada is shown here.
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LIBERTY
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Popular sentiment in the States believed that
the Canadians were eager to overthrow British
rule and form a Republic patterned after the
American model, and an organization known
as the Hunter Patriots was formed to assist the
rebellion. Stiff fighting came in November
1838 when more than two hundred Americans
landed at Prescott (Fort Wellington) on the St.
Lawrence River and held up in a stone
windmill and stone houses (known as the
Battle of the Windmill).
Battle of the Windmill
Part of the Upper Canada Rebellion
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Contemporary engraving of the Battle of the Windmill as
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seen from the American shore.
A small force of soldiers and sailors was sent
from Fort Henry, Kingston, and the militia of
Glengarry, Dundas and Grenville counties also
came.
Between them seventy regulars and seven hundred
militiamen pinned the Americans down until more
regulars arrived from Montreal with artillery coming from
Fort Henry. They pounded the Americans into submission
with 45 casualties while they sustained eighty. Eventually
the invaders surrendered; some were executed including
their leader, NILS von SCHOULTZ, and some sent to Van
Dieman's Land (Tasmania).
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The Patriot War
LOUIS-JOSEPH PAPINEAU
1786-1881
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PAPINEAU, born in Montreal, Quebec was politician, lawyer, and
landlord of the seigneurie de la Petite-Nation. He was the leader of the
reformist Patriote movement before the Lower Canada Rebellion of
1837-1838.
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PAPINEAU was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Lower
Canada on January 21, 1815. The same year, he replaced PIERRESTANISLAS BEDARD as leader of the Parti canadien. Under his
leadership, the party worked for the reform of Lower Canada's political
institutions and strongly opposed the abuses of the appointed Legislative
Council known as the "Chateau Clique" among Anglophone society.
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In 1826, he was chosen leader of The Patriotes, a
reformed and more radical Parti canadien. In
1831, he sponsored a law which granted full
equivalent political rights to Jews, 27 years before
anywhere else in the British Empire. The flag of
The Patriotes 1832-1838 is shown here.
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He was part of the committee that wrote the Ninety-Two Resolutions
passed by the Legislative Assembly on Feb. 21, 1834. The resolutions
called for an elected Legislative Council and an Executive Council
responsible before the house of the people's representatives.
Victoria
became Queen in 1837 upon the death of King George IV.
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On November 15, he created the Conseil des patriotes
with EDMUND BAILEY O'CALLAGHAN.
He left
Montreal for St.-Denis on November 16, after Governor
Lord GOSFORD, Lt. Governor of Lower Canada and
Governor General of British North America, ordered his
arrest and that of 25 other Patriote leaders. He escaped to
the United States of America on November 25.
The rebels set themselves up in the countryside, and, led
by WOLF RED NELSON defeated a British force at SaintDenis on November 23. However, the British troops soon
beat back the rebels, defeating them at Saint-Charles on
November 25 and at Saint-Eustache on December 14.
Saint-Eustache was then pillaged and ransacked. On
Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of
December 5th, martial law was declared in Montreal.
Gosford
The Patriot War
The Battle of Windsor and Sandwich
December 3, 1838
Canada
Blstage&tes_
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Political events in 1837 had been the ascending to the throne of
Queen Victoria and her consort Prince ALBERT a few months
before the Rebellion.
Michigan became a State of the
United States of America on January
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26.
On December 3, 1838 'Brig. Gen.' BIERCE
crossed the Detroit River unopposed and landed
at Richmond (soon to be renamed Windsor), a
village of 300 souls. The local guards was
quickly killed, captured or dispersed.
MARTIN VAN BUREN was President of the
United States of America.
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Part of the invading force, about 150 men, then advanced on
Sandwich and halted at the orchard of FRANCOIS BABY.
At 6:30 they encountered Col. JOHN PRINCE's companies
under Captains BELL, SPARKE, LESLIE, ELLIOTT,
THEBO and FOX. By 9:30 PRINCE arrived but the battle
was already over and the invaders scattered, some escaping to
Hog Island (Belle Isle).
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The Battle of Windsor (Richmond and Sandwich) was a
resounding defeat for the Patriots. The Patriots were also
hunted down by the 56 Wyandot, Ojibwa, Moravian and
Muncey warriors under GEORGE IRONSIDES.
CiJlonel John Prince woos the best known
of the miliriit leaders during the Patr-iot
War of 1838. Hi. execution of captured
Pan-iors alter the battle of Windsor
creured R major turor locally as well as in
t;he 81'lt'isrl parliament. (;ouncI)' o/\\'IindJOTS
PRINCE then earned 'the infamy of having five of his
prisoners killed. There was much controversy over the
executions, especially on the US side that offered a bounty on
his head but he received a standing ovation on taking:his seat
in the legislative assembly at York.
Brigadier General HUGH BRADY of the Michigan guards assisted in the
capture of Patriots on their return and seized their weapons, when found,
but many other Americans assisted the Patriots contemplating a takeover of
the Canadas.
The Patriot War
Amherstburg and Fighting Island
1837 and 1838
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The Battle of Amherstburg
Major JOHN PRINCE of Sandwich
volunteered his services to Amherstburg
on December 26, 1837. His force
included "150 coloured men from
Malden and Sandwich who had their
own weapons". On 8th of January, 1838
the Patriot schooner, Anne, the sloop
George Strong and some smaller craft
approached. The Anne began a sporadic
bombardment of Amerstburg.
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THE PATROIT WAR OF r838
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On the 9th the George Strong ventured
too close to shore and was captured by
about 40 men led by PRINCE. That
night the Anne lost its mooring and
Colonel THOMAS RADCLIFF and the
Essex and Kent Volunteers followed and
captured it.
Lieutenants WILLIAM
BABY and GEORGE IRONSIDES
boarded and captured "Colonels"
BROPHEYand DODGE plus "General"
ANDERSON. The rebel SUTHERLAND
rushed to Bois Blanc Island (now BobLo Island) but quickly retreated to Sugar
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PATRIOT ATTACKS
ON ESSEX COUNTY
1838
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The Battle of Fighting Island
At Sandwich now, Lt. Colonel PRINCE learned of the
occupation 'of Fighting Island by the Patriots
commanded by "General" DONALD M'LEOD and Dr.
CHARLES
DUNCOMBE
with some 300 men.
PRINCE rushed to reconnoiter the area while Lt.
Colonel MAITLAND rushed troops from Fort
Amherstburg (Malden after 1938).
On February 25, the militia of four companies from
Essex, one from Kent, the St. Thomas Cavalry and two
regiments from York arrived, some 350 men in all. The
rebels retreated and were scattered by Brig. Gen.
HUGH BRADY of the Michigan guards.
The Patriot War
The Battle of Pelee Island=Forays on the St. Clair River
1838
The Battle of Pelee Island
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On 26th February, 1838, about 460 insurgents, all of them American,
crossed the ice in sleighs from Sandusky, Ohio and occupied th~~
Canadian territory of Pelee Island, the main village was Scudder.
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Major WILLIAM McCORMICK (1st Essex) had settled there,
escaped the Patriots and warned Fort Malden, Lt. Colonels
MAITLAND and PRINCE. On the clear and cold afternoon of
March 2, MAITLAND set off over the ice of the Detroit River,
leading his men along the lake margin; he halted for a short rest
at Colchester's Wright's Tavern off of the Wright sideroad, just
before midnight--route 2. The column began the crossing of
Pigeon Bay at 2 a. m (possibly at Lytle's Tavern on east end of
Cedar Island-route 3).
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1784-1840; first white owner 01 Pelee
island and builder of Old Christ Church, Colchester.
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The plan went somewhat awry and Captain GEORGE BROWNE sent
to cut off the retreat of the Patriots-route l-e-arrived first and found
himself facing some 300 men against his 126. BROWNE exchanged
several fusillades but quickly realized that he would be wiped out and
ordered a bayonet charge. The Patriot leader GEORGE van
RENSSELAER retorted with, "Charge and be damned." He was shot in
the forehead; the Patriots held, then broke and ran for the bushes. The
insurgents re-emerged from the woods of Fish Point intent on reaching
the American mainland by way of the Bass Islands. Captain
ERMATINGER attempted a chase but as his horses' hooves broke the
ice, he called off the chase.
On the evening of the 4th PRINCE was returning home when he
noticed "General" SUTHERLAND and an aide who, unaware of
the recent engagement, were headed to Pelee Island. PRINCE
quickly arrested them and they were banished to Van Dieman's
Land (Tasmania)
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Forays on the St. Clair River
On June 28, 1838 insurgents crossing the St. Clair River made .'PII!I~_~._.~
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several forays. Finally, the Lieutenant Governor Sir GEORGE
ARTHUR saw the danger and ordered reinforcements. The 2nd
and 3rd Kent regiments were formed as well as the 3rd Essex
under Colonel PRINCE, who embarked on a recruiting drive in
his assigned zone of Colchester, Gosfield and Mersea
townships. The threats continued throughout the summer with
many events of the impending attack to be located at Windsor.
The Patriot War
Events Subsequent
1838-1858
Sir AlIan Napier MacNab
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On December 29, Canadian loyalist Colonel Sir
ALLAN MacNAB and Captain ANDREW DREW of
the Royal Navy commanding a party of militia, crossed
the international boundary and seized the Caroline,
towed her into the current, set her afire, and cast her
adrift over Niagara Falls, after killing one American
named AMOS DURFEE in the process. The Caroline
had been used to supply the Canadian rebels.
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In 1848, PAP INEA U was elected member of the new
united Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.
In severe disagreement with the emerging French
Canadian Liberal Party, he became an independent MP.
A convinced republican after a long exile in the United
States and France, Papineau supported the Montreal
Annexation Manifesto that called for Canada to join the
United States of America.
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MACKENZIE was imprisoned in the U.S. for his involvement in the
Caroline Affair. An amnesty allowed Mackenzie's return to Canada
in 1849, and he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the
Province of Canada from 1851 to 1858. (His grandson, WILLIAM
LYON MACKENZIE KING, became a Prime Minister of Canada for
22 years between 1921 and 1948).
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The Patriot War did result in an investigation by JOHN
GEORGE LAMB TON, Lord DURHAM, Lt. Governor
of Lower Canada in 1838 (followed Lord GOSFORD)
and later Governor-General of Canada, of the events of
the 1837-8 unrest and resulted in recommendations that
would introduce responsible self-government in 1848
under ROBERT BALDWIN in Canada West (Ontario)
and LOUIS-HIPPOL YTE LAFONTAINE in Canada
East (Quebec).
(Is it interesting that the main perpetrators of the Rebellion, of 1837-1838, MACKENZIE and
PAP INEA U were not particularly punished while their underlings directly involved in the
fighting were either hung, killed or banished to Tasmania?)
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The Battle of Bois Island-March 4, 1838
militias in 1837 with the intention of seizing
the Southern Ontario peninsula between the
Detroit and Niagara Rivers and extending
American-style government to Canada. They
based groups in Michigan at Fort Gratiot
(present Port Huron) , Mount Clemens, Detroit, and Gibraltar. On January 5, 1838, the
Detroit jail was raided and the Patriots seized
the 450 muskets which had been stored there
to keep them away from the rebels. The rebels
were reported to have later stolen another 200
Fort MaIden National Historic Park
Skirmish between Upper Canadian rebels and loyal troops near Fort lv!alden.
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weapons from the unsecured office of the D.S.
marshal in Detroit, perhaps with his help.
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A group of men on both sides of the border,
calling themselves "Patriots", formed small
The schooner Ann was seized by the Patriots on January 8 and sailed to Gibraltar, Michigan. On January 9,
the Patriots began shelling Fort AmherstburglMalden and the town of Amherstburg from the Ann. The Cawhile the Patriots moved 300 men onto the Canadian Bois
militia opened fire on the schooner when it tried to reach the
crew and damaged the sails and rigging. The ship drifted unmilitia boarded it, encountered no resistance and captured the
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nadian militia took up positions in the town
Blanc Island opposite the town. The Canadian
island. The Canadians shot several of the ship
til it ran aground, at which point the Canadian
Patriot crew. The remaining Patriot forces quit Bois Blanc for the safety of the American side of the river.
Several of the Patriots were wounded, a few killed, and the Canadians captured 300 muskets, 2 cannon, 10
kegs of gunpowder and various accoutrements. The Battle of Fighting Island followed.
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Original
Block House used during
the Canadian
Rebellion
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of 1837-1838, Bob-Lo
Island,
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