regret, but with feelings of the highest regard and with most cordial wishes for your future welfare and happiness. "By order of the Commanding-General,

ALPHEUS FELCH, Aid-de-Camp."

MASON GOVERNOR OF NEW STATE

The election to ratify the constitution of the state and to elect state officers was held on the first Monday in October. The result was the ratification of the constitution by a large majority and the election of a full set of state officers. Stevens T. Mason was elected governor, Edward Mundy, lieutenant governor, and Isaac E. Crary, representative in Congress. The first session of the legislature under the constitution was commenced at the capitol in Detroit on the first Monday of November, 1837, when Lucius Lyon and John Norvell were elected United States Senators. The new state had at the time of its admission into the Union become fairly settled down to the management of its home affairs. The supreme court was organized by the appointment of William E. Fletcher as chief justice, and George Morell and Epaphrodotus Ransom, associate justices. Monroe at once took high rank in the politics of the state by reason of the ability and sagacity of her principal public men and the prominence of her citizens in all measures concerning the progress and development of the city, county and state, which was fully recognized by the government in the selection of her citizens for important public positions of trust.

Vol. I-11

CHAPTER XIV

THE PATRIOT WAR

LEADERS OF THE REBELLION-CONCILIATION ATTEMPTED

CLASHES AND

COLLAPSE UPPER CANADA TROUBLES-MONROE COUNTY 'EXERCISED"-BATTLE OF POINTE AU PELEE.

THE PAPINEAU REBELLION OR PATRIOT WAR

It seemed to be the fate of Michigan to be in the midst of wars alarms; "sometimes because it was unavoidable and necessary, but also when she had but an incidental or a collateral interest. Of the latter classification was the Papineau rebellion, or patriot war in Canada and the Black Hawk war, the former undoubtedly the most unnecessary and absurd disturbance and hopeless attempt to overthrow a government that was ever dignified by the name of war. In this Monroe, by virtue of her position, geographically, on the very borders of the country involved, but a few miles from the center of activities, was immediately in the midst of the "war zone" and its citizens inoculated with the excitement that stirred up her neighbor over the line and which naturally caused a feverish condition of society along the whole border of the states from Buffalo to Detroit. While nobody on this side of the line felt any direct interest in the cause itself or its ultimate results, there was an irresistible impulse of sympathy which was the cause of some uneasiness on the part of the government at Washington, as it might touch the sensitive subject of neutrality.

LEADERS OF THE REBELLION

The leading spirits in the revolutionary movement in Canada were Louis James Papineau, who was styled the "hero of the French Canadian Democracy," and Dr. Wolfred Nelson, an Englishman, who was even more active and energetic than Papineau himself, who, indeed, was working overtime, and so were his followers. The political causes in detail which led to the attitude of the Papineau party are not indispensable to the narrative covering the period from 1837 through the year 1838, neither is a detailed account of current events necessary, any farther than it directly interests Monroe and the participation in some of the events by its citizens.

Notwithstanding the often apparent foolishness which characterized the political activities of the time there was an underlying principle of justice and equity in the resistance of the people of the French population that redeems the situation from being ridiculous in the eyes of the world.

CONCILIATION ATTEMPTED

The upper and lower provinces were directly antagonistic and the assembly, which was called the parliament, was constantly harassed with

quarrels whose only real basis was racial antipathy, which constantly showed itself in rancorous hostility. This finally culminated when the policy of the British government appeared to be the supplanting of French power in the province of Quebec by the promotion of the governor of Nova Scotia to the governorship of Canada. Sir James Kempt was the next to follow after Dalhousie in that line of succession. Sir James was also lieutenant general in the British army. He was sixty-four years of age when he went to Quebec. It was soon learned at the beginning of his administration that he would pursue a conciliatory course, which he did throughout his brief term. One of his first acts was to confirm Papineau's election as speaker of the assembly, and he was fairer to the French element than any other governor they had had since Sir George Prevost. The assembly therefore treated him with much more consideration than they had any of his predecessors.

CLASHES AND COLLAPSE

However, there was war in the air. On all sides in every hamlet the popular cries were heard of "Vive Papineau! Vive La Liberté" and the dream of "La Nation Canadienne" began to impress the patriots as nearing realization. Everywhere was heard talk of the "Northwest Republic of Lower Canada" and, further than this, the sight was not unusual of bodies of men drilling on British soil to tear down the British flag. It was plain that a clash between the two races was inevitable and not far away. On November 6th it came; in an encounter between a party of Englishmen and another of the Sons of Liberty, the French organization, led by an American named Thomas S. Brown. The royalists were driven off, but soon returned reinforced only to find that the Sons of Liberty had disappeared.

Disturbances were frequent, the Loyalists were giving the "rebels" a "hot time;" the most serious of these collisions being in the parish of St. Eustache nine miles from Montreal. The insurgents were posted in a large church who were attacked by two thousand loyalists. The church and about sixty other buildings were burned, some of the inhabitants perished in the flames; and their entire loss was about one hundred killed. The insurrections in neighboring villages were soon quelled; the only other contest took place on the last day of February when six hundred refugees under a brother of Wolfred Nelson recrossed the border from the United States and were met by the militia. They at once went back to the United States and were compelled to surrender by General Wool, the American commander at Plattsburg.

This was the ending of the dream of "Nation Canadienne." The whole movement was a failure before it started. It is a most inexplicable fact, that of the half million French residents of Lower Canada only two thousand or three thousand gathered to support the rebellion.

UPPER CANADA TROUBLES

It is also significant that while Lower Canada was encountering rebellion Upper Canada was also involved in Civil strife although not so serious as the other. It is plain that a spirit of mutiny was in the air, for while it was a race question in Lower Canada it was quite a different issue in the Upper Province.

It was a period when the government should have been helpful and conciliatory; with this course the result would have been very different in what is now Ontario. The government, for instance forbade the immigration of people from the United States to Canada. (That looks

very strange these days, when Canada is extending herself to secure American settlers in the northwest.) It went even farther than that; it even forbid those Americans who were in Canada, from becoming naturalized. This unwise measure was discontinued by the next Parliament which assembled on February 4.

MONROE COUNTY "EXERCISED.”

Upper Canada troubles continued to disturb the province, and kept the people on both sides of the boundary in a state of nervous unrest, and it was during this period that Monroe was more particularly "exercised" Petty affairs were continually happening on both sides of the border; and a secret organization called "Hunter's Lodges," sprung up in many places. These originated with a Canadian insurgent named Hunter, from York, (now Toronto) who escaped to the United States and instituted there Hunter's Lodges" for the express purpose of invading Canada and driving Great Britain from North America. It is said that these lodges were favorably regarded among Monroe sympathizers, though their proceedings and meetings were necessarily handled with great caution and secrecy. The members were accustomed to resort to various places to hold conferences, among others the old "Macomb Street House; the "Red Light Tavern" an old yellow framed building used as a rather disreputable "place of entertainment" which stood near the southeast corner of the Public Square; also the old "Mulhollen School House" and the "United States Hotel," an ancient rambling old hostelry kept for many years by Orry Adams. In these by turns, regularly or otherwise, the Monroe sympathizers gathered to "talk over" the present situation and to consult with Hunter, the "promoter" regarding future possibilities and movements in the approaching "unpleasantness" among the Canucks. Some of the names of these worthies are remembered by older inhabitants or found among old records of the newspapers, such as Colonel Wallace Dodge, Jarvis Eldred, Austin Dean, Ichabod White, Captain John Wood, "Jim" Cunningham, Bill McQuillan and others; strange to say, considering the ostensible motive for this movement but very few of our French citizens, if any, took any part in it. They were possibly solicited to do so, but they evidently regarded the "derangement" over the border as a "local issue" to be fought out by the Canadians, and cared not to interfere.

BATTLE OF POINTE AU PELEE

One of the last engagements that took place in this "international farce, was known, and shall be known in history, as the "Battle of Pointe au Pelee, which occurred on the 3rd of March, and was fought on the ice of Lake Erie. Colonel Edwin Bradly was in command of the Patriot forces whose statement of the action is probably the only one that was ever made. It exists in the collection of a gentleman of Toledo, (or possibly a copy) which is given below: "At daybreak, the enemy, (about nine hundred British regulars) was discovered a few miles from our encampment at the head of the island. The main body of their force (about seven hundred) was marched down quietly in front; this left some two hundred, flanking off in the direction of the lighthouse at North Point, and their right, consisting of British regulars, in sleighs and on horseback were pushing on with great speed along the west side of the island to gain our rear, for the purpose of cutting off our retreat should the main force succeed in driving us from our position. After closely examining the force and disposition of the enemy, I did not think it pru

dent to await the attack of the main body. The men were therefore instantly mustered, and filed off towards the southern end of the island, a distance of seven miles, to meet and fight the regular force which had already gained our rear. This was effected as speedily as circumstances would admit. When we arrived in view of this force which consists of about three hundred and fifty heavy infantry and seventy-five well mounted cavalry, drawn up in battle array on the ice, one and a half miles from shore, in the direction of Middle Island—as we had no time to pause in consequence of the rapid approach of the enemy's main force-I gave instant orders to form in line of battle, which were promptly obeyed by officers and men. When all was in readiness the line moved forward with a firm and unflinching resolution worthy of tried veterans, and advanced within half musket shot of the enemy when they opened a tremendous fire upon our whole line, checking its progress, and compelling us to commence the action at a greater distance than we had at first intended. Nevertheless, (some of our troops having fired without orders) to prevent confusion it was thought proper that the action should become general. For half an hour we sustained the shock of three times our number of British regular troops, twice throwing them into confusion, breaking their ranks, and strewing the battle ground with their dead and wounded. All this time the men remained firm, the ranks unbroken and all determined to continue the contest. The near approach, however of the main force in our rear induced some of the men to leave the ranks, in spite of their officers' efforts to prevent them.

"Still the battle was continued by a few of the men until the greater part of the troops had retired to the island, where all assembled to deliberate upon the best means of escape. It was concluded to cross over to the west side of the island and under its cover retreat, which was safely effected, although the enemy's cavalry being continually on our flank and rear.

"I was ably seconded in all my efforts during the engagement by Colonel Ward, Major Lawton and Adjutant Olney, who fought with a bravery unequaled in modern warfare. It is with pain and regret that I announce the fall of Major Hoadley and Captain Van Rensselaer. The former displayed a coolness during the whole engagement worthy of a better fate. His memory should be engraven on the hearts of his countrymen. Other officers conducted themselves with unexampled bravery. None were willing to give up the contest till compelled by the superior force of the enemy.

"Our loss is one major, one captain and eight privates killed; one captain and fifteen privates wounded, and three taken prisoners. The enemy's loss, from the best information received, is Major McCormick and other officers (names unknown), and from fifty to sixty rank and file killed, and seventy-five wounded. I will further state that we numbered just one hundred and fifty on the morning of the engagement, officers included.

"A Frenchman who was the owner and driver of the teams which carried the enemy from Malden to Point au Pelee, afterwards informed me that fifty-eight of the enemy were killed and seventy-five wounded in this action. A similar movement from the Michigan side was made by the "Patriot" forces to Fighting Island in the Detroit River, where an engagement took place February 25th." This is described by the Detroit Free Press on the following day in the following report: "Yesterday the war commenced in or near Canada. On Sunday P. M. the Patriot forces, which had been lurking in small and detached squads at various points between Toledo and Gibralter, collected on the American shore, opposite Fighting Island, belonging to the British, their number amount