ry
visits were general; guards and pickets were dispersed in all parts of
the city, and its approaches occupied. It was originally intended by the
insurgents that the rising should take place at Montreal, on Sunday,
the 3rd instant, when the troops were unarmed, and at church. The
precautions of Sir John Colborne, however, defeated this scheme, and
Beauharnois was selected for the theatre of war. The _habitans_ were
now, therefore, once more in arms against the British crown. A numerous
party attacked the house of Mr. Ellice, late private secretary to Lord
Durham, and that gentleman with three others were carried away by the
rebels. On the same day an interesting incident occurred at Caughnawaga,
an Indian village. While at church, the Indians were informed that
a large body of armed men were secreted in their neighbourhood; and
rushing from the sacred walls, they hurried home, seized what arms came
to hand, raised the war-whoop, fell upon the enemy, and captured seventy
prisoners, with scarcely a show of resistance. The Indians conveyed
their prisoners to Montreal, bound with their own sashes and
garters; and when Sir John Colborne thanked the chief of the party, he
characteristically offered to bring in the scalp of every _habitant_ in
the vicinity within twenty-four hours. Sir John Colborne, however, did
not think it prudent to give him such a commission, though use of these
warriors was made during the struggle. Every day the number of the
insurgents increased. Between the 3rd and 6th of November, four thousand
were concentrated at Napierville, in La Prairie, under the command
of Dr. Robert Nelson, Dr. Cote, and one Gagnor. Upon this point
Major-general Sir James Macdonnell was directed to march; but before he
could arrive the rebels had dispersed, and were beyond pursuit. In
their route they were twice attacked and defeated by a small party of
volunteers, losing in the whole sixty men killed, and having about an
equal number wounded. The loyalist forces now scoured the insurgent
districts, and it was found impossible to prevent many excesses from
taking place. The village of Beauharnois was partially destroyed by
fire, and the houses of disaffected persons in every part shared the
same fate. But while the war was thus easily suppressed in Lower Canada,
their American coadjutors were actively engaged on their side. On the
evening of the 12th they effected a landing at a place called Prescott,
in Upper Canada, to the