A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895Ross, J. (John)
History
A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895
Ross, J. (John)
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901; Great Britain. Army. Coldstream Guards
Already, before the departure of Lord Durham, a rising had been
prepared, under the leadership of the returned exiles, and it broke out
on the 3rd of November, 1838, in the neighbourhood of Beauharnois, a
place on the right bank of the St. Lawrence river, not very far distant
from Montreal.
Troops were at once despatched to quell the disturbance. The Grenadiers
joined the expedition, and did not return to Quebec till the end of
April, 1840; but the Coldstream Battalion being ordered to remain in
that town to secure its tranquillity during the crisis, did not form
part of the column sent forward to disperse the rebels.[169] The
outbreak was sudden, and caused considerable alarm while it lasted; but
the operations were of short duration, nor were they of much importance
from a military point of view. Volunteer forces also lent their aid to
put down the rebellion, and on the 17th of November they were cordially
thanked by the Commander of the Forces (Sir J. Colborne, who, since Lord
Durham’s departure, was also Governor), “for defeating the traitors and
invaders” by “their heroic perseverance and devotion to the service of
their country, which they have displayed from the first moment of this
second revolt.” The disaffected made little or no resistance, and,
unable to maintain themselves in the field, they soon dispersed or
surrendered. The insurrection thus came to an end almost immediately,
and many of the prisoners were taken to Montreal, where a Court-Martial
sat continuously for six months to try them. The Coldstream, still at
Quebec, did not furnish Officers for these trials.
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Footnote 169:
On November 6, 1838, the following 2nd Battalion Order was issued:
“The Piquet Officer is to go round the walls of the citadel (at
Quebec) twice at night, and he is not to do so at the same time as the
Officer of the citadel guard. He is always to be properly dressed
during the night, and to be ready to turn out at the shortest notice.
The Captain of the day will go his rounds twice during the night, the
second time just before daybreak.”
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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