Humours of '37, Grave, Gay and Grim: Rebellion Times in the CanadasLizars, Robina
History
Humours of '37, Grave, Gay and Grim: Rebellion Times in the Canadas
Lizars, Robina
Canada -- History -- Rebellion, 1837-1838
himself; this is now contradicted by many, as are also some of the
details of the atrocities. There are those still alive who say they
saw his quarters hung on the fence pickets by these human shrikes, and
yet others who saw his body intact, as it lay in Mrs. Hawkins’ store.
Hume’s companion fared better; he was shot at, but the balls passed
through his hair.
Again to quote from the despatch: “Of the brigands and pirates, 21 were
killed, besides 4 who were brought in just at the close and immediately
after the engagement, all of whom I ordered to be shot upon the spot,
and which was done accordingly.” Over the last thirteen words were
innumerable articles written, controversies begun which nearly ended
in bloodshed; they led to twelve challenges to the duello from Colonel
Prince to his detractors; to debates in the Houses of Commons and
Lords, where Pakington, Labouchere, Brougham, the Duke of Wellington,
Melbourne and Normanby were to fight over again the famous battle of
Windsor; a reward was offered on the other side of the river, for
Prince’s body $800, for him alive $1,000; the much beset Colonel had
notices displayed on his farm that none should venture there after
dark, as he had spring-guns and man-traps set to protect himself; and
lastly there was the court-martial.
Naturally such a story, horrible at first, grew as it travelled and
as time progressed. “John Bishop of St. Albans, in a fit of jealousy,
shot his wife and then himself,” once wrote a French newspaper. “Jean,
évêque de St. Albans, dans un accès de jalousie a tué sa femme,” said
the first exchange; the next editor supposed that a married bishop must
be an Episcopalian--and next “The Protestant bishop of St. Albans has
killed his wife and then himself.” In like manner ran the prisoner
stories. One unfortunate was commanded by an onlooker to run for his
life, the order to shoot having been already given. He did so, with
results that are sickening in detail. Before long the four prisoners
had developed into nine, who were represented as running the gauntlet,
Indian fashion, with additions of further horror.
A prisoner of war is one captured in the course of acknowledged and
honourable warfare, and the legality or illegality of the contest makes
him a hero or a ruffian. Previous to the fourth of December, ’38, in
connection with recent affairs a subject of frequent debate in the
Sandwich-Windsor neighbourhood was the hanging on the spot, without
the slightest form of trial, of a gang of pirates, by Sir Thomas
Maitland, in the island of Malta. However, this summary proceeding on
the marooners took place a couple of days after the battle with them,
and what was sought for by the Canadians was a precedent for shooting
on the field without allowing time for justice to mellow.
As the “Curiæ Canadenses” tells us, formerly
“These legal seats of divers ranks
Have limit to St. Laurent’s banks;”
by ’37,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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