Reminiscences of a Canadian Pioneer for the last Fifty Years: An AutobiographyThompson, Samuel
History
Reminiscences of a Canadian Pioneer for the last Fifty Years: An Autobiography
Thompson, Samuel
Frontier and pioneer life -- Ontario; Thompson, Samuel, 1810-1886; Toronto (Ont.) -- Biography; Toronto (Ont.) -- History
comrades away. About half-past three they all returned, headed
by the commander-in-chief, who demanded of Mrs. Howard whether
the dinner he had ordered was ready? She said it was just as
they had left it. Irritated at her coolness he got very angry,
shook his horse-whip, pulled her from her chair to the window,
bidding her look out and be thankful that her own house was not
in the same state. He pointed to Dr. Horne's house at Blue Hill,
on the east side of the road, which during his absence he had
set on fire, much to the disappointment of his men, whom, though
very hungry, he would not allow to touch anything, but burnt all
up. There was considerable grumbling among the men about it.
Poor Lount, who was with them, told Mrs. Howard not to mind
Mackenzie, but to give them all they wanted, and they would not
harm her. They got through their dinner about dusk, and returned
to the lawn, where they had some barrels of whiskey. They kept
up a regular--or rather an irregular firing all night. The
family were much alarmed, having only one servant woman with
them; the man Bolton had escaped for fear as he said of being
taken prisoner by the rebels. There the men remained until
Wednesday, when they returned to Montgomery's tavern, a mile or
two up the street, where is now the village of Eglinton. About
eleven o'clock in the morning, the loyalist force marched out to
attack the rebels, who were posted at the Paul Pry Inn, on the
east side of the road, with their main body at Montgomery's,
some distance further north. It was a very fine sunny day, and
the loyalists made a formidable appearance, as the sun shone on
their bright musket-barrels and bayonets. The first shot fired
was from the artillery, under the command of Captain Craig; it
went through the Paul Pry under the eaves and out of the roof.
The rebels took to the woods on each side of the road, which at
that time were much nearer than at present. Thomas Bell, who had
charge of a company of volunteers, said that on the morning of
the battle, a stranger asked leave to accompany him. The man
wore a long beard, and was rumoured to have been one of
Napoleon's officers. Mr. Bell saw him take aim at one of the
retreating rebels, who was crouching behind a stump, firing at
the loyalists. Nothing could be seen but the top of his head.
The stranger fired with fatal effect. The dead man turned out to
be a farmer of the name of Widman, from Whitchurch. Montgomery's
tavern, a large building on the hill-side of the road, was next
attacked, and was quickly evacuated by the flying rebels, who
got into the woods to the west and dispersed. It was then that
Mackenzie made his escape. The tavern having been the rebel
head-quarters, and the place from which Col. Moodie was shot,
was set on fire and burned down. The house of Gibson, another
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account