Knowing this, the loyalists in both provinces
either took up their abode in the towns, or fled altogether from the
British dominion. What made their situation the more critical was the
reluctance of the militia and volunteers to take up arms. This was
especially the case in Upper Canada, and it seems to have chiefly
originated in their dissatisfaction with the lenity of the government.
No sooner had Lord Durham departed than the danger became imminent.
Arrests took place at Montreal on the following night: domiciliary
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.
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