THE REBELLION--MILITARY TACTICS OF M'NAB--GENERAL INSUBORDINATION OF THE
SETTLERS.
While these things were transpiring in McNab, and the people were
nerving themselves for a struggle which they saw was to terminate either
in ruin or independence, other momentous affairs were being transacted
in Upper and Lower Canada. Papineau had fanned the flame of discontent
into an open rebellion, and Mackenzie and Bidwell, following his
example, had roused the more enthusiastic and rash of the Reform party
in the west to take up arms. The British troops had met with a reverse
at St. Denis, which was amply retrieved and avenged by Col. Wetherall at
St. Charles. Mackenzie was investing Toronto, and had marshalled his
forces at Montgomery's farm, within a few miles of Toronto. All was
panic and confusion in the immediate vicinity of the seat of the revolt,
and the news was much exaggerated to those living at a distance. The
political atmosphere was overcast. A portentous cloud of evil omen
seemed to envelop both provinces. Volunteers, men of loyal hearts and
warm love for the mother country, poured in. Thousands flocked to the
standard of their Queen, and the Laird of McNab, among the rest, sent
the following characteristic letter to Sir F. B. Head:--
WABA COTTAGE, 15th Dec., 1837.
MY DEAR SIR FRANCIS,--The spirit of my fathers has been infused
into my soul by recent events, and has roused within me the
recollection and memory of the _prestige_ of my race. The only
Highland chieftain in America offers himself, his clan, and the
McNab Highlanders, to march forward in the defence of the country--
"_Their swords are a thousand, their hearts are but one._"
We are ready to march at any moment.--Command my services at once, and
we will not leave the field till we have routed the hell-born rebels,
or
"In death be laid low,
With our backs to the field, and our face to the foe."
I am yours sincerely,
(Signed,) McNAB.
Immediately upon the receipt of this document, Sir Francis Head
appointed the Laird Colonel of the 20th Battalion of Carleton Light
Infantry, comprising the townships of McNab, Fitzroy and Pakenham, with
instructions to nominate his officers, forward the list to headquarters,
and _call the regiment_ out to muster forthwith. On the 25th December,
1837, the whole regiment mustered at Pakenham, and were put under the
militia law. McNab made a speech to them, read the names of their
officers, and gave a general order that they were to muster by companies
near the abodes of their captains, on the 15th and 17th of the ensuing
month. The companies of the township of McNab, under the command of
Captain Alex. McDonnell and Captain John McNab, of Horton, assembled at
Sand Point on the 15th of January. After the roll was called, and all
had answered to their names, the Chief, who was present, read the
Articles of War, and then addressed them thus--
"Now, my men, you are under martial law. If you behave well, obey my
orders and the officers under me, you will be treated as good soldiers;
but if you come under the lash, by the God that made me, I will use it
without mercy. So you know your doom. Now, I call upon as many of you as
will do so willingly, to volunteer and go to the front, and I will lead
you on to glory."
There was a murmur in the ranks, they were drawn up in line, two deep,
in Mr. McDonnell's large stone shed, as it was a stormy day. When the
whispering was over, a dead silence prevailed. Two--and only
two--stepped forward as volunteers, and these were Mr. Young and Mr.
Henniker, two of McDonnell's clerks.
"What! No more?" exclaimed McNab: "then I must proceed to ballot and
force you."
The men remained doggedly silent; at length some one asked him where was
his authority for the ballot. The Chief turned away; told them he would
call them together again for that purpose; and dismissed them. The
people were in the highest state of indignation and apprehension. They
held a meeting and sent the following petition to the Government:--
McNAB, 22nd January, 1838.
_To His Excellency, Sir Francis Bond Head, Lieutenant-Governor
of the Province of Upper Canada, &c., &c._
THE PETITION OF THE UNDERSIGNED HUMBLY SHEWETH:
That the Carleton Light Infantry was mustered on the 25th ultimo,
at Pakenham Mills, commanded by McNab of McNab, and on the 15th and
17th current by Companies at their Captains' respective places of
abode.
That we the undersigned, one and all of us, consider ourselves true
and loyal subjects, and are willing to serve Her Majesty in any
part of British North America, where Your Excellency may think
proper to call us, under any other commander than McNab.
That a number of us have suffered severely from McNab through the
course of the Civil Law, and are therefore afraid to come under him
in the Martial Law, being harsh in his disposition, and also
inexperienced.
That we hope it may please Your Excellency to look into our
circumstances as misled people by McNab, who made us give bonds for
Quit-Rents, which we, not knowing what the poor lands in this part
of the country could produce, gave without hesitation; and
notwithstanding all our industry and economy, with these bonds we
are not able to comply.
That we trust Your Excellency will endeavor to set us on the same
parallel with other loyal subjects in the Province, and free us of
those Quit-Rents, as we find them a heavier burden than we can
bear.
That there are twelve families in the Township who were brought
from the old country at McNab's expense, and who are willing to pay
any reasonable fraught Your Excellency may think proper; all the
rest of the settlers came to the Township at their own expense, and
beg to know from Your Excellency whether the land of this Township
is McNab's or the Government's.
And your humble petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.
(SIGNED.)
James Robertson, James Brown, John Robertson, Donald Stewart, Peter
McGregor, Donald Kerr, Angus McNab, John McNab, Donald McNab,
Duncan Campbell, Peter McMillan, John McMillan, Malcolm McLaren,
Daniel McIntyre, John McGregor, Alexander McGregor, Peter McArthur,
John McDermaid, James Stevenson, Alexander Cameron, Thomas
McLaughlin, Donald McLaughlin, Jr., Donald McLaughlin, Sr., James
McLaughlin, Donald McNaughton, Chas. Goodwin, Alex. Campbell, Izett
Duff, Arch. McDonnell, James McDonnell, Dugal McGregor, Andrew
Hamilton, Donald McNaughton, John McNaughton, Robt. McNaughton,
Alex. McNaughton, Peter Fergusson, Duncan McNab, Angus Cameron,
Alex. Dure, Donald Dure, Colin McFadden, Alex. McNiven, Arch.
McNab, Alex. McNab, Colin McGregor, Arch. McNab, John McNab, Andrew
Taylor, John Campbell, John Hamilton, Andrew Hamilton, Alexander
Goodwin, Duncan McLachlin, Alexander Goodwin, Sr., Donald McIntyre,
Jas. McLaren, Donald McIntyre, Alex. Thomson, Jas. Robertson, James
McKay, Alex. Fergusson, Donald Robertson, Duncan McNab, Matthew
Barr, Thomas McLaughlin, Thomas Frood, Andrew Hamilton, Sr., Alex.
McNiven, Jr., Alex. McNiven, Sr., John McDermaid, James Miller,
John McInnes, Archibald Stewart, Sr., David Stewart, Peter
Campbell, Patrick Callaghan, Leech McAlormae, Peter Robertson, J.
Crego, John Fergusson.
[REPLY.]
(_Copy_) { GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
{ Toronto, 13th March, 1838.
GENTLEMEN:--Having laid before His Excellency, the
Lieutenant-Governor, your memorial of the 23rd of January, I am
directed in reply to the several statements contained in it to
inform you that the arrangements made between The McNab and his
followers are of a purely private nature, and beyond the _control
of the Government_--that Martial Law which you apprehend will bring
you more immediately under the control of your Chief, has not been
proclaimed nor is it likely to be--and that in any military
organization which may eventually take place, the Government will
take care in this, as in all other cases, not to put it in the
power of any individual to treat Her Majesty's subjects harshly or
oppressively.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) J. JOSEPH.
MR. JAMES ROBERTSON and others
McNAB.
Printed by order of the Government.
Adjutant-General's Office, }
14th March, 1838. }
The above petition was drafted by Mr. Allan Stewart, afterwards
Treasurer of the municipality of McNab, a gentleman of some literary
pretensions, and the best Gaelic grammatical scholar in the
County--perhaps in the Province. It was signed by the majority of the
settlers; a few kept in the background from timidity; others were
staunch partizans of the Chief; while a few others were governed by a
closer consideration. Even some of those who were under deep obligations
to him for favors received felt themselves compelled to affix their
signatures. Old Mr. Donald McNaughton--one of the first settlers--a man
of the most pure and genuine Christian principles; one who, like Enoch,
daily walked with his God; who was a perfect Ebenezer in Israel; a man
over eighty at the time; who daily silently glided into the darkest and
deepest glades of the forest, and there poured forth the ardent desires
of his soul in unrestrained communion with his Maker; who longed
ardently to throw off the "mortal coil" and join the celestial hosts of
angels and seraphs who flood the regions of eternal felicity with
streams of enchanting harmony, and make heaven's high and resplendent
arch echo with the strains of immortal bliss--that man, who longed
ardently to be with his God, was among the very first to sign it. He had
met with his soul's eager longings. At the advanced age of nearly a
century of years, he yielded up the ghost, and the venerable patriarch,
attended by the largest concourse of mourners that ever assembled in
McNab, was gathered to his fathers. When such men sign a document of the
above description, the oppression must have been great--the tyranny
intolerable. It is true the petition is not exactly according to form,
and has a few Scottish idiomatic expressions embodied in it; but it
tells in clear and forcible language the wrongs the settlers had
endured, and the grievances they still expected to bear. It breathes
forth a spirit of loyalty to the throne: "they were willing to go to any
part of British America to defend their country under any other leader
than McNab." Mr. Donald McIntyre (Paisley) went round with the petition
to those who were not present at Sand Point; and Mr. Daniel McIntyre
(Kilmabog) brought it to Perth to get it transmitted to the Government.
In vain he applied to the Hon. W. Morris; that gentleman threw cold
water on the whole business. Col. Taylor was applied to; he declined.
Mr. Powell was sick; and Mr. M. Cameron, then one of the members, was
absent from Perth. At length Mr. James Young placed it in an envelope
and directed it to the proper quarter. Upon hearing that a petition had
been transmitted, McNab wrote to Sir Francis Head not to reply to it
until he arrived in Toronto. Accordingly, about the 3rd of March, 1838,
he started for the seat of Government, and assisted the Governor to
rivet the chains more firmly, and for the future to preclude any
possibility on the part of the settlers to pursue a similar course. The
reply conveyed the impression that the whole township was the Chief's.
"The arrangements made between The McNab and his followers are of a
purely private nature, and beyond the control of the Government." How
came Sir Francis to utter so gross a falsehood? Every buffoon and
half-fledged harlequin is a liar, and Sir F. B. Head, impregnated with
the spirit of braggadocio, scrupled at no falsehood, when he could turn
a period, serve a friend, or carry out a purpose. It was this
overweening vanity that caused him to insult the United States
Government, and subsequently to lose his own situation, when he said in
his memorable speech to the Legislature, speaking of the people of the
United States, "In the name of every militia-man in the Province, I say,
let them come if they dare." But this reply to the poor settlers did not
alone satisfy the schemes of the Chief or his friends, the Family
Compact. They were resolved to strike terror into their hearts, and make
public the petition and reply. Accordingly both documents were ordered
by the Executive to be printed, and four hundred copies were sent to be
distributed among the people. They saw that further efforts with their
present rulers would be useless; and they bowed quietly to the decision,
waiting for better times, and these soon offered by the recall of Sir F.
Head and the mission of the Earl of Durham.
The Chief had now entirely abandoned his Kennell residence on the banks
of the Ottawa, and was now residing at Waba Cottage, White Lake, where
he was preparing to erect a saw-mill. A characteristic anecdote is told
of him, which is literally true. Meeting Mr. Walter McFarlane in one of
the houses of the settlers with whom he had not quarrelled, and
impressed with his robust and ruddy appearance, he addressed him with a
polite bow and said:--
"Well, my man, you're a good-looking fellow. Are you a Highlander, too?"
"Yes, Chief," said Walter.
"And what may your name be, my fine fellow?"
"Walter McFarlane," was the reply; "you ought to know me; I am the son
of James McFarlane, one of your first settlers."
"Ah!" said the Chief, turning away from him with a frown, and blowing a
snort like a porpoise--his usual habit when angry--"bad weeds grow
fast," and immediately left the house.
While the people and McNab were involved in these disputes, they did not
neglect the social duties imposed on them as heads of families.
Hitherto, there were no means of instruction, however poor, for the
young, and they determined to procure some smattering of education for
their children. Accordingly this year (1837) two schools were
established in the township; one in "Canaan," near Mr. Wm. McNevin's,
and the other in "Goschen," on the 4th concession line. Duncan Campbell,
Peter McMillan, John McDermaid, and James Carmichael, four of the
original settlers, with their families, had moved up to this more
fertile locality in 1832, and their families were growing up without
education of any kind. Indeed, some of the most intelligent men in the
township, the sons of the first settlers are self-taught.
Three of them in particular, have occupied prominent positions; John
Robertson and Duncan Campbell, of the Dochart, have been Reeves and
Councillors, respectively. John Robertson was a J.P., and Duncan
Campbell, for his smartness at figures, was Auditor for several years,
and Donald McLaren, (son of Jas. McLaren, one of McNab's "black sheep,")
was a Councillor for many years, and a thorough and well-posted
politician.
The people, in conjunction with the inhabitants of the neighboring
municipality of Horton, were beginning to agitate the question of
getting a minister and building a church. The Presbytery hitherto had
sent one of their number annually to preach and baptize the children,
and remind the people of the faith and religion of their fathers. The
preaching and meetings were held at the house and barn of Mr. Donald
Fisher, until the bridge at Johnston's Rock was constructed, and the
people flocked to the rendezvous, from a distance of twelve miles and
upwards. A lamentable accident occurred in 1836 at one of these
gatherings. While John Stewart and John McNab Achesson--two of the best
and noblest-hearted Highlanders that ever settled in McNab--were
crossing the Madawaska at Johnston's Rock, in the middle of the Long
Rapids, the canoe upset, and both of them were drowned. John McNab was
an expert swimmer, but in endeavoring to save Stewart, he was locked in
his struggling embrace and both sank never more to rise.
As soon as the bridge was completed, the people made preparations to
organize a society to procure spiritual ministers; and they so far
succeeded that the Bathurst Presbytery in 1838 sent out a reverend
gentleman once every three months to officiate in what was then looked
upon as a half-civilized country. The Rev. Mr. Fairbairn, of Ramsay, was
the first who commenced this quarterly mission tour. Such was the state
of affairs at the close of 1837 and the commencement of the following
year. The rebellion in both provinces had been put down; the Family
Compact, with their little bantam, Sir Francis, began to crow; the
people of McNab were fast verging to a state of revolt themselves, when
the news reached this side of the Atlantic that the Earl of Durham and a
special set of Commissioners were coming out to investigate all
complaints and redress all grievances. This was news, indeed! It gave
hope to the desponding, and inspired the settlers with new vigor. All
hope was nearly crushed out by the supercilious mockery of their
petition by Sir Francis and his Executive Council, and the delusive
falsehoods which his reply contained; but when the advent of Lord Durham
was announced, vigorous measures were taken, and a thorough and combined
system of organization was planned and adopted. Messrs. Allan Stewart,
Angus McNab, Donald Mohr McNaughton, Peter Campbell Dochart, Daniel
(Dancie) and James Carmichael, tacitly became the recognized leaders of
the movement, the details of which will be found in subsequent
chapters.