TORONTO DURING THE REBELLION.
In November, 1837, I had travelled to Toronto for the purpose of seeking
permanent employment in the city, and meant to return in the first week
of December, to spend my last Christmas in the woods. But the fates and
William Lyon Mackenzie had decided otherwise. I was staying for a few
days with my friend Joseph Heughen, the London hairdresser mentioned as
a fellow-passenger on board the _Asia_, whose name must be familiar to
most Toronto citizens of that day. His shop was near Ridout's
hardware-store, on King Street, at the corner of Yonge Street. On
Sunday, the 3rd, we heard that armed men were assembling at the Holland
Landing and Newmarket to attack the city, and that lists of houses to be
burned by them were in the hands of their leaders; that Samuel Lount,
blacksmith, had been manufacturing pikes at the Landing for their use;
that two or three persons had been warned by friends in the secret to
sell their houses, or to leave the city, or to look for startling
changes of some sort. Then it was known that a quantity of arms and a
couple of cannon were being brought from the garrison, and stored in the
covered way under the old City Hall. Every idle report was eagerly
caught up, and magnified a hundred-fold. But the burthen of all
invariably was, an expected invasion by the Yankees to drive all
loyalists from Canada. In this way rumour followed rumour, all business
ceased, and everybody listened anxiously for the next alarm. At length
it came in earnest. At eleven o'clock on Monday night, the 4th of
December, every bell in the city was set ringing, occasional gun-shots
were fired, by accident as it turned out, but none the less startling to
nervous people; a confused murmur arose in the streets, becoming louder
every minute; presently the sound of a horse's hoofs was heard, echoing
loudly along Yonge Street. With others I hurried out, and found at
Ridout's corner a horseman, who proved to be Alderman John Powell, who
told his breathless listeners, how he had been stopped beyond the Yonge
Street toll-gate, two miles out, by Mackenzie and Anderson at the head
of a number of rebels in arms; how he had shot Anderson and missed
Mackenzie; how he had dodged behind a log when pursued; and had finally
got into town by the College Avenue.
There was but little sleep in Toronto that night, and next day
everything was uproar and excitement, heightened by the news that Col.
Moodie, of Richmond Hill, a retired officer of the army, who was
determined to force his way through the armed bodies of rebels, to bring
tidings of the rising to the Government in Toronto, had been shot down
and inhumanly left to bleed to death at Montgomery's tavern. The flames
and smoke from Dr. Horne's house at Rosedale, were visible all over the
city; it had been fired in the presence of Mackenzie in person, in
retaliation, it was said, for the refusal of discount by the Bank of
Upper Canada, of which Dr. Horne was teller. The ruins of the
still-burning building were visited by hundreds of citizens, and added
greatly to the excitement and exasperation of the hour. By-and-by it
became known that Mr. Robert Baldwin and Dr. John Rolph had been sent,
with a flag of truce, to learn the wants of the insurgents. Many
citizens accompanied the party at a little distance. A flag of truce was
in itself a delightful novelty, and the street urchins cheered
vociferously, scudding away at the smallest alarm. Arrived at the
toll-gate, there were waiting outside Mackenzie, Lount, Gibson, Fletcher
and other leaders, with a couple of hundred of their men. In reply to
the Lieutenant-Governor's message of inquiry, as to what was wanted, the
answer was, "Independence, and a convention to arrange details," which
rather compendious demand, being reported to Sir Francis, was at once
rejected. So there was nothing for it but to fight.
Mackenzie did his best to induce his men to advance on the city that
evening; but as most of his followers had been led to expect that there
would be no resistance, and no bloodshed, they were shocked and
discouraged by Col. Moodie's death, as well as by those of Anderson and
one or two others. A picket of volunteers under Col. Jarvis, fired on
them, when not far within the toll-gate, killing one and wounding two
others, and retired still firing. After this the insurgents lost all
confidence, and even threatened to shoot Mackenzie himself, for
reproaching them with cowardice. A farmer living by the roadside told me
at the time, that while a detachment of rebels were marching southwards
down the hill, since known as Mount Pleasant, they saw a waggon-load of
cordwood standing on the opposite rise, and supposing it to be a piece
of artillery loaded to the muzzle with grape or canister, these brave
warriors leaped the fences right and left like squirrels, and could by
no effort of their officers be induced again to advance.
By this time the principal buildings in the city--the City Hall, Upper
Canada Bank, the Parliament Buildings, Osgoode Hall, Government House,
the Canada Company's office, and many private dwellings and shops, were
put in a state of defence by barricading the windows and doors with
two-inch plank, loopholed for musketry; and the city bore a rather
formidable appearance. Arms and ammunition were distributed to all
householders who chose to accept them. I remember well the trepidation
with which my friend Heughen shrank from touching the musket that was
held out for his acceptance; and the outspoken indignation of the
militia sergeant, whose proffer of the firearm was declined. The poor
hairdresser told me afterwards, that many of his customers were rebels,
and that he dreaded the loss of their patronage.
The same evening came Mr. Speaker McNab, with a steamer from Hamilton,
bringing sixty of the "men of Gore." It was an inspiriting thing to see
these fine fellows land on the wharf, bright and fresh from their short
voyage, and full of zeal and loyalty. The ringing cheers they sent forth
were re-echoed with interest by the townsmen. From Scarborough also,
marched in a party of militia, under Captain McLean.
It was on the same day that a lady, still living, was travelling by
stage from Streetsville, on her way through Toronto to Cornwall, having
with her a large trunk of new clothing prepared for a long visit to her
relatives. Very awkwardly for her, Mackenzie had started, at the head of
a few men, from Yonge Street across to Dundas Street, to stop the stage
and capture the mails, so as to intercept news of Dr. Duncombe's rising
in the London District. Not content with seizing the mail-bags and all
the money they contained, Mackenzie himself, pistol in hand, demanded
the surrender of the poor woman's portmanteau, and carried it off
bodily. It was asserted at the time that he only succeeded in evading
capture a few days after, at Oakville, by disguising himself in woman's
clothes, which may explain his raid upon the lady's wardrobe; for which,
I believe, she failed to get any compensation whatsoever under the
Rebellion Losses Act. This lady afterwards became the wife of John F.
Rogers, who was my partner in business for several subsequent years.
In the course of the next day, Wednesday, parties of men arrived from
Niagara, Hamilton, Oakville, Port Credit and other places in greater or
less numbers--many of them Orangemen, delighted with their new
occupation. The Lieutenant-Governor was thus enabled to vacate the City
Hall and take up his headquarters in the Parliament Buildings; and
before night as many as fifteen hundred volunteers were armed and
partially drilled. Among them were a number of Mackenzie's former
supporters, with their sons and relatives, now thoroughly ashamed of the
man, and utterly alienated by his declared republicanism.
Next morning followed the "Battle of Gallows Hill," or, as it might more
fitly be styled, the "Skirmish of Montgomery's Farm." Being a stranger
in the city, I had not then formally volunteered, but took upon myself
to accompany the advancing force, on the chance of finding something to
do, either as a volunteer or a newspaper correspondent, should an
opening occur. The main body, led by Sir Francis himself, with Colonels
Fitzgibbon and McNab as Adjutants, marched by Yonge Street, and
consisted of six hundred men with two guns; while two other bodies, of
two hundred and a hundred and twenty men, respectively, headed by
Colonels W. Chisholm and S. P. Jarvis, advanced by bye-roads and fields
on the east and on the west of Yonge Street. Nothing was seen of the
enemy till within half-a-mile of Montgomery's tavern. The road was there
bordered on the west side by pine woods, from whence dropping
rifle-shots began to be heard, which were answered by the louder muskets
of the militia. Presently our artillery opened their hoarse throats, and
the woods rang with strong reverberations. Splinters were dashed from
the trees, threatening, and I believe causing worse mischief than the
shots themselves. It is said that this kind of skirmishing continued
for half-an-hour--to me it seemed but a few minutes. As the militia
advanced, their opponents melted away. Parties of volunteers dashed over
the fences and into the woods, shouting and firing as they ran. Two or
three wounded men of both parties were lifted tenderly into carts and
sent off to the city to be placed in hospital. Others lay bleeding by
the road-side--rebels by their rustic clothing; their wounds were bound
up, and they were removed in their turn. Soon a movement was visible
through the smoke, on the hill fronting the tavern, where some tall
pines were then standing. I could see there two or three hundred men,
now firing irregularly at the advancing loyalists; now swaying to and
fro without any apparent design. Some horsemen were among them, who
seemed to act more as scouts than as leaders.
We had by this time arrived within cannon shot of the tavern itself. Two
or three balls were seen to strike and pass through it. A crowd of men
rushed from the doors, and scattered wildly in a northerly direction.
Those on the hill wavered, receded under shelter of the undulating land,
and then fled like their fellows. Their horsemen took the side-road
westward, and were pursued, but not in time to prevent their escape. Had
our right and left wings kept pace with the main body, the whole
insurgent force must have been captured.
Sir Francis halted his men opposite the tavern, and gave the word to
demolish the building, by way of a severe lesson to the disaffected.
This was promptly done by firing the furniture in the lower rooms, and
presently thick clouds of smoke and vivid flames burst from doors and
windows. The battalion next moved on to perform the same service at
Gibson's house, several miles further north. Many prisoners were taken
in the pursuit, all of whom Sir Francis released, after admonishing them
to be better subjects in future. The march back to Toronto was very
leisurely executed, several of the mounted officers carrying dead pigs
and geese slung across their saddle-bows as trophies of victory.
Next day, volunteers for the city guard were called for, and among them
I was regularly enrolled and placed under pay, at three shillings and
nine pence per diem. My captain was George Percival Ridout; and his
brother, Joseph D. Ridout, was lieutenant. Our company was duly drilled
at the City Hall, and continued to do duty as long as their services
were required, which was about four months. I have a vivid recollection
of being stationed at the Don Bridge to look out for a second visit from
Peter Matthews's band of rebels, eighty of whom had attempted to burn
the bridge, and succeeded in burning three adjoining houses; also, of
being forgotten and kept there without food or relief throughout a
bitter cold winter's night and morning. Also, of doing duty as sentry
over poor old Colonel Van Egmond, a Dutch officer who had served under
Napoleon I., and who was grievously sick from exposure in the woods and
confinement in gaol, of which he soon afterwards died. Another day, I
was placed, as one of a corporal's guard, in charge of Lesslie's
stationery and drug-store, and found there a saucy little shop-boy who
has since developed into the portly person of Alderman Baxter, now one,
and not the least, of our city notabilities. The guards and the guarded
were on the best of terms. We were treated with much hospitality by Mr.
Joseph Lesslie, late Postmaster of Toronto, and have all been excellent
friends ever since. Our corporal, I ought to say, was Anthony Blachford,
since a well-known and respected citizen.
Those were exciting times in Toronto. The day after the battle, six
hundred men of Simcoe, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Dewson, came
marching down Yonge Street, headed by Highland pipers playing the
national pibroch. In their ranks I first saw Hugh Scobie, a stalwart
Scotsman, afterwards widely known as publisher of the _British Colonist_
newspaper. With this party were brought in sixty prisoners, tied to a
long rope, most of whom were afterwards released on parole.
A day or two afterwards, entered the volunteers from the Newcastle
District, who had marched the whole distance from Brockville, under the
command, I think, of Lieutenant-Colonel Ogle R. Gowan. They were a fine
body of men, and in the highest spirits at the prospect of a fight with
the young Queen Victoria's enemies.
A great sensation was created when the leaders who had been arrested
after the battle, Dr. Thomas D. Morrison, John G. Parker, and two
others, preceded by a loaded cannon pointed towards the prisoners, were
marched along King Street to the Common Jail, which is the same building
now occupied as York Chambers, at the corner of Toronto and Court
Streets. The Court House stood, and still stands, converted into shops
and offices, on Church Street; between the two was an open common which
was used in those days as the place of public executions. It was here
that, on the 12th of April following, I witnessed, with great sorrow,
the execution by hanging of Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews, two of the
principal rebel leaders.
Sir F. B. Head had then left the Province.
* * * * *
The following narrative of circumstances which occurred during the time
when Mackenzie was in command of the rebel force on Yonge Street, has
been kindly communicated to me by a gentleman, who, as a young lad, was
personally cognizant of the facts described. It has, I believe, never
been published, and will interest many of my readers:
"It was on Monday morning, the 5th of December, 1837, when
rumours of the disturbances that had broken out in Lower Canada
were causing great excitement throughout the Home District, that
the late James S. Howard's servant-man, named Bolton, went into
his master's bed-room and asked if Mr. H. had heard shots fired
during the night. He replied that he had not, and told the man
to go down to the street and find out what was the matter.
Bolton returned shortly with the news, that a man named Anderson
had been shot at the foot of the hill, and that his body was
lying in a house near by. Shortly after came the startling
report of the death of poor Col. Moodie, which was a great shock
to Mrs. Howard, who knew him well, and was herself a native of
Fredericton, where the Colonel's regiment (the old Hundred and
Fourth) had been raised during the war of 1812. Mr. Howard
immediately ordered his carriage, and started for the city, from
whence he did not return for ten days. About nine o'clock, a man
named Pool, who held the rank of captain in the rebel army,
called at Mr. Howard's house, to ask if Anderson's body was
there. Being told where it was said to be, he turned and went
away. Immediately afterwards, the first detachment of the rebel
army came in sight, consisting of some fifteen or twenty men,
who drew up on the lawn in front of the house. Presently, at the
word of command they wheeled round and went away in search of
the dead rebel. Next came three or four men (loyalists) hurrying
down the road, who said that there were five hundred rebels
behind them. Then was heard the report of fire arms, and anon
more armed men showed themselves along the brow of Gallows Hill,
and took up ground near the present residence of Mr. Hooper.
About eleven o'clock, another detachment appeared, headed by a
man on a small white horse, almost a pony, who turned out to be
the commander-in-chief, Mackenzie himself. He wore a great coat
buttoned up to the chin, and presented the appearance of being
stuffed. In talking among themselves, the men intimated that he
had on a great many coats, as if to make himself bullet proof.
To enable the man on the white pony to enter the lawn, his men
wrenched off the fence boards; he entered the house without
knocking, took possession of the sitting room where Mrs. and
Miss Howard and her brother were sitting, and ordered dinner to
be got ready for fifty men. Utterly astonished at such a demand,
Mrs. Howard said she could do nothing of the kind. After abusing
Mr. Howard for some time--who had incurred his dislike by
refusing him special privileges at the Post Office--Mackenzie
said Howard had held his office long enough, and that it was
time somebody else had it. Mrs. Howard at length referred him to
the servant in the kitchen; which hint he took, and went to see
about dinner himself. There happened to be a large iron
sugar-kettle, in which was boiling a sheep killed by dogs
shortly before. This they emptied, and refilled with beef from a
barrel in the cellar. A baking of bread just made was also
confiscated, and cut up by a tall thin man, named Eckhardt, from
Markham. While these preparations were going on, other men were
busy in the tool house mending their arms, which consisted of
all sorts of weapons, from chisels and gouges fixed on poles, to
hatchets, knives and guns of all descriptions. About two o'clock
there was a regular stampede, and the family were left quite
alone, much to their relief; with the exception of a young
Highland Scotchman mounting guard. He must have been a recent
arrival from the old country, as he wore the blue jacket and
trowsers of the sea-faring men of the western isles. Mrs. Howard
seeing all the rest had left, went out to speak to him, saying
she regretted to see so fine a young Scotchman turning rebel
against his Queen. His answer was, "Country first, Queen next."
He told her that it was the flag of truce which had called his
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
rebel rendezvous, about eight miles north, was also burnt. With
that small effort the rebellion in Upper Canada was crushed. A
few days after, some fifty or sixty rebel prisoners from about
Sharon and Lloydtown, were marched down to the city, roped
together, two and two in a long string; and shortly afterwards a
volunteer corps--commanded by Colonels Hill and Dewson, raised
amongst the log-cabin settlers, in the County of Simcoe, came
down in sleighs to the city, where they did duty all winter. It
was an extraordinary fact, that these poor settlers, living in
contentment in their log-cabins, with their potato patches
around, should turn out and put down a rebellion, originated
among old settlers and wealthy farmers in the prosperous County
of York. Mackenzie early lost the sympathies of a great
proportion of his followers. One of them, named Jacob Kurtz,
swore most lustily, the same winter, that if he could catch his
old leader he would shoot him. While retreating eastward, a
party of the rebels attempted to burn the Don Bridge, and would
have succeeded, but for the determined efforts of a Mrs. Ross,
who put out the fire, at the expense of a bullet in her knee;
the ball was extracted by the late Dr. Widmer, who was very
popular about Yorkville and the east end of the city."