Français  Contact Us  Help  Search  Canada Site Volume 1 (1000–1754) Volume 2 (1755-1871) Volume 3 (1872–2000) CHAPTER 1 The Conquest CHAPTER 2 The Revolt of Pontiac and the American Invasion CHAPTER 3 The Coveted Pacific Coast CHAPTER 4 The Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 CHAPTER 5 Demobilization A Time For Defence Cuts The American Threat The Great Fortifications Huge Expenses! The Great Lakes - Neutral Territory Annual Review of the Upper Canadian Militia The Militia of Lower Canada Demobilization of the French-Canadian Militia Political Confrontation and Secret Societies The 1837 Lower Canada Rebellion Saint-Denis and Saint-Charles Saint-Eustache The Horrors of War The Upper Canada Rebellion New Preparations Start of the 1838 Rebellions Napierville The Invasion of Upper Canada The Legacy of the Rebellions The Aroostook War Canadian Politics and British Withdrawal Reorganization of the Militia The 1855 Volunteers In the Maritimes CHAPTER 6 The Royal Navy, Ruler of the Seas CHAPTER 7 A Decade of Turbulence APPENDIX A The British Armed Forces APPENDIX B Daily Life of Soldiers and Officers APPENDIX C Uniforms and Arms APPENDIX D Reference      CHAPTER 5 Demobilization           Saint-Denis and Saint-Charles ( 2 pages )           1 2      First Victory to the Patriotes                The Patriotes capture a piece of British artillery during the Battle of Saint-Denis, 23 November 1837. (Click image to enlarge) The first task was to subdue the Patriote counties around Montreal.  A column of 300 British soldiers, consisting of detachments from the 24th, 32nd and 66th regiments, artillerymen with a 12-pound howitzer and members of the Royal Montreal Cavalry, left Sorel under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Stephen Gore.  It was to join up at Saint-Charles with another column from Chambly, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Wetherall in the heart of Patriote country.  But when they reached Saint-Denis on November 23, Gore found himself facing approximately 800 barricaded Patriotes under the command of Dr. Wolfred Nelson.  Although only 200 of them had muskets, their accurate fire soon forced the British scouts to turn tail.  Gore then decided to shell the village, but even at a distance of 320 metres four artillerymen were shot before the howitzer could fire a single shell.  The British nevertheless succeeded in taking a few houses.  In the end, after six hours of combat, Gore was forced to order a retreat, abandoning the howitzer to the Patriotes.  The losses were not heavy: six dead, 10 wounded and six missing among the British; 12 dead and seven wounded among the Patriotes.  Nelson's men were jubilant; the farmers armed with pitchforks and old muskets, some of which dated back to the French regime, had beaten the well-trained and properly armed British soldiers.           Additional Images           Click image to enlarge      1 2   Last Updated: 2004-06-20 Important Notices