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Canadian Military Heritage
Table of Contents


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

    
    
Napierville ( 1 page )

    
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Following Colborne's plan, the British forces approached the rebels from three directions.  From the west, the 7th Hussars, the Grenadiers Guards, the 71St Regiment and the militiamen of Glengarry County followed the St. Lawrence River and attacked Saint-Timothée and Beauharnois in succession, finally joining up with the Stormont militiamen and the Huntingdon volunteers who were coming up the Châteauguay River.  At Baker's farm on November 9 they quickly routed the Patriotes, and then moved onwards towards Napierville to the east to the sound of bagpipes under the command of General James Macdonell.

To the south near the American border, the loyal volunteers of the neighbouring villages routed the Patriotes at Lacolle on November 7, and then at Odelltown on the 9th.  They were joined by the King's Dragoon Guards and the 73rd Regiment.  Under the command of Colonel George Cathcart, the British volunteers, infantrymen and troopers headed north for Napierville.

To the northeast, Colborne himself went to Saint-Jean and marched on Napierville leading the 15th and 24th regiments.  In all, approximately 3,300 British soldiers and loyal volunteers converged on the small town.  The Patriote army vanished helter-skelter, afraid of being surrounded and massacred by the British troops.  The 1838 invasion and insurrection in Lower Canada was over.

    
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  Last Updated: 2004-06-20 Top of Page Important Notices