Le courrier du livre, 1 décembre 1898, Décembre

Bibliothèque et Archives nationales Québec Le Courrier du Livre Page(s) manquante(s) ou non-numérisée(s) Veuillez vous informer auprès du personnel de BAnQ en utilisant le formulaire de référence à distance, qui se trouve en ligne : https://www.banq.qc.ca/formulaires/formulaire reference/index.html ou par téléphone 1-800-363-9028 • ‘-'O *iNESÏÏtes! Sedebbis® tujéb b^N l65t MORTE ENi 1710.I b‘A~'*“~ 'HS «fii JÆ ¦ .- .• J;V- ,'.' ' MADAME LA MARQUISE DE DENONVILLE ’Ml NOTES HISTORIQUES SUR SAINT-THOMAS DE MONTMAGNT A TRAVERS LES REGISTRES O .Dieu de nos dignes aïeux ! ., , Faites que tous leurs descendants N’oublient pas leur Père des Cieux, Et soient, avant tout, ses enfants.; 1 Eugène: Renault.; 4 ' ¦ : -.; T ; ; ; " ; * ' ; ; , * ' ' t • .¦ ; • ; • • ; '' i Nos aïeux ne sont plus qu’un amas de poussière, Ou le fils cherche en vain les cendres de son père ; Faible et tremblant, encore au chevet du berceau* L’homme touche déjà la porte du tombeau ! (1).1C70.— Les registres s’ouvrent à la date du 4 août 1679, par un baptême, le baptême de Jacques Fournier, quatorzième et dernier enfant de Guillaume Fournier et de Françoise Hébert.A titre de principal fondateur de la paroisse de Saint-Thomas de la Pointe-à-Lacaille, Guillaume Fournier mérite une mention spéciale.Guillaume Fournier naquit à Goulme, en Normandie, en 1619, du mariage de Gille Fournier et de.Noëlle Gagnon.Reproduction interdite.Enregistré conformément à l’acte du Parlement en l’année mil huit cent quatre-vingt-dix-huit, par Raoul Renault, au bureau de l’Agriculture.(1) Quatrain couronnant la généalogie de la famille d’Abraham Des-aulniers, et reproduit dans le premier volume des Vieilles Familles (T Yamachiche, par F.L.-Desaulniers.(Montréal, 1898).Lu Courrier du Livre, Vol.Ill, No 32. 252 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE Arrivé en la ISTouvelle-France vers 1636, il avait épousé à Québec, le 20 novembre 1651, Françoise Hébert, fille de Guillaume Hébert et de Hélène Desportes, et petite-fille de Louis Hébert, le premier agriculteur du Canada.Lorsque Françoise Hébert traversa en Canada, elle était encore aux bras de sa mère.Une nuit noire, pendant la traversée, le navire rencontra d’énormes banquises de glaces et fut sur le point de périr.Le P.LeCaron (1) et tout l’équipage se mit en prière pour congurer le danger.Madame Hébert, obéissant à une inspiration d’en-haut, présenta sa jeune enfant au missionnaire, à travers les écoutilles, et demanda, pour elle et pour son enfant, la bénédiction.A l’instant même, une grande lumière se fit dans les environs et le navire, grâce à cet évènement quasi miraculeux, put se frayer un passage à travers les icebergs (2).Louise Hébert est la petite-fille de Louis Hébert et de Marie Rollet, la première Française qui ait foulé le sol de l’Amérique, en 1606 (H), et c’est pour Saint-Thomas un honneur de compter sa petite-fille au nombre de ses premiers habitants (4).Louis Hébert s’établit à Québec, en 1617.Il avait fait, en 1604, le voyage en Acadie avec M.de Monts.En 1606, il (1) C’est le P.LeCaron qui célébra le premier mariage au Canada, en 1618 : Le mariage de Joseph-Marie-Etienne Jonquest, natif de Normandie, et de Anne Hébert, fille ainée de Louis Hébert.Jonquest est mort en France, en 1632.II avait été aumônier du duc d’Orléans.(2) J’ai trouvé cet incident dans les notes de mon père, et n’ai pu en vérifier l’authenticité.Il doit y avoir erreur de nom.(3) En Acadie, en 1606.Hans une requête adressée aux duc de Vantadour, vers 1625, Hébert représente qu’il est le chef de la première famille qui ait habité ce pays depuis l’an mil six cent six.Ce texte signifie pour nous que Hébert avait amené sa femme à Port-Royal en 1606.{Suite.Histoire des Canadians-Français, tome I, p.243).(4) Madame de Poutrincourt est la seconde femme qui foula le sol de la Nouvelle-France : elle vint en Acadie, avec son mari, en 1611. LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 258 y amenait sa femme.Il en est reparti en 1607, pour revenir en 1609 ou 1610 avec M.de Poutrincourt.Il s’occupa de défrichements.Lescarbot dit de lui : “ Ls.Hébert, outre l’expérience qu’il a en son art (comme apothicaire) prend grand plaisir au labourage de la terre Hébert a été le premier laboureur de l’Acadie et du Canada.Il avait déjà deux enfants à Port-Royal, en 1606.Il repassa en France en 1613 (1).Comme je l’ai dit plus haut, Hébert s’embarqua pour Québec dans le printemps de 1617, avec sa femme et ses enfants, Guillaume, Anne et Guillemette.Il se fixa à Québec et se construisit une maison à l’endroit où se trouve actuellement le jardin du Séminaire.Cette maison était en pierre et mesurait trente-huit pieds de long sur dix-neuf de large.Ce fut le premier bâtiment élevé à la Plaute-Ville.En 1626, il reçut les lettres-patentes d’un octroi qui lui avait été fait dès son arrivé au pays.Hébert ne se livra au défrichement qu’en 1618.Il possédait un labourage en 1620.mais un labourage fait à la bêche.La charrue ne fut plantée pour la première fois dans le sol de la Nouvelle-France que le 26 avril 1628, par la veuve de Louis Hébert (2).Louis Hébert est décédé le 25 juin 1627.Sagard rapporte ses dernières paroles, qui méritent d’être reproduites intégralement : “Je meurs content, puisqu’il a plu à Notre-Seigneur de me faire la grâce de voir mourir devant moi des sauvages convertis.J’ai passé les mers pour les venir secourir plutôt que pour aucun intérêt particulier, et mourrais volontiers pour leur conversion, si tel était le bon plaisir de Dieu.Je vous supplie de les aimer comme je les ai aimés, et de les assister (1) Les Relations des Jésuites rapportent qu’il avait planté des pommiers à Québec, “ qui ont rapporté de forts bons fruits ”.(2) Hébert signe, en 1621, une requête comme procureur du Roy. 254 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE selon votre pouvoir.Dieu vous eu saura gré et vous en récompensera en paradis ; ils sont créatures raisonnables comme nous et peuvent aimer un même Dieu que nous, s’ils en avaient la connaissance, à laquelle je vous supplie de leur aider par vos bons exemples et vos prières.Je vous exhorte aussi à la paix et à l’amour maternel et filial que vous vous devez respectivement les uns aux autres, car en cela vous accomplirez la loi de Dieu en charité.Cette vie est de peu de durée, et celle à l’avenir est pour l’éternité.Je suis prêt d’aller devant Dieu qui est mon juge, auquel il faut que je rende compte de toute ma vie passée ; priez-le pour moi, afin que je puisse trouver grâce devant sa face, et que je sois un jour-au nombre de ses élus”.Et pour couronner ces touchantes recommandations, il demanda au Dieu qu’il allait rejoindre bientôt de faire descendre sur sa famille réunis autour de lui ses plus abondantes bénédictions.La colonie éprouva une perte réelle par la mort de Louis Hébert, qui, après Champlain, avait pris la plus grande part àd’établissement de Québec, et à l’avancement de la Nouvelle-France.“ Ça été, dit Champlain, le premier chef de famille résidant au pays qui vivait de ce qu’il cultivait ”.— (Ferland, Histoire du Canada, vol.I, p.220).On enterra solennellement le corps de Louis Hébert dans le cimetière des Récollets, au Couvent St.Charles.Le terrain ayant été bouleversé plus tard, on trouva ses ossements enfermés dans un cercueil de cèdres.En 1678, le Père Valentin LeRoux, Supérieur des Récollets, les fit transporter dans la cave de l’église de ces Religieux à la Haute Ville de Québec.—(Leclercq, Etablissement de la Foi en Amérique, vol.II, p.128).Pendant l’occupation des frères Kertk, de 1629 à 1632, ce fut dans la maison de Louis Hébert où les quelques Français demeurés au pays allaient prier, avec «a veuve, afin d’obtenir LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 255 le retour de leurs compatriotes.Ce fut aussi dans sa maison où fut célébrée la première messe, par le P.Le Jeune, après la restitution du Canada à la France.Hébert compte, parmi ses nombreux descendants, quelques-unes des plus illustres familles du Canada : Jolliet, DeLéry, DeRamesay, D’Eschambault, Fournier, Msr Taschereau, archevêque de Québec, les archevêque et évêque Blau-chet, de l’Orégon, et Msr Taché, évêque de la Rivière-Rouge.—(Tanguay, Dictionnaire Généalogique, vol.I, p.301).Guillaume Fournier résida d’abord à Québec.Le recensement de 1667 nous apprend qu’à cette date il occupait sur la côte de ISfotre-Dame-des-Anges, près de Québec, une terre sur laquelle il avait quatre bestiaux et dix-sept arpents en valeur.Plus tard, en 1672, il devint propriétaire d’un petit fief du nom de Saint-Joseph, situé dans le voisinage" du fief de L’Espinay, dans le comté de L’Islet, et plus tard encore, il devint co-seigneur de Saint-Charles.Il vint s’établir à la Pointe-à-Lacaille en 1678, et la première chapelle bâtie à cet endroit fut érigée sur un terrain de trois arpents de front qui faisait partie de son patrimoine et qu’il avait donné pour que la chapelle y fut construite.Cette donation a été faite par un acte en date du 2 décembre 1685.Ce terrain fait maintenant partie de la terre grand-paternelle, où mon père a été élevé.M.Jean-Baptiste Tondreau, mon demi-oncle paternel, en est le propriétaire.La petite Rivière-à-Lacaille traverse la propriété et se jette dans le fleuve à deux perches de l’endroit où était bâtie l’ancienne église dont les ruines sont baignées par les eaux du Saint-Laurent à'toutes les grandes marées.Mon père a écrit, sur ce sujet, une charmante esquisse, qui fut publiée dans les Soirées Canadiennes et dans le Journal de VInstruction Publique. 256 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE Au recensement officiel fait par les autorités coloniales dans l’été de 1618, on voit que Guillaume Fournier avait, à cette date, à la Pointe-à-Lacaille, dix arpents en valeur, douze bêtes à cornes et trois fusils.En ces temps-là, où tous les habitants étaient exposés à des attaques imprévues de la part des sauvages, les fusils figuraient aux recensement tout comme les animaux de ferme; leur quantité établissait, en général, la mesure de l’importance du propriétaire.Le but que les autorités avaient en vue en insérant dans les recensements, la quantité de fusils en disponibilité, était d’établir les moyens de défense et de l’ammunition de la colonie.Dans ce même recensement figure un nommé Joseph Renault comme propriétaire de cinquante arpents en culture, de seize bêtes à cornes et de.Devinez combien de fusils?.De quatorze fusils, ni plus, ni moins.Mon père ne manquait pas, lorsqu’il en avait l’occasion— et souvent il la faisait venir—de mentionner ce fait extraordinaire et unique, je crois, à cette époque.Alors il s’écriait, en jetant un coup d’œil narquois à ma mère qui, comme la plupart des femmes, n’aimait pas la chasse et les chasseurs : —Je puis toujours me vanter de ceci et dire hautement qu’avant moi il a existé des Renault qui avaient un faible pour les panoplies de fusils de chasse ”.Et il partait d’un joyeux éclat de rire.Guillaume Fournier mourut en 1699, à l’âge patriarchal de quatre-vingts ans, et fut inhumé dans l’église de la Pointe-à-Lacaille, ainsi que sa femme qui mourut en 1716, à l’âge de soixante-dix ans.Guillaume Fournier est l’ancêtre des Fournier de Saint-Thomas.Ses descendants, qui se sont alliés à nos meilleures LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 257 familles et se sont répandus sur tous les points du pays, se comptent aujourd’hui par milliers.Ils sont en si grand nombre aujourd’hui dans la paroisse de Saint-Thomas, que les habitants ont tous affublés de sobriquets les principaux membres des différentes branches de cette grande famille.Ces surnoms, dont il serait difficile de retracer l’origine, finiront par s’adopter au nom propre, ou même à la remplacer, comme la chose est arrivée en maintes circonstances depuis le commencement de la colonie.Par curiosité, et aussi pour leur consacrer une place dans l’histoire intime de Saint-Thomas, je donne ci-dessous quelques-uns de ces sobriquets : Fournier la Cassette, Fournier V Occasion, Fournier la Pipe, Fournier la Biche, Fournier le Geai, Fournier Gros- Cul, Fournier Macrat, Fournier Garçon, Fournier Monsieur, Fournier Tontaine.Nous avons, en Canada, une foule de sobriquets, qui sont devenus des noms de familles que nous ne pouvons rencontrer nulle part ailleurs, pas même en France, d’où vient la grande majorité de nos ancêtres (1).suivre.) RAOUL RENAULT.(1) Mgr Tanguay, dans l’introduction à son Dictionnaire Généalogique donne une intéressante étude sur la formation des noms propres. 258 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE JOURNAL 0F COL.RUDOLPHUS RITZ KM A AUGUST 8-1775 TO MARCH 30-1776 (From the original in the Collection of the New York Historical Society) August ye 8th, 1775.—Sailed from Hew York with 4 Companies of the first Regiment of Hew York Forces under my Command.August ye 10th.—At 3 A.M.arrived and disembarked the Troops in Albany ; at 9 of the Clock A.M.eodem Die marched to the half moon & encamped—The march was a good Seasoning to our young Soldiers, from the excessive Rain, and the gentel Wadding thro’ the Sprouts—this was no unpleasing Sight.The Men in good Health and of good Appearance.August ye 15th.—Struck our Tents and marched to Stil-water.August ye Vlth.—To Saratoga.August ye 10th.—To Fort Edward—having been detained in an extraordinary Manner for the Want of Waggons, owing to the Mismanagement of the Commissary General AY L.Esqre.August ye '20th.—To Skeenborough without our Tents.— these & the Baggage being sent under an Escort to Fort George in order to be sent to Ticonderoga—our Rout this way being Caused by the want of boats at Lake George. LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 259 August ye 21s/.—Embarked at South Bay & arrived safe in the Evening at Ticonderoga—here every thing bore an unmilitary Appearance—the Fortifications in Ruins & not repairing—the H.E.Soldiers without order or dicipline— Milites rustici indeed ! August ye 28th.—At 6 P.M.my 4 Companies, Water-bury’s Regiment & Mott's Artillery Company, under the Command of Brigadier General Montgomery embarked for Crown Point—About 10 at night obliged to disembark, occasioned by the Darkness of the night & the hard Rain —laid in the woods all night without our Tents.August ye 29th.—At Crown Point—here also every Thing in Ruins & Confusion abounding — A bad omen to our future operations.—The Intent of our Embarkation is for the Isle au Hoix, in order to intrench there & make some Redoubts to prevent the vessels belonging to the Garrison of Fort St Johns, which we were informed were nearly finished, from entering the Lake.August ye 31s/.— High & contrary winds detained us here ’till this Morning, when we embarked for our intended Station and encamped in the Evening in Willsborough Bay on the Lake abt 30 miles from the Point.September ye 1st.—At grand Isle about 33 miles from Willsborough Bay—encamped there in a Cove —At Kight an Express from General Schuyler, with orders to go to the Isle du Motte, & abide his coming there.September ye 2nd.— At Isle du Motte & encamped there near a fine sandy Beach proper for Batteaus in Case of a Storm —very few Settlements along either Shore of the Lake : the Country hereabout very low and marsh}'.—At night another Express from General Schuyler, that he was extremely ill &c.—There Mr.Gillilan paid us a Visit—Various Reports abt 260 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE the Part the Indians in general intend taking—Several of the St Francis Indians in our Camp, who appear to be friendly—So Success attends us no Doubt of their continuing so.September ye 4th.—Early this Morning we were joined by General Schuyler and his Suit.Major Zedwitz of our Regiment with Mott’s Company joined us this Day.—5 Companies- of our Regiment now with us—About Noon the whole Army embarked, a previous Disposition of the Batteaus, for an orderly March being first made—This Day’s March was extremely regular & on the Evening the Boats being formed into one Line landed in a rescular Manner without any opposition on the Isle au Noix.September ye 6th.—The General ordered the whole army without one Piece of Artillerv, save two twelve Pounders in the Bows of the Gondolais, to embark for St Johns.—About 3 of the Clock P.M., we landed within a mile & an half of St Johns Fort under the Command of General Montgomery^ General Schuyler being unwell remained with a Guard in his Batteau—coming down the River several shot were fired at us from the Fort without doing us any Hurt.—Having marched about a quarter of a mile thro’ the woods and Marshes we were attacked by a large Body of Indians and Regulars in Ambush, who killed 9 of our men and wounded as many more.After firing about 15 minutes the Indians &c, returd into the Fort.—We killed 7 Indians and wounded 15—Capt Tice who was out with the Indians was -wounded in the Thigh.—On our Side Major Hobby & Capt Mead of the officers were wounded—Tho’ much exposed escaped—In the Evening several Shells thrown at us from the Fort, which induced the General to order the Men to reimbark (tho’ they had built a pretty good Breast work) & go a mile k an half higher up the River to be free from the LE COURRIER DU LIVRE •261 Shells &c.—here the Men again disembarked and made another Breast work.September ye 7th.—The General ordered the Army to embark which they did unmolested and to proceed to the Isle au Noix.—This day it was given out in Orders that the Intent of our Embarkation was to apprize the Canadians of our being come to their assistance—-peut être.September ye 1()th.—Went from Isle au Noix with General Montgomery with 800 Men towards St Johns and landed about 8 o’clock P.M.at the Upper Breast Work unmolested.The Intent of our Embarkation was that I should march with 500 Men round the Fort and occupy the Road leading from the Fort towards Chamblee in order to cut off the Enemy’s Communication with the Country.Accordingly in the Evening, about 9 o’clock, I marched off, with 140 men belonging to our Regiment, with 2 Capts & 4 Subitems, 60 men of Henman’s Regiment & 300 men of Waterbury’s, and had with the Van Guard [with whom I was] scarcely reached the Lower Breast Work, when I thought I heard a firing in the Center, on which I returned with Lieut.Van Slyck of the Albany Regiment to the Head of the Division, and found Henman’s Men who were in Front with Major Elmore in their Station, but all Waterbury’s Men with their officers run off towards the Upper Breast Work from which we had marched.—On this, I walked on and found the New Yorkers, at least the first Division of them, under the Command of Capt.Weisenfels, attempting with fixt Bayonets to stop the New England Men, in their Flight but in Vain, for they made Way thro’ the Water up to the Waists.In this general Confusion, when I found it impossible to rally the Men, I went to the General to know his Pleasure, he ordered me, after riving the fugitive Rascals who had got into the BreastWork out of it, to attempt the rallying of them again, 2m LE COURRIER DU LIVRE which with the assistance of some good officers I with much difficulty effected, and then posted myself in the Center & ordered the whole with Major Elmore in Front to march which they did, but had not advance a quarter of a mile from the Breast Work, when the same Gentry, who had caused the same Confusion before, threw us into a second only because the Enemy had thrown a few Shells among us, so that one half of the Division retreated toward the Upper Breast Work, and the other half consisting of Henman’s Men & the Yorkers with a fewr Waterbury’s with myself advance to the lower Breastwork, which we took possession of after killing one Indian, & one Canadian & wounding several others.Here I remained till three of the clock in the Morning, when I received orders from the General to march down to him with the Men I had with me.September ye 11 th.—In the Morning the General called a Council of War to consult, wheher it was expedient or not, in our present Situation to proceed—who were unanimously of Opinion that we should go forward.On this the Men were ordered immediately to fall in & form themselves, which was obeyed with seeming Alacrity, when Waterbury’s Men, with a certain Capt of another Corps, on a Report that the Enemy’s Schooner was coming up the Lake, again betrayed a dastardly spirit, and betook themselves without being ordered so to do, to their Baft eaux, which none of the Yorkers followed, but remained in their Ranks & shewed a ready Spirit to proceed.This infamous Conduct so much despirited the General that he ordered the whole Army to embark and to proceed to Isle au Noix.Y.B.On the second Retreat I wounded several of the Hew England Men for quitting their Ranks & would have fired on some of them if Doctor Williams had not prevented me. LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 283 At the Isle au Noix, in which we were employed in repairing the Old Breast Work & making a Boom across the Lake ’till September ye 17th.—The whole Army amounting to about 1500 Men under General Montgomery [General Schuyler from his ill state of Health being gone to Ticonderoga] embarked again for St Johns—About Noon we landed at the Break Work nearest the Enemy.The General detached Ool Bedel with his Corps to occupy the Road leading from St, Johns to Chamblee, in order to cut off the Enemy’s Communication with the Country, which they effectually accomplished.September ye 19th.—A Bomb Battery within 600 yards of the Fort began erecting which was finished ye 21st.September ye 21 st.—Col Flemming in Capacity of Deputy Adjutant General, Capt Lamb’s Artillery Company & Capt Goforth & Quackenbos with Companies of our Regiment joined the army.September ye Nxth.—Capt Mott’s affair happened—The 12 Cannon we brought with us from Isle au Noix remained in the Bottom of the Batteaux, save that two of them were mounted on a Battery within a mile from the Fort, which never annoyed the Enemy in the least.We remained in a supine state all to throwing a few Shells from the Bomb Battery in ye Fort till.October ye 9th.—When Capt Weisenfels erected a two gun Battery of four Pounders on the East shore opposite to the Fort — At this the Enemy seemed much exasperated & were not sparing of their Shells & Ball in order to make us quit—however it had a contrary effect upon us, as the General after holding a Council of War, ordered Colonel Clinton on 264 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE October ye 13th.—To take his Regiment to the East side & add two nine Pounders more to the Battery already erected there—With Battery a pretty smart Fire was daily kept up at the Fort and Vessels, which much annoyed the Enemy & eventually destroyed their Vessels—The Enemy Dayly exerting themselves to the utmost to annoy us in our Camp & at our two Batteries by throwing dead Shot, Shells and Grape incessantly among us — Sometimes a hundred Shells a Day & three Times the number of Shot, which happily did us little or no hurt, not having lost above six Men in the wffiole.October ye 16th.— Major Brown was with Lieutenant Johnson of the Artillery Company detached with 300 men & one nine Pounder to attack Fort Chamblee, which on October ye 18th.—We obliged to Capitulate.Major Stop-ford with six or seven other officers with 83 Privates & 100 Woman & Children of the 7th Regiment taken Prisoners—124 Barrels of Powder 6000 Cartridges, six Royals & a large Quantity of Provisions and military Stores found in the Fort.October ye 23rd.—1The Prisoners taken at Chamblee were escorted by Capt Willet & his Company of our Regiment to Ticonderoga, in order to be sent to Connecticut, where they are to remain till an accommodation takes place between G.B.& the Colonies, or till they are exchanged.October ye 24th.—Capt Varick’s Company of our Regiment joined us—no tiring from our Side this Day—many dead Shot from the Fort in our Camp.October ye 2bth.— St Crispin’s Day—O Agiucourt !—one of Capt Mott’s Men killed and another one wounded in his Tent by a dead Shot—The general began to remove the Cannon & Mortars from the Batteries on this Side. LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 265 October ye 2Qth.—No firing on either side— Brigadier General Wooster with 400 Men joined the army.October ye 27th.—-A few Shot from either side—General Woorster marched to the North Side.October ye 28th.—Our Regiment and Waterbury’s with Lamb’s Artillery Company marched around the Fort to the North side of it to .join the rest of the Army there—Our whole strength now on this Side—save Cliton’s Regiment with a few Gunners on the East, to guard & fire the Battery there.October ye 29th.—In the Evening I was ordered with 200 Men to erect a Battery [the Ground for which having been previously laid out by the Engineers] within 250 Yards of the Fort—In the Morning the Breast Work & Ambresurs compleated.—The Fort Kept a heavy Fire upon us all Night —But happily no Lives lost.October ye 30th.—The whole Army busily employed in moving the Cannon Mortars, Ball and Shells to the Battery & preparing for a Cannonade.October ye 31s£.—An Express from Colonel Warner at Longue Isle with Intelligence that he had the Day before repulsed Governor Carleton who had Made an Attempt to land on this side with 800 Men in order to raise the Siege of St Johns—The Governor it is Said lost 20 Men killed & 50 % wounded—two Indians and two Canadian Merchants taken Prisoners—The Governor retreated to Montreal.( To be continued). 266 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE THE DEATH OF WOLFE THE following letter, written by a young officer present at the battle, was copied from the original in the early part of the century, and printed in Notes and Gleanings for April, 1889 : Quebec, October 7th, 1759.Honoured Sir, I have now the pleasure of writing to you from Quebec, which place is in his Britanick Majesty’s possession.As to our proceeding during the siege I will not trouble you with them, as you will see it at large in the public papers, but will acquaint you with my own proceedings which 1 hope will give satisfaction.Notwithstanding all the expedition I could use it was the 16th April before I arrived at Louis-bourg.On my arrival there I found that our Regt.was not to go up the river, but upon Mr.Wolfe’s arrival he brought an order for the Granideers of the garrison to join him which Granideers consisting of three companies formed into a bata-lion under the command of Col1 Murray.1 then applied to Gen1 Whitmore for liberty to go with our Granideers, which he granted me and strongly recommanded me to General Wolfe—there was no service through the campaign that required courage and resolution but what we were sent on and Hond Sir I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that God enabled me on every occasion to do my duty to the satisfaction of All my commanding officers and in particular on that Ever Memorable Day the 13th of Septr when the two Armys was drawn up in the line of Battle within a small distance of each other our company was the Right of the line—when the geneial viewing the position of the two armies he tooke notice of a small rising ground between our LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 267 right and the enemy’s left which concailed us from that quarter—upon which the Gen1 did me the Honour to detach me with a few granideers to take possession of that ground and maintain it to the last extremity, which I did till both armys was engaged.And then the General came to me and took his post by me.— But oh how can I tell you my dear Sir—tears flow from my eyes as I write.—that great that ever memorable man whose loss can never be enough regretted was scarce a moment with me when be received his fatal wound.I myself received at the same time two wounds—for I was close by him—one in the right shoulder and one in the thigh—but my concern for him was so great that I did not at that time think of them.When the General received the shot I caught hold of him and carried him off the field.He walked about one hundred yards and then begged I would let him sit down which I did ; then I opened his breast and found his shirt full of blood at which he smiled, and he seen the distress I was in ‘My dear ’, said he, ‘ don’t grieve for me I shall be happy in a few minutes—take care of yourself as I see you are wounded —but tell me, tell me how goes the battle there ?’ just then came some officers who told him that the French had given ground and that our troops were pursuing them to the walls of the town.He was then lying in my hands fast expiring.That great man whose sole ambition was his country’s glory raised himself up on this news and smiled in my face.4 How,’ said he, ‘ I die contented.” From that instant the smile never left his face till he died.I thought in him I had lost all my interest but it please God to raise me up friends in all the surviving General Officers and in particular in General Monck who upon his first taking the command inquired for the Volunteer that distinguished himself so much on the 13th September with General Wolfe, as he > thought it his duty incumbent on him in honour to General 268 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE Wolfe’s memory to provide for that gentleman and in a few days he sent my commission by Colonel Walsh who is my Colonel in the 28th Regiment commanded by General Bragg which is one of the finest regiments in the service, and what gives me the greatest pleasure is that I am particular^* liked by both my Colonel and my Major.We are single officers, that is only one Lieutenant to a Company and out of any danger to a breach.I believe at the opening of the next campaign I shall be near the head of the ensigns as there are great many of them our officers going out of the Regiment that was wounded.Dear Sir, I believe it will be scarce possible for you to read this, but you must excuse me as it is written with great pain as the wound in my arm is not yet well.But, Honoured Sir, I thought nothing should excuse me from paying my duty to you and my friends at home.Dear Sir as soon as this reaches you be so kind as to acquaint my dear mother and sister with my good fortune, and take my excuse for not writing to them in particular.My dear Sir I beg you will write to me by the first ships that come from England as nothing in the world will give me more pleasure than to hear what, situation my dear mother and sister is in, and you have }mur health, and my aunt cousin John and his wife.I am my clr Honfl Sir, with my sincere love to all my friends, Your ever loving nephew, James Henderson.I must again beg you will write to me,, and direct to me ensign in the 28th Regiment, Quebeck. LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 269 CHRONICLE AND COMMENT Curious Epitaph.—Ou the death of General Wolfe, a premium was offered for the best written epitaph ; among the poems sent to the Editor of the Public Ledger there was one containing the following curious stanza : He marched without dread or fears At the head of his bold grenadiers ; And what was miraculous nay, very particular, He climbed up rocks that were perpendicular! Remarkable Incident.—On the 4th of July, 1812, General Chandler gave as a toast at Augusta : “ The 4th of July, 1818—mav we on that day drink wine within the walls of Quebec.” On this same 4th of Juty he was within the walls of Quebec (a prisoner), and from the known hospitality of the citizens of that place, we have no doubt his wish was literally gratified.—Columbia Sentinel, July 7, 1813.The Bread and Butter Ball.—Among the extract from Washington’s diaries in vol.IV of the Memoirs of the Long Island Historical Society is the following : “ Feb.25, 1760.Went to a ball at Alexandria, where musick and dancing was the chief entertaiment.However, in a convenient room, detached for the purpose, abounded great planty of bread and butter, some biscuits, with tea and coffee, which the drinkers of could not distinguish from hot water sweetened.I shall therefore distinguish this ball by the stile and title of bread and butter ball.” Hew Brunswick Magazine.—The New Brunswick Magazine issued a very interesting Christmas number.It contains the following articles : The Ashburton Treaty, (with map), by W.F.Ganong ; The One Hundred and fourh, by James Hannay ; At Portland Point, by Rev.W.0.Raymond ; The Wreck of the England, by W.K.Reynolds ; Aboideau?by W.P.Hole ; Christmas as it was ; by Clarence Ward ; The Acadian Melansons, by Judge A.W.Savary ; A Halifax Mystery, by Harry Piers ; When Telegraphy was Young, by Roslynde ; In the Editor’s chair, Notes and Queries ; Provincial Chronology and Bibliography.Ontario Roads in 1825.—In the work of Caniff Haight, Country Life in Canada fifty years ago, we read as follows : 270 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE lu 1825, William L.Mackenzie described the road between York and Kingston, as among the worst that human foot ever trod, and down to the latest day before the railroad era, the travellers in the Canadian stage-coach were lucky, if, when a hill had to be ascended, or a bad spot passed, they had not to alight and tradge arkle-deep through the mud.The rate at which it was possible to travel in stage-coaches depended on the elements.In the spring, when the roads were water-choked and rut-gallied, the rate might be reduced to two miles an hour for several miles on the worst sections.The coaches were liable to be'imbedded in the mud, and the passengers had to dismount and assist in prying them out by means of rails obtained from the fences.Ticonderoga.—The easy capture of this strong fortress at the beginning of the Revolutionary AYar by Colonel Ethan Allen has been one of the puzzles of historians, and many have been at attempts to account for the total surprise on the part of the officers of the garrison.The following tradition is one of the many, and may be as true as some of those credited by the scholars and writers.— Elephalet Loud, Esq., one of the most important men of his day in this town ( AY ey mouth, Mass.), a man of unusual ability and education, was a soldier on that occasion, and a verbal tradition current in his family, says that, on the evening before the capture, the English and American officers were engaged in a social entertainment, at which the American officers, with the attempt on view, plied their English associates most plentifully with liquor, while they, knowing the necessity for cool head, poured theirs down their bosoms, and the result was what might be expected, a total surprise.The old gentlemen always expressed the regret that these American officers must have felt at the waste of so much good liquor but the success gratified it.—Nash, in the Magazine of American History, vol.XA7, p.311.NOTES AND QUERIES QUESTIONS AYHO LED THE TROOPS IN THE FINAL UNSUCCESSFUL CHARGE AFTER ARNOLD AY AS AYOUNDED AT QUEBEC IN 1776?—AYill you kindly LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 271 insert in jour esteemed magazine the following query ?Every history of the United States which I have had access to says that on the morning of January 1st, 1776, when Montgomery was killed before Quebec and Arnold wounded, the attacking party was rallied and led to the final unsuccessful charge by General Daniel Morgan, afterwards of famous memory in the South and victor of the Cowpens.—But the following facts seem to be undisputed.Schuyler and Montgomery advanced by way of Lake Champlain and Montreal, while Arnold went by way of Albany—the two bodies joining opposite or near Quebec.Their combined forces hardly exceeded 1,000 men while Carleton, inside Quebec, had 1,200 troops of the line, besides organizing the citizens into companies.But it appears that a regiment of Continental troops was raised in Berkshire and Hampden counties, Massachusetts, late in 1775, of which Elisha Porter of Hadley was choosen colonel, and Abner Morgan (a lawyer of Brim-field, Hampden County) major.This regiment was ordered to contain 728 men, and it marched to Albany and joined Arnold, and shared his terrible march through the wilderness and the snow, breast-deep and trackless.How, if the combined troops of Arnold and Montgomery—raised on an emergency at the very beginning of the war, and sent by the Continental Congress in midwinter northward to Quebec— scarcely numbered 1,000 men, how happened it that Daniel Morgan, a Southerner, and at the outbreak of the war in Pittsburg, was present and in a position to be third in command ?Is it not more likely that the Morgan who took command after Arnold’s disablement was Abner Morgan, major of the Massachusetts regiment.As a matter of fact, on page 180 of “ History of Brimtield, Massachusetts” (C.M.Hyde, Springfield, Clark W.Ryan & Co., 1879) the statement is made that it was Major Morgan who led the last attack at Quebec (following Major Morgan’s career thereafter to the close of the Revolution).The point seems to me suggestive of a possible correction of history—and I hope some of your readers will look into it.The explanation I find generally given is that Captain (afterwards general) Daniel Morgan, on the outbreak of the war, marched 400 miles, from Pittsburgh to Boston, to offer his services, and was assigned to Montgomery’s command.Query, to whom did he offer his services ?A major would have ranked a captain, even if the captain had seen service when Montgomery and Arnold joined forces before Quebec.If the history of Brimfield is right and Bancroft, Hildreth, Bryant and the rest wrong they ought to be corrected.L.L.Lawrence. 272 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 94.INSCRIPTION LATINE DU MONUMENT WOLFE.—Révoil, clans sa traduction de l’ouvrage de W.Cullen Bryant, Picturesque America, publiée à Paris en 1880, sous le titre de Y Amérique du Nord ¦pittoresque, cite l’inscription latine de Monument Wolfe-Montcalm à Québec et la fait, suivre des remarques que l’on verra plus bas.Nous reproduisons l’inscription : Hujusce j monumenti in memoriam { virorum illustrium, Wolfe et Montcalm | fundamentum P.C.Georgius comes | de Dalhousie in Septentrionalis j Americæ partibus ad Britanios \ pertinentibus, summon rtrum j administrons : opus per multos \ annos prœternissum (quid duci | egregioconvenientibus !) auctoritate J prom.ovens, exemplo stimulons j muniftcgntia fovens.| u Nous ne ferons pas ici l’éloge de ce latin, ajoute Révoil, que l’on pourrait prolifier d’une certaine façon ”.Qui me fera connaître les erreurs auxquelles Révoil fait allusion ?J.-C.Paslatin.#9S>.WASHINGTON.—Has General George Washington ever come to Canada ?X.Y.Z.90.MONUMENT TO GEN.WOLFE.—The exact location is desired of the obelisk which was erected in New York to the Memory of Wolfe, together with all the particulars respecting its erection.M.J.L.97.COMM ANDERS-IN-CHIEF OF THE AMERICAN ARMY.—Can you state who have been the Generals-in-Chief of the American Army from, say 1775, to the declaration of Independence?The list could also be with some interest completed to date.Inquirer.9