The Lachine Riot

The Lachine Riot In the summer of 1812, Governor General George Prevost is aware of his precarious position in Lower Canada. Prevost is reluctantly preparing for a war he still hopes will be avoided. He knows that if war breaks out, Montreal is likely to be an early American objective. The Americans will attack Montreal in an attempt to cut the St. Lawrence River lifeline between Quebec City and the rest of Canada. If Montreal falls, Upper Canada will be swallowed up by the United States. There are very few British troops stationed around Montreal. Prevost understands that the fate of Lower Canada lies in the hands of the French-Canadians who make up the majority of its population. The Americans are counting on the Canadiens to turn against the British administration once the shooting starts. In fact, the political and religious elites of French Quebec have warned that American-style democracy and ideas present a serious social and economic threat to French-Canadian culture. Against this backdrop, Prevost arrives in Montreal. He prepares to conscript two thousand local bachelors into the militia. On July 4, 1812, a number of men from the parish of Pointe Claire protest. When the army tries to forcibly round up the demonstrators, the mob resists and moves toward the village of Lachine, where they hope to seize boats and escape. The army follows and a riot breaks out. Shots are fired from both sides; two civilians are killed. Hundreds of soldiers from the British 49th Regiment descend on the community and begin arresting suspects. Soon, they have more prisoners than they can lock up. Luckily for the local authorities, Prevost is on hand to exercise his renowned diplomatic skills. The Governor General is part Swiss and fluent in French. He is fully aware of the importance of gaining the support of the overwhelming Catholic French-Canadians. With the exception of the ringleaders, he pardons the demonstrators. He also introduces new measures to guarantee linguistic and religious freedoms to French-Canadians. In doing so, Prevost manages to secure an increased measure of trust and respect from Quebecois society. French-Canadians will play an important role in the defense of British North America. The Voltigeurs Canadiens, under the command of Charles-Michel de Salaberry, become one of the most famous Canadian regiments.