Recollections & Extracts From The Journals Of Miss Anne Prevost Anne Prevost - Biography Women and War

Part 3: Declaration of War! June 25th: I was summoned in the midst of my French lesson to hear some news that had arrived. It was indeed an important piece of intelligence:–"America has declared War against England." The news had arrived by an Express to some of the Quebec merchants. God forgive me! but I know well I felt anything but sorrow on hearing of an event which led to so much bloodshed and misery, and which was the source of all the calamities that have overwhelmed my family, and left me "alone on earth" to mourn over the past. How many wounds my feelings have received since that fatal day! I sometimes fear the effect of so many repeated blows will be to deaden all feeling–to make me selfish and cold hearted. On this day I saw nothing before me but my Father's honour and glory. Although I knew how small a force we had to defend the Canadas, such was my confidence in his talents and fortune, that I did not feel the slightest apprehension of any reverse. I thought those abominable Yankees deserved a good drubbing for having dared to think of going to War with England, and surely there was no harm in rejoicing that the War had happened during my Father's Administration, because I thought he was the person best calculated to inflict on the Yankees the punishment they deserved. Stars and Ribbons glittered in perspective. Yet I must do myself the justice to say it was pure fame I longed my Father to win–I thought of fame more than of its accompaniments. This war was a base deed on the part of the Yankees. England was struggling for her independance against a host of foes, and the United States chose that moment to add their vile kicks and cuffs, hoping the Noble Lion was sinking in the fray, overwhelmed by numbers.