In May, 1837, two serjeants and twenty rank and file were detached from Quebec to Grosse Isle, where they were stationed, with a detachment of the Royal Artillery, and of the 15th and 66th regiments, under Major Jackson. The remainder of the service companies proceeded in July from Quebec to Montreal, where they were stationed, with the 32nd and a small detachment of the 15th, under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall, K.H., of the Royals. A detachment of nine rank and file of the Royals was stationed at Sorel; and in August the party was withdrawn from Grosse Isle.
2nd Batt.
On the 24th of September the depôt companies of this battalion embarked at Kingstown for England, and landed on the 26th at Devonport.
Previous to the arrival of the Royals in Lower Canada, the minds of the inhabitants of that flourishing colony were agitated by factious men, who sought to dictate to the Government measures not deemed conducive to the welfare of the state. During the summer, the House of Assembly refused to proceed in its deliberations until the demand for the total alteration of the legislative powers was complied with; and this was followed by the appearance of many of the colonists in arms, and by open violations of the law. The revolt rapidly extending, the law-officers of the Crown and the magistrates of Montreal applied to Lieut.-General Sir John Colborne, K.C.B. (now Lord Seaton), the commander of the forces in Canada, for a military force to assist in apprehending several persons charged with high treason, who were supposed to be at the villages of St. Denis and St. Charles; and Colonel Gore was sent with detachments of the 24th, 32nd, and 66th regiments, and one howitzer, with a magistrate to St. Denis; at the same time Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall, K.H., of the Royals, was directed to move with Captain David's troop of Montreal cavalry, four companies of the Royals, a detachment of the 66th, and two six-pounders, from Chambly, on St. Charles, a village seventeen miles from the ferry at Chambly, to assist the magistrates in executing the warrants.
The detachment under Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall passed the river Richelieu by the upper ferry at Chambly; but the severity of the weather, and the bad state of the roads, impeded the march, and information having been received of the increased numbers of the rebels at St. Charles, the detachment halted at St. Hilaire until joined by another company of the Royals from Chambly. On the 26th of November the detachment resumed its march, and on arriving within a mile of St. Charles it was fired upon by the insurgents on the opposite side of the river, and one man of the Royal Regiment was wounded. Several rifle shots were also fired from a barn in front, which was burnt by the detachment. On arriving at the vicinity of St. Charles 1500 rebels were found posted in a close stockaded work, which was attacked; and after firing a few rounds, the troops assaulted and carried the defences by storm, killed a number of the rebels, took sixteen prisoners, and burnt the buildings. The Royals had 1 Serjeant and 1 rank and file killed; 8 rank and file severely, and 7 slightly, wounded. Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall's horse was shot under him during the action, and Major Warde's horse was severely wounded, and died afterwards. The detachment of the 66th had 1 man killed and 3 wounded.
Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall observed in his despatch:—"Every officer and man behaved nobly. Major Warde carried the right of the position in good style, and Captain Glasgow's artillery did good execution. He is a most zealous officer. Captain David's troop of Montreal cavalry rendered essential service during the charge."
After this success the detachment retired, on the 27th of November, to St. Hilaire, and advanced on the following day towards Point Olivière, to attack a body of rebels who had taken post at that place, and constructed an abatis, for the purpose of cutting off the retreat of the detachment; but when the troops formed for the attack, the rebels, after exchanging a few shots, fled, leaving two guns mounted on carts behind them. The detachment returned on the same day with 25 prisoners to Chambly, the men having suffered much from heavy rains, roads knee-deep in mud, and also from frost and snow.
In the meantime the detachments under Colonel Gore had, from obstructions of a formidable nature, and from the severe state of the weather, failed in the attempt on St. Denis, and had retired. The conduct of Lieutenant Lysons of the Royal Regiment, attached to the Quarter-Master General's department, who was employed on this service, was spoken of in terms of commendation, and also the exertions of Surgeon Farnden, in rendering assistance to the wounded. After the success of the Royals at St. Charles, the rebels broke up from their post at St. Denis.
The rebellion was, however, not arrested in its progress, and the troops had much harassing duty to perform in severe weather. On the 13th of December Lieut.-General Sir John Colborne proceeded with all his disposable force (including the companies of the Royal Regiment) towards St. Eustache, to put down the revolt in the country of the Lake of the Two Mountains, where the insurgents had driven the loyal inhabitants from their homes, and had pillaged an extensive tract of country. The Royals, with the Montreal rifles, and Captain Globinsky's company of volunteers, formed a brigade under Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall. The volunteers were detached to the woods bordering on the upper road to St. Eustache, to drive in and disperse the rebel piquets. The remainder of the brigade, with the other disposable troops, crossed the north branch of the Ottawa river on the ice, on the 14th of December, advanced upon St. Eustache, and entered the village at several points. The Royals and Montreal rifles advanced up the main street, and took possession of the most defensible houses. An officer was detached to bring up the artillery; but he was driven back by the fire of the rebels, who had taken post in the church. The artillery entered the village by the rear, and opened their fire on the church door, while some companies of the Royals and rifles occupied the houses nearest to the church. After about an hour's firing, and the church doors remaining unforced, a party of the Royals assaulted the presbytery, killed some of its defenders, and set it on fire. The smoke soon enveloped the church, and the remainder of the battalion advanced; a straggling fire opened upon them from the Seignior's house, forming one face of the square in which the church stood, and Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall directed the grenadiers to carry it, which they did, killing several, taking many prisoners, and setting it on fire. At the same time part of the battalion commanded by Major Warde entered the church by the rear, drove out and slew the garrison, and set the church on fire. 118 prisoners were made in these assaults. The Royals had 1 man killed and 4 wounded in this service.
On the 16th the Royals advanced with the remainder of the disposable force to St. Benoit, where no opposition was offered; and the rebels sent delegates to say they were prepared to lay down their arms unconditionally. The Royals returned to Montreal, where they arrived on the 17th of December with the prisoners. The good results of these movements were the return of the peasantry to their usual occupations, and the disappearance of armed parties of the rebels.