Letter from Duncan Campbell to Mary, 25 December 1837

Abstract

The first letter, written to a Mary, is dated at Montreal, 25 December 1837 and describes the Battle of Saint-Eustache and its aftermath. The letter is four pages. Campbell writes extensively about the battle noting that “both regts. charged down the street as quickly as we could & took possession of the benches on both sides of the Church. The Rebels in those houses were all shot or made prisoners. They still however kept up a fire from the Church windows & showed the most determined courage you can imagine. At last the door was stormed by a party of Royals & almost immediately after it the church was set fire to. They now began to run in all directions & made no further resistance of any kind…our men shot about 7 of them & we brought 15 of them back prisoners. Two more hours were employed in scouting the woods & shooting any of the poor wretches who continued to resist, & making as many prisoners as we could…”. He further describes the grisly scene of the burning church and bodies of the dead rebels, and the abandonment of the nearby villages. Campbell concludes that [Weeks] body had been found sunk in a river and that [Captain Henry] had turned quite deranged and is now in confinement. (A transcription of the letter has been provided)