Between War and Peace

Transcription

1 Between War and Peace Supplying the British army in Lower Canada ( ) By Matthieu Paradis

2 About the presentation Find information on the British forces and the people who fought in the War of 1812 A general overview of the War of 1812 Administrative procedures and newspapers Supplying the troops in the Montreal area ( ) Business networks during the War of 1812 Business networks after the War of 1812

3 Why is that subject of interest? Visitor s FAQs in a National Historic Site British armed forces = the #1 consumer in Lower Canada To understand the economic impacts of military spending in the colonial economy

4 People Who Fought: Armed forces in Canada during the War of 1812 British regulars or Canadian militia? Lists of British regiments : British Forces in North America , p (Osprey Publishing) Canadian Military Heritage, volume 2: , appendices. Available in PDF format at: cmpcpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/gh-hg/ Many Parks Canada historical reports Available at : ourroots.ca? Available? Possible info on British regulars: National Archives (UK) - nationalarchives.gov.uk National Archives of Canada - collectionscanada.gc.ca Ancestry.ca Military Records Familylink.com - Military Records

5 People Who Fought: Armed forces in Canada during the War of 1812 British regulars or Canadian militia? Canadian Militia: General books such as British Forces in North America (Osprey Publishing) and Canadian Military Heritage, volume 2: , appendices. Many Parks Canada historical reports Books and articles by authors such as Roch Legault, Luc Lépine, Dominique Dion and Christian Dessureault Available in French only? Possible info on Canadian Militia: National Archives of Canada - collectionscanada.gc.ca Quebec National Archives banq.qc.ca Parishes archives Notaries archives

6 People Who Fought: Armed forces in Canada during the War of 1812 A practical example: The garrison at Fort Lennox in 1833 to th Regiment of Foot Challenge: Identify the soldiers without having their names 1. NAC: British Forces Monthly Returns 2. Newspapers: info about the arrival of the Regiment in Canada 3. Local Parish records: Baptism records

7 The War of 1812 : An Overview International context and Napoleonic Wars Economic war between France and Great Britain Commercial interests of neutral parties What it is going to be? A war with France or Great Britain? U.S.S. Chesapeake HMS Leopard (June 1807) War Hawks in Washington ( ). Going West? First Nations, Allies of the British

8 The War of 1812 The War of 1812 and the Richelieu/Champlain Valley 1812 Battle of Lacolle Bridge (November 20) Naval War on Lake Champlain 1813 Naval Battle of Isle aux Noix (June 3) American incursion at Odelltown (September 20) Battle of the Châteauguay (October 26) 1814 Battle of Lacolle Mill (March 30) Battle of Plattsburg (September 11)

9 The War of 1812 in the Montreal area

10 Military Posts in the Montreal area Abattis on the roads leading to or from the border Repairs to the Lacolle River blockhaus and construction of a gun battery

11 Military Posts in the Montreal area Abattis on the roads leading to or from the border Repairs to the Lacolle River blockhaus and construction of a gun battery Construction of 2 buildings (barracks) at Burtonville Re-use and modifications to the fortifications at Isle aux Noix Troops conentration at the same place

12 Military Posts in the Montreal area Abattis on the roads leading to or from the border Repairs to the Lacolle River blockhaus and construction of a gun battery Construction of 2 buildings (barracks) at Burtonville Construction of blockhaus on the Châteauguay River

13 Military Posts in the Montreal area Building of a defensive line and barracks: Saint-Jean Blairfindie (Halfway house) Laprairie

14 Military Posts in the Montreal area The British headquarters moved to Chambly: construction of a military complex of more than 40 buildings Real Military base

15 The Montreal District Montreal Lachine Chambly Isle aux Noix St-Jean Coteau du Lac The Cedars Blairfindie (Halfway House) Lacolle Burtonville La Prairie Troops: from a few hundreds to more men (regulars only)

16 Administrative Procedures The Needs - Commissariat Food Commodities Services Military equipment* Invitation Newspapers Time of display : 2 to 4 weeks (up to 6 weeks) : 1 to 3 weeks Reception of Tenders Superior Officers : Commissariat + Account Department Display and reception of tenders : 24 jdays : 16 jdays List of the received tenders Recommendation to Commander-in-chief The Needs and reception of tenders : 28 days : 19 days C-in-C Approuval Contract Works

17 Invitation Newspapers Example Journal La Minerve Thursday, September 2, 1830 Title Place, date and closing time Needs description Dates et places of delivery Bidder s Requirements Armed Forces department Date of the invitation

18 Well-informed newspapers! On Friday morning, at 2o'clock, the 1st division of the 15th Regiment marched from this city, under the command of capt. Temple, to replace the 66th Regiment at Kingston, and at 7 o'clock, the same morning, three companies of the 24th Regiment, under the command of Major Hughes, disembarked from on board the British American steamer, having arrived from Quebec during the night. - Montreal Gazette, May 4, 1833 The detachment of the 15th regiment, under the command of Capt T. Colman, arrived in town yesterday from Isle aux Noix, after a most fatiguing march from St Johns; owing to the heavy state of the roads The country between Isle aux Noix and St Johns being under water, the 24th detachment under J. B. Harris proceeded to Isle aux Noix in batteaux, while the 15th came to St Johns in the steamboat. - Montreal Gazette, May 28, 1833

19 The Contracts More than a 100 contracts Notaries such as : Charles Ainslie, René Boileau, Jean-Marie Mondelet fils, Henry Griffin, Joseph Demers, Charles Lagorce, Thomas Barron Contract description 1. Identification of involved parties 2. Description of goods or services Appendices (plans, specifications) 3. Price, Payment et sureties

20 The Chambly Military Complex John Yule House (1816) 27, rue Richelieu, Chambly Building materials Louis Papineau (farmer) 1. Lumber + 3K wood boards (February 1813): 1. Value Lumber (March 1813) 3. 4K feet of pine or hemlock (June 1813) Pierre Papineau (master carpenter and contractor) 1. George Ashley (master miller St-Mathieu) July 1, measures of stone (toises) 2. Baptiste Girouard and François Macis (master innkeeper) July 1, measures of stone (toises) Establishing the complex William et John Yule, Samuel Potts 1. Basile Decelle and Joseph Courtemanche (farmers and wood contractors)

21 Networks and local interests Army James Finlay (???) Meat J. Finlay John Jones (Missisquoi Bay) Meat île aux Noix (July-August 1813) Payment: 2/3 in New York Bank Bills (ATF) Army J. Finlay Meat July 20, 1814 Blairfindie St-Philippe La Prairie IAN (Army and Navy) Army J. Finlay + J. Yule 1K Woodpiles June 5, 1814 Chambly HWH St-Philippe July 2, 1814 J. Finlay David Mayo (IAN) J. Finlay André Lécuyer (St-Philippe) J. Finlay Bernard Malzac (La Prairie) J. Finlay + J. Yule Benjamin Holmes (St-Luc) 1K woodpiles June 5, 1814 HWH + St-Philippe Army René Boileau (Straw October 1814) Army René Boileau (Wood January 1815)

22 Complex Network Supplying the troops: the meat «two-thirds of the Army in Canada [lived of] Beef provided by American Contractors [ ] from the States of Vermont and New York. G. Prevost à Bathurst Two Montrealers and their business networks: William Johnson Holt Horatio Gates Horatio Gates

23 August 7, 1813 Army W.J. Holt (down payment of 8 722) District of Montréal Sept to May 1814 Montréal (2,2K), Chambly (1,6K), St-Jean (1K), île aux Noix (1K) Business Network 1813 August 7, 1813 W.J. Holt J. Frost (Shefford township) William-Henry (upon request) August 13, 1813 H. Gates R. Mevison (Coteau-du-Lac) Coteau-du-Lac, The Cedars, Pointe- Claire (500) August 21, 1813 W.J. Holt A. Charpentier (Yamaska) Yamaska (upon request) August 25, 1813 H. Gates W. Bowron + R. Hoyle Île aux Noix (1K) August 28, 1813 H. Gates J. Harvey (Dunham township) Chambly St-Jean HWH La Prairie August 28, 1813 H. Gates J. Baker + J. Bawker (Dunham/St-Armand) Chambly St-Jean HWH La Prairie August 28, 1813 H. Gates E. Kemp (St-Armand) Chambly St-Jean HWH La Prairie

24 Business Network 1814 June 20, 1814 Army H. Gates (down payment of 8 722) District of Montréal May 1814 to Nov June 27, 1814 H. Gates É. Hartley (Montréal) Coteau-du-Lac + The Cedars June 28, 1814 H. Gates W. Bowron (Mtl) Île aux Noix + Lacolle (according to the need) July 23, 1814 H. Gates + R.M. Whitney J. Frost (Shefford township) William-Henry + Yamaska July 12, 1814 Army H. Gates Some Upper Canada posts July 16, 1814 Payment : 1/2 in American Bank Notes April 30, 1814 Army H. Gates Montreal Garrison May to Nov H. Gates W. R. Hipbern (Edwardburg) Prescott e+ Cornwall

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26 A new defensive network

27 A new defensive network

28 A new defensive network

29 A new defensive network

30 A new defensive network

31 The After-War Period The supply system comes back to a normal time. The business networks won t be has complex as in during the war period. Social networking will play an important role, as it is introducing new players in the game.

32 Looking for expertise within its business network: The Powder magazine The contract is given in April 1820 to Jean-Baptiste Juchereau- Duchesnay and Robert Christie. The two men have: No visible experience or expertise, but have: 1. All-Star sureties: John Goudie Horatio Gates Caldwell & Davidson (Québec) 2. Subcontract to: Thomas MacKay (mason)

33 Looking for expertise with its business network: The Powder magazine The contract is given in April 1820 to Jean-Baptiste Juchereau- Duchesnay and Robert Christie. The two men have: No visible experience or expertise, but have: 1. All-Star sureties: John Goudie Horatio Gates Caldwell & Davidson (Québec) 2. Subcontract to: Thomas MacKay (mason)

34 Peter Rutherford and his business network Contracts for buildings and building material Setting up the Officer s quarters foundations A subcontract is given to Thomas MacKay Construction of the Guardhouse - probably Construction of the two warehouses probably Supplier of wood for the construction Social network? Montreal merchants implicated in the construction of the Lachine canal A construction site in Lower Canada, a transborder business network!

35 Other questions?

36 Contact information: Thank You! Merci!