Details
[CANADA]. An archive of 10 letters and 2 manuscripts sent to General Hugh Brady, U.S. Commander at Detroit, relating to an attempted overthrow of the Canadian Government, including: ANDERSON, Robert. Two autograph letters signed ("Robert Anderson"), Albany, 19 February 1839. Together 2 pp., 4to.; SCOTT, Winfield S. Three autograph letters signed ("Winfield Scott") and an autographed endorsement signed (W.S."), Elizabethtown and Washington, 22 May, 28 October 1839 and 15 January 1840. Together 3 pp., 4to.
EXILED REVOLUTIONARIES AND SYMPATHETIC AMERICANS CONSPIRE TO OVERTHROW THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
A fascinating and undeniably important archive of letters written by prominent military and political officials in the United States and Canada between 1838 and 1840 concerning a highly organized conspiracy to overthrow the Canadian Government. In 1837 Canadian nationalists initiated a failed revolution in Canada, known subsequently as the Patriot War. Having successfully avoided capture, many of the failed revolutionaries sought refuge in the United States where they enlisted the aid of sympathetic Americans to plan a second revolution. The American conspirators organized themselves into a secret society of "Hunters and Chasers". Local chapters were known as "Hunter's Lodges." The conspiracy was exposed, however, in October of 1838 when a disgruntled Lodge member approached the Lt. Governor of Canada with a detailed description of the organization's inner workings and objectives.
Here, the Lt. Governor, G.A. Arthur, writes a confidential 18-page letter of state to General Brady, graphically outlining the conspiracy:"I lose no time in communicating to you...the designs of some wicked and infatuated conspirators on the United States frontier who would...treacherously over-run this Province and provoke a national quarrel...[a former conspirator communicates] that from Michigan to the Eastern States bounding Her Majesty's possessions an extensive organization has been formed under the denomination of 'Hunters' and 'Chasers'...It was the intention of the Patriots to Attack Fort Maulden before the 27th of this month...It was also asserted that...even the Governors of several states were members of the Hunters Society....The Governor of Michigan is prominently mentioned ....A number of American citizens to the amount of 200,000 have joined the Hunter's Society and...25,000 to 40,000 men have engaged themselves to march upon the Provinces..."
Army commander Winfield Scott grew concerned over the secret activities near the border. Hoping to alert Brady to the potential high levels of the conspiracy, Scott sends a manuscript copy of a recent legislative act initiated in Michigan: "We, the members of the Senate and House of representatives of the State of Michigan...[wish] to inform the President of the United States of the exposed condition of the Frontier and [request] that the necessary steps be taken....to have a sufficient force stationed in the neighborhood of Detroit for the protection of that city...". On November 14, 1838, Secretary of War Joel Poinsett writes to General Brady, hoping to put an end to the Hunters' Lodges: "Should...any American Citizen...enroll himself among the armed bands that may pass our frontier, you will cause all such persons...to be arrested and delivered over to the civil authority...The insurgents in Canada and their Confederates within our territory entertain a design of involving our country in a war with Great Britain...To frustrate this criminal intention will require equal discretion and vigilance, and it is the President's desire that you abstain from retaliating [against] any unauthorized acts of violence." In a pair of letters dated February 19, 1839, the future defender of Fort Sumter, Robert Anderson, adjutant to Winfield Scott, writes to Brady on Scott's behalf:"... From your silence the Major General infers that the Detroit frontier remains tranquil, notwithstanding the rumor by the way of Montreal which represented that a large body of Patriots (3000) were approaching the Detroit River about the end of the last month...The individuals engaged in this disgraceful conduct were Canadian refugees...unfortunately these men were harbored by our fellow citizens. We will be blamed by the world for countenancing in any manner such disgraceful transactions...These brigands will, I fear, continue to cross for the purpose of robbing & burning until the arm of justice is laid heavy on them." In a secretarial letter dated 16 October, 1839, Winfield Scott demands that the Patriots be stopped:"I hold in abhorrence all violations of national faith solemnly pledged by treaty ...and of the general obligations of good neighborhood which the people of the United States owe to the British North American Province." On October 28, 1839, Scott writes: "the Secretary has received important intelligence...reflecting organizations of 'Patriots' on both sides of the line...We must all be vigilant to the utmost." In late November, Scott forwards Brady a suggestion that they employ covert operations, to finally infiltrate the ranks of the conspirators. Apparently the efforts of Scott and Brady proved successful as evidence indicates the Patriots's plot was considerably exaggerated and its grandiose plans were thwarted.
EXILED REVOLUTIONARIES AND SYMPATHETIC AMERICANS CONSPIRE TO OVERTHROW THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT
A fascinating and undeniably important archive of letters written by prominent military and political officials in the United States and Canada between 1838 and 1840 concerning a highly organized conspiracy to overthrow the Canadian Government. In 1837 Canadian nationalists initiated a failed revolution in Canada, known subsequently as the Patriot War. Having successfully avoided capture, many of the failed revolutionaries sought refuge in the United States where they enlisted the aid of sympathetic Americans to plan a second revolution. The American conspirators organized themselves into a secret society of "Hunters and Chasers". Local chapters were known as "Hunter's Lodges." The conspiracy was exposed, however, in October of 1838 when a disgruntled Lodge member approached the Lt. Governor of Canada with a detailed description of the organization's inner workings and objectives.
Here, the Lt. Governor, G.A. Arthur, writes a confidential 18-page letter of state to General Brady, graphically outlining the conspiracy:"I lose no time in communicating to you...the designs of some wicked and infatuated conspirators on the United States frontier who would...treacherously over-run this Province and provoke a national quarrel...[a former conspirator communicates] that from Michigan to the Eastern States bounding Her Majesty's possessions an extensive organization has been formed under the denomination of 'Hunters' and 'Chasers'...It was the intention of the Patriots to Attack Fort Maulden before the 27th of this month...It was also asserted that...even the Governors of several states were members of the Hunters Society....The Governor of Michigan is prominently mentioned ....A number of American citizens to the amount of 200,000 have joined the Hunter's Society and...25,000 to 40,000 men have engaged themselves to march upon the Provinces..."
Army commander Winfield Scott grew concerned over the secret activities near the border. Hoping to alert Brady to the potential high levels of the conspiracy, Scott sends a manuscript copy of a recent legislative act initiated in Michigan: "We, the members of the Senate and House of representatives of the State of Michigan...[wish] to inform the President of the United States of the exposed condition of the Frontier and [request] that the necessary steps be taken....to have a sufficient force stationed in the neighborhood of Detroit for the protection of that city...". On November 14, 1838, Secretary of War Joel Poinsett writes to General Brady, hoping to put an end to the Hunters' Lodges: "Should...any American Citizen...enroll himself among the armed bands that may pass our frontier, you will cause all such persons...to be arrested and delivered over to the civil authority...The insurgents in Canada and their Confederates within our territory entertain a design of involving our country in a war with Great Britain...To frustrate this criminal intention will require equal discretion and vigilance, and it is the President's desire that you abstain from retaliating [against] any unauthorized acts of violence." In a pair of letters dated February 19, 1839, the future defender of Fort Sumter, Robert Anderson, adjutant to Winfield Scott, writes to Brady on Scott's behalf:"... From your silence the Major General infers that the Detroit frontier remains tranquil, notwithstanding the rumor by the way of Montreal which represented that a large body of Patriots (3000) were approaching the Detroit River about the end of the last month...The individuals engaged in this disgraceful conduct were Canadian refugees...unfortunately these men were harbored by our fellow citizens. We will be blamed by the world for countenancing in any manner such disgraceful transactions...These brigands will, I fear, continue to cross for the purpose of robbing & burning until the arm of justice is laid heavy on them." In a secretarial letter dated 16 October, 1839, Winfield Scott demands that the Patriots be stopped:"I hold in abhorrence all violations of national faith solemnly pledged by treaty ...and of the general obligations of good neighborhood which the people of the United States owe to the British North American Province." On October 28, 1839, Scott writes: "the Secretary has received important intelligence...reflecting organizations of 'Patriots' on both sides of the line...We must all be vigilant to the utmost." In late November, Scott forwards Brady a suggestion that they employ covert operations, to finally infiltrate the ranks of the conspirators. Apparently the efforts of Scott and Brady proved successful as evidence indicates the Patriots's plot was considerably exaggerated and its grandiose plans were thwarted.