The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-01 00:00:00, page 1

THORIAS WALKER of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec,
merchant ; upon Oath, teftifietb and fa.th,
THAT being at his own houle, in the parish of Affurrip-
I tion, on the §th of October 4aft past, it was surrounded
about x or 3 o'clock in the morning, by a party of armed men,
viz. A detachment of about 20 soldiers, commanded by Lieut.
John M'Denneli of the Royal Emigrants, together with seven
Captains of militia and several other Canadians; who began
the attack by firing a musket fhet, and then, without calling
to this deponent, immediately proceeded to break open his
doors with axes, &c. which they effected so suddenly, that
3hc had but just time co flip on his coat and waidcoat, and put
Lis pistols in his pockets, in order to retreat with a short rifle
gun in bis hand into the garret, where his wife had fled ip her
ihift, but a moment before, this deponent being determined
,0 defend the flair-head to the lad extremity. As soon as the
soldiers entered the house, they lighted a candle and instantly
searched the bed chamber; which this deponent and his wife
Lad just quitted, and then in order to have light in the other
apartments, they set fire at the foot of the hairs to some oakum,
mixed with pitch or rosin, and immediately a number of
them, armed with muskets and fixed bayonets,rufhed into the
room, which was overlooked by this deponent from the top
of the flairs, fitting up the Indian yell; the deponent hearing
this, and observing their actions, made not the halt doubt
that it was Col. Johnhone's party of Mohawk Indians feat
down to murder him and his family, as had been oftentimes
threatened ; whereupon he fired his rifle gun among the thick
et of them, and in a moment afterwards made another flrot
from a double piflol, but before he could difeharge the other,
they had all quitted the room with great precipitation and
dismay; an officer and grenadier having been dangerously
wounded by those different shots, the red retired for some
time to bind up their wounds, and to plunder the other part
©f the house : they then returned and began a general fire of
toufkets all round the house, which they kept up brifkiy for
a long time, calling out to this deponent to come out and fur-
Gender himfelf; but finding that th< y could make no impref
lion, and not daring to enter the fame room again, whence
they had been driven, they proposed to uncover the roof of
rhe house IM order to get at the deponent, but dropt the de
sign, it is presumed for the fame reason: Therefore the com
landing officer called out to his party to set fire to the four
corners of the house, which orders were repeated several times
by feyrant David M'Fall, and which they executed foam af
ter. This, the deponent perceiving at the window and being
terrified therewith, and imagining that a torch lifted up at the
end of a pole had been a man upon a ladder, setting fire to
the roof, difeharged a piflol from the window, which it is kid
fact a Capt. of militia through the chin, with a buck shot :
thereupon they began a second attack, firing all round the
house for a considerable time, till they had expended three
or four hundred musket shots.
When the flames had increased to a great head they left off
firing and fell to plundering the house; which being from the
ground floor, built of wood, burnt now with great violence:
and this deponent finding no fuccour come from the neigh
bours, who by this time were all on foot at the village, and
for many miles round the country, remaining at a distance
quiet spectators of the difinal feene, as he has force learned,-
and Mis. Walker crying aloud several times, " -we foall both
be burnt to death !" the terror of which made her in despair, beg
thisdeponent would Inoot her; and the having been almost
fuffocattd in an attempt to go down the flairs, he laid down
his arms and carried her to the garret window, furtheft from
the fire, where die called out for quarters, and begged for
mercy to the soldiers below; at the fame time getting out of
the window, with her face to the wall, she hung by her
bands, supported by the deponent, under both her arms, till
a soldier named COX brought a ladder, by which ffie got
down, being much Scratched and bruised. The soldiers at
the fame time feeing this deponent, called out to him, and
ptomifed him good usage if he would surrender; he feeing
the floor burning under his feet, and no further defence to be
made or possibility of escape, after a refinance of more than
three hours, furrerdered himfelf; and was instantly seized by
fix men, some of whom handled him very roughly. Lieut.
M'Donnell came up to him with his arm in a fling, and at
tiift offered to (hike him with hi, lift; and then attempted to
draw a pistol out of his belt to flhoot him, but was prevented
from doing him any hurt by ferjeant McFall ; to whom he
had at firft surrendered himfelf; then the pockets of the depo
nent were searched and rifted, and a loaded pistol, among
other things taken out of them. '
In thenacan while the deponent's cellars (being an ~ut build
ing) were broke open and pillaged; and the heads of fever
at bogflieads were staved in, and others had forced open the
pot alli works, and brought out three negroes, -with divers
kinds of plunder ; during all .which the deponent and his
wife were kept Handing in the mud with nak<d feet, to be
hold their house and goods burned and plundered ; trunks
opened, and pieces of goods from the Hore divided aiding
them, whilst neither himfelf, nor his wile were allowed any
cloaths to cover or defend them from the cold. At length
Serjeant David McFall took off his- blanket coat and put it
Upon Mrs. Walker, whilst the deponent wrapt himfelf round
with a coverlid which he had hastily snatched up: Thus
equipt they were marched to the end of the road leading to
Si. Swipice, where a cart was preyed, and they were carried
therein to a battoe lying in the river St. Lawrence, a league
from hi> house being guarded all alongthe road by this party of
twenty soldiers, and flanked in the woods by the Canadians,
with his .three negroes, on foot, past of the plunder, and .the
wounded Grenadier in one of the deponent's carriages. Se
veral armed bartoes were sent down from Montreal to give us
the meeting, commanded by Lieut Leslie ; and when we ar
THE
PENNSYLVANIA JOURNAL;
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rived at the landing opposite the barracks, General Prefcot in
great wrath came down upon the beach, and commanded the
prisoners to be brought forth; all the troops were marched
out of the gate and formed in two divisions, and the deponent
enclosed in the center, where he ordered him to be pinni
oned, and then marching into the barrack square he spoke these
words, " You are a traitor and a villain, you scoundrel l to
betray your country; but the laws of your country have over
taken you at last ; you shall have the justice of this country ;
for, to you, you villain ! is owing the loss of all the blood of
those brave men, that has been, or shall be spilled at St.
John's, of in other parts of Canada." To which this deponent
replied. I perceive that you know very little of ray real cha
racter, but pray who are you Sir, that treat me thus unwor
thily ; for I have not the honour to know you : Not having
seen him before. What do you think of last night's work°,
continued he ; and of th# brav man in the boat, which you
have so desperately wounded. I think, Sir, that it was a very
poor exploit to lend fifty men on purpose to murder one, and
burn his houle, whilst he and his family were asleep in their
beds. He replied by calling to the provolt martial, and the
smith to put the deponent in irons ; which were much hea
vier than ordinary ; being mads by the particular orders of
Major Hughes; who also gave the dimensions, as the smith
has since informed this deponent ; and whilst he was putting
them on, Gen. Prefcot called out to him to rivet them well (in
doing which he jarred the bones of the deponent's legs, so as
to give him inexpreffibie pain) and then with a loud voice
cried out your cringe is h:, treason and rebellion : And added he,
give that poor unhappy man, a straw bed and a blanket, in
No. 4, in the barracks, and keep Entries over him, that no
body speaks to him, but the town major (Mr. Hughes) unless
before the Serjeant of the Guard.
There this deponent lay confined and alone, in irons for
thirty three days and nights, without fire or cardie for a long
while, or the consolation of a friend, at any time; Mrs. Wal
ker being absolutely forbid to fte him ; and for many days
made a prisoner in her own house, with fix sentries round
about it, and the perlons who came and went to and from the
barracks with victuals were, searched for letters, &c.
At length St. John's being taken, this deponent was carried
by foldfei, in a weak and low u^oditkra, and in presence of
Capt. Anftruthcr, and Mr. Hughes under pretence of going to
General Prefcot's 100.», in a very lainy day, to a boas, which
conveyed him on board an armed Schooner, in the service of
government, commanded by Capt Lifote, who had the hu
manity to order his irons to be knocked\off placing a sentry
at the cabin door with a drawn (word, and orders not to let
the prisoner receive or fend any letters, papers or messages,
without examination and leave of the Lieutenant. It Items,
notwithstanding these precautions that the Generals were of
fended at Capt. Lifote, for having freed fiom fetters this de
ponent, without polirive orders from them ; and told him that
he mult aufwer for his prisoner corps pour corps.
Two days afterwards the deponent was hurried from on
board Capt Lifote to another armed ichooner, commanded by
Capt. Bouchet ; where he remained under the fame kind of
confinement for twelve days; nine of which were spent in
the attempt the vefl'ch made to escape to Quebec, which be
gan with precipitation immediately upon ihe appearance of
General Montgomery's Van guard, at St. Paul's island. How
ever, they durtl not venture to pals the point of Sorel river,
there being Continental troops, cannon and an armed Gundo
la, which drove the fliips back again to La Velterie, having
killed one man on board the Gafpee, where the capitulation
was signed by General Prefcot on Sunday evening, to surren
der elevenfail ofiffels, in which were, viz.* three Majors, live
Captains, and several lubalttrns, conductors and inferior of
ficers, together with one bunded and seventeen regular sol
diers, rank and file, with their arms and accoutrement, be
sides St. Luc La Come, one of the legislative council of Que
bec, Capt. Jonathan Fraser, judge of the Common Pleas and
Coun(cl!or, and several Canadian Volunteers. Governor
Carleton having quitted the Gafpee, with Messrs. Niverville
and Lauaudierc at midnight on Thursday, was conducted in
a whale boat, with muflied paddles, by Capt. Bouchet, a fccret
way to Three rivers, and arrived at Quebec on Sunday fol
lowing.
The deponent was set free on Monday morning by his
friend Major Brown, who delivered him from the cuel hand
of tyranny and oppression and from the tools of military and
arbitrary power.
Over and above the indignity and fufferings imposed on
this deponent.and his wife, who was denied 'he liberty of
feeing him, by Gen. Eicfcot and taking bis 101 l adieu, at the
infant of bis departure, when it Was exuhmgly given out, that
* Brigadier General Prefect, Major John Campbell, Major
Dunbar, Major Hughes, Capt. Anflruther, Capt. Cranford,
Capt. Swan, Capt. Brice, in the ,tb regiment, Capt. Gamble,
Lieut. Cleveland, Lieut. Lefilie, Lieut. Duncan Campbell, Lieut.
alias Ensign, John Macdonnelt, Royal Emigrants, Debtor Beau
mont, Mr. Coper, conductor of artillery flores, Mr. William
Jones, provost rhariial; Canadian volunteers, Messrs. Launiere,
Magnon, Cagnet junr. prisoners.
N. B. We are well aflured, tb,t the whole force of the Continen
tal Troops, then at Sorrel, did not exceed 135 men: The veflels
given up -were, viz. His Mojeflfs.brigantine-Gajpee, commanded
by Lieut. Royal: HID, — - , Catt. Lifte; a large
schooner, two nine pounders in the waist, besides quarter deck guns
and swivels, 24 seamen, each armed -with a muftet, bayonet, and
broadsword: Capt. Bouchet, another large Schooner, armed like the
other beforemenfioned, comphment xo Jailors, besides federal other
large fchoosers fitted with swivels, &c. rill the veffis sowed after
them, a bakteau with one or more canoes or (mall boats, in order to
make a descent or escape by flight as occofionfoohld offer.
he was to be sent home in irons, there to be * * * * *-
He had his apprentice imprisoned for about sixty-seven days,
and his other servants and slaves put under confinement, to
his very great damage, in his interest and ruin of his health;
besides the loss sustained by burning, destroying and plunder
ing his house, manufactory, store, houfhold goods, cafli,
plate, books, notes, furniture, cloaths, utensils of manufac
ture and husbandry; likcwife a considerable quantity of fine
pearl ash in calks, &c. THOMAS WALKER.
Philadelphia. Sworn the 24th of April 1776. Before
SAMUEL MIFFLIN.
GUY CARLETO N, Governour de la province de 9ue^
bec, &c &c. &c.
IL EST ordonne au Sieur Belair, Capitaine,des milices de
la paroiffs de L'Affomption, de partir de cette ville ave&
les miliciens qu ilui feront remis de ma part, pour prendre a
L'Affcmption, sous les ordres de M. Macdoaneil, Lieutenant
du regiment de royal emigrant, et de fahL de Ta pcTonoeQc
Thomas Walker, accuse du crime de leze Majefte; et le con
duire en cette ville sous bonne & fare garde
J'ordonoe et conwnande a tons fujets du Roy de ce requis
d'aider et assister le dit fieur Belair, pour L'execution du
present ordre, sous peine de defobciffance, donne a Montreal,
le 4me. jour de Septembre, 1775. Sig r e,
GUY CARLETON,
Copy from the original, now in the bauds of Thomas Walker.
Province de Quebec, ff.
DECLARATION fur ferment faite devant David Wooller,
Ecuyer, Brigadier Gen. et Commandant de L'armee du Con-
tinent en Canada, &c. &c. par Baptiste Bellaire, Capt. de
milices pour la paroiffe de L'Affomption, & diftriet d< Mon
treal. SCAVOIR
Qu'etant a Montreal avee la milice de L'ATomption,
Motif. LAnaudiere fils m'a propose d'allcr avee les Mrlices
pour prendre prifonier Mons. Walker a fa maifon de c,m
pagne par ordre de Mons. le General Carleton. Ceci futchez
Mons St. Ours ou il me fit ehercher et en consequence j'ay de
maude un ordre par ecrit. et il m'a envoye tout de suite anx
Caferoes etaht environ trois heures et demi du fair, fatut
aux Cafernes Brigadier Prefcot vint et me remit un ordre
par Ecrit de Mons. le General Carleton et en memstems un
Sac dans 'lequel ily ivMt de L'Einuoe et du Braie. dfact..
en cas quily a de refinance et quecela force tr p veus , ractir^z
le feu. Cell par ordre de Mons. Carleton; et nous paroles
tout de fulte par Eau ju fquer a St. Su pice; Et la,fl'ant notre
Battcau nous primes la route pour L'Affomption on nous'ar
tivames environ, deux heures apres minuit avee envhda
vingt foldats du Roy et douze Canadiens. Et q<e le de
pofant a refte a l'autre cote de la,riviere n'ayan pas paCe
le pont. Signed. BRUYUUR DE BELAIR.
Head Quarters, at Montreal, sworn before me this fevea
teenth day of February, 1776.
DAVID WOOSTER, Brig. General.
GUY CARLETON, Governor of the Province
of Q_U EBE&- &c.
THE Sieur Belair, Capt. of militia in the parish of As
sumption, is hereby commanded to go from this city with the
military that shall be ordered with him in my name, under
the command of Lieut. Macdonnell, of the royal regiment
of Emigrants, to take at Assumption and seize upon the per
son of Thomas Walker, accused of high treason, and him
fafely to convey into this city, under a good and fate puard.
I ORDER AND COMMAND
Al! the King's good fubjeds to aid and assist the said Sieur
Belair in the execution of the present order, upon pain of
disobedience.
Given at Montreal the 4th day of September, 1775.
Translation. Signed. GUY CARLETON.
Province of Quebec, ff.
Declaration upon oath, made before David Wooller, Esq;
Brigadier General and Commander in Chief of the Conti
nental Army in Canada &c &c. by Baptist Belair, Captain
of Militia in the parish of Assumption, viz.
THAT being at Montreal with the Assumption militia,
Mons. Lanaudiere, jun. proposed to me to go with the mili
tia to Assumption, to take Mr. Walker prisoner at his country
house, by order of Gen. Carlton. This was at Mons. St.
Ours's house, where he sent for me; and in confequcnce I
required a written order, and he sent me immediately away
to the barracks, it being then about half pad tight in tiro
evening. Brigadier Gen. Prefcot came to the barracks, and
there delivered me an order in writing from Gen. Carlton,
and at the fame time delivered roe a sack, in which was pitch
and oakum, faying in case there is any refinance, and it
should be obstinate, you muff set tire to the house, it is Mr.
C. rleton's orders. We set off immediately, by water, to Sr.
Sulpice, dud leaving our battoe there, we took the road to
Assumption, where we arrived about two o'clock in the
morning, with about twenty of the King's foldius and twelve
Canadians. And that the deponent flayed on the other tide
the river, having never passed the bridge. Signed
BRUYERE DE BELAIR.
Head Quarters at Montreal, sworn before me this levcn°
teenth day of February, 1776.
Tianflarion. DAVID WOOSTER, Brig. C/eral.
From the above affidavits may be gathered the outlines of
the character of the famed General Piefcot, who to the load
ing Col. Alien and thirty more defenders of American liberty
with irons, and fending them over fcas, instead of keeping
them to be exchanged for prisoners of the other fide, has
addtd'this barbarous usage of a citizen and a magistrate,
whofc inflexible adherence to his known duty, has long fine©
rendered him a distinguished character.
JuUice Walker hearing that Gen. Prefcot wa,in Philadel
phia, undertook ajourney in the depth of winter r. that city,
co complain of the treatment he had fuffcred-from him, and