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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-04-27, Page 5Close-up Col. Van Egmond's last stand Conclusion of a series of articles on Col. Anthony Van Egmond. BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Staff He wasn't exactly Preston Man- ning but in the first elections held in Huron in 1835 and 1836, Col. Anthony Van Egmond ran as a member of the Reform Party. Although the reformers voiced their dissatisfaction with the Canada Company and were expected to gain massive support, they didn't. Van Egmond's opponents rallied and chose Captain Robert Dunlop, brother of the famous "Tiger" Dunlop as their leader. "Accordingly when they saw Van Egmond adopting the Reform cause, they turned to a man against him, ignoring their grievances against the Company in their hostil- ity to the disloyalty of which they suspected the Reform Party," wrote Seaforth historian W.B. Kerr in a 1931 Huron Expositor article on the 1837 Rebellion. "There was a hundred percent turnout for both elections and it can be safely said that this has never happened since," wrote Fred Van Egmond in his book, The Import- ance of Liberty. Sixty eligible voters showed up to cast their bal- lots. "Nearly the entire population of the Huron Tract had converged on Goderich for this event. Of the sixty eligible voters, all were irate and all were determined to prevent anyone from ascending the steps who did not share their political views. It was like running the gauntlet for a man to climb the steps and be counted, yet every qualified voter was successful. Goderich was a town of axe handles and battered heads, with considerably more than sixty voters taking part in the activity," wrote Fred Van Egmond. In the end, Van Egmond lost the 1835 election by ten votes. Thirty- five went to Dunlop and twenty- five to the Colonel, according to The Importance of Liberty. The elections of 1836 were more of a disaster for Van Egmond. He was. virtually ignored at the polls with Dunlop capturing fifty-nine votes to the Colonel's two. The "Colborne Clique" with Dunlop as their leader and Daniel Lizars as a main sup- porter were victorious. "It is apparent that they failed to see the relationship between the Canada Company and the Family Compact. They were blind to the fact that Van Egmond wished to bring an end to their troubles be means of the Reform Party; - so the Colborne Clique put the Reform Party and the Canada Company in one category and the Family Com- pact in another," wrote Fred Van Egmond. As an interesting aside he also wrote: "Logic and reason often fight a losing battle when their enemy is emotion. It would be interesting to know what the results of the election would have been if everybody twenty-one and over, men and women, had been given a vote." Col. Van Egmond was increasing- ly angered at the attitude and actions of the Canada Company and the Family Compact. He wrote a letter entitled "The Curse of the Canada Company" which was pub- lished in William Lyon Mackenzie's paper The Constitution in Oct. 4, 1836. On Nov. 21, 1837, Van Egmond wrote an open letter to Thomas Mercer Jones accom- panied with an essay entitled: "The Mismanagement of the Canada Company" which was also pub- lished in 1837. In the essay Van Egmond writes about six promises made by the Company which fell through, including the construction of canals, bridges, churches and schoolhouses. The seeds of rebel- lion were being sewed. "There's a ball in this rifle with your name on it, Colonel Van Egmond, if you refuse." Rebellion of 1837 "Frustrated at not being able to get into the Legislature where he could make these charges publicly, and far from satisfied, as any active man such as he would be, with having to rely simply on writing letters, Van Egmond was obviously ripe for an approach from William Lyon Mackenzie who, on a broader scale, was equal! exasperated by what he saw h ning in Upper of. James Scott of Seaforth. \Although, as Fred Van Egmond writes, the Colonel had promoted peace from the beginning and made every effort to assist new settlers, including the donation of cash and land, he became discontented and succumbed to Mackenzie's concepts of rebellion. Prof. Scott also suggests Van Egmond didn't have the background of deep loyalty to the British sover- eign which characterized most of the other settlers in Huron. Mackenzie wanted to obtain the services of "the most efficient and thoroughly trained officer in the country - Colonel Anthony Van Egmond" So the stage was set. Van Egmond, mounted on a white horse, arrived at Montgomery's Tavern (in Toronto) on Thursday, December 7, 1837 at 8 a.m. to keep his appoint- ment with Mackenzie. Van Egmond had met with Mackenzie's associ- ates in late November in Toronto to accept the invitation to lead the rebel forces. Fred Van Egmond raises two questions in his book that he claims have never been answered by his- torians: "Why Van Egmond, after being in Toronto in November, made the one hundred mile trip back to Huron only to return almost immediately to keep his rendezvous with Mackenzie. The second mys- tery is why the rebel leaders did not summon the thoroughly trained Colonel as soon as the decision was made to revolt." As the accounts go, Van Egmond arrived at Montgomery's Tavem to find there were only a few hundred armed troops at his command instead of a few thousand as he was led to believe. When he found this out, he said the rebellion should be postponed. At this point, accounts say Mackenzie in an outburst of violent rage pointed to a gun by the wall and shouted "There's a ball in this rifle with your name on it, Colonel Van Egmond, if you ref- use." Others present in the room restrained Mackenzie. Van Egmond put forth a plan of diversion of the government troops, since the rebels were fewer in number. The plan was to burn down the Don bridge and also intercept the mail. The stage carrying the mail was stopped but their attempt to burn the bridge was thwarted by alert citizens. The next morning, the Colonel reviewed the rebel troops which totalled about 400. Only have were armed - some with primitive weapons. He chose a commander of a company and gave directions in case the govemment troops attacked. About noon, word came that the enemy army was marching from the direction of the parliament buildings. When they were seen coming over Gallow's Hill, Silas Fletcher shouted, "Seize your arms men! The enemy's coming and no mistake," wrote Fred Van Egmond. Mackenzie and Van Egmond returned to the tavern and divided up the men. One hundred and fifty were stationed in the woods west of Yonge Street, half a mile from the tavern. Sixty men were place in the east and the remainder stayed out - Earth day service at Hensall United Church on May 1 On May 1 a special Children's Earth Day service will be con- ducted, at Hensall United Church. At Hensall United Church, this past Sunday, a special collection of Canadian Tire money was received for Menesetung. On May 15 the United Church service will be conducted by the Gideons in the absence of Rev. Annen. On May 5, Rev. Annen will conduct the service at the Blue Water Rest Home, at 2 p.m. Kippen East Women's Institute had another successful year as reported at the annual meeting held at the home of Thca Wisch, April 19. President Grace Drummond welcomed everyone and opened the meeting with a poem, 'April'. Phyllis Parsons and Rena Caldwell gave humorous readings. The reports were given and accepted. The new slate of officers was accepted and arc to continue for 1993-94 season: Past president - Ruby Triebner; President - Grace 1 Drummond; 2nd vice President - Mona Alderdice; Secretary - Helen MacLean; Treasurer, P.R.O. and Resolutions - Mona Aldcrdice; Branch Directors - Ruby Triebner, Phyllis Parsons; Program co- Cordinator - Grace Drummond; District Director - Hilda Payne; Sunshine Convenor - Grace Eyre, Dorothy Bell; Education and Cul- tural Activities - Helen MacLean, Phyllis Parsons; Family and Con- sumer Affairs - Rena Caldwell, Ruby Triebner; Citizenship and World Affairs - Thea Wisch, Sadie Hoy; Curator and Pianist - Hilda Payne; Auditor - Phyllis Parsons. Thca Wisch demonstrated the mak- ing of a Black Forest Cake which was then served as lunch. Grace Drummond was presented with a small gift in appreciation of her work for the Kippen East W.I. The sympathy of the community is extended to the families of the late Wesley Richardson, the late Tom Towers and the late Greta Erb. HEAD OF THE REBELLION - William Lyon Mackenzie master- minded the ill-fated Rebellion of 1837 which took place at Montgomery's Tavem on Yonge St. in Toronto. The men inside came out like a swarm of bees and dissipated in the bush. side Montgomery's. The government forces were commanded by LL Colonel James FitzGibbon, who placed two can- nons on the west side of Yonge Street and opened fire at the wooded area where the main rebel force was located. The whole battle only lasted about 20 minutes. The men in the trees returned the fee with their muskets and rifles but soon mass confusion and panic ensued and the untrained troops fled in all directions as Van Egmond attempted to direct them. Two cannon balls were sent through the. centre of Montgomery's Tavern and the men inside "came out like a swarm of bees and dissipated in the bush," wrote Fred Van Egmond. After the smoke cleared, only one of Mackenzie's men was dead and four were wounded. No serious injuries were suffered among the Loyalists. Mackenzie fled to Niagara and was successful but Van Egmond took refuge in a farmer's house and was soon after arrested by Loyalist soldiers and transported to a Toronto jail. While in jail, Van Egmond tried to claim his inno- cence and disassociation with the rebellion to escape the gallows but he was overcome with malnourishment and disease and died on December 30, 1837. Although history is subjective and filled with varying accounts and perceptiorns of most events, Van Egmo;td \ did receive just praise from various sources. J.C. Dent wrote itt The Story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion, "He (Van Egmond) was actuated by no sordid or selfish motive, and must have been largely impelled by an enthusiasm for the cause of free- dom...Colonel Van Egmond was a gallant soldier, an enterprising pioneer, and an educated gentle- man...Although he died in prison with a charge of treason hanging over him, he gave his life for what he firmly believed to be the sacred rights and liberties of people." Among the Huron Reformers, wrote W.B: Kerr, there lingered some sympathy for him. "Blame Van Egmond?" one man asked. "I blame the Familx Compact a slight more than I bl�rr2"him!" In his book, The Settlement of Huron County, Prof. Scott echoed Prof. W.B. Kerr's words: "Now the men and women of Huron may well continue to honour the memory of the man who gave his heart, soul and purse to the infant settlement of the County and who deserves the title 'Father of the Huron Tract.' " With notes from Prof. James Scott, Prof. W.B. 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