Post 5: New Interests?

July 14, 1782

It seems I was able to write my new entry earlier than I thought I would, especially since they are usually months apart. In any case, I have realized that I have a strong passion for helping the loyalists. Though some of my friends and neighbors disapprove of my kindness to them, my beliefs stay the same. After all, Jeffery is a loyalist, and we spend a lot of time together laughing and discussing the news of the day. He is a great friend, and it doesn't matter where he came from. Not to mention they were on our side, weren’t they? Anyways, at times where loyalists come to our settlement in search of a place to rest for the night, I am the first to offer my house. Despite the dirty looks from the other settlers give me, I still give them a hand. I have tried countless times to convince the others against it but they refuse to listen. I guess that's just the way life is, not everyone will always agree with you... I must go; there is a loyalist in outside asking for help. Until next time.

August 3, 1782

My friend Jeffery has recently told me some of the stories of some of the other loyalists he has met. I have recorded some of them below.

James Robertson came to the Thirteen Colonies in 1766 from Scotland. His brother, Alexander, came as well two years later. Together, they created and published the Royal American Gazette, a newspaper. They had chosen not to support the rebels in the revolution, so they were forced out of their homes. They moved 4 times in their struggles, and eventually settled in Shelburne, Nova Scotia when the war ended.

Jacob Waggoner was a German man who immigrated to the Thirteen Colonies. When the war started, he felt that the British had helped him come to North America in the first place, so he was more loyal to them. He joined the war on the side of the British. When the war ended, he and his family moved to Quebec.

Though these people haven’t been through nearly as much as Jeffery did, I still fell quite bad for them. If those crazy rebels had thought for a moment about what they were planning to do, so many loyalists could have not had to go through such things. The thought of it still makes me sick. That is all I have to write for now, I have work to do.

Post 4: The Journey of a Loyalist

July 3, 1782

I have recently befriended a loyalist by the name of Jeffery Roberts, who was forced out of his home with his family consisting of himself, his wife and his daughter. He recently told me the story of his journey, and I have recorded it here. When I asked him why he wouldn't tell me about it earlier, he told me that he was trying to forget such times.

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(As told by Jeffery Roberts)

It was horrible! They came to our house at night, even my good friends and our neighbours had come as well! I awoke in the middle of the night due to a nasty headache that I had from all of the insults that people had been screaming in my ears. Those voices still rung in my head even in the dark twilight hours. I had gotten up to get a drink of water when I smelled the smoke. The Patriots had set our house on fire! I quickly ran to get my wife and daughter out of the house, then grabbed as much as I could carry to help us on our journey. We loaded our wagon and left our home forever. I remember my daughter looking up at me with wide eyes and asking "Daddy, where are we going?" I hesitated for a moment then replied, "To a better place. That's all that matters."

Soon we had been on the road for quite some time. Maybe 7 months? The time we spent those months weren’t very interesting, we were all still shocked that we were leaving our home. Eventually we reached Lachine, which is near Montreal. We had to wait for boats to take us up the river to the Johnstown settlement. The whole time we were on that boat my daughter’s eyes were wide with fear. All I could do was hold her close to me. Imagine how confused and frightened she must have been!She was young, only 8, and we were fleeing from our home! I hope she realized that this was for the better.

The camp that we have been staying in for now is quite the mess. The food that we have is bland, but I guess I should be happy that we have any food at all. My daughter has made friends with other Loyalist girls that have been through things much like her, and I am glad to see her smile. Natives have been coming to trade for flour, but we hardly have enough for our selves. Sometimes they leave food for us anyways, and everyone appreciates that greatly. We and some others will be leaving for Johnstown tomorrow.

We arrived at last! I have decided to continue up the river, despite my wife’s pleas. I believe that we should find a place better than here to live, and eventually my wife agreed. We leave next week. For now, we are staying here to re-stock on supplies and prepare.

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John told me that his journey to where I live was very un-eventful, so he didn't bother to record it. I was completely disturbed by the fact that their house was burned to the ground. Those stupid rebels! I must go. I hope that my next entry will be sooner than later.

Post 3: War?!

March 14, 1775

It seems my worries all were for a good reason; the Thirteen Colonies have gone to war against us British! I could hardly believe the news when I heard it, after all we have done for them this is how the treat us?! They say that they want their freedom, yet it is obvious that they already have it, and now by doing this, their "freedom" is long gone. The officials have asked me to join the fight, but I refused. Though I would do anything for my great country, I have a family with children who need me very much. If I were to die, they would be in ruins, and I would be at fault. In any case, I heard that the ones from the Thirteen colonies who still are sided with us are being treated horribly, and that they have been given the name "loyalists" by our people. I can't believe that they are treated like that just because they have more than half of a brain in their heads and realize that we aren't the enemy, but the ones that have been helping them THE WHOLE TIME! The Loyalists have been forced out of their homes, leaving with none of their possessions or money. The rebels doing such things are completely barbaric, and I am completely appalled at such acts. That is all the time I have for now, until next time.

May 5, 1782

After 7 years the war is over at last! Though I am glad it is, I am not too happy with the outcome. As a matter of fact, the outcome thoroughly embarrasses me. The fact is, we lost to the Thirteen Colonies, who now call themselves the United States. In the end, I joined the fight, and I’m lucky to be here, but still, we lost, and I wasn't excepting the bitter taste of defeat. That was a taste that I hated, yet the States refuse to let me stop tasting it. The loyalists have been coming to use for a place to live, since they have been token from their homes and labelled traitors by the rebels. I am one to take pity on these people, since it is unfair for such injustice to occur. Though some of my neighbours disagree with my point of view, I say that they already came from people treating them like outcasts, so why do we need to treat them the same way when they have come here for the better? I have work to do, so this entry will have to end here.

Post 2: New Laws

December 3, 1763

Slowly I have realized more of the goals from the royal proclamation. In order to further integrate the French, we have closed off Ohio Valley from all settler expansion, so that the settlers will have to move to Quebec rather then settling elsewhere. Even so, almost all of the land in Quebec is already token, so there truly is no point to this, and I am disappointed with such a poor decision from my rulers. Many of our merchants are also becoming annoyed with our governor James Murray, since he seems to be favoring the French more than the British. I believe that such an act should most certainly not go un-punished! If he is to be disloyal to his own people, he should not be ruling over them, only to treat them like dirt! I can only hope that my opinion will be expressed in others that have a say in what happens to our great country.


October 7, 1774

I have recently noticed that I haven't written in 11 years! I guess I should pick up from where I left off. It seems that more people then I had thought agreed with me, Murray was recalled to England! He was replaced with Guy Carleton, who at first gave me hope that he would be better than James. My hope was eventually worn down and crushed, as he proved almost the same as James Murray, and for that, I am in ruins. Today, I heard that he has views very different than many others of us. He believes that if there was every a war between us and the Thirteen Colonies, we would need the French to help us fight, therefore, we must keep them as happy as possible. He proposed to let them keep their language, civil laws, and religion. I of course, am very against this movement, and am beginning to wish that our governor was still James Murray. But, that's not all; He recently passed the Quebec act, which cancels all efforts to integrate the French from the Royal Proclamation, as well as has made the Ohio Valley part of Quebec. I am too angry to write, until next time.


December 4, 1774

I am beginning to get worried that the Thirteen Colonies will soon revolt against us since over time; they have become angrier and angrier about all of the laws affecting them. For example, we passed the Stamp Act in 1765, which has the people pay a tax for each piece of printed paper they use. The money was used for something very important, yet still those simple minded fools became angry with the tax, forcing us to cancel the act. There were many more such as a tax on all imported tea, causing them to dump it all in Boston harbor. How dumb is that!? They just wasted all of that perfectly good tea for nothing!! Over all, they think that we are being unfair with everything that we are taxing them for, when in reality, everything we are taxing them for is for their own benefit. The most recent thing that angered them was the Quebec act, which has made me quite angry too, but for different reasons. They are upset because we gave the Ohio Valley to Quebec, while supposedly they need it more, and have been wanting it for years. Ha! Like that’s a valid statement! We’ve been helping them so much, and this is what we get? Stabbed in the back, betrayed and unappreciated are words to describe the way I feel now. Oh well. I guess all that is left to do now is wait, but I’m anxious and waiting isn’t something I like to do. I guess I’ll have to deal with it; after all, patience is a virtue.

Post 1: Peace at last?

February 11, 1763

It has been seven long years since the war started, and I am glad that it is finally over. I have been trying to convince myself that everything is finally at peace, but I have the feeling there is still much to endure for peace to occur. I have heard that the British, my people, have been trying to find a way to control the many French settlers here in Quebec, as well as the Thirteen Colonies further down south. The Colonies want to move to Ohio Valley, even though there are still Natives living there. I say to let them move there! I don't recall the Native people ever benefiting us at all, so why should we give them the right to stay? I truly hope that the ones in power see things in my perspective.


April 26, 1763

Much has happened since my last entry. The natives had been upset with us, so they took over many of our forts close to the Ohio frontier! It didn't last for very long, since winter came, and we have made peace with them. I say that they should have been punished for doing such a thing! They took over our forts simply because they didn't like the way they were being treated?! What kind of an excuse is that? My neighbours seem to have the same ideas, but some people think that there is no reason to be angry over such rubbish. Rubbish? If we keep letting them get away with smaller things, it will eventually become large things! In any case, I have to get to work. I will try to write my next entry soon.


October 8, 1763

Once again I have failed to write in my journal for months. In any case, yesterday, Britain (my country) announced a new Royal Proclamation. Though they never said it straight out, even I can tell what their goals are. It seems that they want to integrate the France into our society, and to avoid conflict with the Natives. We are forcing the French to give up their own laws and follow ours, with a few exceptions, such as allowing them to continue following their religion. As for the Natives, we are reserving an area of land for them, and only them. We are not allowed to build anything on this land, and now there is no trading with any Natives unless we have a licence to. These laws are ridiculous, and I am beginning to wonder who my country cares more about, its people, or the Natives living on it's land? Until next time.