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served with distinction in the army ; and he himself 

 was not the man to fly from his parish at the sight of 

 the English. Some forty of his parishioners, all handy 

 with the gun, seeing the Scotch soldiers busy burning 

 the church and presbyters of St. Joachim, and being led 

 to believe that their own homes would soon share the 

 same fate, determined to defend their property. Well 

 armed, they ensconced themselves on the declevity of a 

 thickly-wooded hill, which commanded the road the 

 enemy had to follow. The brave cure' considered it his 

 duty, to stand by them in this emergency ; he therefore 

 remained to encourage them by his counsel, and admi- 

 nister spiritual rites. The Canadians fought well, but 

 a superior force threatening to surround them, they 

 retired, leaving behind seven or eight of their comrades 

 killed or wounded. The Highlanders had dearly bought 

 their advantage, having lost several men by the bullets 

 of the Canadian chasseurs. Many years after, Lieut. 

 Eraser, who had been present at this engagement, asked 

 an old man named G-agnon, if he had not grieved for 

 the death of a brother of his who had then fallen ? 

 ' No,' washis stern reply, ' for I avenged his death on the 

 spot : I fired eight shots, and each time brought down 

 one of your men.' Though seriously wounded, M. de 

 Portneuf followed his parishioners in their flight. But, 

 weakened by loss of blood, he fell on a stone, which is 

 yet pointed out, near the mill : the enemy soon came 

 up, and hacked him to pieces with their sabres. This 

 melancholy event took place on the 23rd of August. A 

 few days later, the priest of the next parish, the Eeve- 

 rend Mr. Parent, his friend, gave Christian burial to 

 M. de Portneuf's remains, and to those of seven of his 

 flock. His body lies inside of the church, but outside 

 of the railings and close to the seigniorial pew. 



" The work of destruction having been completed at 

 St. Joachim, the English detachment, with a similar 

 errand on hand, marched upwards, towards the Mont- 

 morency, on whose banks the bulk of the forces were 



