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Battle of the Cedars

1776 in the Province of Quebec (1763–1791)Battles involving Great BritainBattles involving Native AmericansBattles involving the IroquoisBattles involving the United States
Battles of the American Revolutionary War in CanadaBattles of the Canadian campaignConflicts in 1776History of MontrealHistory of MontérégieNational Historic Sites in QuebecUse Canadian English from January 2023Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality
Montreal1764CedarsDetail
Montreal1764CedarsDetail

The Battle of the Cedars (French: Bataille des Cèdres) was a series of military confrontations early in the American Revolutionary War during the Continental Army's invasion of Canada that had begun in September 1775. The skirmishes, which involved limited combat, occurred in May 1776 at and around the Cedars, 45 km (28 mi) west of Montreal, British America. Continental Army units were opposed by a small force of British troops leading a larger force of First Nations warriors (primarily Iroquois) and militia. Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, commanding the American military garrison at Montreal, had placed a detachment of his troops at the Cedars in April 1776, after hearing of rumors of British and Indian military preparations to the west of Montreal. The garrison surrendered on May 19 after a confrontation with a combined force of British and Indian troops led by Captain George Forster. American reinforcements on their way to the Cedars were also captured after a brief skirmish on May 20. All of the captives were eventually released after negotiations between Forster and Arnold, who was bringing a sizable force into the area. The terms of the agreement required the Americans to release an equal number of British prisoners, but the deal was repudiated by Congress and no British prisoners were freed. Colonel Timothy Bedel and Lieutenant Isaac Butterfield, leaders of the American force at the Cedars, were court-martialed and cashiered from the Continental Army for their roles in the affair. After distinguishing himself as a volunteer, Bedel was given a new commission in 1777. News of the affair included greatly inflated reports of casualties and often included graphic but false accounts of atrocities committed by the Iroquois, who made up the majority of the British forces.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Battle of the Cedars (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Battle of the Cedars
Chemin du Fleuve,

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N 45.3099 ° E -74.0353 °
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Chemin du Fleuve 725
J7T 1B7
Quebec, Canada
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Soulanges Canal
Soulanges Canal

The Soulanges Canal is an abandoned shipping canal in Quebec, Canada. It follows the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River between Pointe-des-Cascades and Coteaux-Landing, bypassing the rapids between Lake Saint-Louis and Lake Saint-Francis. In between, it passes through the towns of Les Cèdres and Coteau-du-Lac. It superseded the first Beauharnois Canal which was on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence. It is 23 kilometers (14 mi) long and had a 4.3-meter (14.1 ft) draught. Five locks measuring 85.3 m × 14 m (279.9 ft × 45.9 ft) give a total rise of 25 meters (82 ft).The Soulanges Canal was named after the Soulanges Seigneury which was granted in 1702 by Governor Louis-Hector de Callière to Pierre-Jacques de Joybert, Knight and Lord of Soulanges.Operation of the Soulanges Canal was powered by a small hydro electric generating station. "Le Petit Pouvoir" is located near the middle of the canal and provided power for the motorized lock gates, electrical operation of the swing bridges, and illumination for the entire length of the canal at night. It was the first canal in the world to have its entire passageway lit by night, allowing round-the-clock operation. It opened in 1899 and remained in operation until 1958 when it was in turn superseded by an enlarged Beauharnois Canal which is now part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Today, a popular cycling path follows the route of the canal. In the past there have been plans to reopen the canal to pleasure boats but these have not materialized. On May 22, 1974, five college women were killed when their car was hit by another, and they were pushed into the canal. Four of the women were students at Potsdam State College in Potsdam, NY. The other was a student at Albany State College in Albany, NY.