A LODGE IN CAPTIVITY
Bro. John Patience is a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Quebec and
is now serving as Editor of "Le Journal" the official publication of the Grand
Lodge of Quebec.
We at MSA thank him for letting us share the story of "A Lodge in
Captivity" with you. Editor
Early History of Minden Lodge # 63
Warrant No. 63 was originally issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland on January
20, 1736 to the 20th Regiment of Foot. On December 20, 1748 the Grand Lodge of
Ireland issued a duplicate warrant to Lord George Sackville, Colonel of the 20th
Foot as Worshipful Master, with Lt. Col. Edward Cornwallis and Capt. John
Milburne as Wardens. Lord Sackville was later to become Grand Master of Ireland
in 1741-52 and Cornwallis was a founder of Freemasonry in our neighboring
jurisdiction of Nova Scotia, where he had established a Lodge in 1750.
To learn how Lodge No. 63 received the name of Minden requires a
recapitulation of historical events in the middle of the 18th Century.
When Frederick the Great of Prussia, in 1740, seized the Austrian Province of
Silesia, he set off a powder mine that had been laid by the world-wide rivalries
of European powers and alliances. The struggle spread from Austria and Prussia
to all of Europe and finally burst over the whole world.
In the war of The Austrian Succession of 1741-48 Maria Theresa, the young
ruler of Austria, made two vain attempts to regain her stolen lands. Then in
1756, having won new support from the powers of Europe, she decided to try a
third time. But before she and her allies could strike a blow, Frederick the
Great of Prussia invaded the unfriendly, but neutral, land of Saxony and so
himself began the 3rd Silesian, or Seven Years War.
When the conflict began, a diplomatic shift had brought a reversal of
alliances, with Prussia now allied with her old enemy England. Maria Theresa
sought aid in France against her real enemy, Prussia. France listened,
hesitated, and then joined Austria. On one side were Austria, Russia and France
and on the other Great Britain with its powerful navy and Prussia with its well
prepared army, plus the statesmanship of Pitt and the military genius of
Frederick the Great.
In North America the conflict had begun the year before it broke out in
Europe and is known to us as the French and Indian Wars. It was to have
far-reaching effect, even on us today, for the most spectacular and most
important victory in North America was the capture of Quebec in 1759 by General
Wolfe, which sealed the fate of France in North America and resulted in her
being ultimately forced to hand over all of her possessions in Canada to
England.
In the same year, on August 1, 1759, the combined English and Prussian forces
were engaged against the French in the memorable Battle of Minden.
The battle was actually fought at Todtenhausen (Germany) about 3 miles north
of the old town of Minden and about 55 miles south of Bremen.
The 20th Foot, which had served in Germany from June 1756 under the Duke of
Marlborough and Prince Ferdinand of Prussia, were in the British line and were
very heavily engaged and suffered great losses, but their discipline, bravery
and devoted gallantry, it is said, were never excelled in the long annals of
British Service.
For their victory at Minden, the 20th Foot was decorated with the Laurel
Wreath, emblem of victory, and dubbed "The Heroes of Minden". The name Minden
was added to their colours and the Lodge, in memory of the regimental
engagement, henceforth became known as Minden Lodge No. 63.
Masonic Relief
It is of interest to note in the history of Old Dundee Lodge No. 26, on the
English Registry that the Lodge on St. John's Day, December 27, 1759, voted the
sum of œ21.0.0 (twenty guineas), a substantial amount of money in those days, to
the widows and orphans of those slain in Minden and Quebec, the money being paid
into the hands of Sir Joseph Hankey & Co. (Bankers), and a further f20.0.0
(twenty pounds) towards clothing the French prisoners.
The great Dr. Samuel Johnston wrote the introduction to the "Proceedings of
the Committee for clothing the French Prisoners" and while there is no extant
proof that Dr. Johnston was a member of Old Dundee No. 26 it seems more than
co-incidental that Boswell remarked that Dr. Johnston would frequently go out
"to take the air at Wapping" and Old Dundee No. 26 met at Wapping.
The Regiment in North America
The Regiment continued to serve in Germany until 1762 when it returned to
England, and in 1775 was ordered to North America to take part in the attempt to
subdue the Colonists which resulted in the War of Independence.
It is reported as having been in Quebec in 1776 and the following year at Ile
aux Noix.
Recruiting for the war in America was laggard and the Crown, being short of
troops, came to an agreement with Duke Charles of Brunswick by which the latter
agreed to supply 4,300 men (3,964 Infantry and 336 Cavalry) under the command of
Major General Frederick Adolph Riedesel. The force left Brunswick in two
divisions in February and May 1776 and arrived in Quebec in June and September
of that year and were placed under the command of General Bourgogne.
It was then that the friendship forged at Minden with the 20th Regiment was
revived. When General Bourgogne had to surrender at Saratoga to General Gates on
October 12, 1777 the Brunswickers and the 20th Foot were in the bag together.
Von Riedesel had the colours removed from their poles, the poles were burnt, and
the colours were sewn in the mattress of his wife's bed.
She, who was affectionately known to the troops as " Lady Fritz", slept on
them throughout the captivity and the colours ultimately reached home safely.
At first all the troops were quartered on the Winter Hill near Boston but on
the approach of the British Fleet in 1778, they were marched to Virginia. They
arrived at Charlottesville in January 1779, after a long and difficult journey,
as the winter was particularly severe. There they had to erect their own wooden
barracks, as no provision had been made for their arrival.
It is from this point that events take a turn that is of significance to
Masons, for in the Brunswickers were 9 Freemasons from the Lodges Jonathon and
St. Charles, the remainder of 14 who are recorded as having left for America,
von Riedesel, himself a Mason, having been exchanged in September 1779; and in
the English prisoners was Minden Lodge intact and complete with its Irish
Military Warrant No. 63. It was natural that the Brunswick and Irish brethren
should soon become on friendly terms with each other and the Brunswick brethren
visited the lodge meetings of Minden No. 63. The Irish Lodge, undoubtedly on the
recommendation of the Brunswick brethren, initiated 4 candidates on January 4,
1780. Among them was Johannes Heinrick Carl von Bernewitz, at that time an
Ensign, who was later to play an important part in the Masonic world in
Brunswick. A further 3 candidates were initiated on February 22, 1780.
It is probable that few, if any of the Germans understood English
sufficiently well to follow the ceremonies with ease and so it is natural that
they soon felt the desire to work in German. A meeting was called on February
22nd to deliberate whether the Masonic Constitutions allowed them to meet, to
undertake Masonic work and to elect a Master Mason as a temporary Worshipful
Master. The minutes of that meeting were preserved by von Bernewitz and brought
back from America by him and handed to Brunswick Lodge. The minutes are in the
possession of Carl zur gekronten Saule Lodge, Brunswick, constituted 1744, and
the minutes read as follows:
''Actum Barracks bey Charlottevill Albemarly County'' in Virginien
XXII 17________________80 II
i.e., 22nd February, 1780
Thirteen Brethren were present, including the three Candidates who had been
initiated together in the Irish Lodge, six being Master Masons and the remainder
Entered Apprentices. Ultimately Bro. Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster
Rohr was elected Master. On accepting Office he stated that "he only did so in
order to hold Lodges of Instruction, that he could undertake no initiations, and
that as the Brethren considered him as their Master he would hold the Lodge in
accordance with the Laws of the Order, without any responsibility on his part."
He thereupon opened the Lodge in the first degree, held a short address
recommending Secrecy, Morality, Uprightness, Faithfulness, and Love
(Menschenliebe) as the ideal of the Order, and appointed two Wardens, one Deacon
and an Almoner. He continued by going through the lecture, and explained in
German the obligations which the Brethren had undertaken in the English Lodge.
Before closing he asked whether any Brother had anything to report, whereupon
an Entered Apprentice rose and recommended the case of a Sergeant in poor
circumstances, blind in one eye, with a wife and two children, one of them with
a rash and in a miserable state of health, and asked for relief as his barracks
had just been burnt down. This was unanimously agreed to, and 118 paper dollars
and three shillings were collected, and two Brethren were instructed to hand
over the money to the "poor people".
The lectures were thereupon again gone through, and the Lodge closed "with
the customary ceremonies." After this a "Table" Lodge was opened, which was
conducted in the most perfect order, the Master as usual proposing the "Fires."
These were four in number: 1, To our Master and reigning Prince Charles; 2, to
Prinz Ferdinand; 3, to all regular and perfect Lodges on the "surface"; 4, To
all Brethren in distress "the highest and high health fired with all honours."
Finally, the "Table" Lodge was closed with all ceremonies, high XII, and all
returning to their barracks contented.
Editor's note: (The story that has just been told relates to an existing
Lodge, Minden #63, holding a meeting which included several Brethren not
familiar with the English language. These Brothers, the Brunswickers, then held
another meeting and elected one of their own as Master. No record exists of any
warrant being requested or issued during this period of time, but this Lodge
meeting was recorded in minutes now in the possession of Brunswick Lodge
constituted in 1744).
The Brunswick Officers were allowed to rejoin the Army in Canada at the end
of October 1780 and the Corps returned to Brunswick in 1783 when peace was
signed at the Treaty of Paris.
The brethren of Minden No. 63, I1 believe, were held until the peace was
signed, and the Lodge is known to have worked until 1786, but was included in
the list of erased warrants in 1801 as Grand Lodge had heard nothing of it since
the former date 1786. Considering that the regiment was almost continually on
active service it is hardly surprising since it was in Holland in 1801, Egypt in
1803, Malta 1804, Naples 1805, Sicily 1806, Gibraltar 1807, St. Helena 1819 and
India 1821. Obviously the Lodge survived, for on February 25, 1812 it was
granted a renewal, free of charge.
We next hear of them in Kingston, Ontario where the Regiment arrived on
September 25, 1847. On December 27, 1848 the brethren of Minden No. 63 met with
the brethren of Kingston and vicinity to celebrate the Festival of St. John the
Evangelist and to commemorate the centenary of the re-issue of their warrant. At
2:30 p.m. the members formed in Masonic order and were joined by the brethren of
St. John's Lodge No. 491 (English Registry) and Leinster Lodge No. 283 (Irish
Registry) and preceded by the band of the Regiment, paraded to St. George's
Church to hear an eloquent sermon delivered by Rev. Mr. Brent. The brethren
returned to the Lodge Room and adjourned until 6:00 p.m. when about 90 of them
sat down to a sumptuous repast and entertainment at Mr. Bamford's Hotel. At
10:30 p.m. the brethren retired, delighted with the day's proceedings.
192 names were registered in Minden No. 63 up till the early months of 1851
and the end of this tale is contained in a letter to the Grand Lodge of Ireland
dated December 8,1868, that the Warrant, jewels, etc. had been lost in India
during the mutiny.
But what of von Riedesel and Lady Fritz, who slept on the Regimental Colours
in Virginia? The answer lies closer to home. On his release, Von Riedesel, prior
to returning to his homeland, took up residence in Sorel (Canada) and it was
there on Christmas Eve 1779 that Lady Fritz, seeing a pine tree in her garden
outlined against the velvet blue of a starry night, conceived the idea of
putting small lighted candles on her Christmas tree and thereby wrote a charming
page of Canadian History by giving Canada its very first illuminated Christmas
Tree, a sight so familiar to us all at the Festive Season.
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