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When the British troops withdrew in 1871, the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School took possession of the Citadel. We see in this 1873 engraving soldiers in the fortress practising target shooting with cannons. In 1920, the Citadel became home to the Royal 22nd Regiment, the only infantry unit led in French in Canada.
1840 - 1873

Changing of the guard in Québec City

After the American revolutionaries’ 1775 attack on Québec City, the British authorities reinforced their military presence in the city. Considered to be a strategic site to defend, Québec City was home to large British garrisons. For decades, the daily lives of the city’s residents were marked by this heavy military presence. Things changed, however, with the signing of the Treaty of Washington on May 8, 1871, which settled several disputes between Britain and the United States. An era of peaceful political relations began, and most of the British garrisons left Québec City with a grand ceremony. Relive the events through the period’s artworks!

Military target practice, Québec City

Image taken from the Opinion publique, February 27, 1873, p. 104. When the British troops withdrew in 1871, the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School took possession of the Citadel. We see in this 1873 engraving soldiers in the fortress practising target shooting with cannons. In 1920, the Citadel became home to the Royal 22nd Regiment, the only infantry unit led in French in Canada.
Chronoscope What do you notice in this piece? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Ville de Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1873