Robert Nelson: podcast appearances and interviews

Robert Nelson was an English-speaking medical doctor and a prominent figure in the Lower Canada Rebellion of the 19th century. Born in Sorel near Montreal, he studied medicine in Montreal and at Harvard University. During the War of 1812, he served as a surgeon for the Deschambault Corps and the Indian Braves Corps. In 1827, Nelson entered politics through an invitation from his brother, Wolfred Nelson, who was also a doctor and a member of the Parti Patriote. He became involved in the Patriot movement and was imprisoned in 1837 during the unrest, although he was not involved in the armed conflicts like his brother. Following his arrest, he joined Patriotes who fled to the United States, where he was appointed General of the army and was elected future President of the Republic of Lower Canada. In 1838, Nelson proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Lower Canada at Alburg, Vermont, and distributed a declaration of independence before being arrested by U.S. authorities. Acquitted by a sympathetic jury, he continued to promote the cause of independence and organized efforts to overthrow British colonial rule through clandestine paramilitary groups. He participated in a second invasion attempt in November 1838, which ultimately failed. Nelson and other participants were granted amnesty and allowed to return home. He died in 1873 at the age of 78 in Staten Island, New York, and was interred in Montreal.