John Wilson, a famous steamboat captain, was a “Scotch Presbyterian gentleman” who lived in Quebec City. He wrote this letter to Francis Gunn, an Irish merchant living in Quebec City:

 “I return the Record (newspaper) you kindly left for me at Mr. Borland’s. I am fully acquainted with all the details of the Irish emigration of 1847, having been the prinicipal agent in forwarding some eighty thousand suffering people from Grosse Isle to Point St. Charles, Montreal.
The thirty-five vessels mentioned in the paper were all anchored near the island on the 1st of June. Some of them had been there for two or three weeks, our Government doing nothing to remove the horrid scenes being enacted there. At last Doctor Campbell, of Montreal, was sent to confer with Mr. Buchanan Emigrant Agent, on the subject. They sent for me and took my advice, to send three large steamers, the “Quebec”, “Queen” and “Alliance”. I went with them to Grosse Isle, and broke the blockade by taking out of the ships all of the people who were fit to travel. In a week those vessels were cleaned up and came to Quebec. All the vessels that arrived afterwards were easily managed, as the steamers could readily carry from one thousand to fourteen hundred people, as there was no baggage of any account. Being fast steamers in twelve to fourteen hours they reached Montreal. Not being allowed to carry either freight or passengers, they returned at once to Quebec to coal up, and started without delay for Grosse Isle.
Dr. Douglas and Mr. Buchanan being laid up with the fever, I was left pretty much to my own resources, in handling such a mass of sick humanity.
You may imagine to what straits we were put when we ran those large steamers with only five or six men, when eighteen or twenty was the usual complement.
Five thousand eight hundred were buried on the island that year, and I can never forget the awful scenes enacted there. Doctors were of no use. Bread, meat, clothes and cleanliness were what was wanted, and we cured more of them on the boats than the Government gang put together.”

 A second letter to Francis Gunn by Captain Wilson reads:

“Eighteen hundred and forty-seven was one of the most cruel years I ever passed. The sufferings of the poor people, and the day and night work, without adequate help, caused by the sickness of some and the cowardice of others, left me no rest.
The miserable Government in 1847 had a fit of economy as soon as the bulk of the emigrants was disposed of. They then employed small boats to carry the emigrants from Grosse Isle direct to Kingston, without stopping at Montreal. The result was, as I told Mr. Buchanan it would be, a heavy loss of life, owing to the emigrants being confined for days in passing through the canals, whereas changing them into clean boats and at short intervals was their very life. I do not remember losing any in my boats between Grosse Isle and Montreal, as we gave them all the conveniences for cooking, washing and cleaning up that large passenger steamers afforded, and a wonderful improvement showed itself on the run from the island. But at Point St. Charles, as at quarantine, no suitable preparation had been made for the reception of so many people, and number of deaths occurred that were a disgrace to the Government.
Grosse Isle is a pretty place in summer, and Dr. Douglas kept everything in fine order, but there was no accommodation or attendance for one-tenth of the emigrants. The removal of all those fit to travel became a dire necessity; and many, many deaths were occasioned by the long delay of the Government in giving the necessary orders to leave. As Dr. Douglas was worn out trying to do impossibilities, he was compelled to instruct me and the captains of the steamers to pass the emigrants by the color of their tongues, but in spite of every precaution many rushed aboard, leaving the dying and the dead behind them, all ties of relationship being completely lost in their determination to get out of the ship.
I had no time to be much on the island, but a few devoted clergymen and others were doing everything possible for the sick. As for the dead, they were piled like cordwood until such time as they could be carried away and buried. I have no doubt but some disorders took place among the class of persons who were hired, but I never saw a quieter and more resigned people than the emigrants.
Dr. Douglas, who had long been superintendent on the island, kept, as I have said, everything in fine order. He made a nice little farm at the east end of the island, had some fine cows, and sold milk to the sick. For this good work, jealous people got up a cry against him, and persecuted him to death. I am sorry that all the boats’ books were lost, or I  might give you a good many details I now forget.
I have read your narrative in the two numbers of the Catholic Record you were kind enough to send me, and I see nothing but what is a true description of what happened. The emigrants were simply starved to death, as the barrels of meal I saw on the ships were unfit for human food.”