Embodied Militia Battalion of Lower Canada (nicknamed "The Devil's Own"). In 1813, he gathered valuable undercover intelligence about American troops in the Salmon River area of New York, where he was known as a merchant. By 1814, he was a captain with the unit, renamed the Chasseurs Canadiens, but resigned when an officer from a British line regiment was given command rather than an officer of the Chasseurs. As a sideline, he had several commissary contracts. After the war, he was recognised with a medal with a Châteauguay clasp, and a grant of 800 acres of land in Litchfield township. By 1820, he was a supernumerary captain, with command of a company. Political career Lower Canada Member of the Legislative Assembly Cuvillier was one of the few Canadien businessmen who was interested in politics. Most of the Canadien members of the Legislative Assembly were drawn from the professional classes. In 1809, Cuvillier stood for election for Huntingdon county, south of Montreal, but was defeated. In 1814, he tried again, and this time was successful, being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada representing Huntingdon, as a member of the Parti canadien. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1816, 1820 (two elections), 1824, and 1827. His knowledge of business and finance was very valuable to the Canadiens, who were challenging the Governors over provincial finances, using well-established British principles that the elected branch of government should control government finances. They were rebuffed by the governors, who took the view that those principles did not apply in colonial government, and who could count on the support of the appointed Legislative Council to defeat measures proposed by the Assembly. Cuvillier provided the detailed financial critiques; the leaders of the party, Louis-Joseph Papineau and John Neilson, made the arguments based on British political principles. Cuvillier and Neilson were also strong critics of government spending that did not relate strictly to the administration of government, opposing subsidies for public works. Cuvillier's political activities were also helpful for the business community of Lower Canada, as he served as a bridge to the members of the Parti canadien who were not necessarily sympathetic to business. Cuvillier worked in the Assembly for many years to get a legislative charter passed for the Bank of Montreal, to replace the private contract which its shareholders operated under. The statutory charter was eventually passed in 1822. Cuvillier was