[1][2][3][4] His father, Charles de Salaberry, had a significant military career, with both the British Army and the Lower Canada militia.

When Melchior-Alphonse's grandfather Hertel de Rouville retired from the Council, his father Charles-Michel was appointed in his place.

[3][4] Because of his family connections, Melchior-Alphonse de Salaberry found early advancement in the provincial government.

When he was 16, the Governor General offered him a commission in the British army, which his mother turned down, but five years later, at age 21, he was given the position of aide-de-camp extraordinaire.

On investigation, it was determined that the allegations had been orchestrated by a lieutenant in his unit, who had earlier refused to follow orders given by de Salaberry.

He stood for election to the new Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada in the electoral district of Rouville, the location of his maternal grandfather's seigneury.

[1][12][13] On January 1, 1842, de Salaberry accepted the lucrative position of clerk of the Richelieu district court.

Since this was an office of profit under the Crown, the law required de Salaberry to resign his seat in the Assembly.

[1][2][14][15] De Salaberry was admitted to the bar in 1845 and practised law with Robert-Shore-Milnes Bouchette, a Patriote who had participated in the Rebellion.

The queen was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who had had a friendship with Louis-Antoine de Salaberry.

[16] In 1895, Hermione unveiled the monument to her grandfather, Charles-Michel de Salaberry, commemorating the Battle of Châteauguay.