He travelled around  the colony of Upper Canada, gathering support from farmers who were unhappy with the previous year's poor harvest, and convincing them to join him. In the December of 1837, William Lyon Mackenzie decided that the time was ripe to start a rebellion. He organized volunteers and led them into battle near Toronto. On December 7th, 1837, Mackenzie led the charge into Toronto. When they lost the ensuing battle outside of the city, he led his supporters to Buffalo, New York, and gave a speech about how Canadians wanted to be free of their oppressors, but needed the help of the Americans.