1775. muft foon have been obliged to abandon Canada. CHAP. They now preffed the fiege of St. John's with increasing XXVI. vigour, and, from a deficiency in provifions and ammunition, and the failure of an attempt made by colonel Maclean to afford relief, the garrison was obliged to capitulate. Ethan Allen An attempt had been already made by Ethan Allen, 25th Sept. at the head of a hundred and fifty men, to capture taken pri Montreal, but he was defeated by a small party of the foner. twenty-fixth regiment, aided by fome natives, and taken prifoner. Montreal was however unprotected, and general Carleton, after the capture of St. John's evacuated the town: the inhabitants applying to ge neral Montgomery for terms of capitulation, he an-fwered, they could not expect fuch a conceffion, as Nov. they were without means of defence, but promifed the Montreal free enjoyment of their religion and property. Here the Americans found many European neceffaries and luxuries, which the regulations of congrefs had prevented their obtaining in their native provinces, and general Montgomery employed them in the conftruction of flat-bottomed boats preparatory to the fiege of Quebec. evacuated. wilderness. THE fafety of that city was menaced by a moft Expedition daring and difficult enterprize. Colonel Arnold, on a through the plan of his own fuggefting, was difpatched by general 13th Sept, Washington, with fifteen hundred men, to penetrate into Canada, by afcending the Kennebeck, and defcending by the Chaundiere to the river St. Lawrence. On their arrival at the Kennebeck, they commenced 20th. the arduous toil of working up a river encumbered with rocks and fhoals, againft an impetuous current; and they were often compelled by cataracts and other impediments to land and drag their batteaux up rapid streams or over falls. Their progrefs by land was not more exempt from difficulty and danger; thick woods, t By governor Carleton's order, Allen and his fellow prisoners were fent in irons on board a man of war, and conveyed to England: he was however remanded to Amerifa, and afterward ferved in the provincial army with the rank of colonel. deep 1775, CHA P. deep swamps, and precipitous mountains alternately imXXVI. peded their march. Sometimes they were obliged to cut their way through forests fo embarraffed that their progrefs did not exceed four or five miles a day; their provifions were reduced; fcarcity and fatigue introduced ficknefs and defertion; the original troop was diminished by one third; they devoured their dogs, cartouch boxes, and every other article of leather about their accoutrements and clothing; when a hundred miles from any habitation, they divided their last ftore, which afforded four pints of flour for each man, and while they were yet thirty miles diftant from the probability of fuccour, their laft morfel of bread was eaten. Finally, they furmounted every difficulty, and the Canadians with amazement beheld this fqualid band emerge from a wilderness which they confidered it impoffible for human perfeverance to penetrate. Conciliated by the behaviour of the invaders, and reaffured by a manifefto which they published by general Washington's direction, the inhabitants treated them with hofpitality, and were prepared, if not to assist in their enterprize, at leaft to regard it without malevolence or alarm ". ad Nov. 5th Nov. fends Que bec. COLONEL MACLEAN, who ftill remained at the conMaclean de- fluence of the rivers Sorrel and St. Lawrence, ignorant of the furrender of St. John's, and expecting to be joined by general Carleton from Montreal, was fortunately apprized of colonel Arnold's arrival, and of his encampment at Point Levy, oppofite Quebec. Colonel Maclean inftantly threw himself into the city, and by his judicious measures prevented the effect of that confternation which would have rendered it an eafy prey, could the American chief have procured immediate means of paffing the river ". 13th. 14th. Arnold re puifed. UNINFORMED of this seasonable fuccour, colonel Arnold made an attack on the gate of St. Louis, but was repulfed with confiderable lofs; and the inhabitants W Stedman, Andrews, Ramfay, Washington's Official Letters, vol. i. p. 52. of XXVI. 1775. Exertions of of the city being cordially united in defence of their CHA P. property, and reinforced by failors from the fhips, he became alarmed for his own fafety, and withdrew to Point aux Trembles, twenty miles from the capital. General Carleton, who had been actively employed 20th. in collecting a force to oppofe Montgomery, on learn Carleton ing the danger of Quebec, paffed in the difguife of a fisherman through the enemy's craft, and took vigorous measures for confirming and extending the efforts of colonel Maclean, of which he expreffed decided approbation he armed the inhabitants, and expelled from the city all who were not willing to co-operate in its defence. proceedings DURING this interval, general Montgomery had Judicious been actively employed in turning to advantage the of Montgo effects of his fuccefs; he was indefatigable in recruit- mery. ing the strength and fpirits of his followers; and acquired confiderable ascendancy over the lower class of natives, who were eafily feduced to fympathize with colonists like themselves, ftruggling, as they fuppofed, for liberty. The clergy were however active and refolute in oppofing the new doctrines; their influence was confiderable, and they extended it by refusing abfolution to fuch as abetted the invaders. The nobles, diffatisfied with the state of the province, and without cordial attachment to the British government or to its opponents, fupported neither party. Montgomery with great address avoided giving offence even to the clergy; he raised a regiment of Canadians, which he placed under the command of James Livingston, a native of New York: his expreffes were permitted to pass in every direction unmolested, and individuals * Gibbon, with his ufual force and perfpicuity, adverts to thefe circumstances, in a letter to colonel Holroyd, (lord Sheffield,) dated 14th Nov. 1775. He lays, "We are not quite eafy about Canada; and even if it should be fafe from an attack, we cannot flatter ourselves with the expectation of bringing down that martial people on the back fettlements. The priests are ours; the gentlemen very prudently wait the event, and are difpofed to join the ftronger party; but the fame lawless spirit, and impatience of government which have infected our colonies, are gone forth among the Canadian peafants, over whom, fince the conqueft, the nobleffe have loft much of their ancient influence." Pofthumous Works, vol. i. p. 495. were CHA P. were induced to fubfcribe liberally in fpecie for the XXVI. fupport of his troops. 1775. xft Dec. Joins in befieging Quebec. State of the American army. 31ft Decem❤ ber. the city. THIS brave and judicious officer, having effected a junction with colonel Arnold at Point aux Trembles, fummoned Quebec, and on the rejection of all overtures, commenced a bombardment with five fmall mortars, and opened a battery of fix guns at seven hundred yards distance from the walls. AN attack fo feeble, and of fuch light metal, was not calculated to make a fenfible impreffion, and the befieging army was not prepared for the delays and misfortunes of protracted operations. Succefs appeared improbable, and retreat difgraceful: the British empire in Canada was reduced to the fingle city of Quebec; the fame of former exploits had infpired exaggerated hopes in America, and difappointment threatened fatal refults to the common caufe. Yet the difficulties were daily augmenting; diffenfions arose between colonel Arnold and his officers, destructive of fubordination; the provincial corps were inflamed with a spirit of mutual animofity, and with difficulty induced to pay obedience to fuperior officers not belonging to their own colony; their numbers were infufficient for proper reliefs in their daily toils; and as the expiration of their military engagements approached, the general was apprehenfive that many would quit the fervice. The feverity of a Canadian winter was already felt; the troops had no effectual protection against its rigours; their cafh was nearly expended; the congrefs paper had no circulation in Canada; and the natives began to fhow their ficklenefs, by a total difregard of the invaders. In this fituation, general Montgomery adopted the Affault of daring refolution of trying the fortune of an escalade. Two feints were made at Cape Diamond and St. John's gate, and two determined attacks feparately led by Montgomery and Arnold under Cape Diamond, by Drummond's wharf and the Potalh. The whole proceeding on the part of the befiegers betrays rafhness XXVI. rafhnefs and confufion: the fignals of attack were CHA P. given before the troops were in a due ftate of preparation; hence the feints were detected in fufficient time to enable the British general to concentrate his forces at the real points of affault. 1775. killed. GENERAL MONTGOMERY, at the head of nine Montgomery hundred men, advanced, with undaunted intrepidity, along a defile, upon a narrow path, between two fires, with a precipice to the river on one fide, and a hanging rock over head. His approach was awaited with calmness and refolution, and when he was within fifty yards of the point of attack, a tremendous discharge of grape fhot put an end to his hopes and his life. His followers, undifmayed, returned to the charge; but convinced, by repeated repulfes, that ultimate fuccefs was unattainable, fought fafety by retreat. COLONEL ARNOLD made his attack with feven Arnold hundred men at the Saut de Matelots, and difperfed wounded. the Canadian guard; he received a wound in the leg, and was obliged to retire; but his party was advancing with profpects of fuccefs: they took the first and second barriers after an obstinate refiftance, and against the third a ladder was already placed to convey them into the town, when they were encountered by the combined force of the garrifon, which, after the defeat of general Montgomery's divifion, united against them. Yielding to fuperior force, they attempted a His divifon retreat in vain, and were obliged to furrender them- taken prifons felves prisoners. ers. verted to s blockade. THE English fuftained but inconfiderable lofs; the Siege conAmericans, in killed, wounded, and prifoners, were deprived of half their numbers; yet colonel Arnold did not abandon the province; he encamped on the heights of Abraham, where, by obftructing the fupplies, he changed the fiege to a blockade. The hor rors of war were, however, foftened by mutual acts of civility the prifoners were treated with kindness, and the wounded received ample relief. THE |