XXVI. *3775. 13th. CHAP. Lawrence, ignorant of the furrender of St. John's, and expecting to be joined by Carleton from Montreal, was fortunately apprized of Arnold's arrival, and of his encampment at Point Levy, oppofite Quebec. Maclean inftantly threw himfelf into the city, and by his judicious meafures 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.” 14th. Arnold repulfed. UNINFORMED of this feasonable fuccour, Arnold made an attack on the gate of St. Louis, but was repulfed with confiderable lofs; and the inhabitants of the city being cordially united in defence of their 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. Carleton, who had been actively emof Carle- ployed in collecting a force to oppofe Mont 20th. Exertions ton. Judicious proceedings of Montgo. mery. gomery, on learning the danger of Quebec, paffed in the difguife of a fifherman through the enemy's craft, and took vigorous measures for confirming and extending the efforts of Maclean, of which he expreffed decided approbation: he armed the inhabitants, and expelled from the city all who were not willing to cooperate in its defence. DURING this interval, Montgomery had been actively employed in turning to advantage the effects of his fuccefs; he was indefatigable in recruiting the ftrength and fpirits of his followers; and acquired confiderable afcendency over the lower clafs of natives, who were eafily feduced to fympathize with colonifts, like themselves, ftruggling as they fup W Washington's Letters, vol. i. p. 39. 41. pofed པ} 1775 pofed for liberty. They clergy were however CHAP. active and refolute in oppofing the new doc- XXVI. trines; their influence was confiderable, and they extended it by refusing abfolution to fuch as abetted the invaders. The nobleffe, diffatiffied with the state of the province, and without cordial attachment to the British government or to its opponents, fupported neither party.' Montgomery with great addrefs 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 pafs in every direction unmolefted, and individuals were induced to fubfcribe liberally in fpecie for the fupport of his troops. THIS brave and judicious officer, having ft Dec. effected a junction with Arnold at Point aux Joins in befieging Trembles, they immediately fummoned Que- Quebec. bec, and on the rejection of their overtures, commenced a bombardment with five fmall mortars, and opened a battery of fix guns, at feven hundred yards diftance from the walls. army. AN attack fo feeble, and of fuch light metal, State of the was not calculated to make a fenfible impref- American fion, and the befieging army was not prepared for the delays and misfortunes of protracted operations, Succefs appeared improbable, and Gibbon, with his ufual force and perfpicuity, adverts to these circumstances in a letter to colonel Holroyd, (lord Sheffield) dated 14th Nov. 1775. He fays, "We are not quite eafy about Canada; " and even if it fhould be fafe from an attack, we cannot flatter "ourselves with the expectation of bringing down that martial peo"ple on the back fettlements. The priests are ours; the gentlemen very prudently wait the event, and are difpofed to join the stronger "party; but the fame lawless fpirit, and impatience of government "which have infected our colonies, are gone forth among the Ca"nadian peasants, over whom, fince the conqueft, the noblesse "have loft much of their ancient influence." Pofthumous Works, vol. i. p. 495. retreat 1775. CHAP. retreat difgraceful: the British empire in CaXXVI. nada was reduced to the fingle city of Quebec; the fame of former exploits had infpired exaggerated hopes in America, and disappointment threatened fatal refults to the common caufe. Yet the difficulties were daily augmenting; diffenfions arofe between Arnold and his officers, deftructive 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 began also to be feverely 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 fhew their ficklenefs, by a total difregard of the invaders. 31ft December. Affault of the city. In this fituation Montgomery adopted the daring refolution of trying the fortune of an efcalade prudence prefented numerous objections to the enterprize, but the nature of his fituation filenced the counfels of that monitor. Two feints were made at Cape Diamond and St. John's gate, and two determined attacks were feparately led by Montgomery and Arnold, under Cape Diamond, by Drummond's wharf and the Potaflı. The whole proceeding on the part of the befiegers, betrays confiderable raihnefs and confufion: the fignals of attack were given before the troops were in a due ftate of preparation; hence the feints were detected in fufficient time to enable 1 the the British general to concentrate his forces CHAP. at the real points of affault. XXVI. 1775. mery kil MONTGOMERY, at the head of nine hundred men, advanced, with undaunted intrepidity, Montgoalong a defile, upon a narrow path, between led. two fires, with a precipice to the river on one fide, and a hanging rock over head. His approach was awaited with calmnefs and refolution, and when he was within fifty yards of the point of attack, a tremendous discharge of grape thot 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. ARNOLD made his attack with seven hun- Arnold dred men at the Saut des Matelots, and dif- wounded perfed 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 fecond barriers after an obftinate refiftance, and against the third a ladder was already placed to convey them into the town, when they were encountered by the concentered force of the garrifon, which, after the defeat of Montgomery's divifion, united against them. Yielding to fuperior His divi force, they attempted a retreat in vain, and fion taken were obliged to furrender themselves prifoners. prifoners. a blockade. THE English fuftained but inconfiderable Siege conlofs; the Americans, in killed, wounded, and verted to prifoners, were deprived of half their numbers: yet 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 horrors of war were, however, foftened by mutual acts of civility: the CHAP. the prifoners were treated with kindness, and XXVI. the wounded received ample relief. 1775. Montgo mery. THE name of Montgomery was mentioned Eulogies of with refpect by his moft determined opponents the Americans deplored his fate with all the warmth of patriotic attachment, and the animation excited by the circumftances of his fall; and thofe in England who participated in the fentiments of the Americans, fpoke of him in terms not only expreffive of their fenfe of his merits, but incompatible with an attachment to the caufe of their country." Tranfactions in Virginia. IN tracing the progrefs of thofe difcontents which united all America in one common caufe, and combined thirteen difcordant and rival governments in one general legislation, it is neceffary to defcribe the most important tranfactions in various colonies, till all difference of conduct had ceafed, VIRGINIA had been confpicuous in the courfe of the American difturbances, and its counfels feemed intirely influenced by popular demagogues, among the most confpicuous of whom was Patrick Henry. Lord Dunmore, the governor, had, in the early part of his government, been highly popular, but was now the object of difguft, from his efforts to maintain the royal authority, and from the publica tion of his correfpondence with lord Dartmouth, which was laid before parliament. In y See Parliamentary Register, vol. iii. p. 402. General Montgomery was of a very respectable family in the North of Ireland, he was educated at fchool, and the university in Dublin; he had ferved with reputation in America during the preceding war, and had attained the rank of captain in the 17th regi ment of foot; he quitted the fervice in difguft, and married a lady of a confiderable family in the province of New York; he had been beloved and efteeined through life. z See chapter ix. thefe |