Volume 1 — LETTER XV. (continued 2)

[Dec. 13.] Congress determined upon building five ships of 32 guns, five of 28, and three of 24, in all 13; one in New-Hampshire, two in Massachusetts, one in Connecticut, two in Rhode-Island, two in New-York, four in Pennsylvania, and one in Maryland. [Dec. 20.] They, having taken into consideration the dispute between the people of Pennsylvania and Connecticut, on the lands near Wyoming, on the Susquehannah river, recommended, that “the contending parties immediately cease all hostilities; that all persons seized and detained on account of said dispute, on either side, be dismissed and permitted to go to their respective homes; and that, things being put in the same situation they were before the late unhappy contest, they continue to behave themselves peaceably, until a legal decision can be had on said dispute, or congress shall take further order thereon.” The committee appointed to fit out armed vessels, having procured a few, laid before congress [Dec. 22.] a list of the officers by them appointed; and were directed to give such instructions to the commander of the fleet, Ezekiel Hopkins, esq. touching the operations of the ships under his command, as should appear to them most conducive to the defence of the united colonies, and to the distress of the enemy’s naval forces and vessels.

In Canada, Sir Guy Carleton was no sooner acquainted with the Americans having surprised Tyconderoga and Crown-Point, and obtained the command of Lake Champlain, than he planned a scheme for their recovery. The British troops he had with him were too few to admit of their being drawn out of garrison. He expected a supply of Canadians sufficient for his purpose, and to have the assistance of the Indians in his intended operations; but both failed him. He established martial law in the province, that he might be able in that way authoritatively to force the people to take arms, but they refused. They had tasted the sweets of the English mode of government since the conquest of the country; and were disgusted (the noblesse excepted) at the re-establishment of the French. The Quebec act was of no use in exciting them against the colonists; on the contrary they talked much of liberty.^[134] They declared themselves ready to defend the province, but absolutely refused to march out of it, and commence hostilities upon their neighbors. The governor applied to the bishop CDXXIof Quebec to use his spiritual influence, particularly to issue an episcopal mandate, to be read by the parish priests in the time of divine service, but the bishop excused himself. The ecclesiastics, in the place of this, issued their letters, which were however greatly disregarded. The noblesse alone, who were chiefly considered in the Quebec act, showed a zeal against the English colonists.

Colonel Johnson, a son of the late Sir William Johnson, had repeated conferences with the Indians; at the one in Montreal, he delivered to each of the Canadian tribes a war-belt and the hatchet; after which he invited them to feast on a Bostonian, and to drink his blood, figuratively, an ox being roasted for the purpose, and a pipe of wine given; but the entertainment could not prevail with them to take up the hatchet. The congress, being made acquainted with the disposition of the Canadians, and the designs of governor Carleton, and expecting a powerful opposition from that quarter when European troops were arrived, unless they could prevent it by securing the country, determined upon penetrating into Canada, in hope of gaining the speedy possession of it, and of joining it to the union. The more effectually to support the reasonableness of the measure, and to strengthen the operation, it was given out, that the powers with which governor Carleton was entrusted by his commission, were special and extraordinary, purposely designed to warrant his attempting by force to suppress the opposition making in the colonies to the British measures. Several, or even most of the members of congress could not but know, that the words of the commission for governing their own colonies, name and place excepted. Sir Guy’s commission was in the usual mode, and similar to what was given to Danvers Osborne, esq. governor of New-York.^[135]

General Montgomery was sent forward to Tyconderoga with a body of troops, New-Yorkers and New-Englanders. When he took leave of his lady, his parting words were, “You shall never blush for your Montgomery.” [Aug. 21.] He arrived with the continental army (if not too diminutive to be so called) at the place of destination. General Schuyler, who was the chief commander, remained at Albany, to attend the Indian treaty carrying on in that city. General Montgomery made a movement down Lake Champlain, without waiting the arrival of more troops, that so he might hinder the enemy’s armed vessels getting into the lake. [Sept. 4. 5.] Schuyler having pushed forward, notwithstanding great indisposition, and joined Montgomery at Isle la Motte, they moved on, and arrived at Isle aux Noix. Here CDXXIIhe drew up a declaration, which he sent among the Canadians by colonel Allen and major Brown, assuring them, that the army was designed only against the English garrisons, and not the country, their liberties or religion. [Sept. 6.] The army, not exceeding a thousand men, proceeded without any obstruction toward St. John’s. When in sight of the works, and about two miles distant, the enemy began to fire, without doing any damage. After advancing half a mile nearer, the troops landed without opposition, in a close deep swamp; and being formed, marched through grounds marshy and covered with woods, in order to reconnoitre the fortresses. The left was attacked in crossing a creek, by a party of Indians, who killed a sergeant, corporal, and three privates, beside wounding eight, three of whom died. Three officers also were wounded. The Indians were soon compelled to give way, and had five killed and four badly wounded. Gen. Schuyler receiving certain intelligence in the evening, that the enemy’s fortifications were complete, and plentifully furnished with cannon, it was thought advisable the next morning, to return to Isle aux Noix, which was accordingly done; and the troops were employed in erecting proper works to secure the entrance into the lake; and in getting ready, on the arrival of further reinforcements, to take advantage of any events that might happen in Canada. Schuyler returned, leaving the command to Montgomery; who, being strengthened by an addition of men and artillery, and receiving orders to undertake the siege of St. John’s, [Sept. 17.] proceeded to execute the same. The next day the enemy threw bombs, but did no damage. The Americans returned the salute. [Sept. 21.] The lines of circumvallation were finished; but between 20 and 30 waggons with provisions, rum, brandy, &c. for the garrison, were taken prior to it. Afterwards there was a continual firing for some days and nights; and could the general have depended upon the troops, he might have ventured to promise success, but he could say nothing pleasing on that head. The men took good care of themselves; and one night captain Mott, of the 1st regiment of Yorkers, basely deserted the mortar battery without ever being attacked.

Colonel Allen being upon his return, with a guard of about eighty men, from a tour upon which he had been sent by the general, was desired to halt by major Brown, who proposed that colonel Allen should return to Longuil, procure canoes and cross the river St. Lawrence a little north of Montreal; while he crossed a little to the south of the town with near 200 men, as he had boats sufficient. The plan was approved of, and colonel Allen crossed in the night. Major Brown by some means failed on his part; and colonel Allen found himself, CDXXIIIthe next morning, in a critical situation; but concluded upon maintaining his grounds. [Sept. 25.] General Carleton learning how weak colonel Allen was, marched out against him with about forty regulars, together with Canadians, English and Indians, amounting to some hundreds. The colonel defended himself with much bravery; but being deserted by several, chiefly Canadians, and having had fifteen of his men killed, was under the necessity of surrendering with thirty-one effectives and seven wounded. He was directly put into irons. Had the plan been executed according to major Brown’s proposal, Montreal would probably have been surprised and taken. Success would have prevented the censures, which are now passed upon the one for proposing, and the other for adopting a plan of operation to which the general was an entire stranger. [Oct. 4.] A party of Canadians, who had joined and greatly assisted the besiegers, intrenched themselves on the east side of the lake, on which the enemy sent an armed sloop with troops to drive them away; but the Canadians attacked the sloop with vigor, killed a number of the men, and obliged her to return to St. Johns in a shattered condition. The main body of the army decamped from the south, [Oct. 7.] and marched to the north side of the fort: and in the evening began to throw up a breast work, in order to erect a battery of cannon and mortars. The continental troops brought such a spirit of liberty into the field, and thought so freely for themselves, that they would not bear either subordination or discipline. The general could not in truth direct their operations, and would not have stayed an hour at their head, had he not feared that the example would be too generally followed and so the public service suffer. There was a great want of powder, which with the disorderly behavior of the troops was a damp to the hope of terminating the siege successfully.

[Oct. 18.] The prospect was much brightened. The Canadians planned an attack upon Chamblee, and carried down in batteaux the artillery, past the fort of St. John’s. After a short demur it surrendered to major Brown and major Livingston.—The greatest acquisition was about six tons of powder, which enabled the general to accomplish his wishes. The other particulars you have below,^[136] except the colours of the 7th regiment, which were immediately transmitted to congress—the first present CDXXIVof the kind they ever received. The garrison became prisoners of war, but were allowed all their baggage, the quantity of which was astonishing. Their women and children, whose number was equally astonishing, were permitted to go with them and to take their effects. The besiegers having obtained a full supply of ammunition, went to work in earnest, compleated a battery within 250 yards of the fort, and mounted in it [Oct. 30.] four guns and six mortars, in defiance of the continual fire of the enemy. While the army was busily engaged in preparing for a cannonade, and an assault if necessary, they received the agreeable news of governor Carleton’s being repulsed. [Oct. 31.] The governor, with a view of raising the siege, collected a body of about 800 forces, consisting of the militia of Montreal, a number of Canadians, whom he had maintained for some time, a few troops, not a hundred, and some Indians. They left Montreal in high spirits, and attempted to cross the river St. Lawrence and land at Longeuil; but colonel Warner, with 300 Green Mountain boys, and a four pounder which kept pouring grape-shot into the boats, prevented their making good a landing. They were suffered to come very near the shore, and then the fire was so hot and distructive, that they were thrown into great confusion, and retired with the utmost precipitation. [Nov. 1.] The batteries kept an incessant fire all day on the garrison of St. John, which returned a very brisk one.—In the evening general Montgomery sent a flag, with a letter to major Preston, the commander, by one of the prisoners taken by colonel Warner, informing him of governor Carleton’s defeat, and recommending to him the surrender of the fort, as he could now have no longer reason to expect relief from that quarter. Major Preston in return sent an officer to the camp, proposing to answer the letter fully in the morning, and that in the mean time hostilities should cease on both sides. Two officers came into the camp [Nov. 2.] with an answer from major Preston, who requested the general to wait four days, to see whether no relief would come in that time, if not, they would make proposals for a surrender. The advanced season of the year did not allow of the general’s complying. He required them immediately to surrender prisoners of war; but referred them for the truth of the governor’s defeat to another prisoner. It was at length agreed that the garrison should march out with the honors of war, as what was due to their fortitude and perseverance. The non-commissioned officers and privates were to ground their arms on the plain; the officers were to keep their side arms, and their fire arms were to be reserved for them. The effects of the garrison were not to be CDXXVwithheld from them. The Canadian gentlemen and others, at St. John’s, were considered as part of the garrison, which amounted to about 500 regulars, and better than 100 Canadian volunteers. The next morning they marched out [Nov. 31.] and the continental troops took possession of the fort, in which were 17 brass ordnance, from 2 to 24 pounders, 2 eight inch howitzers, seven mortars, and 22 iron ordnance, from 3 to 9 pounders, a considerable quantity of shot and small shells, and about 800 stand of small arms, beside a small quantity of naval stores. The ammunition and provision was trifling, these having been nearly expended.

General Montgomery pressed on to Montreal. It being capable of making no defence, governor Carleton quitted it in one day; the general entered it the next [Nov. 12.] He treated the inhabitants with becoming liberality, engaging upon his honor to maintain the individuals and religious communities of the city in the peaceable enjoyment of their property of every kind; and the inhabitants, whether English, French, or others, in the free exercise of their religion. The general, in all his transactions, wrote, spake, and behaved with that attention, regard, and politeness to both privates and officers, soldiers and citizens, which might be expected from the gentleman. He was careful to push forward in time, a number of continental troops under colonel Easton, to the point of Sorel River, which they guarded so with cannon, an armed gondola, and their fire arms, that the fleet which had fallen down below Montreal, would not venture to attempt passing it. General Prescot, who was on board, with about 120 privates and several officers, was reduced to the necessity of surrendering by capitulation. [Nov. 17] 11 sail of vessels, with all their contents, consisting of, beside sailors and soldiers, 760 barrels of flour, 675 ditto of beef, 376 firkins of butter, 3 barrels of powder, 4 nine and six pounders, cannon cartridges and ball, 2380 musket cartridges, 8 chests of arms, 200 pair of shoes, and a quantity of entrenching tools; all of which proved very acceptable to the continental troops, who had no redundency of any articles whatever. In the preceding midnight, governor Carleton was conveyed, in a boat, with muffled paddles, by a secret way, to the Three Rivers, and arrived safe at Quebec the Sunday following.

Notwithstanding the advanced and severe season, general Montgomery marched on for the capital, expecting to be joined by colonel Arnold and his detachment in its neighbourhood, and designing to complete the reduction of Canada before the arrival of any British reinforcement. But while he was advancing, numbers were returning. An unhappy home sickness prevailed, CDXXVIand no specific was so efficacious as a discharge. No sooner was it administered, but the cure of nine out of ten was perfected; who, refusing to wait for boats to go by the way of Fort George, upon their arrival at Tyconderoga, flung their heavy packs over their shoulders, crossed the lake at that place, and undertook a march of two hundred miles with the greatest good will and alacrity. Three hundred of the continentals passed by Tyconderoga on their way home, by the end of the month. The ruin of the cause was further hazarded by the turbulent and mutinous spirit of several officers.

Colonel Arnold’s arrival with his detachment, at Point Levi, was not known at Quebec for twenty-four hours; and was at length discovered by his ordering out some men to secure the midshipman of the Hunter sloop of war, who was just landed on that side the river; the boat returned, and carried the intelligence to Quebec; on which two ships of war were stationed, one above and the other below Wolfe’s Cove, to prevent the Americans crossing over. A council was called, and by a majority of one it was agreed not to proceed immediately to attack the town. The contrary resolution, backed by vigorous exertion, would probably have put him into the possession of it. On the fifth of November it was really in a defenceless state, without a single soldier. Had the detachment crossed, the gates would, it is thought, have been opened by the disaffected and faint-hearted. The colonel however declared, that he would certainly make the attack when he had crossed, in case they were not discovered to be over. In the mean time the troops were employed in preparing scaling ladders. Before they were ready with these, colonel Maclean, the deputy governor, arrived at Quebec from Sorel [Nov. 12.] with about 170 men of his new raised regiment of emigrants; of this colonel Arnold had advice the next day, when, in the evening at nine o’clock, he began to embark his forces on board thirty-five canoes, leaving the ladders behind, and by four the next morning, got over and landed 500 men, wholly undiscovered. They landed in the small cove where the brave and enterprising general Wolfe did, now called Wolfe’s Cove. The Lizard’s barge rowing up the river, the colonel ordered her to be hailed, and fired upon for refusing to come in shore; on which she pushed off, and carried the account of the detachment’s having crossed over. But before this discovery, the men paraded on the Heights of Abraham. From thence they sent out a reconnoitering party toward the city, marched across the plain, and took possession of a large house, formerly owned by general Murray, and other adjacent houses, which afforded CDXXVIIfine accommodations for the troops. Guards were placed on the different roads, to cut off the communication between the city and country. The main body, about noon, marched fairly in view of the enemy, and gave them three huzzas, which were returned by a few shot from the ramparts. In the evening the colonel sent a flag of truce with a demand of the garrison, in the name and on hehalf of the united colonies, which was fired upon as it approached the walls. The colonel was certainly overseen; he should have taken the scaling ladders along with him, have concealed his being over, and attempted a coup-de-main the next night, which might have been done with a prospect of success, as his Canadian friends, English and French, were in the city to second his operations, and as the sailors were then scattered on board the ships, some about Quebec, and others up the river. [Nov 16.] A company of men were sent to take possession of the general hospital. The Canadians were continually coming in to express their satisfaction at the continental forces having entered the country. The next day a certain account was received of the capture of Montreal. Early in the morning [Nov. 19.] the troops decamped, and marched up to Point-au-Trembles, about seven leagues from Quebec, through a thick settled country, where you meet every few miles with a handsome little chapel. This was the day on which governor Carleton arrived at Quebec; and the first thing he did was to turn out the suspected, and all who would not assist in the defence of the city. [Nov. 23.] By express from Montreal, the forces were informed that Montgomery was upon his march, and had sent down clothing for them. The general finding plenty of woollens at Montreal, at a reasonable price, gave his soldiers new clothes, after their having suffered much by the severity of the climate, to which they submitted with patience and resolution, particularly in marching from St. John’s to Montreal, the road being half leg deep in mire. He was also mindful of colonel Arnold’s detachment, which had suffered still greater hardships. General Montgomery arrived at one o’clock [Dec. 1.] with three armed schooners, men, ammunition, and provision, to the great joy of the colonel’s forces, who toward evening turned out and marched to the general’s quarters, and were there received and complimented by him upon their appearance. The next day the batteaux were sent to Point Levi for the scaling ladders. The general appeared before Quebec [Dec. 5.] which is the last we have heard of his movements.

[Dec. 14.] General Howe issued orders for taking down the old north meeting-house, a large wooden building, containing CDXXVIIIa great deal of timber; and a hundred old wooden dwelling-houses and other buildings, to be used for fuel. The scarcity of this article, now that the usual supplies from the country are cut off, will reduce the inhabitants to an entreme difficutly.

[Dec. 30.] P. S. Admiral Shuldham is just arrived from Great-Britain in the Chatham man of war of 50 guns, to supersede admiral Greaves.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

No typos were fixed.

Used numbers for footnotes, placing them all at the end of the last chapter.