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ARNOLD BEFORE QUEBEC.

Arnold was obliged to push forward before the rest, with a few followers, and obtain a supply from the nearest Canadian settlement. At length on the 9th of November, the party, with its force much diminished, arrived at Point Levi, opposite Quebec.

His appearance, says an English writer, was not unexpected; for the lieutenant governor had been for some time apprised of his march. In the early part of his progress, Arnold had met an Indian, to whom, although a stranger, he had imprudently trusted a letter to General Schuyler, under cover to a friend in Quebec. The Indian, instead of faithfully delivering the letter, according to the directions which he had received, carried it to the lieutenant governor, who, in order to prevent the Americans from passing the river, immediately removed all the canoes from Point Levi, and began to put the city in a posture of defence; which, but for this folly and rashness of Arnold, might have been easily surprised.

On discovering the arrival of Arnold at Point Levi, the British commander stationed two vessels of war in the river, to guard the passage; and at that interesting crisis, Colonel M'Lean, who had retreated before Montgomery, arrived from the Sorel, with about one hundred and seventy newly raised troops to assist in defence of the place.

In spite of the vigilance of the British, Arnold succeeded. on the night of the 14th of November, in crossing the river with five hundred men in canoes, and landed near the place where the brave and enterprising Wolfe had landed, sixteen years before, called, from this circumstance, Wolfe's Cove. Not being able to convey his scaling ladders over the river with his troops, he could not immediately attack the town. Instead of concealing himself, till his scaling ladders could be brought forward, and then making a sudden and unexpected attack by night, he marched part of his troops in military parade in sight of the garrison; and so put the British fully on their guard. He wished to summon them to surrender. But they fired upon his flag of truce, and refused to hold any communication with him. He therefore on the 19th of the month, retired from Quebec to Point aux Trembles, about twenty miles above the city, where general Montgomery, with the force under his command, joined him on the 1st of December. From him the soldiers of Arnold received a supply of winter clothing which their previous condition rendered particularly acceptable.

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Soon after Arnold's retreat, Governor Carleton arrived in Quebec, and exerted himself to put the place in a state of defence.

General Montgomery, having brought the scaling ladders across the river, appeared with his whole force before Quebec on the 5th of December. The garrison was then more numerous than its assailants. The Americans amounted to but nine hundred effective men, while Governor Carleton had about fifteen hundred, soldiers, militia, seamen, and volunteers, under his command.

General Montgomery sent a flag of truce to summon the garrison to surrender; but it was fired upon, as that of Arnold had been; and although it was in the depth of a Canadian winter and in the most intense cold, he proceeded to the difficult task of erecting batteries; but his artillery was too light to make any impression on the fortifications. He therefore determined to storm the town; and the assault was made on the morning of the 31st of December.

About four o'clock in the morning, in the midst of a violent storm of snow, two feints and two real attacks were simultaneously made. The real attacks were conducted by Montgomery and Arnold. Montgomery advancing at the head of about two hundred men, fell by the first discharge of grape shot from the works. Several of his best officers being killed, his division retreated. Arnold, at the head of about three hundred men, in a different quarter, maintained a fierce and obstinate conflict for some time; but was at last wounded and repulsed, leaving many of his men in the hands of the enemy. The death of Montgomery was the subject of much regret, as he had been universally loved and esteemed. On assembling, after the assault, so large a number had been killed or taken prisoners, that the provincials could not muster many more than four hundred effective men, who chose Arnold for their commander; and in the hope of receiving reinforcements, resolved to remain in the vicinity of Quebec.

Sir Guy Carleton acquired much honour, not only by his gallant defence of the city, but also, by the humanity with which he treated all his prisoners. The sick and wounded he caused to be taken care of, and permitted them, when recovered, to return to their homes unmolested. The Americans were not ignorant of their own inferiority in point of numbers to the garrison, and were not without apprehensions of being attacked; but although the garrison was three times more

174

ARNOLD'S OPERATIONS IN CANADA.

numerous than the besieging army, it was of such a mixed and precarious character, that Carleton did not deem it prudent to march out against his enemy.

A small reinforcement, from Massachusetts, reached the American camp, and all the troops that could be spared from Montreal, marched to join their countrymen before Quebec; but the month of February was far advanced before the army amounted to 960 men. Arnold, however, resumed the siege; but his artillery was inadequate to the undertaking, and made no impression on the works. Although unsuccessful against the town, he defeated a body of Canadians, who advanced to relieve it; and succeeded so well in cutting off supplies from the country, that the garrison was reduced to great distress for want of provisions.

When the Americans entered the province, many of the inhabitants were well disposed towards them, as the friends and defenders of liberty. But by their subsequent behaviour they forfeited the good will, and provoked the hostility of the Canadians. They were wanting in respect to the clergy; compelled the people to furnish them with articles below the current prices; gave illegal and unsigned certificates for goods which they had received, which were consequently rejected by the quartermaster-general. They made promises, and did not perform them; and insulted the people when they demanded payment of their just debts. Such conduct, of course, alienated the affections of the Canadians, who considered congress as bankrupt, and their army as a band of plunderers.

On hearing of this scandalous misconduct, congress ordered justice to be done to the Canadians, and the strictest military discipline to be observed. But, in Canada, the tide of popular sentiment and feeling was turned against the Americans, who, by their unworthy practices, had awakened a spirit of hostility, which all the policy of Governor Carleton had been unable to excite.

While the American army lay before Quebec, the troops had caught the small-pox from a woman who had been a nurse in one of the hospitals of the city, and the loathsome disease spread rapidly among them. In order to mitigate the ravages of this destructive malady, many of the men, regardless of orders to the contrary, inoculated themselves. The reinforcements, which were daily arriving, had recourse to the same practice; and, so general was the infection, that, on the 1st of May, although the army amounted to 2,000 men, yet not

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more than 900 were fit for duty. In this diseased state of the troops, medicines, and everything necessary for the sick, were wanting. The men were also scattered, for want of barracks.

Major-general Thomas, who had been appointed to the command of the American army in Canada, arrived in camp on the 1st of May. He found the troops enfeebled by disease, ill supplied with provisions, and with only a small quantity of ammunition. The river was opening below, and he was well aware, that, as soon as ships could force their way through the ice, the garrison would be reinforced. On the 5th of May, therefore, he resolved to retreat towards Montreal; and, on the evening of the same day, he received certain information that a British fleet was in the river. Next morning some of the ships, by great exertion, and with much danger, pressed through the ice, into the harbour, and landed some troops.

The Americans were preparing to retire; General Carleton marched out to attack them; but, instead of awaiting his approach, they made a precipitate retreat, leaving behind them their sick, baggage, artillery, and military stores. Many of those who were ill of the small-pox escaped from the hospitals, and concealed themselves in the country, where they were kindly entertained by the Canadians, till they recovered and were able to follow their countrymen. General Carleton could not overtake the retreating army; but he took about 100 sick prisoners, whom he treated with his characteristic humanity.

The Americans retreated about forty-five miles, and then halted a few days; but afterwards proceeded to Sorel, in a distressed condition, and encamped there. In this interval, some reinforcements arrived. General Thomas, being seized with the small-pox, died, and was succeeded in the command by General Sullivan.

The British had several military posts in Upper Canada; and the Americans established one at the Cedars, a point of land projecting into the St. Lawrence, about forty miles above Montreal. The garrison consisted of 400 men, under the command of Colonel Bedell. Captain Foster, with about 600 regulars and Indians, marched from Oswegatchie to attack this post. The American commander having received an intimation, that, if any of the Indians were killed, the garrison would probably be massacred, made but a short and feeble resistance before he surrendered the place.

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OPERATIONS IN UPPER CANADA.

An American party of about 100 men, under Major Sherburne, left Montreal to assist their countrymen at the Cedars. As they approached that place on the day after the surrender, ignorant of the event, they were suddenly and unexpectedly attacked by a body of Indians and Canadians. After defending themselves for some time, the Americans were overpowered, and many of them fell under the tomahawks of the Indians. The rest were made prisoners.

Arnold, who in the month of January had been raised to the rank of brigadier-general, was desirous of recovering the Cedars and of relieving the prisoners there; and, for these purposes, marched towards that place at the head of about 800 men. But, on his approach, Captain Foster gave him notice, that unless he agreed to a cartel, which had already been signed by Major Sherburne and some other officers, the Indians would put all the prisoners to death. In these circumstances, Arnold reluctantly signed the cartel and retired. Congress long hesitated and delayed to sign this agreement.

Before the end of May, the British force in Canada was greatly increased; and including the German mercenaries, was estimated at 13,000 men. This force was widely dispersed; but Three Rivers, half way between Quebec and Montreal, was the general point of rendezvous. A considerable detachment, under General Frazer, had already arrived there. General Sullivan despatched General Thompson, with a party, to surprise them, but the enterprise failed. Thompson was made prisoner, and his detachment dispersed.

When the British sea and land forces had collected at Three Rivers, they advanced, by land and water, towards the Sorel, General Sullivan having retreated up that river; and General Burgoyne was ordered cautiously to pursue him. On the 15th of June, Arnold quitted Montreal and retired to Crown Point with little loss in the retreat. The American forces were thus completely withdrawn from Canada, and this bold and hazardous invasion was finally terminated. It had cost much suffering and many valuable lives; and produced no advantage to the American cause.