discourage the provincials. It excited resentment and execration, but
not any disposition to submit. Such was the high-strung state of the
public mind, and so great the indifference of property when put in
competition with liberty, that military conflagrations, though they
distressed and impoverished, had no tendency to subdue, the colonists.
Such means might suffice in the Old World, but were not effectual in the
New, where the war was undertaken, not for a change of masters, but for
securing essential rights.
The action at Breed's Hill, or Bunker Hill, as it has since been
commonly called, produced many and very important consequences. It
taught the British so much respect for the Americans, intrenched behind
works, that their subsequent operations were retarded with a caution
that wasted away a whole campaign to very little purpose. It added to
the confidence the Americans began to have in their own abilities. It
inspired some of the leading members of Congress with such high ideas of
what might be done by militia, or men engaged for a short term of
enlistment, that it was long before they assented to the establishment
of a permanent army.
FOOTNOTES:
[26] Charlestown. A body of American riflemen, posted in the houses,
galled the left line as it marched; therefore, by Howe's orders, the
town was set on fire.
CANADA REMAINS LOYAL TO ENGLAND
MONTGOMERY'S INVASION
A.D. 1775
JOHN McMULLEN
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War there was a belief,
or at least a hope, among the thirteen rebellious colonies
that Canada would join them and thus enable the entire
continent to present a united front against England. Had she
done so the course of Canadian and perhaps of American
destiny would have been widely changed.
The condition of Canada was different from that of the more
southern colonies, in that it was a conquered country,
guarded by British soldiers. The great majority of the
inhabitants were of French descent; until 1760 they had been
under French rule; and it was hoped that, especially in the
Quebec Province and along the St. Lawrence Valley, the
French _habitants_ would seize eagerly on an opportunity for
revolt. An expedition was therefore planned under Generals
Montgomery and Arnold; and though it failed, so great was
the heroism of the men who attempted it that we may leave
their story to their foes to tell. The following account is
by the standard Canadian historian McMullen.
That Canada was saved to England from this, the first and
most serious of the invasions of her independent neighbors
to the south, was due chiefly to Sir Guy Carleton, the able
general then governing the Province and commanding the
British forces there. It was due also to the French clergy,
who favored British rule and bade their parishioners stand
neutral or even urged them to fight against the invaders.
The American Congress, in 1775, believed the Canadian people to be
favorable to their cause, and resolved to anticipate the British by
striking a decided blow in the North. They accordingly despatched a
force of nearly two thousand men, under Schuyler and Montgomery, to
penetrate into Canada by the Richelieu. After taking the forts along
that river, they were next to possess themselves of Montreal, and then
descend to Quebec, and form a junction there with Colonel Arnold, who
was to proceed up the Kennebec with eleven hundred men and surprise the
capital of Canada if possible.
On September 5th the American army arrived at the Ileaux-Noix, whence
Schuyler and Montgomery scattered a proclamation among the Canadians
stating that they came only against the British, and had no design
whatever on the lives, the properties, or religion of the inhabitants.
General Schuyler being unwell now returned to Albany, and the chief
command devolved on Montgomery, who, having received a reenforcement,
invested Fort St. John on the 17th, and at the same time sent some
troops to attack the fort at Chambly, while Ethan Allan was despatched
with a reconnoitring party toward Montreal. Allan accordingly proceeded
to the St. Lawrence, and being informed that the town was weakly
defended, and believing the inhabitants were favorable to the Americans,
he resolved to capture it by surprise, although his force was under two
hundred men. General Carleton had already arrived at Montreal to make
disposition for the protection of the frontier. Learning on the night of
the 24th that a party of Americans had crossed the river and were
marching on the town, he promptly drew together two hundred fifty of the
local militia, chiefly English and Irish, and with thirty men of the
Twenty-sixth regiment, in addition, prepared for its defence. Allan,
however, instead of proceeding to attack Montreal, becoming intimidated,
took possession of some houses and barns in the neighborhood, where he
was surrounded next day and compelled to surrender after a loss of five
killed and ten wounded. The British lost their commanding officer, Major
Carsden, Alexander Paterson, a merchant of Montreal, and two privates.
Allan and his men were sent prisoners to England, where they were
confined in Pendennis castle.
While these occurrences were transpiring at Montreal, Montgomery was
vigorously pressing forward the siege of Fort St. John, which post was
gallantly defended by Major Preston of the Twenty-sixth regiment. His
conduct was not imitated by Major Stopford, of the Seventh, who
commanded at Chambly, and who surrendered, in a cowardly manner, on two
hundred Americans appearing before the works with two six-pounders. This
was a fortunate event for Montgomery, whose powder was nearly exhausted,
and who now procured a most seasonable supply from the captured fort.
His fire was again renewed, but was bravely replied to by the garrison,
who hoped that General Carleton would advance and raise the siege. This
the latter was earnestly desirous to do, and drew together all the
militia he could collect and the few troops at his disposal for that
purpose, and pushed across the river toward Longueil on one of the last
days of October. General Montgomery had foreseen this movement, and
detached a force, with two field-pieces, to prevent it. This force took
post near the river, and allowed the British to approach within
pistol-shot of the shore, when they opened such a hot fire of musketry
and cannon that General Carleton was compelled to order a retreat on
Montreal. Montgomery duly apprized Major Preston of these occurrences,
and the garrison being now short of provisions and ammunition, and
without any hope of succor, surrendered on October 31st, and marched out
with all the honors of war.
With Fort St. John and Chambly a large portion of the regular troops in
Canada was captured, and the Governor was in no condition to resist the
American army, the main body of which now advanced upon Montreal, while
a strong detachment proceeded to Sorel, to cut off the retreat of the
British toward Quebec. General Carleton, with Brigadier Prescott and one
hundred twenty soldiers, left Montreal, after destroying all the public
stores possible, just as the American army was entering it. At Sorel,
however, their flight was effectually intercepted by an armed vessel and
some floating batteries, and Prescott, finding it impossible to force a
passage, was compelled to surrender. The night before, General Carleton
fortunately eluded the vigilance of the Americans, and passed down the
river in a boat with muffled oars. Montgomery treated the people of
Montreal with great consideration, and gained their good-will by the
affability of his manners and the nobleness and generosity of his
disposition.
While the main body of the American invading force had been completely
successful thus far, Arnold sailed up the Kennebec, and proceeded
through the vast forests lying between it and the St. Lawrence, in the
hope of surprising Quebec. The sufferings of his troops from hunger and
fatigue were of the most severe description. So great were their
necessities that they were obliged to eat dog's flesh, and even the
leather of their cartouch-boxes; still, they pressed on with unflagging
zeal and wonderful endurance, and arrived at Point Levi on November 9th.
But their approach was already known at Quebec. Arnold had enclosed a
letter for Schuyler to a friend in that city, and imprudently intrusted
its delivery to an Indian, who carried it to the Lieutenant-Governor.
The latter immediately began to make defensive preparations, and when
the Americans arrived on the opposite side of the river they found all
the shipping and boats removed, and a surprise out of the question.
On the 12th Colonel M'Clean, who had retreated from Sorel, arrived at
Quebec, with a body of Fraser's Highlanders, who had settled in the
country, were now reembodied, and amounted to one hundred fifty men. In
addition to these there were four hundred eighty Canadian militia, five
hundred British, and some regular troops and seamen for the defence of
the town. The Hunter (sloop-of-war) gave the garrison the command of the
river, yet, despite the vigilance exercised by her commander, Arnold
crossed over during the night of the 13th, landed at Wolfe's Cove, and
next morning appeared on the Plains of Abraham, where he gave his men
three cheers, which were promptly responded to by the besieged, who in
addition complimented them with a few discharges of grape-shot, which
compelled them to retire. Finding he could effect nothing against the
city, Arnold retired up the river to Point-aux-Trembles, to await the
arrival of Montgomery.
On the 19th, to the great joy of the garrison, General Carleton arrived
from Montreal, bringing down with him two armed schooners which had been
lying at Three Rivers. One of his first measures was to strengthen the
hands of the loyalists, by ordering those liable to serve in the
militia, and who refused to be enrolled, to quit the city within four
days. By this means several disaffected persons were got rid of, and the
garrison was speedily raised to eighteen hundred men, who had plenty of
provisions for eight months.
On December 1st Montgomery joined Arnold at Point-aux-Trembles, when
their united forces, amounting to about two thousand men, proceeded to
attack Quebec, in the neighborhood of which they arrived on the 4th, and
soon after quartered their men in the houses of the suburbs. Montgomery
now sent a flag to summon the besieged to surrender, but this was fired
upon by order of General Carleton, who refused to hold any intercourse
with the American officers. Highly indignant at this treatment, the
besiegers proceeded to construct their batteries, although the weather
was intensely cold. But their artillery was too light to make any
impression on the fortifications, the fire from which cut their fascines
to pieces and dismounted their guns; so Montgomery determined to carry
the works by escalade. He accordingly assembled his men on December 30th
and made them a very imprudent speech, in which he avowed his resolution
of attacking the city by storm. A deserter carried intelligence of his
intention that very day to General Carleton, who made the necessary
preparations for defence. On the night of the 31st the garrison pickets
were on the alert. Nothing, however, of importance occurred till next
morning, when Captain Fraser, the field officer on duty, on going his
rounds, perceived some suspicious signals at St. John's Gate, and
immediately turned out the guard, when a brisk fire was opened by a body
of the enemy, concealed by a snow-bank. This was a mere feint to draw
off attention from the true points of attack, at the southern and
northern extremities of the Lower Town. It had, however, the effect of
putting the garrison more completely on their guard, and thus was fatal
to the plans of the assailants.
Montgomery led a column of five hundred men toward the southern side of
the town, and halted to reconnoitre at a short distance from the first
battery, near the Pres de Ville, defended chiefly by Canadian militia,
with nine seamen to work the guns, the whole under the command of
Captain Barnsfair. The guard were on the alert, and the sailors with
lighted matches waited the order to fire, while the strictest silence
was preserved. Presently the officer who had made the reconnoissance
returned and reported everything still. The Americans now rushed forward
to the attack, when Barnsfair gave the command to fire, and the head of
the assailing column went instantly down under the unexpected and fatal
discharge of guns and musketry. The survivors made a rapid retreat,
leaving thirteen of their dead behind to be shrouded in the falling
snow, among whom was the gallant Montgomery. Of a good family in the
north of Ireland, he had served under Wolfe with credit, married an
American lady, Miss Livingston, after the peace, and had joined the
cause of the United States with great enthusiasm.
At the other end of the Lower Town Arnold at the head of six hundred men
had assaulted the first barrier with great impetuosity, meeting with
little resistance. He was wounded in the first onset and borne to the
rear. But his place was ably supplied by Captain Morgan, who forced the
guard and drove them back to a second barrier, two hundred yards nearer
the centre of the town. Owing to the prompt arrangements, however, of
General Carleton, who soon arrived on the ground, the Americans were
speedily surrounded, driven out of a strong building by the bayonet, and
compelled to surrender to the number of four hundred twenty-six,
including twenty-eight officers. In this action the garrison had ten men
killed and thirteen wounded; the American loss in killed and wounded was
about one hundred.
The besieging force was now reduced to a few hundred men, and they were
at a loss whether to retreat toward home or continue the siege. As they
were in expectation of soon receiving aid they at length determined to
remain in the neighborhood, and elected Arnold as their general, who
contented himself with a simple blockade of the besieged, at a
considerable distance from the works. Carleton would have now gladly
proceeded to attack him, but several of the Canadians outside the city
were disaffected, as well as many persons within the defences, and he
considered, with his motley force, his wisest course was to run no risk,
and wait patiently for the succor which the opening of navigation must
give him.
During the month of February a small reenforcement from Massachusetts
and some troops from Montreal raised Arnold's force to over one thousand
men, and he now resumed the siege, but could make no impression on the
works. His men had already caught the smallpox, and the country people
becoming more and more unwilling to supply provisions, his difficulties
increased rather than diminished. When the Americans first came into the
country the habitants were disposed to sell them what they required at a
fair price, and a few hundred of the latter even joined their army. But
they soon provoked the hostility of the bulk of the people by a want of
respect for their clergy, by compelling them to furnish articles below
the current prices, and by giving them illegal certificates of payment,
which were rejected by the American quartermaster-general. In this way
the Canadians began gradually to take a deeper interest in the struggle
in progress, and to regard the British as their true friends and
protectors, while they came to look upon the Americans as a band of
armed plunderers, who made promises they had no intention of performing,
and refused to pay their just debts.
All the Canadians now required was a proper leader and a system of
organization to cause them to act vigorously against Arnold. Even in the
absence of these requisites they determined to raise the siege, and, led
by a gentleman of the name of Beajeau, a force advanced toward Quebec,
on March 25th, but was defeated by the Americans, and compelled to
retreat. This check, however, did not discourage the Canadians, who now
resolved to surprise a detachment of the enemy at Point Levi. By some
means their design became known, and they were very roughly handled.
The month of April passed without producing any events of importance.
The Americans had meanwhile been reenforced to over two thousand men,
and Major-General Thomas had arrived to take the command. The smallpox
still continued to rage among them; besides they could make no
impression on the fortifications, and the hostile attitude of the
Canadians disheartened them, so nothing was effected. On May 5th Thomas
called a council of war, at which an immediate retreat was determined
on.
On the following morning, to the great joy of the besieged, the Surprise
frigate and a sloop arrived in the harbor, with one hundred seventy men
of the Twenty-ninth regiment and some marines, who were speedily landed.
Now General Carleton at once resolved on offensive operations, and
marched out at noon with one thousand men and a few field-pieces to
attack the Americans. But the latter did not await his approach, and
fled with the utmost precipitation, leaving all their cannon, stores,
ammunition, and even their sick behind. These were treated with the
utmost attention by General Carleton, whose humanity won the esteem of
all his prisoners, who were loud in his praise on returning home. For
his services during the siege the Governor was knighted by his
sovereign.
The Americans retreated as rapidly as possible for a distance of
forty-five miles up the river, but finding they were not pursued they
halted for a few days to rest themselves. They then proceeded in a
distressed condition to Sorel, where they were joined by some
reenforcements, and where, also, their general, Thomas, died of the
smallpox, which still continued to afflict them. He was succeeded in the
chief command by General Sullivan.
Meantime some companies of the Eighth regiment, which were scattered
through the frontier posts on the Lakes, had descended to Ogdensburg.
From thence Captain Forster was detached, on May 11th, with one hundred
twenty-six soldiers and an equal number of Indians, to capture a
stockade at the Cedars, garrisoned by three hundred ninety Americans,
under the command of Colonel Bedell. The latter surrendered on the 19th,
after sustaining only a few hours' fire of musketry, and the following
day one hundred men advancing to his assistance were attacked by the
Indians and a few Canadians. A smart action ensued which lasted for ten
minutes, when the Americans laid down their arms and were marched
prisoners to the fort, where they were with difficulty saved from
massacre.
After providing for the safety of his numerous prisoners, Forster pushed
down the river toward Lachine, but, learning that Arnold was advancing
to attack him with a force treble his own number, he halted and prepared
for action. Placing his men in an advantageous position on the edge of
the river, and spreading the Indians out on his flanks, he made such a
stout defence that the Americans were compelled to retire to St. Anne's.
Forster, encumbered with his prisoners, now proposed a cartel, which
Arnold at once assented to, and an exchange was effected, on May 27th,
for two majors, nine captains, twenty subalterns, and four hundred
forty-three privates. This cartel was broken by Congress, on the ground
that the prisoners had been cruelly used, which was not the case. They
had been treated with all the humanity possible, when the difficulty of
guarding so large a number, with less than three hundred men, is taken
into consideration.
While these events were in progress above Montreal, a large body of
troops had arrived from England, under the command of Major-General
Burgoyne. Brigadier Fraser was at once sent on by the Governor with the
first division to Three Rivers. While the troops still remained on board
their transports off this place, General Thompson advanced with eighteen
hundred men to surprise the town, and would have effected his object had
not one of his Canadian guides escaped and warned the British of his
approach. General Fraser immediately landed his troops, with several
field-pieces, and posted them so advantageously that the Americans were
speedily defeated, their general, his second in command, and five
hundred men made prisoners, while, the retreat of their main body being
cut off, they were compelled to take shelter in a wood full of swamps.
Here they remained in great distress till the following day, when
General Carleton, who had meanwhile come up, humanely drew the guard
from the bridge over the Riviere du Loup, and allowed them to escape
toward Sorel. Finding themselves unable to oppose the force advancing
against them, the American army, under Sullivan, retreated to Crown
Point, whither Arnold also retired from Montreal on June 15th. Thus
terminated the invasion of Canada, which produced no advantage to the
American cause, but on the contrary aroused the hostility of the
inhabitants and drew them closer to Great Britain.
SIGNING OF AMERICAN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
A.D. 1776
THOMAS JEFFERSON JOHN A. DOYLE
Among historic acts and political deliverances there is none
more weighty in significance and results, none more famous
in the annals of the world, than the American Declaration of
Independence. The document which preserves it to all ages is
"a witness to the world that freedom, resting not on
institutions, but on the necessities of human nature, is no
mere abstract idea, but a vital principle of national life."
At the beginning of 1776 the tide of public opinion in the
colonies was setting strongly toward national independence.
Lexington and Bunker Hill had spoken their message to
America and to the British Government. All the other
colonies had come into line with New England. The earliest
declaration of independence, that of the people of
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (May, 1775), had preluded
the general proclamation. The second Continental Congress
was at work with growing legislative powers; the New England
forces had been adopted as the Continental Army, with
Washington as commander-in-chief; that army was besieging
the British in Boston; and a movement was in progress
against Canada. In March, 1776, Boston was evacuated. On
June 28th a British attack on Sullivan's Island, off
Charleston, South Carolina, was repulsed by Moultrie. Before
the end of 1775 the Continental Congress had ordered the
building of several ships--the nucleus of the American
navy--and its sea-power was rapidly increased by privateers.
Meanwhile King George III and his minister, Lord North, had
continued their coercive policy and strengthened their war
measures.
Thomas Paine's _Common Sense_, published early in 1776, one
of the most effective popular appeals that ever "went to the
bosoms of a nation," completed the preparation of the public
mind for the great step about to be taken by the Congress.
Jefferson's account of the proceedings day by day, given in
his own _Memoirs_, is the best contemporary record of the
momentous deliberations and decision of this body, assembled
in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. A quarter of a century
before, upon the fillet of the "Liberty Bell," which hung in
the steeple of that Old State House, had been cast the words
of ancient Hebrew Scripture: "Proclaim liberty throughout
all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof."
Doyle's reflections, as representing an enlightened English
view of the Declaration and the great struggle which it
lifted to its climax, is placed as a suggestive commentary
after the uncolored narrative of the chief author of the
great instrument itself.
THOMAS JEFFERSON