=Source.=--_Calendar of Home Office Papers (1773-1775)._ Pp. 407-409.
_Hugh Finlay to_ ? _Anthony Todd._
_19 and 20 Sept._--The army under General Gage at Boston cannot be of
much service there; it would require a very great force to penetrate
any way into the country. Every American able to bear arms will take
the field; they will avoid meeting the King’s troops openly, will
harass and pick them off from behind trees, hedges, or any cover, and
will ever take possession of the ground left by the King’s troops. The
provincials, by handling arms, will become soldiers. They seem not to
foresee the great misery that their non-importation and non-exportation
will occasion among them. I am inclined to think that they entered into
this association more with a design to cause troubles and commotions
in England than from a conception that they can subsist for any time
without our manufactures. The agreement not to export their produce
will of itself bring them to implore Britain to permit them to send
it out; thousands must starve else. As long as the King’s troops act
against the rebellious colonists, they will hang together, and be
obedient to their leaders. If the troops shall be withdrawn, the people
will have nothing to divert their attention from their situation; they
will more forcibly feel the sad distress that non-exportation will
inevitably spread in every province: every man will think for himself,
they will become discontented, and will insist on making up the affair
with the mother country. I am persuaded that after they are left to
reflect coolly on their conduct they will return to their duty. They,
no doubt, at present imagine that they will be supplied from Holland
and France; indeed, it will hardly be possible wholly to hinder this;
yet it will be as impossible for the Americans to get a twentieth
part of what they’ll want. A few ships of war can block up all their
principal harbours, and a chain of small cruisers can do the rest.
Necessity is the mother of invention. They will become expert in many
manufactures, but without money in the country the manufacturer will
find but little encouragement. Without foreign trade they’ll have no
money.
Every soldier on the continent would be well employed to drive the
rebels from this province. The provincial troops have executed their
plan so far. A body of them have gone round our works at St. John’s,
and have taken post on Sorrel River. By this means they cut off
all communication with our little army by water, and they are now
endeavouring to cut off the communication between St. John’s and
Montreal. If they succeed, our troops at St. John’s can have no supply
of provisions from any quarter, as the rebels are posted also at Isle
aux Noix. We are not above 500 strong at Quebec. We lately had 900
Indian warriors in our interest; they have made their peace with the
provincials, and are about returning to their homes. The rebels have
nothing to fear from the Canadians; nine in ten are in their interests,
and heartily wish them success. How have we been deceived in the
Canadians! Many Englishmen in this province have taken infinite pains
to set the Quebec Act in a most horrid light to the Canadians, and
they have succeeded but too well. The Canadians look upon the rebels
as their best friends. I shall not be surprised if many join them. We
are in a bad situation in this place. The walls are in bad repair;
in many places an enemy may easily enter the town. We have no cannon
mounted. We have not a single armed vessel in our harbour. General
Carleton, in whose military abilities we have great confidence, is
at Montreal. Our Lieut.-Governor (Mr. Cramahé) and Col. McLean are
doing everything in their power to put the town in a proper posture of
defence. The British militia amount to 300, many of them well-wishers
to the rebels. The Canadians muster about 600; few of them, I fear,
willing to use their arms in defence of Quebec. I cannot suppose the
provincials can bring artillery against this place. They know our
strength, and I imagine they intend to take the town by assault. If
they cannot effect it this fall, they will quarter themselves in the
parishes round the town, and intercept all our supplies. If they cannot
take us by assault nor starve us out, we hope to be reinforced from
England very early in spring, for we can expect no assistance from the
Canadian peasantry. Many of them have told me that they look on this
rebellion only as a quarrel among Englishmen, in which they are no way
immediately concerned, but that hereafter they’ll reap great benefit
if the colonists shall succeed in their plans. They have the notion
that if the rebels get entire possession of the country, they’ll be
for ever exempted from paying taxes. If one asks them what will become
of them when the British forces re-take the town in the spring, they
answer that everything will be settled before that time; for that
when the Ministry find Quebec in the hands of the Americans, they’ll
readily comply with every American demand. My opinion on the whole is
this: Unless our troops at St. John’s can join us here, the rebels will
starve us; and even if they do, the flying parties of our enemies will
intimidate the Canadians so much that no provisions will be brought to
town. If the 500 at St. John’s shall be able to join us, the rebels
will not be able to enter the town unless hunger shall force us to
abandon it. We are about 6,000 souls in Quebec. Perhaps the Canadians
may return to their duty; in that case we have nothing to fear from the
combined force of North America with such a General as our Governor at
our head.
_20 Sept._--There is advice from Montreal that the party on the Sorrel
consists of 150 Canadians, headed by one Duggan, formerly a hairdresser
of this place, and one James Livingstone, son of an Albany Dutchman,
who resided long in Montreal. It is not known whether there are any
provincials with them; it is supposed there are. It is imagined that it
was this band of villains who fired on an artillery batteau loaded with
stores for St. John’s; they killed the men, 11 in number, and took her.
Since the Governor’s proclamation offering pardon to the Canadians of
Duggan’s party, many of them have deserted him, and they hourly expect
to see Duggan and Livingstone brought dead or alive into Montreal.
General Schuyler, commanding the expedition against this country, has
commanded the parishes on the Sorrel or Richlieu River &c. to send 50
men from each, armed and properly provided, under pain of having fire
and sword carried among them on refusal. I hope this mandate will open
the eyes of the Canadians. The rebels could not have done us greater
service.
Extract of a letter I received to-day from Montreal:--“The behaviour
and appearance of our militia surpasses my most sanguine expectations,
both as to numbers and conduct. Courage, loyalty, and cheerfulness are
conspicuous in their countenances, and they do their duty cheerfully. I
cannot help likewise expressing the pleasure I feel at the appearance
of the peasantry returning to their duty.”--Quebec.