Battle of Quebec (1775)

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Battle of Quebec Part of the American Revolutionary War Illustration of a British charge at the Battle of Quebec by Allan Daniel. Arnold's men are correctly depicted in summer uniforms, while the British are shown in heavy overcoats. Date December 31, 1775 Location Quebec City, Province of Quebec Result British victory Belligerents United Colonies 1st Canadian Regiment Great Britain Canadian militia Commanders Richard Montgomery † Benedict Arnold Guy Carleton Strength 900 regulars 300 militia[1] 1,800 regulars and militia[2] Casualties and losses 48 Killed 34 Wounded 372 Captured [3] 5 Killed 14 Wounded [3]

v • d • e Canadian theater, 1775–1776 Ticonderoga – Crown Point – Longue-Pointe – Fort St. Jean – Arnold Expedition – Quebec – Saint-Pierre – Les Cèdres – Vaudreuil – Trois-Rivières – Valcour Bay – Fort Cumberland

The Battle of Quebec was an attempt on December 31, 1775, by American colonial forces to capture the city of Quebec and enlist French Canadian support for the American Revolutionary War. The British commander, General Guy Carleton, could not get significant outside help because the St. Lawrence River was frozen, so he had to rely on a relatively small number of regulars along with local militia that had been raised in the city.

Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold led a force of about 1,000 American army forces and Canadian militia in a multi-pronged attack on the city, which, due to bad weather and bad timing, did not start well, and ended with Montgomery dead, Arnold wounded, and Daniel Morgan and over 350 others captured. Following a somewhat ineffectual 5-month siege, the American forces were driven to retreat by the arrival of ships from England carrying British troops in early May 1776.

In the battle and the following siege, French-speaking Canadiens participated on both sides of the conflict. American forces received supplies and logistical support from local residents, and the city's defenders included locally-raised militia. Some of those that supported the American cause were subjected to a variety of punishments after the Americans retreated.

Contents 1 British preparations 2 Arnold's arrival 3 Carleton's arrival and British preparations for battle 4 Montgomery's arrival 5 American preparations for battle 6 Battle 6.1 Montgomery's Attack 6.2 Arnold's Attack 7 Siege 8 Aftermath 8.1 Casualties 8.2 Political consequences in Quebec City 8.3 Congress again considers invasion 9 Footnotes 10 References 11 External links

[edit] British preparations

The British authorities had been aware of American invasion plans for some time, as they occasionally intercepted communications between Montgomery and Arnold. While Governor General Carleton was in Montreal seeing to the defenses there, Lieutenant Governor Hector Cramahé had in September organized a militia force of several hundred to defend the town, although they were "not much to be depended on", with some estimating that only half the militia forces were at all reliable.^[4] He had also made numerous requests for military reinforcements. Each of these came to nought; several troop ships were blown off course, and ended up in New York, and Vice-Admiral Samuel Graves, heading the fleet occupied with the siege of Boston, refused to release ships to transport troops from there to Quebec, as winter was closing in.^[5]

When definitive word reached Quebec on November 3 that Arnold's march had succeeded and that he was approaching the city, Cramahé began tightening the guard and had all boats removed from the south shore of the river.^[6] Word of their arrival also increased enlistment in the militia, increasing the ranks to 1200 or more.^[4] Two ships arrived on the 4th, and another on the 5th, carrying militia volunteers from St. John's Island and Newfoundland that added about 120 more heads to the defense. The 5th also brought a small convoy headed by HMS Lizard, from which a number of marines were contributed to the town's defenses.^[7]

On November 10th, Lieutenant Colonel Allen Maclean, who had been involved in the defense of Montreal, arrived with 200 men of his Royal Highland Emigrants. They had intercepted communications from Arnold to Montgomery near Trois-Rivières, and had hurried to help defend the town. The arrival of this experienced force immediately boosted the morale of the town militia, and Maclean immediately took charge of the defenses.^[8]

[edit] Arnold's arrival

For more details on how Arnold reached Quebec City, see Arnold Expedition.

On November 9, the 600 survivors of Arnold's march from Boston to Quebec arrived at Point Levis, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River opposite Quebec City. Despite the troops' terrible conditions, Arnold immediately began to gather ships so they could cross the river. Arnold was prepared to cross the river on the night of the 10th, but a storm arrived, delaying the crossing until the night of the 13th. After crossing the river, Arnold moved his troops to within a mile and a half of the walls, on the Plains of Abraham.^[9]

Despite being outnumbered 1,200 to 600, Arnold demanded the city's surrender. However, both envoys he sent were targeted by the British cannon, signifying that the request was declined. Arnold lacked any artillery, each man had only 5 cartridges, and over 100 of his muskets were unserviceable.^[10] Arnold concluded that he could not take the city by force, so he blockaded the city on its west side. On November 18, the Americans received news that the British were planning to attack them with 800 men. A council of war decided that they could not continue the blockade, and Arnold began to move his men 20 miles upriver to Pointe-aux-Trembles ("Aspen Point"), where they could find shelter.^[10]

[edit] Carleton's arrival and British preparations for battle

In the wake of the fall of Fort St. John, Carleton abandoned Montreal and returned to Quebec City on November 19, passing Arnold's camp at Point-aux-Trembles.^[11] He immediately took command. Three days after his arrival, he issued a proclamation stating, in essence, that any able-bodied man within the town that did not take up arms would be assumed to be a rebel or a spy, and would be treated as such. Men not taking arms were given four days to leave.^[12] The result of this proclamation was that about 500 inhabitants (including 200 British and 300 Canadiens) joined the defense.^[13]

Carleton also set out to address the weak points of the town's defensive fortifications. He had two log barricades and, and erected palisades along the St. Lawrence shoreline, covering them with his cannon. He assigned his forces to defensive positions along the walls and the inner defenses.^[14] He also took care to make sure the under-trained militia in his forces were under well-trained leadership.^[15]

[edit] Montgomery's arrival

On December 2, Montgomery arrived at Pointe-aux-Trembles from Montreal. As soon as Montgomery arrived, Arnold turned command of his force over to him. Montgomery brought with him 300 troops, as well as the 300 militia under the command James Livingston and Jacob Brown, clothing, winter uniforms, ammunitions, provisions, and artillery. The commanders quickly turned towards Quebec, and put the city under siege on December 6.^[16]

Montgomery sent a personal letter to Carleton, demanding surrender. He used a woman as the messenger, but the request was declined, and the letter burned. Ten days later, he tried again, with the same result.^[16] The besiegers continued to send messages, primarily intended for the populace in the besieged city, indicating the hopelessness of their situation, and suggesting that if they rose to assist the Americans, conditions would improve.^[17]

[edit] American preparations for battle

On December 10, the largest battery of artillery was put into position, 700 yards from the walls. The frozen ground prevented the Americans from entrenching the artillery, so they froze the snow, turning it into a solid wall.^[16] This battery was used to fire on the city, but the damage it did was of little consequence. Montgomery realized he was in a very difficult position. He did not have siege artillery, so he could not assault the city. He could not dig entrenchments in the frozen ground. The enlistment period of Arnold's men was up at the end of December, and no ammunition was on the way from the colonies. Furthermore, because British reinforcements were likely on the way, he would either have to act, or withdraw. Montgomery believed his only chance to take the city was during a snowstorm at night, when his men could storm the walls unnoticed.^[18]

While planning the attack on the city, Christophe Pélissier, a Frenchman living near Trois-Rivières, came to meet with Montgomery. Pélissier, who was politically supportive of the American cause, operated an ironworks at Saint-Maurice.^[19] Montgomery discussed the idea of holding the provincial convention with him. Pélissier recommended against holding a convention until after Quebec City had been taken, as the habitants would not feel free to act in that way until their security was better assured.^[20] The two did agree to have Pélissier's ironworks provide munitions (ammunition, cannonballs, and the like) for the siege, which he did until the Americans retreated in May 1776 (at which time Pélissier also fled, eventually returning to France).^[21]

A snowstorm arrived on the night of December 27, but it died down, and Montgomery was forced to call off the attack. A Rhode Island sergeant had deserted, and carried the plan of attack to the British, so Montgomery was forced to change his plan. The new plan called for two feints against Quebec's western walls, to be led by Jacob Brown and James Livingston,^[22] which would converge with attacks that would be mounted on the lower town.^[18] Arnold would lead an attack and smash through the walls at the north end of the lower town. Montgomery would follow along the St. Lawrence and break through the walls of the lower town, and meet up with Arnold, and they would then launch a combined assault on the North Town. The new plan was only confided to the senior officers.^[14]

[edit] Battle

[edit] Montgomery's Attack

A storm broke out on December 30, and Montgomery once again gave orders for the attack. Jacob Brown led 100 militia men, and Livingston 200, as they headed to the northern gates. Montgomery commanded a force of about 300 New York men, with Arnold leading the largest force of about 600, along with a six-pound cannon, against the lower town. When Brown was in position between 4 and 5 AM, he fired flares and his men began to fire on the Cape Diamond Bastion while Livingston's opened fire on the St. John's Gate.^[23] Montgomery and Arnold, seeing the flares, set off for the lower town.^[14]

Montgomery led his men down the steep, snow-heaped path towards the outer defences. The storm had turned into a blizzard, making the advance a struggle. Eventually, Montgomery's men arrived at the palisade of the outer defences. The advance party contained carpenters, who sawed their way though the wall. Montgomery himself sawed the second Palisade, and led 50 men down a street. Montgomery and his storming party saw a two story building and began to charge at it. Fire broke out from this blockhouse, which in fact housed a small contingent of defenders armed with musket and cannon, and Montgomery was instantly killed, shot through the head by a burst of grapeshot. The rest of the men fled back towards the palisade. Most of the storming party was killed or wounded; only Aaron Burr and a few others escaped unhurt.^[24] Captain Campbell led the few remaining men back to the Plains.^[25]

[edit] Arnold's Attack

Arnold, unaware of Montgomery's death and his attack's failure, advanced with his main body toward the northern barricades of the lower town. Arnold had found all but one of his units accounted for, and left orders for the missing one to join in on the attack when they arrived.^[24]

Arnold and his advance party managed to pass the gates and the British gun batteries undetected. However, the advance party came to a row of buildings, and heavy fire broke out from the walls above them. It was impossible to return fire to the defenders on the walls, so Arnold ordered his men to run forward under heavy fire. Arnold and his men soon advanced down a narrow street, where they were once again under fire. Arnold was organizing his men in an attempt to take the barricade, when he was shot in his ankle, and carried to the rear. Daniel Morgan took command of the forces.^[26] Under his command, they captured the first barricade, but were stymied in their advance by the narrow twisting streets, and by damp powder. Morgan and his men holed up in some buildings to dry out their powder and rearm, but they eventually came under increasing fire as Carleton, having realized the attacks on the northern gates were feints, began concentrating his forces in the lower town. A British counterattack reoccupied the first barricade, trapping Morgan and his men within the narrow streets of the city. With no way of retreat and under heavy fire, all of Morgan's men surrendered. By 10:00, the battle was over, with Morgan surrendering himself and the last pocket of Continental resistance in the city.^[27]

Of Arnold's command, over 30 of his men were killed (20 more were later found after the spring thaw and several more drowned while fleeing across the frozen rivers), and 426 prisoners were taken along with Morgan. At least 12 more colonists of Montgomery's brigade were killed or wounded on the southern riverbank after the attack. The British commander, Guy Carleton, reported his losses as one British naval officer and five French Canadian militia killed, with four British soldiers and 14 militia wounded.^[28]

[edit] Siege

Following the battle, Arnold sent Moses Hazen and Edward Antill, two expatriate Americans, to Wooster in Montreal, and also to the Congress in Philadelphia, to report the defeat and request support. (Both Hazen and Antill went on to serve in the American army throughout the war.)^[29] Arnold also refused to retreat; despite being outnumbered three to one, the sub-freezing temperature of the winter and the mass desertions of his men after their enlistments expired on December 31, 1775, he laid siege to Quebec. This siege had little effect on the city, which had enough stockpiled supplies to last until May.^[30]

Carleton chose not to pursue the Americans, opting instead to stay within the fortifications of the city, and await reinforcements that might be expected to arrive when the river thawed in the spring. Arnold maintained a somewhat ineffectual siege over the city, until March 1776, when he was ordered to Montreal and replaced by General Wooster, who brought reinforcements to the siege. During these months, the besieging army suffered from difficult winter conditions, and smallpox began to travel more significantly through the camp, those losses being somewhat offset by the arrival of some 400 reinforcements per month.^[31]

On March 14, Jean-Baptiste Chasseur entered Quebec City and informed Carleton that there was a group of 200 men on the south side of the river ready to act against the Americans.^[32] These men and more were mobilized, but were defeated in the Battle of Saint-Pierre by a detachment of pro-American local militia that were stationed on the south side of the river.^[33]

The arrival on May 6 of a small British fleet carrying 200 regulars (the vanguard of a much larger invasion force), was sufficient to cause the Americans to begin organizing a retreat. The retreat was turned into a near-rout when Carleton marched these fresh forces, along with most of his existing garrison, to face the disorganized Americans.^[34]

[edit] Aftermath

[edit] Casualties

The Americans suffered a significant number of important casualties, on top of Montgomery's death. When Montgomery was killed, most of his immediate officers were also killed or injured. Much of Arnold's entire force was captured, leaving the American force outside the walls significantly reduced, and still subject to the privations of winter and smallpox.

The defending forces suffered remarkably light casualties. Of the five killed, only one was an officer; the other four were militia, as were the injured.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Political consequences in Quebec City

On May 22, even before the Americans had been completely driven from the province, Carleton ordered a survey of the Canadiens who helped the American expedition in and around Quebec City. François Baby, Gabriel-Elzéar Tashereau and Jenkin Williams counted the Canadiens who actively provided such help, determining that 757 had done so.^[29] Carleton was somewhat lenient with minor offenders, and even freed a number of more serious offenders on the promise of good behavior. However, once the Americans had been driven from the province, measures against supporters of the American cause became harsher, with forced labor to repair American destruction of infrastructure during the army's retreat being a common punishment.^[35] These measures had the effect of minimizing public expression of support for the Americans for the rest of the war.^[36]

On June 1, 1776, 36 British ships landed in Quebec City. The ships brought 9,000 soldiers on the British side, under General John Burgoyne; some days later additional ships brought 4,300 German soldiers, so-called Hessian mercenaries from Brunswick and Hanau under the command of Baron Friedrich Adolf Riedesel. These forces would spend the winter of 1776–1777 in Quebec, putting a significant strain on the 80,000 Canadien residents.

[edit] Congress again considers invasion

Clément Gosselin and his spy network drafted a report on the state of Quebec in October 1778 for Congress, which was planning another attack on the British in Quebec with the help of the French. The plan was not implemented. In 1780 yet another attempt was considered, but George Washington, fearing he could not hold Quebec even if he took it, wrote to Moses Hazen, then commanding the 2nd Canadian Regiment, a letter explaining that he could not again risk being forced to leave Quebec and causing misery for the Québécois who might support him.^[37]

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• Gabriel, Michael P (2002). Major General Richard Montgomery: The Making of an American Hero. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. ISBN 9780838639313. 
• Griffin, Martin Ignatius Joseph (1907). Catholics and the American Revolution, Volume 1. http://books.google.com/books?id=FzUSAAAAYAAJ. 
• Fortescue, John William (1902). A History of the British Army, Vol. 3 (1763–1793). Macmillan. http://books.google.com/books?id=BC48AAAAIAAJ. 
• Ward, Christopher; Alden, John Richard (1952). The War of the Revolution. Macmillan. 
• Lanctot, Gustave; Cameron, Margaret M. [translator] (1967). Canada and the American Revolution 1774-1783. Harvard University Press. 
• Wood, W. J; Eisenhower, John S D (2003). Battles of the Revolutionary War: 1775-1781. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306813290. 
• Smith, Justin H (1907). Our Struggle for the Fourteenth Colony, vol 1. G.P. Putnam's Sons. http://books.google.com/books?id=Ls9BAAAAIAAJ. 
• Smith, Justin H (1907). Our Struggle for the Fourteenth Colony, vol 2. G.P. Putnam's Sons. http://books.google.com/books?id=19VBAAAAIAAJ. 
• United States Continental Congress, et al (1906). Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 4. United State Government. http://books.google.com/books?id=ljQSAAAAYAAJ. 
• Alexander Fraser (1907). Fourth Report of the Bureau of Archives. 1906. Ontario Bureau of Archives, Dept. of Public Records and Archives. 
• Shelton, Hal T. (1996). General Richard Montgomery and the American Revolution: From Redcoat to Rebel. NYU Press. ISBN 9780814780398. 
• "Christophe Pélissier". biographi.ca. Retrieved on 2009-01-03.
• Vergereau-Dewey, S. Pascale (2005). 1775-1776: The Journal Of Francois Baby, Gabriel Taschereau, And Jenkin Williams. Michigan State University Press. ISBN 0870137409. 
• Royal Society of Canada (1887). Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada: Délibérations Et Mémoires de la Société Royale Du Canada, 1886, Series 1, Volume 4. Royal Society of Canada. http://books.google.com/books?id=tzMoAAAAMAAJ. 

• Lacoursière, Jacques (1995). L'Histoire Populaire du Québec. Les éditions du Septentrion. ISBN 2-89448-050-4. 
• Lacoursière, Jacques (2001). Canada, Québec. Les éditions du Septentrion. ISBN 2-89448-186-1. 
• Starowicz, Mark (2000). Le Canada une histoire populaire. Éditions Fides. ISBN 2-7621-2282-1. 

[edit] External links

• "Chronology of the American invasion of Canada (Quebec 1775)". Retrieved on 2008-10-19.
• "Battle of Quebec during the American Revolution letters for the years 1775 thru 1776". Retrieved on 2008-12-12.