The hardships and fatigues which the provincial foldiers underwent, both from the feason, and the fmallness of their number, feemed incredible, and could only be endured from their enthufiaftic adherence to their caufe, and through the affection or esteem which they bore to their General. This conftancy muft however fail, if the evils were increased, or too long continued. The time for which many of the foldiers had engaged was alfo expired, or expiring; and it could not be answered how foon they might infift upon returning home, nor whether fuch an event would not totally break up the little army. It is faid, that the New-York men were too fenfible of the climate; and did not fhew the vigour or perfeverance of thofe hardy New-Englanders who had traversed the defarts with Arnold.

In thefe circumftances, Montgomery thought that fomething decifive must be immediately done, or that the benefit of his paft fucceffes would, in a great degree, be loft to the cause in which he was engaged, and his own renown, which now fhone in great luftre, be dimmed, if not obfcured. He knew the Americans would confider Quebec as taken from the inftant that they heard of his arrival before it. That the higher their expectations were raifed, the more grievous the disappointment would be in cafe of a failure. Their

confidence of fuccefs was founded upon the high opinion which they held of his courage and ability; to forfeit that opinion, was the worft of all poffible confequences. Yet, to attempt the city by ftorm, with a garrison equal in number to the

affailants, and the great natural ftrength of the upper town to encounter, which is one of those places that are ufually called impregnable, feemed an effort truly defperate. But great minds are feldom good calculators of danger; and if the glory in view be great, do not minutely attend to the difficulties which lie in their way to that object. Indeed, the most illuftrious military atchievements, in all ages, have owed their fuccefs to a noble contempt of common forms, and common calculations. Fortune, in contempt of the pride of man, ever was, and ever will be, the greater arbiter in war. Upon the whole, Montgomery, depending much upon fortune, and not a little upon the nature and difpofition of the garrifon, determined upon a defperate attempt to carry the place by efcalade.

Whilft he was making the neceffary preparations for this purpofe, it is faid that the garrison received intelligence of it by fome deferters, and that he perceived, by their motions, that they were not only acquainted with the general defign, but with the particular mode of carrying it into execution, which they were accordingly preparing with the utmost vigour and order to oppofe. This untoward circumftance rendered a total change in his original difpofitions neceffary; and it is not impoffible, that this difarrangement had a confiderable influence on the fucceeding events. However that was, early in the morning, on the laft day of the year 1775, and under the cover of a violent fnowftorm, he proceeded to this arduous attempt. He had difpofed of

his

field-pieces, iffued through a gate which commanded that paffage, and attacked them furiously in the rear, whilft they were already fully occupied in every other part, by the troops which now poured upon them from all quarters. In thefe desperate circumftances, without a poffibility of escape, attacked on all fides, and under every difadvantage of ground as well as number, they obftinately defended themselves for three hours, and at length furrendered prifoners of

war.

The prifoners were treated with the greatest humanity by General Carleton; a conduct, which the habitual military feverity of his temper rendered the more honourable. All enmity to Montgomery expired with his life, and refpect to his private character prevailed over all other confiderations; his dead body received every poffible mark of diftinction from the victors, and was interred in Quebec with all the military honours due to a brave foldier. It appears, by comparing different circumftances previous and fubfequent to this engagement, that the rebels, in killed, wounded, and prifoners, did not lofe fewer than half their number. A letter from Arnold, written foon after, ftates their remaining force at only 700 men.

Thus fell Richard Montgomery. He was a gentleman of good family in the kingdom of Ireland, ferved with reputation in the late war, and fell in the prime of life. The excellency of his qualities and difpofition had procured him an uncommon fhare of private affection, as his abilities had of public efteem; and there was probably no man engaged on the fame fide,

and few on either, whofe lofs would have been fo much regretted both in England and America. He is reprefented as a real and eager lover of liberty; and having married a lady, and purchased an eftate in New-York, was from thence induced to confider himself as an American. Thus, fay his friends, he was led by principle to quit the fweets of an eafy fortune, the enjoyment of a loved and philofophical rural life, with the highest domeftic felicity, to take an active share in all the miseries and dangers of the prefent trou. bles. He had undoubtedly conLiderable, and probably great, military abilities; and it remains to be lamented, that a man, who feemed fo well formed to fupport the interefts and glory of his country against her natural foes, fhould have perished in an unnatural and most unhappy civil conteft. In America, he was revered as a martyr to the cause of human nature, and the liberties of mankind. What was more extraordinary, the most powerful speakers in the British parliament difplayed their eloquence in praifing his vir tues and lamenting his fate. A great orator, and veteran fellowfoldier of his in the late war, shed abundance of tears, whilft he expapatiated on their faft friendship and participation of fervice in that feafon of enterprize and glory. Even the minifter extolled his virtues, whilft he condemned the rebellious cause they were employed in, and the fatal effects which their miftaken application had produced.

The Governor and officers acquired great and deferved honour by this defence, and the behavi

Our

done credit to veterans. It afforded an instance, how far the conduct and example of a few brave and experienced officers might operate, in rendering the raweft and worstformed troops refpectable. Indeed, the emulation arifing between the different orders of men which com pofed the garrifon, probably converted an apparent weak nefs into a real ftrength.

The befiegers immediately quit ted their camp, and retired about three miles from the city, where they ftrengthened their quarters in the best manner they were able, being apprehenfive of a purfuit and attack from the garrifon. The latter, however, though now fuperior in number, were unfit for a fervice of that nature, and their able Governor, with a degree of wisdom and fobriety equal to his intrepidity and firmnefs, contented himself with the unexpected advantage and fecurity he had gained, without hazarding the fate of the province, and perhaps of America, in any rath enterprize. The city was now completely out of danger, and the great fuccours which were expected could not fail to relieve the whole province.

By the death of Montgomery, the command of the American army devolved upon Arnold, whofe wound rendered him, for the prefent, unequal to fo arduous a task. Their perfeverance was, however, aftonishing in their circumftances. They had loft, befides their General (in whom it might be faid all their hopes and confidence refided),

braveft of their fellows, with a part of their small artillery. The hope of affiftance was diftant, and, at beft, the arrival of fuccours must be flow. It was well known that the Canadians, befides being naturally quick and fickle in their refolutions, were peculiarly dif pofed to be biaffed by fuccefs, fo that their affistance now grew extremely precarious. The feverity of a Canada winter was alfo far beyond any thing they were acquainted with, and the fnow lay above four feet deep upon a level. In thefe circumftances, it required no fmall fhare of activity, as well as addrefs, to keep them in any manner together. Arnold, who had hitherto difplayed uncommon talents in his march into Canada (which may be compared to the greateft things done in that kind), difcovered on this occafion the utmoft vigour of a determined mind, and a genius full of refources. Defeated and wounded as he was, he put his troops into fuch a fituation as to keep them ftill formidable. He difpatched an express to Woofter, who was at Montreal, bring fuccours, and to affume the command; but as this could not be done immediately, he bore up, with the force he had, against the difficulties with which he was furrounded. From that time the fiege was for fome months converted into a blockade, and Arnold found means effectually to obftruct the arrival of any fupplies of provifions or neceffaries in the town.

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CHAP.