 Chapter 3 of the Life of Washington, Volume 2 by John Marshall. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 3, Invasion of Canada, Meditated Siege of St. John's, Capture Fort Chambley, Carled and Defeated at Long Isle, St. John's capitulated Montreal, Surrenders Arnold's Expedition, He Arrives Before Quebec, Retires to Guanto, Tlombla, Montgomery Lays Siege to Quebec, Unsuccessful Attack on that Place, Death of Montgomery, Blockade of Quebec, General Thomas, Takes Command of the Army, The Blockade Rays, General Sullivan takes the command, Battle of the Three Rivers, Canada Evacuated General Carlton, Constructs a Fleet, Enters Lake Champlain, Defeats the American Flotilla, Takes Possession of Crown Point, Retires into Winter Quarters. 1775, During these transactions, Events of great interest were passing still further north. Serious dissatisfaction prevailed in Canada. The measures of administration had disquired to the British settlers without conciliating the ancient inhabitants. At the same time, the regular troops had been chiefly ordered to Boston and the province left almost entirely undefended. These facts were known in the United Colonies. It was also known that military stores to an immense amount had been deposited in Quebec, and that preparations were making to invade the colonies from that quarter. The possession of that country was believed to be all-important, and its present temper countenance, the opinion that its weight would be thrown into the scale of that party, which should first show a force in its sufficient for the protection of its inhabitants. The facility with which Crown Point and Ticonderoga had been taken, and the command of the lakes George and Champlain acquired added to the motives already stated in inspiring Congress with a daring design of anticipating the plans meditated in Canada by taking possession of that province. Invasion of Canada meditated in June 1775, a resolution passed that body directing General Scholar to repair to Ticonderoga and take the proper measures for securing that post and Crown Point and for retaining the command of the lakes. It was at the same time authorized if he should find the measure not disagreeable to the Canadians to take possession of St. John's and Montreal and to pursue any other steps which might have a tendency to promote the peace and security of the United colonies. Near 3,000 men from New England and New York were designed for this service. A number of bateaux were directed to be built at Ticonderoga and Crown Point to convey them along Lake Champlain and $50,000 in specie were voted for the expenses of the army in Canada. General Scholar who was at New York when this important command was confided to him hastened to Ticonderoga in order to make the necessary arrangements for the enterprise. The troops of that department belonging to different colonies stationed at different places and acknowledging no one commanding officer were found in a state of entire disorganization. The stores were misapplied or wasted no subordination nor camp discipline was observed and had the enemy been in a condition to attempt that Kudema Ticonderoga and Crown Point would have been lost with as much facility as they had been acquired. September Scholar immediately commenced the task of preparing vessels for the transportation of the troops. A task the more laborious and tedious as the timber for the bateau was then to be procured from the woods. Before the preparations were complete or the soldiers destined for the expedition were assembled. The impatience expressed by the discontented in Canada rendered an immediate movement advisable. Orders were therefore given to General Montgomery to embark with the troops then in readiness and General Scholar having directed the expected reinforcements to rendezvous at the EOO Law followed and joined him before he reached that place. The Americans enter that province circular letters to the Canadians exhorting them to rouse and assert their liberties and declaring that the Americans enter their country not as enemies but as friends and protectors were immediately dispersed among them and to improve the favorable impression which had been made. It was determined to advance directly to St. John's. On the 6th of September the American army amounting to about 1000 men entirely destitute of artillery embarked on the Sorrel and proceeding down that river landed within a mile and a half of the fort. The intelligence received during the evening determined them to return to the EOO Noir and wait for their remaining troops and artillery. The EOO Noir lies at the junction of the Sorrel with Lake Champlain and to prevent the armed vessels that St. John's from entering the latter a boom was drawn across the narrow channel at the point of union between those waters. While at that place General Scholar became so ill as to be confined to his bed and the command evolved on Montgomery September 25 siege of St. John's late in September the artillery was brought up and reinforcements arrived which augmented the army to nearly 2000 men upon which Montgomery again proceeded to the investment of St. John's. This place was garrisoned by five or six hundred regulars with about 200 Canadian militia and was well provided with artillery and military stores. The army of Canada as well as the other armies of the United colonies was almost entirely without powder and of consequence the siege advanced slowly. Its necessities and disrespect were fortunately relieved by the capture of Fort Champlain which being supposed to be covered by St. John's was not in a defensible condition. October capture of Fort Champlain in this place about 120 barrels of gunpowder were taken after which the siege of St. John's was prosecuted with vigor but the garrison made up resolute defense and for some time indulged the hope of being relieved. Carlton defeated at Long Isle Colonel McLean a veteran officer with his regiment of Royal Highland emigrants and a few hundred Canadians was posted near the junction of the Sorrell with the St. Lawrence. General Carlton was at Montreal where he had collected about 1000 men chiefly Canadians at the head of these troops he hoped to affect the junction with McLean after which he designed to march with his whole force against Montgomery and endeavor to raise the siege but on attempting to cross over from Montreal he was encountered and entirely defeated at Long Isle by a detachment of the American troops under Colonel Warner. Another party advanced on McLean being entirely abandoned by his Canadians so soon as they were informed of the defeat of the governor and having also received information that Arnold was approaching Point Levy McLean retreated to Quebec. The Americans occupied the post he had abandoned and erected batteries on a point of land at the junction of the Sorrell with the St. Lawrence where they also constructed several armed rafts and floating batteries in order to prevent Carlton with the vessels at Montreal from escaping down the river. St. John's capitulates November 3rd Montgomery was pressing the siege of St. John's with great vigor and had advanced his works near the fort when the account of the success at Long Isle reached him on receiving this intelligence he sent a flag by one of the prisoners with a letter to Major Preston the commanding officer demanding a surrender of the place all hopes of relief having now vanished the garrison capitulated on being allowed the honors of war scarcely was this first success obtained when the consequences of short enlistments began to be felt the time of service for which the troops had engaged being about to expire great difficulty was experienced and prevailing on them to proceed farther and before the general could induce them to march against Montreal he was under the necessity of stipulating explicitly that all who wished it should be discharged at that place having affected this compromise he proceeded against Montreal while his floating batteries under Colonel Easton advanced up the St. Lawrence and not only prevented the armed vessels of the enemy from escaping to Quebec but drove them still higher up the river Montreal surrenders November 13 Montreal was not in a condition to be defended after engaging to allow the Canadians in their own laws the free exercise of their religion and the privilege of governing themselves Montgomery took peaceful possession of the town and Governor Carlton retired to his fertility while preparations were making to attack these vessels the governor was conveyed in a boat with muffled oars down the river in a dark night and made his escape to Quebec the fleet soon afterwards surrendered and the general prepared with the utmost expedition to proceed with a few troops who were willing to follow him to the capital of Canada diminished as his army was by the discharge of those who claim the performance of his engagements made it St. John's it was necessary to leave a part of it at Montreal St. John's and Chambley to garrison those places keep open the communication between Quebec and the United colonies preserve the dependence of the Canadians over all the Indians and hold and check the garrisons above him at Detroit and Niagara these essential objects though provided for with the utmost possible economy of men forms such deductions from his force has to leave little more than 300 soldiers to follow their general in the enterprise against Quebec August foreseeing that the whole force of Canada would be concentrated about Montreal general Washington had planned an expedition against Quebec to be carried on by a detachment from his camp before Boston which was to march by the way of Canabac river and passing through the dreary wilderness lying between the subtle parts of Maine and the St. Lawrence to enter Canada about 90 miles below Montreal the object of this hearty enterprise was to compel Carlton either to draw his troops from the upper country and leave the passage open to the army invading the province by the way of the river Sorrel or if he should maintain that position to take possession of Quebec all this accounts ensured him that this place was unable to hold out against the force which would appear before it and if attacked by an American army before the return of Carlton would surrender without firing a shot this arduous enterprise was committed to Colonel Arnold about a thousand men consisting of New England infantry some volunteers a company of artillery under Captain Lam and three companies of riflemen were selected for the service Arnold's expedition by the way of the Canabac such delays in expediting this detachment were occasioned by the derangements of the army that Arnold could not commence his march until the middle of September the success of the expedition depending in a great measure on the friendly temper of the province against which he was directed the instructions given to Arnold earnestly inculcated the cultivation of a good understanding with the Canadians and even enjoined an abandonment of the enterprise should this sudden invasion of their country threatened to irritate them and induce them to take up arms against the United colonies he was furnished with about 1000 pounds in specie to defray contingent expenses and with a cargo of manifestos to be dispersed through Canada the opinion which had been formed of that favorable disposition of the Canadians was not disproved by the event they gave essential aid to the Americans and cheerfully facilitated their march through that province but the previous difficulties to be surmounted were much greater than had been apprehended the intermediate country which had never been well explored opposed obstacles to the march which only perseverance like that of Arnold and of his brave and hearty followers could have conquered Colonel Enos who commanded the rear division consisting of one third of the detachment returned from the dead river branch of the Cannebec at first his appearance excited the utmost indignation in the army yet on being arrested he was acquitted by a court martial on the principle that it was absolutely impracticable to obtain provisions on the route to preserve the troops from perishing with famine Arnold who at the head of the first two divisions still prosecuted his march was 32 days traversing a hideous wilderness without seeing a house or anything human notwithstanding the zealous and wonderfully persevering exertions of his men the obstacles he encountered so protracted his march that he did not reach the first settlements on the Chaudière which empties itself into the St. Lawrence near Quebec until the 3rd of November on the high grounds which separate the waters of the Cannebec from those of the St. Lawrence the scanty remnant of provisions was divided among the companies each of which was directed without attempting to preserve any connection with the other to march with the utmost possible celerity into the inhabited country whilst those who gained the front were yet 30 miles from the first poor and scattered the habitations which composed that frontier of Canada their last morsel of food was consumed but preceded by Arnold who went forward for the purpose of procuring for them something which might satisfy the demands of nature the troops persevered in their labors with a vigor unimpaired by the hardships they had encountered until they once more found themselves in regions frequented by human beings after a march such an example of fatigue no more time was allowed for repose than was barely sufficient to collect the rear and to refresh them in during this short respite from toil the address signed by General Washington was published in every assurance given to the people that they came to protect and not to plunder them the line of march was resumed and on the 9th of November the Scallant Corps reached Point Levy opposite Quebec he arrives before Quebec the town was almost entirely without a garrison and nothing could exceed the astonishment of its inhabitants could Arnold have immediately crossed the St. Lawrence and have availed himself of the first consternation it is believed that he might have entered the place without opposition but a high wind and the want of boats rendered the passage of the river impossible one of his Indian messengers dispatched with letters to General Scallant had either betrayed him or been intercepted and thus intelligence of his approach was communicated to Colonel McLean who was then at the mouth of the Surreal trembling for the capital of the province that gallant veteran determined to throw himself into it and endeavor to defend it in the meantime the winds continued so high for several nights as to render the passage of the river and the canoes which had been collected to hazardous to be attempted and it was only in the night that the Americans could hope to cross because four ships of war were distributed at different stations in the river and armed boats were employed to ply around them whilst the Americans were thus unavoidably detained on the south side of the St. Lawrence Colonel McLean with his corps of immigrants entered the city November 12th at length the wind moderated and Arnold determined to attempt the river eluding the armed vessels and conquering a rapid current he with great difficulty and danger crossed over in the night and landed his little army about a mile and a half above the place which is rendered memorable by the disembarkation of Wolf the passage of the rugged cliffs which continue on the northern bank of the St. Lawrence for some distance above Quebec being impracticable at this place he marched down on the shore to Wolf's Cove and ascending with his band of hardy followers the same precipice which had opposed such obstacles to the British hero he too formed his small corps on the heights near the plains of Abraham the dangerous and difficult operations of crossing the river and canoes whilst the passage was vigilantly guarded by ships of war and of gaining the almost perpendicular heights of the opposite shore were completed soon after midnight by the advanced party consisting of the rifle companies while waiting for the residue of the detachment a council of all the officers was held for the purpose of determining on their future measures although destitute of every implement required for an assault Arnold proposed to march immediately against Quebec he counted on surprising the place and finding the gates open but this opinion which was not earnestly pressed was overruled the disappointed in the expectation of surprising Quebec Arnold did not immediately relinquish the hope of obtaining possession of that important place not superior to the garrison and point of numbers and without a single piece of artillery he was obviously incapable of acting offensively but he flattered himself that a defection in the town might yet put it in his hands with his view he paraded on the adjacent heights for some days and sent two flags to demand a surrender but the presence of Colonel McLean restrained those measures which the fears of the inhabitants dictated deeming any communication with the assailants dangerous he refused to receive the flag and fired on the officer who bore intelligence was soon obtained that the first alarm was visibly wearing off and giving place to other sentiments unfavorable to the hope of gaining Quebec fears for the vast property contained in the town had united the disaffected who were at their own request embodied and armed the sailors too were landed and placed at the batteries and by these means the garrison had become more numerous than the American army and retires to point oh tremble November 19 after collecting those who had been left on the south side of the St. Lawrence Arnold could not parade more than 700 men and they were in no condition to risk an action in their laborious march through the wilderness nearly one third of their muskets have been rendered useless and their ammunition has sustained such damage that the riflemen had not more than 10 more the other troops more than six rounds for each man under these circumstances it was thought most advisable to retire to point oh tremble 20 miles above Quebec and there await the arrival of Montgomery on their march they saw the vessel which conveyed general Carlton and afterwards found he had been on shore at point oh tremble a few hours before they reached that place in war the success of the most judicious plans often depends on accidents not to be foreseen nor controlled seldom has the truth of this proposition been more clearly demonstrated than in the issue of the expedition conducted by Colonel Arnold the situation of Canada conformed exactly to the expectations of the American general not suspecting that so bold and difficult an enterprise could be meditated its governor had left Quebec entirely defenseless and had drawn the strength of the province towards the lakes could Arnold have reached that place a few days sooner could he even have crossed the river on his first arrival at point Levy or had Colonel Enos been able to follow the main body with his division of the detachment every probability favors the opinion that this hearty and well-conceived expedition would have been crowned with the most brilliant success Namor had Arnold been careful to relieve the inhabitants of the town from all fears respecting their property there's reason to believe they would have refused to defend it but although this bold enterprise was planned with judgment and executed with vigor although the means employed were adequate to the object yet the concurrence of several minute and unfavorable incidents entirely defeated it and deprived it of that a cloth to which it was justly entitled December 5th having closed his almost naked troops at Montreal General Montgomery at the head of about 300 men proceeded with his usual expedition to join Colonel Arnold at Pointeau-Tamble where he had supplied the troops of that officer with clothes provided at Montreal and afterwards marched with their united forces directly to Quebec but before his arrival Governor Carlton who had entered the town was making every preparation for a vigorous defense the garrison now consisted of about 1500 men half of whom 800 were militia and between four and 500 were seamen Montgomery's effective force was stated by himself that only 800 his situation would have filled with despair a mind less vigorous, less sanguine and less brave his numbers were not sufficient to render a success probable according to any common principle of calculation and the prospect of there being diminished might be rationally entertained but relying on their courage on himself and his fortune and on the fears of the garrison stimulated to by the high expectations formed throughout America of his success and by the dread of disappointing those expectations he determined to lay immediate siege to the town Montgomery lays siege to Quebec in a few days he opened a six gun battery within 700 yards of the walls but his artillery was too light to make a breach and he did not calculate on any effect from it his object was to amuse the garrison and conceal his real design although the troops supported the excessive hardships to which they were exposed with constancy and firmness Montgomery feared that such continued sufferings would overcome them and as he would soon have no legal authority to retain a part of them he apprehended that he should be abandoned by that part impressed with the real necessity of taking decisive steps and impelled by his native courage this gallant officer determined to risk an assault of such materials was his little army composed that the most desperate hardy hood could not hope to succeed in the proposed attempt unless it should receive the approbation of all his troops he was therefore necessary not only to consult the officers individually on this delicate subject but to obtain also the cheerful assent of the soldiers to the meditated enterprise the proposition was at first received coldly by a part of Arnold's corps who were by some means disgusted with their commanding officer but the influence of Morgan who was particularly zealous for an assault and who held up as a powerful inducement the rights conferred by the usages of war on those whose storm fortified town at length prevailed and the measure was almost unanimously approved whilst the general was preparing for the assault the garrison received intelligence of his design from a deserted this circumstance induced him to change the plan which had originally been to attack both the upper and lower towns at the same time that finally adopted was to divide the army into four parts and about two of them consisting of Canadians under Major Livingston and a small party under Major Brown were to distract the garrison by making two feints against the upper town at St. John's and Cape Diamond the other two led the one by Montgomery in person and the other by Arnold were to make real attacks on opposite sides of the lower town after gaining that it would yet be extremely difficult to conquer the obstacles to be surmounted enforcing their way to the upper town but as all the wealth of the city would then be in their power it was confidently expected that the inhabitants to secure their property would compel the governor to capitulate December 31 unsuccessful attack on that place between four and five in the morning the signal was given and the several divisions moved to the assault under a violent storm of snow the plan was so well consorted that from the side of the river of St. Lawrence along the fortified front round to the basin every part seemed equally threatened Montgomery advanced at the head of the New York troops along the St. Lawrence by the way of House de Mer under Cape Diamond the first barrier on this side at the Potash was defended by a battery in which a few pieces of artillery were mounted about 200 paces in front of which was a block house and picket the guard placed at the block house being chiefly Canadians after giving a random and harmless fire threw away their arms and fled in confusion to the barrier their tears were communicated to those who defended this important pass and from the intelligence afterwards received by the American prisoners in Quebec it appears that the battery was for a time deserted death of Montgomery unfortunately the difficulties of the route went it impossible for Montgomery to avail himself instantly of this first impression Cape Diamond around which he was to make his way presents a precipice the foot of which is washed by the river where such enormous and rugged masses of ice had been piled on each other as to render the way almost impassable along the scanty path feeding under the projecting rocks of the precipice the Americans pressed forward in a narrow file until they reached the block house and picket Montgomery who was himself in front assisted with his own hand to cut down and pull up the pickets and open up passage for his troops but the roughness and difficulty of the way had so lengthened his line of march that he found it absolutely necessary to halt a few minutes having reassembled about 200 men he advanced boldly and rapidly at their head to force the barrier one or two persons had now ventured to return to the battery and seizing a slow match discharged a gun when the American front was within 40 paces of it this single and accidental fire proved fatal to the enterprise the general with captains McPherson and cheeseman the first of whom was his aide together with his orderly sergeant and a private were killed upon the spot the loss of their general in whom their confidence had been so just in place to scourge the troops and Colonel Campbell on whom the command devolved made no attempt to reanimate them this whole division retired precipitately from the action and left the garrison at leisure to direct its undivided force against Arnold at the common signal for the attack the division commanded by this officer moved in files along the street of St. Rokes towards the Sault de Matelot where the first barrier had been constructed and a battery of two 12 pounders erected in imitation of Montgomery he too led the forlorn hope in person was followed by Captain Lan with his company of artillery and a field piece mounted on a sled close in the rear of the artillery was the main body in front of which was Morgan's company of riflemen commanded by himself the path along which the troops were to march was so narrow that the two pieces of artillery in the battery were capable of raking with great shot every inch of the ground whilst the whole right flank was exposed to an incessant fire of musketry from the walls and from the pickets of the garrison in this order Arnold advanced along the St. Charles with the utmost intrepidity the alarm was immediately given and the fire on his flank commenced as he approached the barrier he received a musket ball in the leg which shattered the bone and was carried off the field Morgan rushed forward to the battery at the head of his company and received from one of the pieces almost at its mouth a discharge of grape shot which killed only one man the barricade was instantly mounted on which the battery was deserted without a discharge from another gun the captain of the guard with a greater number of his men were made prisoners Morgan formed his troops in the streets within the barrier and took into custody several English and Canadian burgers but his situation soon became extremely critical he was not followed by the main body of the division he had no guide and was himself totally ignorant of the situation of the town he was yet dark and he had not the slightest knowledge of the course to be perceived or of the defenses to be encountered under these circumstances it was thought unadvisable to advance farther they were soon joined by Lieutenant Colonel Green and Majors Bigelow and Meigs with several fragments of company so as to constitute altogether about 200 men as the light of day began to appear this gallant party was again formed with Morgan's company in front and with one voice loudly called on him to lead them against the second barrier which was now known to be less than 40 paces from them though concealed by an angle of the street from their immediate view seizing the few ladders brought with them they again rushed forward and under an incessant fire from the battery and from the windows overlooking it applied their ladders to the barricade and maintained for some time a fierce and on their part a bloody contest exposed us in a narrow speak to a galling fire and finding themselves unable to force the barrier or to discharge more than one in 10 of their firearms the violence of the storm having unfitted them for service many of the assailants threw themselves into the stone houses on each side which afforded them a shelter both from the storm and from the enemy after continuing sometime in this situation Morgan proposed to cut their way back to the American camp they were prevented from adopting this daring resolution only by the suggestion that the attack that by Montgomery of whose fate they were ignorant might possibly be successful and that in the event of his having entered the opposite part of the town their cooperation might be useful to him on this account they determined still to maintain their situation but the force of the enemy increasing considerably they soon perceived that they were no longer masters of their own destinies and surrendered themselves prisoners of war in this bold attack on Quebec the loss on the part of the garrison was inconsiderable that of the Americans was about 400 men 340 of whom were prisoners it felt chiefly on Arnold's division Captain Hendricks of that Pennsylvania rifleman Lieutenant Humphreys of Morgan's company and Lieutenant Cooper of Connecticut were among the slain Captain's Lamb and Hubbard and Lieutenant Steel and Tisdale were among the wounded every officer at the second barrier received several balls through his clothes and some of them were severely scorched by the powder from the muzzles of the muskets discharged with them but the loss most deplored and most fatal to the hopes of the American army was that of their general Richard Montgomery was a native of Ireland and had served with reputation in the late war after its conclusion he settled in New York where he married an American lady and took a decided part with the colonies in their contest with Great Britain his military reputation was high throughout America in the history of his achievements while commanding in Canada we perceive the bold, skillful and active partisan and so far as a judgment can be formed of our capacity for conducting the movements of a large army from judicious management of a small one we cannot hesitate to allow him the talents of an able general at the head of a small body of undisciplined troops drawn from different colonies unwilling to be commanded by a stranger jealous of him in the extreme often disposed to disobedience and anxious for their homes he conquered difficulties which not many would have ventured to meet and until his last fatal moment was uniformly successful in little more than two months he made himself master of Canada on the lakes to Quebec and as if determined to triumph over the climate itself laid siege in the depth of winter to that important fortress his measures seem to have been taken with judgment and were certainly executed with great courage and unremitting exertion when he appears to have risked much and to have exposed his troops to excessive hardships this line of conduct was not inconsiderably chosen the state of his affairs left him only the alternative between attempting to storm Quebec or abandoning the great object of the expedition there was his attempt so hopeless a measure as the strength of the place and the event might at first view induce us to suppose the design was worthy of the lofty spirit which formed it though hazardous it was not desperate and if great courage was required to crown it with success great courage was employed in its execution he counted and with reason on the fears of the garrison and on the immense extent of ground to be guarded had he not fallen himself or been deserted by his troops it is even yet believed the enterprise would have succeeded the progress made by Arnold's division gives great countenance to this opinion to manifest the high sense entertained of his service as Congress directed a monument expressing the circumstances of his death and the gratitude of his country to be erected to his memory the Americans being no longer in that condition to continue the siege retired about three miles from the city where though inferior in numbers to the garrison they maintained the blockage by preserving this bold countenance they retained the confidence of the Canadians which saved their affairs for a time from total ruin Governor Carleton was content to preserve Quebec until the reinforcements he expected in the spring should enable him to act on the offensive he therefore determined not to hazard and attack with the garrison on which it was unsafe to rely and Arnold on whom the command had devolved remained undisturbed although badly wounded he retained his courage and activity and though deserted by those whose terms of service had expired so as to be reduced at one time to about 500 effective men he discovered no disposition to sink under the weight of adverse fortune while the affairs of the colonies wore this gloomy aspect in Canada Congress was indulging sanguine hopes of annexing that province to the Union nine regiments including one to be raised in that colony were voted for its defense during the ensuing campaign General Scullert was directed to construct a number at that toe at Ticonderoga for the purpose of transporting the troops into the scene of action 1776 while adopting these measures Congress received the melancholy intelligence of the disaster of the 31st December far from being dispirited by this reverse of fortune that body redoubled this exertions to hasten reinforcements to the army in Canada and urged the several conventions to collect for its use all the species that could obtain January 17 these measures were in some degree accelerated having been anticipated by the commander in chief the service in Canada being deemed of too much importance to be entrusted to colonel now Brigadier General Arnold or to General Worcester and the health of General Scullert not admitting of his proceeding to Quebec General Thomas and officer who had acquired reputation at Roxbury was ordered to take command of the army in that province in the hope of exciting throughout Canada the sentiments which prevailed in the United colonies and are forming within a perfect union three commissioners Mr. Franklin, Mr. Chase, Mr. Carroll were deputed with full powers on this subject and with instructions to establish a free press these commissioners were directed to assure the people that they would be permitted to adopt such form of government as should be agreeable to themselves to exercise freely all the rights of conscience and to be considered as a sister colony governed by the same general system of mild and equal laws which prevailed in the other colonies with only such local differences as each might deem conducive to its own happiness they were also instructed to inquire into the conduct of the American army and to correct any irregularities which might be offensive to the people Congress seems to have entertained the opinion expressed by General Washington in a letter to General Scullert that the province could be secured only by laying hold of the affections of the people and engaging them heartily in the common cause in pursuance of this opinion they adopted the magnanimous policy of compensating those individuals who had suffered for their adherence to the Americans blockade of Quebec continued in the meantime Arnold maintained the blockade of Quebec but reinforcements were slow in arriving notwithstanding every exertion to hasten them and from the 1st of January to the 1st of March the effective force before that place had never exceeded 700 men and had often been as low as 500 in March reinforcements arrived in greater numbers and the army was increased to 1700 but this number was then reduced by the smallpox which had made its way into camp where in contempt of orders it was propagated by inoculation to render the blockade in any degree effectual this small army which occupied the island of Orleans and both sides of the St. Lawrence was spread over a circuit of 26 miles and divided by three ferries the establishment of discipline had been impracticable if attempted and the Canadians were often injured and irritated there's reason to believe that even General Arnold was disposed to thank himself in the country of an enemy and that in repressing orders he did not exert that energy which he had always displayed conspicuously in the field March 4 many causes combined to diminish the attachment originally manifested by the Canadians to the United colonies the necessities of his situation compelled General Arnold to issue a proclamation making paper money current under the promise of redeeming it in four months and denouncing those as enemies who should refuse to receive it the Canadians were unwilling to exchange their property or labor for an article of such uncertain value and the discontents excited by the attempted force of all men were very considerable another circumstance which had great influence with reflecting men was the obvious incompetence of the American force to its object the Canadians had expected a powerful army sufficient for the protection of the country and their disappointment and this respect produced a great change in their opinions and conduct the dissatisfaction arising from these causes was augmented by the priests they as a body were never cordial in the American interest and having been since the death of Montgomery very injudiciously neglected have become almost universally hostile to the views of the United colonies General Carlton was no stranger to the revolution which was taking place in the minds of the Canadians and entertained the hope of raising the siege by their assistance a detachment of about 60 men from the garrison of Quebec landed 12 leagues below the town on the south side of the river and were joined by about 250 Canadians who were rapidly increasing in numbers when they were suddenly attacked by a detachment sent by Arnold which surprised the advance guard killed a few, took some prisoners and dispersed the residue able to as the season of the year approached when reinforcements from England might be expected Arnold deemed it necessary to recommence active operations and to resume the siege his batteries were again erected were opened on the second of April but without much effect he had not rate of metal to make a breach in the wall nor an engineer capable of directing a siege nor artillerists who understood the management of the pieces on the first of April Wooster had arrived and on the succeeding day Arnold's horse fell with him and so bruised one of his legs as to confine him to his bed for some time believing himself to be neglected he obtained leave of absence as soon as he was able to move and took the command at Montreal April 15, a considerable part of the army having become entitled to a discharge no inducement could prevail on them to continue longer in so severe a service this deduction from Wooster's force was more sensibly felt because the present situation of the roads, the lakes and the St. Lawrence suspended the arrival of the reinforcements destined for his aid General Thomas takes command of the army among the first to reach camp after the state of things took place was General Thomas he arrived on the first of May and found an army consisting of 1900 men of whom less than 1000 including officers were effective among these were 300 entitled to discharge who refused to do duty and insisted importantly on being immediately dismissed this small force was still more enfeeble by being so divided that it was impracticable to unite more than 300 men at any one point all the magazines contained but 150 barrels of powder and six days provisions nor could adequate supplies from the country people be obtained as the Canadians no longer manifested any disposition to serve them the river began to open below and it was certain that the British would seize the first moment of its being practicable to relieve this important place amidst these unpromising circumstances the hopes of taking Quebec appeared to General Thomas to become a miracle and a longer continuance before at the town both useless and dangerous it was apparent that the first reinforcements which should arrive would deprive him entirely of the use of the river and consequently would embarrass the removal of his sick military stores no object remained to justify this hazard the blockade of Quebec is raised May 6 under these impressions he called a council war which unanimously determined that the army was not in a condition to risk an assault that the sick should be removed to the three rivers and the artillery and other stores embark in their boats in order to move to a more defensible position on the evening of the same day intelligence was received that up British fleet was below and the next morning five ships which had with much labor and danger made their way up the river through the ice appeared in sight they soon entered the harbor and landed some men whilst the Americans were assiduously employed in the embarkation of their sick and stores and operation carried on the more slowly because the first appearance of the ships deprive them of the aid expected from the teams and carriages of the Canadians about noon Carlton made a sortie at the head of 1000 men formed into division and supported by six fuel pieces the Americans have thrown up no entrenchments and could not bring into action more than 300 men under these circumstances victory was scarcely possible and could it produce no important effect general Thomas therefore with the advice of the field officers about him to determine not to risk an action and ordered his troops to retreat up the river this was done with much precipitation and many of the sick with all the military stores fell into the hands of the enemy the army continued its retreat to the Sorrel where general Thomas was seized with a smallpox of which he died the Americans were much dissatisfied with the conduct of this gentleman to him they in some degree attributed to disasters which ruined their affairs in Canada but this century was unjust he took command of the army when it was too weak to maintain its ground and when the time for saving the sick and the military stores had passed away the siege of Quebec instead of being continued longer ought to have been abandoned at an earlier period this was the real fault of those who commanded in Canada it is to be ascribed to the reluctance always felt by inexperienced officers to disappoint the public expectation by relinquishing an enterprise concerning which sanguine hopes have been entertained and to encounter the obliquely of giving up a post although it can no longer with prudence be defended in the perseverance with which the siege of Quebec was maintained these motives operated with all their force and they received an addition from the unwillingness felt by the Americans to abandon those of their friends who had taken so decisive a part in their favor has to be incapable of remaining in safety behind them June 4 General Sullivan takes the command after the death of General Thomas reinforcements assembled at the mouth of the Sorrel which increased the army to four or 5,000 men who were commanded by General Sullivan the friendly Canadians who had supposed themselves abandoned manifested great joy at the arrival of a force which appeared to them very considerable and offered every assistance in their power Sullivan calculated on there joining him in great numbers and entertained sanguine hopes of recovering and maintaining the post of the Chambot as a previous measure it was necessary to dislodge the enemy at the three rivers Carlton was not immediately in a situation to follow up the blow given the Americans at Quebec and to drive them entirely out of the province but the respite allowed them was not of long duration towards the end of May large reinforcements arrived which augmented the British army in Canada to about 13,000 men the general rendezvous appointed for these troops was at the three rivers the army was greatly divided the considerable core commanded by General Frazier had reached the three rivers and the main body was on its way from Quebec the distance from the Sorrel was about 50 miles and several armed vessels and transports full of troops lay about five miles higher up than the three rivers full in the way General Thompson commanded the army after the illness of General Thomas understanding the party at the three rivers to consist of about 800 men partly Canadians had to attach Colonel Sinclair with between six and 700 men to attack it if there should be any probability of doing so with advantage Colonel Sinclair advanced to Nicolet where believing himself not strong enough for the service in which he had been ordered he waited for further reinforcements or additional instructions at this time General Sullivan arrived and understanding the enemy to be weak at the three rivers orders General Thompson to join Colonel Sinclair at Nicolet with a reinforcement of nearly 1400 men to take command of the whole detachment and to attack the troops lying at the three rivers provided there was a favorable prospect of success June 8th General Thompson joined Colonel Sinclair at Nicolet and believing himself strong enough to perform the service consigned to him fell down the river by night and passed to the other side with the intention of surprising phraser the plan was to attack the village a little before daybreak at the same instant at each end whilst two smaller corps were drawn up to cover and support the attack battle of the three rivers the troops passed the armed vessels without being perceived but arrived at three rivers about an hour later that had been intended in consequence of which they were discovered and the alarm was given at their landing to avoid the fire of some ships in the river they attempted to pass through what appeared to be a point of woods but was in reality a deep morass three miles an extent the delays occasioned by their detention in this morass gave General Fraser full time to land some field pieces under prepare for their reception while General Nesbitt fell into their rear and cut off their return to the boats they advanced through the charge but were soon repulsed and finding it impracticable to return the way they came were driven some miles through a deep swamp which they traversed within conceivable toil and every degree of distress the British at length gave over the proceed in this unfortunate enterprise General Thompson and Colonel Irwin with about 200 men were made prisoners and from 20 to 30 were killed the loss of the British was inconsiderable June 14 the whole American force in Canada now amounted to about 8,000 men not one half of whom were fit for duty about 2,500 infectives were with General Sullivan at the Sorrell the whole were in a state of total insubordination much harassed with fatigue and dispirited by their late losses by the visible superiority of the enemy and by the apprehension that their retreat would be entirely cut off under all these discouraging circumstances General Sullivan formed the rash determination of defending the post at Sorrell and was induced only by unanimous opinion of his officers and a conviction that the troops would not support him to abandon it a few hours before the British took possession of it the same causes drew him reluctantly from Chambley and St. John's but he resolved to remain at the E.O. Noir until he should receive orders to retreat he had been joined at St. John's by General Arnold who had crossed over a long aisle just in time to save the garrison of Montreal the E.O. Noir is a low and healthy place badly supplied with water where the troops were so universally seized with fevers as to compel General Sullivan to retire to the E.O. Noir Mott at that place he received the orders of General Scholar to embark on the lakes for Crown Point the armed vessels on Sorrell and St. Lawrence were destroyed and the fortifications of Chambley and St. John's set on fire all the baggage of the army and nearly all the military stores were saved the British army during this whole retreat followed close in the rear and took possession of a different post which the Americans had occupied immediately after they were evacuated on the Sorrell the pursuit stopped the Americans had the command of the lake and the British general deemed it prudent to arrest it from them before he advanced farther to effect this it was necessary to construct a number of vessels which required time and labor meanwhile General Gates was ordered to take command of the Northern army which was directed to be reinforced with 6,000 militia Canada evacuated thus terminated the enterprise against Canada it was a bold in that one period promised to be a successful effort to annex that extensive province through the United colonies the dispositions of the Canadians favored the measure and had Quebec fallen there is reason to believe the colony would have entered cordially into the union had a few incidents turned out fortunately had Arnold been able to reach Quebec a few days sooner or to cross the St. Lawrence on his first arrival or had the gallant Montgomery not fallen in the assault of that 31st December it is probable the expedition would have been crowned with complete success but the radical causes of failure putting fortune out of the question were to be found in the lateness of the season when the troops were assembled in a defect of the preparations necessary for such a service and still more in the shortness of the time for which the men were enlisted had the expedition been successful the practicability of maintaining the country is much to be doubted last time a Montgomery labored for Quebec they expected to obtain possession of the place he extended his views to its preservation his plan required a permanent army of 10,000 men strong fortifications at Jacques Cartier and the wrappers of Richelieu and armed vessels in the river above the last place with his army in these precautions he thought the country might be defended but not with an inferior force it seems therefore to have been an enterprise requiring means beyond the ability of Congress and the strength exhausted on it would have been more judicious to the employee in securing the command of the lakes George and Champlain and the fortified towns upon them while General Carlton was making preparations to enter the lakes general scholar was using his utmost exertions to retain the command of them but so great was the difficulty of procuring workmen and materials that he found it impossible to equip a fleet which would be equal to the exigency it consisted of only 15 small vessels the largest of which was a schooner mounting 12 guns carrying six and four pound balls the command of the squadron at the instance of general Washington was given to general Arnold general Carlton constructs a fleet with almost incredible exertions the British general constructed a powerful fleet and afterwards dragged at the rapids of St. Therese and St. John's a vast number of longboats and other vessels among which was a gondola weighing 30 tons this immense work was completed a little more than three months and as if by magic general Arnold saw on Lake Champlain early in October a fleet consisting of nearly 30 vessels the largest of which the inflexible carried 1812 pounders enters Lake Champlain this formidable fleet having on board general Carlton himself and navigated by 700 prime seamen under the command of Captain Pringle proceeded immediately in quest of Arnold who was avantageously posted between the island of Balakour and the western Maine notwithstanding the disparity of force a warm action ensued a wind unfavorable to the British kept the inflexible and some other large vessels at too great a distance to render any service the circumstance enabled Arnold to keep up the engagement until night when Captain Pringle discontinued it and anchored his whole fleet in a line as near the vessels of his adversary as was practicable in this engagement the best schooner belonging to the American flotilla was burnt in a gondola with sun defeats the American flotilla in the night Arnold attempted to escape to Ticonderoga and the next morning was out of sight but being immediately pursued was overtaken about noon and brought to action a few weeks short of crown point he kept up a warm engagement for about two hours during which the vessels that were most ahead escaped to Ticonderoga two galleys and five gondolas which remained made a desperate resistance at length one of them struck after which Arnold ran the remaining vessels on shore and blew them up having first saved his men though great efforts were made to take them on the approach of the British army a small detachment which had occupied crown point as an outpost evacuated the place and retired to Ticonderoga which scholar determined to defend to the last extremity takes possession of crown point retires into winter quarters General Carlton took possession of crown point and advanced a part of his fleet into Lake George within view of Ticonderoga his army also approached that place as if designing to invest it but after reconordering the works and observing the steady countenance of the garrison he thought it too late to lay siege to the fortress re-embarking his army he returned to Canada where he placed it in winter quarters making the Eau Noir his most advanced post ended chapter three chapter four of the life of Washington volume two by John Marshall this LibriVox recording is in the public domain chapter four transactions in Virginia action at Great Bridge Norfolk evacuated burnt transactions in North Carolina action at Moors Creek Bridge invasion of South Carolina British fleet repulsed at Fort Moultrie transactions in New York measures leading to independence independence declared 1775 July transactions in Virginia whilst the war was carried on thus vigorously in the north the southern colonies were not entirely unemployed the convention of Virginia determined to raise two regiments of regular troops for one year and to enlist a part of the militia as Minutemen October Lord Dunmore the governor of the colony who was joined by the most active of the disaffected by a number of slaves whom he had encouraged to run away from their masters was collecting a naval force which threatened to be extremely troublesome in a country so intersected with large navigable rivers as the colony of Virginia with this force he carried on a slight predatory war and at length attempted to burn the town of Hampton the inhabitants having received intimation of his design gave notice of it to the commanding officer at Williamsburg prepared some regulars and Minutemen were stationed two companies were dispatched to their assistance who arrived just before the assault was made and obliged the assailants to retreat with some lost to their vessels November 7th in consequence of this repulse his lordship proclaimed martial law summoned all persons capable of bearing arms to repair to the royal standard or be considered as traitors and offered freedom to all indented servants and slaves who should join him this proclamation made some impression about Norfolk where the governor collected such a force of the disaffected enigmas as gave him an entire ascendancy in that part of the colony intelligence of these transactions being received at Williamsburg a regiment of regulars and about 200 Minutemen were ordered down under the command of Colonel Woodford for the defense of the inhabitants hearing of their approach Lord Dunnort took a well chosen position on the north side of Elizabeth River at the great bridge where it was necessary for the provincials to cross in order to reach Norfolk at which place he had established himself in some force here he erected a small fort on a piece of firm ground surrounded by a marsh which was accessible on either side only by a long causeway Colonel Woodford in camp within cannon shot of this post in a small village at the south end of the causeway across which just at its termination he constructed a breastwork butt being without artillery was unable to make any attempt on the fort December action at the great bridge in this position both parties continued for a few days when Lord Dunnort ordered Captain Fordyce the commanding officer at the great bridge though inferior in numbers to storm the works of the provincials between daybreak and sunrise this officer at the head of about 60 grenadiers of that 14th regiment who led the column advanced along the causeway with fixed bayonets against the breastwork the alarm was immediately given and as is the practice with raw troops the bravest rushed to the works where regardless of order they kept up a heavy fire on the front of the British column Captain Fordyce though received so warmly in front and taken in flank by a party posted on a small eminence on his right marched up with great intrepidity until he fell dead within a few steps of the breastwork the column immediately broke and retreated but being covered by the artillery of the fort was not pursued in this ill judged attack every grenadier is said to have been killed or wounded while the Americans did not lose a single man Norfolk evacuated the following night the fort was evacuated the provincial troops proceeded to Norfolk under the command of Colonel Howe of North Carolina and Lord Dunnort took refuge on board his vessels 1776 January and burnt after taking possession of the town the American soldiers frequently amused themselves by firing into the vessels in the harbor from the buildings near the water irritated by this Lord Dunnort determined to destroy the houses immediately on the shore and on the night of the 1st of January under cover of a heavy cannonade landed the body of troops and set fire to a number of houses near the river the provincials who entertained strong prejudices against this station saw the flames spread from house to house without making any attempt to extinguish them after the fire had continued several weeks in which time it had consumed about four-fifths of the town Colonel Howe we'd weeded on that convention to urge the necessity of destroying the place returned with orders to burn the remaining houses which were carried into immediate execution February thus was destroyed the most populous and flourishing town in Virginia its destruction was one of those ill judged measures of which the consequences are felt long after the motives far forgotten after Norfolk was laid in ashes Lord Dunnort continued a predatory war on the rivers burning houses and robbing plantations which served only to distress a few individuals and to increase the detestation in which he was held through the country at length his wretched followers weiried with their miserable condition was sent to Florida as the war became more serious the convention deemed it necessary to increase the number of regular regiments from two to nine which were afterwards taken into the continental service transactions in North Carolina in North Carolina, Governor Martin though obliged to take refuge on board as ship of war in Cape Fear River indulged the hope of being able to reduce that colony a body of ignorant and disorderly men on the Western frontier styling themselves regulators had attempted by arms sometime before the existing war to control and stop the administration of justice after failing in this attempt they became as hostile to the colonial as they had been to the royal government the province also contained many families who had lately emigrated from the highlands of Scotland and to retaining their attachment to the place of their nativity transferred it to the government under which they had been bred from the union of these parties Governor Martin entertained sanguine hopes of making a successful struggle for North Carolina his confidence was increased by the assurances he had received that a considerable land and naval armament was destined for the Southern colonies to prepare for cooperating with his force should it arrive or in any event to make an effort to give the ascendancy in North Carolina to the royal cause he sent several commissioners to the leaders of the Highlanders for raising and commanding regiments and granted one to a Mr. McDonald their chief to act as their general he also sent them a proclamation to be used on a proper occasion commanding all persons on their allegiance to repair to the royal standard this was directed by General McDonald at Cross Creek about the middle of February and nearly 1500 men arranged themselves under it 15th found the first advice that the loyalists were assembling Brigadier General Moore marched up ahead of a provincial regiment with such militia as he could suddenly collect and send pieces of cannon and took a strong position within a few miles of them 20th General McDonald soon approached and sent a letter to Moore in closing the governor's proclamation and recommending to him and his party to join the king standard by a given hour the next day the negotiation was protracted by Moore in the hope that the numerous bodies of militia who were advancing to join him would soon enable him to surround his adversary McDonald at length perceived his danger and suddenly decamping endeavored by force marches to extricate himself from it and join Governor Martin and Lord William Campbell who were encouraged to commence active operations by the arrival of General Clinton in the colony action at Moore's Creek Bridge the provincial parties however were so alert in every part of the country that he found himself under the necessity of engaging colonels Caswell and Lillington who with about 1000 men in militia had entrenched themselves directly in his front at a place called Moore's Creek Bridge the royalists were greatly superior in number but were under the disadvantage of being compelled to cross the bridge the planks of which were partly taken up in the face of the entrenchments occupied by the provincials they commenced the attack however with great spirit for Colonel McLean who commanded them in consequence of the indisposition of McDonald and several others of their bravest officers and men having fallen in the first onset were encouraged deserted them and they fled in great disorder leaving behind them their general and several others of their leaders who fell into the hands of the provincials this big group was of eminent service to the American cause in North Carolina they broke the spirits of a great body of men who would have constituted a formidable reinforcement to then invading army increased the confidence of the provincials and themselves and attached to them the timid and wavering who formed a large portion of every community General Clinton who was to command in the south had left Boston with a force to inconsiderable to attempt anything until he should be reinforced by the troops expected from Europe after parting with Governor Tran in New York he had proceeded to Virginia where he passed a few days with Lord Dunmore by finding himself too weak to affect anything in that province he repaired to North Carolina and remained with Governor Martin until the arrival of Sir Peter Parker fortunately for the province the unsuccessful insurrection of McDonald had previously broken the strength and spirits of the loyalists and deprived them of their most active chiefs in consequence of which the operations which had been meditated against North Carolina were deferred Clinton continued in Cape Fear until near the end of May when hearing nothing certain from General Howe he determined to make an attempt on the capital of South Carolina May early in the month of April a letter from the Secretary of State to Mr. Eden the Royal Governor of Maryland disclosing the designs of administration against the Southern colonies was intercepted in the Chesapeake and thus South Carolina became apprised of the danger which threatened its metropolis Mr. Rutledge, a gentleman of vigor and talents who had been chosen president of that province on the dissolution of the regal government adopted the most energetic means for placing it in a posture of defense June invasion of South Carolina in the beginning of June the British fleet came to anchor off the harbor of Charleston the bar was crossed with some difficulty after which it was determined to commence operations by silencing a fort on Sullivan's Island during the interval between passing the bar and attacking the fort the continental troops of Virginia and North Carolina arrived in Charleston and the American force amounted to between five and six thousand men of whom 2,500 were regulars this army was commanded by General Lee whose fortune it had been to meet General Clinton at New York and Virginia and then North Carolina viewing with the military eye the situation of the post entrusted to his care he was disinclined to hazard his army by engaging it deeply in the defense of the town but the solicitude of the South Carolinians to preserve their capital aided by his confidence in his own vigilance prevailed over a caution which was thought extreme and determined him to attempt to maintain the place two regular regiments of South Carolina commanded by colonels Gadsden and Moultrie Garrison Fort Johnson and Fort Moultrie about 500 regulars and 300 militia under Colonel Thompson were stationed in some works which had been thrown up on the northeastern extremity of Sullivan's Island and the remaining troops were arranged on Hadwell's Point and along the bay in front of the town General Lee remained in person with the troops at Hadwell's Point in the rear of Sullivan's Island his position was chosen in such a manner as to enable him to observe and support the operations in every quarter and especially to watch and oppose in the attempt of the enemy to pass from Long Island to the continent a movement of which he seems to have been particularly apprehensive June 28 British fleet repulsed at Fort Moultrie the British ships after taking their stations commenced an incessant and heavy cannonade on the American works its effect however on the fort was not such as had been expected this was attributable to its form and to its materials it was very low with merlons of great thickness and was constructed of earth and a species of soft wood common in that country called the Palmetta which unbeing struck with a ball does not splinter but closes upon it the fire from the fort was deliberate and being directed with skill, did vast execution the garrison united the cool determined courage of veterans with the enthusiastic order of youth General Lee crossed over in a boat to determine whether he should withdraw them and was enraptured with the order they displayed they assured him they would lose the fort only with their lives and the mortally wounded breathed last exhorting their fellow soldiers to the most heroic defense of the place July 15, the engagement continued in tonight by that time the ships were in such a condition as to be unfit to renew the action on the ensuing day the Bristol lost 111 men and the experiment 79 Captain Scott of the one lost his arm and Captain Morse of the other was mortally wounded Lord Campbell late governor of the province who served as a volunteer on board one of these vessels was also mortally wounded and both ships were so shattered as to inspire hopes that they would be unable to repass the bar about nine they slipped their cables and moved off a few days afterwards the troops were re-embarked and all farther designs against the southern colonies being for the present relinquish the squadron sailed for New York the attack on Fort Maltry was supported by the British semen with their accustomed bravery and the slot on board the ships was uncommonly great the loss of the Americans in killed and wounded was only 35 men great and well Merritta praise was bestowed on Colonel Maltry who commanded the fort in Almagerson for the resolution displayed in defending it nor was the glory acquired on this occasion confined to them all the troops that have been stationed on the island particulate and the thanks of the United colonies were voted by Congress to generally Colonel Maltry, Colonel Thompson and the officers and men under their command this fortunate event for such it may well be termed though not of much magnitude in itself was like many other successes attending the American arms in the commencement of the war of great importance in its consequences by impressing on the colonists a conviction of their ability to maintain the contest it increased the number of those who resolved to resist British authority and assisted in paving the way to a declaration of independence April transactions in New York even before the evacuation of Boston it had been foreseen that New York must become the seat of war and that most important military operations would be carried on in that colony the fortifications which have been commenced for the defense of its capital were indefatigably prosecuted and after the arrival of General Washington these works combined with those to be erected in the passes through the highlands of the Hudson where the objects of his unremitting attention the difficulty which had been experienced in expelling the British from Boston had demonstrated the importance of preventing their establishment in New York and had contributed to the determination of contesting with them very seriously the possession of that important place the execution of this determination however it was difficult and dangerous the defense of New York against an enemy commanding the sea requires an army capable of meeting him in the open field and of acting offensively both on long and York islands Congress had not adopted measures which might raise such an army the commander-in-chief in his letters to that body had long and earnestly urged the policy of bringing the whole string of the country into regular operation the government was not inattentive to his remonstrances but many circumstances combined to prevent such a military establishment as the exigency required the Congress which assembled in 1775 had adjourned with strong hopes that the differences between the mother country and the colonies would soon be adjusted to their mutual satisfaction when the temper manifested both by the king and his parliament had dissipated these hopes and the immense preparations of Great Britain for war events the necessity of preparations equally vigorous on the part of America the resolution to make them was finally taken but unaccustomed to the great duties of conducting a war of vast extent they could not estimate rightly the value of the means employed nor calculate the effects which certain causes would produce opinions of the most pernicious tendency prevailed for which they reseeded slowly and from which they could be ultimately forest only by melancholy experience the most fatal among these was the theory that an army could be created every campaign for the purposes of that campaign and that such temporary means would be adequate to the defense of the country they relied confidently on being able on any emergency to call out a force suited to the occasion they relied too much on the competence of such a force to the purposes of war and they depended too long on the spirit of patriotism which was believed to animate the mass of the people under these impressions the determination to form a permanent army was too long delayed and the measures necessary to raise such an army were deferred till their efficacy became doubtful it was not until June 1776 that the representations of the commander-in-chief could obtain a resolution directing soldiers to be enlisted for three years and offering a bounty of $10 to each per crew the time when this resolution could certainly have been executed had passed away that zeal for the service which was manifested in the first moments of the war that long since begun to abate and though the determination to resist had become more general that enthusiasm which prompts individuals to expose themselves to more than an equal share of danger and hardship was visibly declining the progress of these sentiments seems to have been unexpected and the causes producing such effects appear not to have been perceived the regiments voted by Congress were incomplete and that bounty which if offered in time would have affected its object came too late to fill them it was not in numbers only that the weakness of the American army consisted in arms, ammunition, tents and clothes its deficiency was such as to render it unfit for the great purposes of war and inferior in all these respects to the enemy which it was destined to encounter but however inadequate to the object the regular force might be both the government and the commander-in-chief were determined to defend New York and Congress passed a resolution to reinforce the army with 13,800 militia for the defense of the middle colonies and for the purpose of repelling any attempt to land on the Josie shore it was resolved to form a flying camp to be composed of 10,000 men to be furnished by Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland the militia both of the flying camp and of the army at New York were to be engaged to serve until the 1st of December and the commander-in-chief was empowered to call on the neighboring colonies for such additional temporary aids of militia as the exigencies of his army might render necessary great and embarrassing as where the difficulties already noticed they were augmented by the disaffection of the city of New York and of the adjacent islands although Governor Tryan had found it necessary to take refuge on board some ships lying in the harbor he'd been permitted to continue an open intercourse with the inhabitants which enabled him to communicate freely with the royalists and to conserve plans of future cooperation this intercourse was broken off by the arrival of the commander-in-chief yet a plot was formed through the agency of the mayor to rise in favor of the British on their landing and as was understood to seize and deliver up General Washington himself this plot had extended to the American army and even to the general's guards it was fortunately discovered in time to be defeated and some of the persons concerned were executed about the same time a similar plot was discovered in the neighborhood of Albany and their two executions were found necessary either to the soul about object of the war had been a redress of grievances the utmost horror had been expressed at the idea of attempting independence and the most anxious desire of reestablishing the union which had so long subsisted between the two countries on its ancient principles was openly and generally declared but however, since through these declarations might have been at the commencement of the conflict the operation of hostilities was infallible to profess allegiance and respect for a monarch with whom they were at open war was an absurdity too great to be long continued the human mind when it receives a strong impulse does not like project a house stop at the point to which the force originally applied may have been calculated to carry it various causes act upon it in its course when the appeal was made to arms a great majority of those who guided the councils and led the forces of America wished only for a repeal of the acts of parliament which had occasioned their resistance to the authority of the crown and would have been truly unwilling to venture upon the unexplored field of self-government for some time prayers were offered for the king in the performance of divine service and in the proclamation of a fast by Congress in June 1775 one of the motives for recommending was to beseech the Almighty to bless our rightful sovereign King George III and inspire him with wisdom independence all but without this unpretentious brick building erected in 1729 to 34 and intimately associated with the birth of the nation the Continental Congress met Washington was made commander-in-chief of the American army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 and read to the people assembled in the street it is now a museum of revolutionary and historical relics measures leading to independence the prejudices and favor of a connection with England and of the English constitution gradually but rapidly yielded to Republican principles and a desire for independence new strength was every day added to the opinions that a cordial reconciliation with Great Britain had become impossible that mutual confidence could never be restored that reciprocal jealousy, suspicion and hate would take the place of that affection which could alone render such a connection happy and beneficial that even the commercial dependence of America upon Britain was greatly injurious to the former and that incalculable benefits must be derived from opening to themselves the markets of the world that to be governed by a distant nation or sovereign unacquainted with and unmindful of their interests would even if reinstated in their former situation be an evil too great to be voluntarily born but victory alone could restore them to that situation and victory would give them independence the hazard was the same and since the risk of everything was unavoidable the most valuable object ought in common justice and common prudence to be the reward of success for such horror too did they view the present war as to suppose they could not possibly receive the support of a free people the alacrity therefore with which the English nation entered into it was ascribed to a secret and dangerous influence which was with rapid progress undermining the liberties and the morals of the mother country in which it was very good cross the Atlantic and effective principles of the colonists likewise should the ancient connection be restored the intercourse of America with the world and her own experience had not then been sufficient to teach her the important truth that the many as often as the few can abuse power and trample on the weak without perceiving that they are tyrants that they too not unfrequently close their eyes against the light and shut their ears against the plainest evidence and the most conclusive reasoning it was also urged with great effect that the possibility of obtaining foreign aid would be much increased by holding out the dismemberment of the British Empire to the rivals of that nation as an inducement to engage in the contest American independence became the general theme of conversation and more and more the general wish the measures of Congress took their complexion from the temper of the people their proceedings against the disaffected became more and more vigorous their language respecting the British government was less the language of subjects and better calculated the term the public attention towards Congress and that provincial assemblies as a soul and ultimate rulers of the country general letters of Mark and reprisal were granted and the American ports were open to all nations and people not subject to the British crown May 6th at length the measure was adopted which was considered by Congress and by America in general as deciding the question of independence here that too it had been recommended to particular colonies to establish temporary institutions for the conduct of their affairs during the existence of the contest but now a resolution was offered recommending generally to such colonies has had not already established them the adoption of government adequate to the exigency Mr. John Adams, Mr. Rutledge and Mr. Richard Henry Lee all zealous advocates for independence were appointed a committee to prepare a proper preamble to the resolution the report of these gentlemen was accepted and the resolution passed May 15th the provincial assemblies and conventions acted on this recommendation and governments were generally established from Connecticut and Rhode Island it was deemed as unnecessary to make any change in their actual situation because of those colonies the executive as well as the whole legislature had always been elected by themselves in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York some hesitation was at first discovered and the assemblies prepared unwilling to take this decisive step the public opinion however was in favor of it and finally prevailed the several colonies now contemplating themselves as sovereign states amingling with the arduous duty of providing means to repel a powerful enemy the important and interesting labor of framing governments for themselves and their posterity exhibited the novel spectacle of matured and enlightened societies uninfluenced by external or internal force devising according to their own judgments political systems for their own government with the exceptions already stated of Connecticut and Rhode Island whose systems had ever been in a high degree depth and credit the hitherto untrived principle was adopted of limiting the departments of governments by a written constitution prescribing bounds not to be transcended by the legislature itself the solid foundations of a popular government were already laid in all the colonies the institutions received from England were admirably calculated to prepare the way for temperate and rational republics no hereditary powers had ever existed and every authority had been derived either from the people or the king the crown being no longer acknowledged the people remained the only source of legitimate power the materials in their possession as well as their habits of thinking were adapted only to governments and all respects representative and such governments were universally adopted the provincial assemblies under the influence of Congress took up the question of independence and in some instances authorized their representatives in the great national council to enter into foreign alliances many declared themselves in favor of a total and immediate separation from Great Britain and gave instructions to their representatives conforming to this sentiment June 7th, thus supported by public opinion Congress determined to take this decisive step number seventh of June a resolution to that effect was moved by Richard Henry Lee and seconded by John Adams the resolution was referred to a committee who reported it in the following terms resolved that these United colonies are and the right ought to be free in independent states and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved June 28th, this resolution was referred to a committee of the whole in which it was debated on Saturday the 8th and Monday the 10th of June it appearing that New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Delaware, Maryland and South Carolina were not yet matured for the measure but were fast advanced into that state the debate was adjourned to the 1st of July when it was resumed in the meantime a committee was appointed to prepare the Declaration of Independence which was reported on the 28th of June and laid on the table on the 1st of July the debate on the original resolution was resumed the question was put in the evening of that day and carried in the affirmative by the votes of New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia North Carolina and Georgia against Pennsylvania and South Carolina Delaware was divided and the delegates from New York having declared their approbation of the resolution and their conviction that it was approved by their constituents also that their instructions which had been drawn near 12 months before and joined them to do nothing which might impede reconciliation with the mother country were permitted to withdraw from the question the report of the committee was put off to the next day of the request to Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina who expressed the opinion that his colleagues would then concur in the resolution for the sake of unanimity July 2 the next day South Carolina did concur in it the votes of Pennsylvania and Delaware were also changed by the arrival of other members Congress then proceeded to consider the declaration of independence after some amendments it was approved and signed by every member present except Mr. Dickinson independence declared July 4 this declaration was immediately communicated to the armies who received it with enthusiasm it was also proclaimed throughout the United States and was generally approved by those who had engaged in the opposition to the claims of the British Parliament some few individuals who had been zealous supporters of all measures which had for their object only ever dress of grievances and in his wisdoms the hope of accommodation still lingered either to timid to meet the arduce conflict which this measure rendered inevitable or sincerely believing that the happiness of America would be best consulted by preserving their political connection with Great Britain viewed the dissolution of that connection with regret others who afterwards deserted the American cause attributed their defection to this measure it was also an unfortunate truth then in the whole country between New England and the Potomac which was now become a great theater of action although the majority was in favor of independence a formidable minority existed who not only refused to act with their countrymen but were ready to give to the enemy every aid in their power it cannot however be questioned that the Declaration of Independence was wise and well timed the soundest policy required that the war should no longer be a contest between subjects and their acknowledged sovereign. End of chapter four