Patriot
forces under generals Benedict Arnold and Richard Montgomery are defeated by
the British defenders of the city of Quebec in Canada during the American
Revolution.
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Attacking a fortified Canadian city in the middle of winter was not the best plan |
On December
2, Arnold and Montgomery met on the outskirts of Quebec and demanded the
surrender of the city. Governor Sir Guy Carleton rejected their demand, and on
December 9 the Patriots commenced a bombardment of Quebec, which was met by a
counterbattery by the British defenders that disabled several of the Patriots’
guns.
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Soldiers battled the elements as well as one another |
At
approximately 4 a.m. on December 31, the Patriot forces advanced on the city
under the cover of a blizzard. The British defenders were ready, however, and
when Montgomery’s forces came within 50 yards of the fortified city they opened
fire with a barrage of artillery and musket fire. Montgomery was killed in the
first assault, and, after several more attempts at penetrating Quebec’s
defenses, his men were forced into retreat. Meanwhile, Arnold’s division
suffered a similar fate during their attack of the northern wall of the city. A
two-gun battery opened fire on the advancing Americans, killing a number of
Americans and wounding Benedict Arnold in the leg. Patriot Daniel Morgan assumed
command, made progress against the defenders, but halted at the second wall of
fortifications to wait for reinforcements.
By the time
the rest of Arnold’s army finally arrived, the British had reorganized and the
attack was called off. Of the 900 Americans who participated in the siege, 60
were killed and wounded and more than 400 were captured. The remaining Patriot
forces then retreated from the invasion of Canada. As the Americans crossed the
St. Lawrence River to safety, Benedict Arnold remained in Canadian territory
until the last of his soldiers had escaped. With the pursuing British forces
almost in firing range, Arnold checked one last time to make sure all his men
had escaped. He then shot his horse and fled down the St. Lawrence in a canoe.
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American General Benedict Arnold |
Less than
five years later, Benedict Arnold, as commander of West Point, famously became
a traitor when he agreed to surrender the important Hudson River fort to the
British for a bribe of ý20,000. The plot was uncovered after British spy John
Andrý was captured with incriminating papers, forcing Arnold to flee to British
protection and join in their fight against the country that he once so
valiantly served.
[December 31,
1775]
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