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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour itre reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est film* i partir de Tangle sup4rleur gauche, de gauche i drolte. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. i erreta d to \\ le pelure, pon h 1 2 3 nx 12 3 4 5 6 « • B BY1 PR ;iii 1 i rf * • LIBRARY EDITION. • CAMPAIGN AGAINST QUEBEC: V . * AN ACCURATE AND INTfRESTI Ng_ACCOUN T , OF TH « HARDSHIPS AN . OF TIfifi" BAND OF HBEOE S BT THE kOUTE OF THE KENNEBEC, AND CHAUDIERE BIVER, TO QUETSC, IN Ttffe TEAR 1775. Bt JOHN JOSEPH HENRT, Esq. Lato Pmldeiit of the Second Judicial DUtrtet in Pennsylvuila. REVISED EDITION, WITH CORRECTIONS AND ALTERATIONS. WATERTOWN, N. Y. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY KNOWLTON li RICE. ^ 1844 ^111967 331000' -A> 4 . #' Entered weording to Act of Conffren in the year 1844, by KlrowLTon k Rich, in the OflSce of t^ Glerjic of the Diatrict Court of the Northern District ofNe^-Toik. m^ii -Wrr *-^. .• ic Advertisement to the First Editiotu '^j :' TO THE I^UBUC. *rHIS work is given to the world, as left by Judjire Hen- ry. Had be lived to superintend the printing of it him- self, many alterations would, no doubt, have been made ; many passages which may at present appear obscure, would have been fully explained, and many differences of style corrected. As the work purports to be written by Judge Henry, it was thought improper to make any alterations or additions, trusting that the world, when acqyainted with the circumstances under, which it was published, would be disposed to pardon trivial errors. As to the truth of the principal facts, the following letter from General Michael Simpson to Judge Henry, is ample testimony : Pbar Sir, I have read your manuscript ** of the Expedition through the Wllderneai, in 1775.** Su far as I was concerned, in the transac- tions related in the worlc, they are truly stated. That expedition, perhaps the most arduous durin||[ the revolutionary war, is trulj represented. The public may, in the general, be assured that 'the account is genuine. Your humble servant, MICHAEL SIMPSON. To J. J. Hbrrt, Esq. ^' Advertisement to the Second Edition* THE PUBLISHERS Of this **Reviied Edition, vnth corrections,^^ deem it prop- er to state that the alterations or corrections extend no fur- ther than to render what was in a degree obscure, more plain. In many instances the style is also thought to be improved ; yet care has been taken to follow as nearly at pouible the author's phraseology, that the ezciteaent of .^-^^ TO 9BB »VBLIO. the narration may be preserved. The len^hy Notes of the original edition have been mainly omitted, as they relate to subjects mostly local, and of but little import to the general reader, or that are v^ell understood at the pres- ent day from other sources. It is a fact no more to be regretted than true, that care enough has not been taken to preserve incidents of thbse days which '* tried men^s souls ;" and it is principally to snatch from oblivion a feat of the Revolutionary times, but sli^htljT touched upon by historians, that the present Nar- rative is re- published. The actors, or their immediate successors, have little idea of the momentous interest which future generations will attach to every deed that tended to free us as a peo- pie from foreign domination, and to the establishment of a government whose theory is in a measure new, and need- ing every patriotic incitement to preserve unimpaired in practice. In this particular, the example of our fathers may be more useful than the precepts of cotemporaries. The read- er can form his own estimate when he shall have read the following interesting pages. Furthermore, it is an important truth, that although now, 1844, seventy years have passed away since the " Cam- paign against Quebec*' took place, and that the line of march was through what has been denominated the '* Dis- puted Territory," the account given in this narrative of the face of the country, its natural productions, &c. is su- perior to any yet before the public. This alone contributes in no small measure to the usefulness of the work. «"*' it' i ii'i i i p J V Notes of as they mport to the pres- hat care of thbse pally to noes, but nt Nar- ve little eratioDs I a peo« int of a i need- - ired in naj be e read- ad the mow, Gam- ine of Dis- ye of is su- butes LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, «t4 'i BT HIS DAUOHTBm. IT is an observation, trite, true, and universally admit- ted, that the lives of those who have not embraced a wide sphere of action, are uninteresting and perfectly devoid of any incitements to attention. On the contra- ry, the biography of warriors and statesmen is perused with avidity — ^not merely on account of the incidents of their own history, but of diose of the times in which they lived. In descending to the humbler walks of life, when we trace the history of a good and unforto- nate man throush all the varied evolutions that pecu- liarly mark his fate, and which prevent him from being enrolled in the list of those beings who have found their path divested of thorns, it is to some, still interesting ; and althoudi the incidents may not be of a nat < v* to excite wonder or astonishment, they may still po^>. ess the power to call forth thesympathy of minds that have been taught to feel for others' woes. John Joseph Henry, the author of the following pages, was bom November 4th, 1758, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His father was William Henry, Esq. a man whose memory is still revered by those who pos- sessed any knowledge of him. His strict honesty and knovni probi^, render it sacred to such as claimed him as their fnend. He was possessed of a strong mechan- ical genhis.* *H0 Wis the iDTentor of the weU4Eiiown lerew tuser. ▼itt ttra or Warmly attached to this his favorite pursuit, be wish- ed to iustU into the minds of his chiloren a taste for mechanics. With some of them he succeeded. As soon as his son John Joseph had attained the age of 14, he bound him an apprentice to ian uncle, who was a gunsmith, then a resident of Lancaster, but after some time removed to Detroit, taking his nephew with him. At that place his stay was but short, on account of scarcity of business. He returned on foot with a single guide, who died in the wilderness which lay be- tween Detroit and his home. It was here that those hardships and misfortunes first were felt, which were his future companions during a length of years devoted to God and his country. lu)un? Henry returned to his parents and home, dissatisfied with the employment a judicious father had pointed out for him, as the means by which he wished him to gain a future subsistence. His arduous mind panted Giber military glory ; the troubles of his country, fomenting and producing vig- orous, and ultimately successful struggles for a total e- mancipation from slavery, wrought strongly upon one, the acme of whose hopes and wishes was, to be one of those who contended most for freedom. In the fall of 1775 he clandestinely joined a regiment of men rais- ed in Lancaster county, for the purpose of joining Ar- nold, who at that time was stationed at Boston. His father was commissary to the troops, which office obli- ged him to attend them to Readmg. It was at this time, under circumstances which rendered him most liable to detection from his parent, he left his home to wander at the age of 16, in a strange land. Thus a thirst for glory inflamed his youthful breast, and super- seded every other passion and affection of his heart. After enduring all the fatisues of a veteran soldier, the army entered Canada on his birth-day — an eventful one to him. He endured hardships there w:hich in his own simple style, he fully enumerates. It was in prison, where he lay for nine months, that he contracted a dia- ease,| appej home .J,.,. ijiir.Wi.ilWMiiilMiiaKii _ I ^1 111 wihiMl I MM ■> I hewish- ^aste for ed. As 3 age of ^ho was ut after Bw with account with a lay be- t those h were levoted ned to jyinent means stence. r; the »g vig- 9tal e- n one, e one lefall nrais- gAr- His obli. this most le to us a iper- eart. ,the one own ion, difl- THB AVTHOm. » ease, (the scurvy,) which at that time did not make its appearance — but six weeks afterwards, on his return home, at a time when least expected, it made its ap- pearance under its most malignant form. It was at a time when it became a duty incumbent on him to con- tinue in the army. A captaincy had been procured for him in the Virginia line, and a lieutenancy in that of Pennsylvania. He had designed to accept of the com- mand under the hero Morgan, which was that of cap- tain ; but the disposer of aH events arrested his career, and instead of his fond expectations bein^ accomplish- ed, all his hopes were blasted, and his hic^h prospects rendered a dreary void, by the order of that Omnipo- tence who furnished him with that fortitude which en- abled him, through all his misery, to kiss the rod that chastised him. It was after two years' continuance on the couch of sickness, that his lee, which was the un- foxtunate cause of all his illness, began to heal, and re- novated health, to give hopes that peace yet remained for him. As his lameness precluded all possibility of his again entering the army ; (^ he had, by a disregard of pa- rental authority, at least so far as concerned his trade, forfeited his claim to his father's exertions to place him in such a situation as would make him capable o£ ren- dering himself useful to society, a vigorous effort on his part was necessary. Resolution was not wanting. xJe bound himself as an apprentice to John Hubley, Esq. prothonotary of the county of Lancaster, as a clexk: m the office, where for four years he pursued his business with the closest application, and discharged the duties of his office with unabated care and strictness ; and when the labors of the day were over, his nights were consumed in study, endeavoring to compensate himself in some measure for the neglect that his edu- cation had suffered by his becoming a soldier. His frame, still somewhat debilitated by his illness, Was not capable of sustaining the fatigues of office ; his healdi 11 ;! tiirx or suffered much from labor so seVelre, tmd applicatipn so intense. The time of his indentures having expired* he commenced the , study of the law ui^er Stephen Chambers, !Bsq. Here he became acquainted with his future companion in life, the youngest jester of Mr. G 4 He practised law from the year 1785« until December, 1793< As his legal knowledge w:as knowp.to be exten- sive, his abilities and talents met their due reward, ill an appointment, by his excellency Thomas M^ifflin; gov<' emor, to the office of president of the i^cond judicial district of Pennsylvania. m-mI h « r. A number of years had now elapsed, and his family was large. By an unfortunate- removfil to a country, at that period sickly, he was attacked by th^ gout^ Which, rrom inexperience, and bwiiig to his having no knowledge as to the consec^uenicies that would ;ne^eS8a-> rily enSue , did not takb proper inrecautions, so as to render it a regular disease. Under that deceptive name, numerous disorders invaded his i^^ame, and aft times with so much severity, that he was compelled to pontinUe at home, and thuis preveuted from IBx^Cuting his oifi^cial duties &s a judg0. It was during seven long years of bodily suffering, that his minid.anid memory re^ verted to those scenes, (ipore forcibly than ever,) which formed so eventful a period iu a life of misfortune and vicissitude. The interesting narrative of thesuffermgs of that band of heroes, of which he was the youngest, is a simple tale of truth, wln^hhe undeviatingly through*- out his book adheres to.. •> -fi . . He is supported in all his assertions by the teistimo- ny of a numoer of his companions in ihat arduous cam- paign; men of character and respectability. : Hisrela-^ (ion of incidents, his descriptive accounts of ,thc| coun- ti!y they parsed through, the situation ;of Quebec, and the disposition of the army, all mark him to have becoi a youth of accurate observation, and of a. comprehen- sive and intelligent mind* Possessing, as he must ^e-» pessarily have done, activity of spirit and ctmtempt of years i and a TBS AVTROB. Xl fatiffue, he gained the approbation and esteem of his seniors. The buoyant spirit of youth rose high over misfortune ; under the pressure of the severest distress, vivacity was still retained, and burst forth at intervals to cheer his hopeless companions. Disease had now made rapid progress on a constitu- tion weakened by repeated attacks, and accumulation of disorders, which no skill could counteract or reme- dy. The non-peformance of his duties caused petitions from the several counties to be presented to the legis- lature, for his removal; nothing was alleged against him but absence. That honorable house, having exam- ined and considered the charges, acquitted him with hon- or. His commission he retained for the space of two years afterwards-— but illness and del^lity increasing, and a knowledge that his infirmities were incurable, compelled him to resign that office which he had held with integrity for seventeen years. Four months af- terwards, his worn out frame was destined to feel the stroke of death, and his freed soul, to seek refuge in the bosom of his Father and his God. CAMPAIGN AGAINST QUEBEC. m MT DEAH CHILDRElf : THERE is an event in the history of the American Revolution hitherto little noticed ; as yet imperfectly described, and now at this late day almost forgotten ; which would deserve and require the talents and genius of a Xenophon, to do real justice. As your fether in eaily life had a concern in that adventure, permit him to relate to you In the words of truth, a compendious detail of the sufferings of a small band of heroes, unused, to be sure, to military tactics and due subordination, but whose souls were fired by an enthusiastic love of country, and with a spirit such as often inspired our ancestors, when determined to be free. In giving you this relation, knowing him as you do, you will scarcely call in question his ve- racity ; particularly when he assures you upon the honor of a gentleman and an honest man, that ev- ery word here related, to the best of his recollection and belief, is literally true. He could not be so un- just to your morals, your veracity, or integrity, as to state anything to you which he knew, or even sus- pected to be untrue. He has himself been too much the victim of calumny, not to endeavor to eradicate ■0 vile a principle from your minds. His own edu- cation, gained m waywardness, in avoidance of the bounteous and liberal desicns of his good father, waa ma incomct one, yet the ^y and real religkNii ftr* n 14 CAMPAIGN vor of his parents, never would tolerate a lie. This mental vice, to them, was the greatest of all abomi- nations, as it is with your father : it is also his most fervent hope and prayer, that every one of you will not only contemn untruth, but hold in sovereign de- testation the utterer of falsehood. Persons at your age, and at this advanced stage of the improvement and amelioration of our soil, in a climate so far south as ours, of Pennsylvania, can scarcely form a correct conception, but from actual observation,, of the sterility, the dreariness and (he destitution of every comibrt of life, which a wilder- ness in a high northern latitude exhibits. A confi- dence however in your good sense, encourages, and in fact animates him, to put that upon paper, which has a thousand times, in detached parcels, been the subject of amusing prattle around the fireside. ; In the autumn of 1775, our adorable Washing- ton thought it prudehl to make a descent upon Can- ada. A detachment from the American grand army, then in the vicinity of Boston, was organized, to ful- fil this intention, by the route of the Kennebec, and Ghaudiere river. It was intended as a co-operation with the army of General Montgomery, which had entered the same province, by the way of Ghamplain and Montreal. Colonel Benedict Arnol d was ap- pointed the commander-in-cblef of tlie whole divis- ion. The detachment consisted of eleven hundred men. Enos was second in command. Of this I knew nothing, except from report. Riflemen com- f^osed a part of the armament. These companies, from sixty-five to seventy-five strong, were from the southward ; that is, Captain Daniel Morgan's com- piuriv from Virginia; that of Captain William Hen«> drucKit from Cumberland county in Pennsylvania; «iid jQajpljBuii' iftKaitihew Smith's company from ili« DOS AGAINST QUEBEC. 1« This abomi- is most ^011 will sign de- stage of il, in a ia, can actual md (he wilder- 1 confi- 68, and which ;en the SHING- 3n Can- d army, I, to ful- ec, and leration ch had impiain vas ap- e divis- lundred f this I n com- ipanj«8, oiu the i*8 com- n Hen» Ivania ; om tli« county of Lancaster, in the latter province. The residue, and bulk of this corps, consisted of troops from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut* It has flown from my memory whether we had any from New-Hampshire • but there is an impression on my mind that we had ; as General Dearborn, who w^as of the latter province, commanded a company in the expedition. All these men were of as rude and hardy a race as ourselves, and as unused to the discipline of a camp, and as fearless as we were. It fell to me to know many of them afterwards inti-: mately ; speaking generally, without any allusion to particulars, they were an excellent body of men| formed by nature as the stamina of an army, fitted for the tough and tight defence of the liberties of their country. The principal distinction between us, was in our dialects, our arms, and our dress. Each man of the three companies bore a rifle-barreled gun, a tomahawk, or small axe, and a long knife, usual- ly called a * scalping knife,' which served for all pur- poses, in the woods. His under-dress, by no means in a military style, was covered by a deep ash-color* ed hunting-shirt, leggins, and moccasins, if the latter could be procured. It was the silly fashion of thosQ times for riflemen to ape the manners of savages. Our commander, Arnold, was of a remarkable character. He was brave, even to temerity, was be^ loved by the soldiery, perhaps for that quality only ; he possessed great powers of persuasion, and was com- plaisant, but withal sordidly avaricious. Arnold was a short, handsome man, of a florid complexion, stout* ly made, and forty years old at least. On the other hand Morgan was a large, strong bodied personage, whose appearance gave the idea history has left us of Belisarius. His manners were of the severest cast; but where he became attfiched T^-K m W CAMPAIGN he was kind and truly aflfectionate. This is said from experience of the most sensitive and pleasing nature. Activity, spirit, and courage in a soldier, procured his good will and esteem. Hendricks was tall, of a mild and beautiful coun- tenance. His Eioul was animated by a genuine spark of heroism. Smith was a good looking man, had the air of a soldier, was illiterate, and outrageously talkative. The officers of the eastern troops were many of them men of sterling worth. Col. Christo- pher Green seemed too far advanced in life for such hard service, yet he was inspired by an ardor becom- ing a yduth. He afterwards did the public good ser- vice at Redbank on the Delaware, in the autumn of 1777. Maiors Meigs, Febiger and Bigelow, were excellent characters. As we acted in the advance, the latter gentlemen were not well known to us un- til sometime afterwards. Your father was too young to enjoy any other honor than that of exposing him- self m the character of a cadet, to every danger. This liule army, in high spirits, marched from Pros- pect hill, near Cambridge in Massachusetts, on the 11th of September, 1776, and arrived at Newbury- port, (which is formed by the waters of the Merri- mac river,) on the following day. This place at that time was a small, but commercial town, near the eastern border of Massachusetts. Here we remain- ed encamped five days, providing ourselves with such articles of real necessity as our small means afford- ed. . On the adernoon of the sixth day we embark- ed on board of ten transports ; sailed in the evening, and at dawn of day descried the mouth of the Ken- nebec river. The wind was strong but fair. The distance of this run was 160 miles. We ascended the river to Colonel Coburn's ship-yard ; here we left our veaMls aud obtained batleaux, with which we zssss I is said pleasing soldier, il coun- le spark kn, had igeously ps were Christo- or such becom- :ood8er- umn of Vf were dvance, > us un- > young ng him- ger. mPros- on the wbury- Merri- at that sar the emain- Ih such aflbrd- iibark- rening, sKen- The ceodod iveleft ch we AGAINST QUEBEC. It proceeded to Fort Western. At this place, on the day of our arrival, an arrangement was made by the commander-in-chief, which in all probability sealed the destiny of your parent. It was concluded to des- patch an officer and seven men in advance, for the purpose of ascertaining and marking the paths that were used by the [ndians at the numerous carrying places in the wilderness, towards (he heads of the riv- er ; and also to ascertain the course of the river Chaudiere, which runs from the height of land, to- wards Quebec. To give some degree of certainty of success to so hazardous an enterprise, Arnold found it necessary to select an officer of activity and courage; the choice fell upon Archibald Steele of Smith's company, a man of an active, courageous, sprightly and hardy dispo- sition, who was complimented with the privilege of naming his companions. These consisted of Jesse Whwler. George Merchant, and James Clifton, of Morgaii'8 ; and Robert Cunningham, ^j|hpnni^^}ft|^^ ^T John Tidd, and John M'Konkey, of Smith's compa- ny. Though a very youth," yet in a snriall degree accustomed to hardships, derived from long marches in the American woods, Steele's course of selection next fell upon your father, who was his messmate and friend. Two birch-bark canoes were provided ; and two guides, celebrated for the management of such water ciaft, who knew the river as high up as the great carrying-place, were also found. These were Jeremiah Getchel, a very respectable man, and John Home, an Irishman who had grown grey in this cold climate. This small party, unconscious of danger, and an- imated by a hope of applause from their country, set forward from Fort Western in their light barks, at and in good wa- u II the rate of from fifteen to twei^tyi i f Aj >,<; !jl i^U u*:/ ^« , rA,v. / 1 {, .. ^. C i4'<^*^^ ♦^ ,1 18 CAMPAIGN ter, twenty-five miles per day. These canoes are so light that a person of common strength may carry one of the smaller kind, such as ours were, many hundred yards without halting. Yet they will bear a great burthen, and swim nearly gunwale deep; an admirable description of them is given by Hearne, in his journey to the Coppermine river. Steele's canoe bore five men with their arms and baggage, which last was indeed light in quality and quan^ty : one barrel of pork, one bag of meal, and 200 weight of biscuit. The other canoe carried seven men, their arms and baggage, and a due proportion of provis- ions. On the evening of the 23d of September, our par- ty arrived at Fort Halifax, situated on the point, form- ed by a junctidn of the Sabasticoog and the Kenebec river. Here our commander, Steele, was accosted by a Captain Harrison, or Huddlcstone, inviting him and the company to his house. The invitation wasglad- > Wjacpyted.^ the accommodation at the Fort, which consisted of old block houses and a stoccade in a ru- inous state, did not admit of much comfort ; besides, it was inhabited, as our friend the Captain said, by a rank tory. Here, for the first lime, the application of the American term *< tory" was defined Ui me by the Captain. Its European definition was well un- derstood before. Anotlier interesting conversation, on the part of the captain, struck my mind as a great curk)6ity in natural history, and well deserving com- memoration ; he observed that he had emigrated to Uie place he then resided at, about thirty years' be- fore, most probably with his parents, for he did pot then appear to be much beyond forty. That at that period the common deer which now inhabit our more ■outhern climate, were the only animals of the deer Idndi which they knew, unlen it was the elk ; and AGAINST QUEBEC. 19 are so J carry many ^ill bear iep; an irne, in \ canoe which y: one ight of , their provis- ur par- 1 form- enebec ijled by mand sglad- which 1 a ru- esides, id, by icatlon me by eil un« nation, I great : corn- led to rs'be- d pot It that more ) deer : and these but partially. In a short space of time the moose deer appeared in small numbers^ but increas- ed annually afterwards, and as the one species be- came more numerous, the other diminished : so that the kind of deer first spoken of, at the time of this information, according to the captain, was totally driven from that quarter. The moose deer reigned the master of the forest. This anecdote, if true, might in such minds as those of Bufibn, or De Paw, give rise to theories in natural history, totally incon- sistent with the laws of nature. Still there may be something in it; brute animals, like human beings, whether forced by necessity or from choice, do emi- grate. Many instances might be given of this cir- cumstance of the animal economy, in various parts of the world. The above relation is the only in- stance which has come to my knowledge, where one species has expelled another of the same genus. If the fact be true, it is either effected by a species of warfare, or some peculiarity in the appearance of the one khid, and of horror or perhaps of msgust in th^ other. We know that the rock-goat, (steinbockf of the Germans, and bwiuetin^ of the French,) former- ly inhabited the low hills of southern France and of the Pyrenees; they have been driven thence by some peculiar cause, for they are now confined to the tops of the highest mountains in Europe. It is true, it has been frequently advanced by men of respectabil- ity and information in Pennsylvania, that the grey fox, which is indigenous in the United States, and all North America, has been driven from the Atlantic sea coast into the interior, by the introduction of the red fox from Europe. But we have no sufficient da- ta to warrant this assertion. The truth probably is, that as the grey fox is a dull and slow animal, com- pared with the sprigbtlineiB, rapidity, and cunning of 'I! ' 80 CAMPAIGN A* i! the red fox, that the first has been thinned by the huntsman, and gradually receded from the sea-coast to the forest, where, from his habits, he is more se- cure. The cunning and prowess of the latter has enabled him to maintain his station among the farms, in despite of the swiftness and powerful scent of the dogs. But that which puts this assertion out of view, Is that the red fox is indigenous throughout North A- merica. He and the grey fox are found in the high- est latitudes, but there their skins are changed into more beautiful furs than those of ours, by the effects of climate. Another notion has been started within these twenty years past, that the fox squirrel is ex- pelling the large grey squirrel : but it is fallacious. Be these things as they ma^, we spent an agreea- ble and most sociable evening with this respectable man and his amiable family. On the following day our party rose early, and accompanied by our host, waited upon the tory, who then shewed himself to be an honest n^n, of independent principles, and who 'claimed the right of thinking for himself. He ex- changed a barrel of smoke-dried salmon for a barrel of pork, upon honest terms. We set out from this place, well pleased with our host, the old tory, and our bargain. In a very few days, without other ac- cident than the spraining of Lieutenant Steele's an- cle, by his slipping when carrying a canoe over the path, at one of the intermediate portages, we arrived safely at Norridgewoc falls. Coming to the landing place, the water being smooth and very deep, a rock, as we passed it, drew my attention very particularly ; it was standing in a conical form, five feet in perpen dicular height, and ten or twelve feet in diameter at the base. 1 observed that next the water, the face of (he rock, which was a bluish flint, was, as it were, •catloped out, dowQ to the water's edge. Asking Gelch< the Ini ed thei ableth have I: ever, time, occurs have doubt, pursue ed. ^ pitch town. vestig< mid-di me in of oui to eaci took p the t\i made, plus, prece^ der w lotted key V (vege I when ner. near roum M'Ki meat lastc and ESEsae AGAINST QUEBEC. 21 by the ea-coast lore se- tter has e farms, t of the of view, »orth A- le high- ed into 3 effects within 1 is ex- ;ious. agreea- )ec table ng day ir host, ilf to be id who He ex- i barrel >m this y, and her ac- e's alt- er the irrived mding I rock, ilarly ; lerpen- net at e face . were, Lsking Getchel how this had occurred, his reply was that the Indians in former times had from tnence obtain- ed their spear and arrow points. It seems unreason- able that without a knowledge of iron, they should have been capable of executing such a labor. How- ever, upon observation and reflection since GetchePa time, an inducement from experience and reasoning occurs, which influences me to believe that he might have been correct in his observation. The rock, no doubt, still remains, and ihere is leisure for others to pursue xhe inquiry and discussion. We were hurri- ed. The village within one hundred yards of the pitch of the fall was evidently a deserted Indian town. We saw no one there : it was without the vestige of inhabitants. Dressing our victuals here at mid-day, an occurrence happened which disgusted me in an extreme degree. On this day, an estimate of our food was made, and an allotment in quantity to each man, though no actual separation of shares took place, as that, it was agreed, should happen at the twelve-mile carrying place. By the^tiniate now made, it seemed that there was something of a sur- plus. As we had had hard work on that and some preceding days, and harder fare, our good comman- der was inclined to indulge us. The surplus was al- lotted for this day's fare. It happened that M'Kon- key was, by routine, the cook. He boiled the meat, (vegetable food of any kind was not attainable,) and when sauntering towards the fall, he called us to din- ner. We came eagerly. He was seated on the earth, near the wooden bowl. The company reclined a- round in a like posture, intending to partake ; when M'Konkey, raising his vile and dirty hands, struck the meat, exclaimed, with an oath, ^* that this was our last comfortable meal." The indelicacy of the act, and the grossness of expression, deprived the compa- ■«?v 22 CAMPAIGN «*■* '--■7 ' ■ . " V V ^ :i 1, .. ny of appetite. On several subsequent occasions M*- Konkey showed himself as mean in tspiiit as he was devoid of decency. We soon rid ourselves of him. Many years afterwards at Lancaster, in Pennsylva- nia, he applied for and received a loan by way of charity from me, which he meanly solicited with the most abject sycophancy. So true it is, in general, that those who disregard the social decencies of life, are equally incapable of those virtues which make man respectable in society. On the afternoon of this day we crossed to the west side of the river below the fall : searched for, and with difficulty found the carrying place. Hav- ing marked it with precision, we rested awhile. On the west side of the river, not very distant from us, there was a considerable extent of natural meadow. One of our party, exploring the country for deer, met with two white men who had come from a distance, mowing the wild grass of the meadow. An agree- able barter ensued — we gave salted pork, and they returned twcT fresh beaver tails, which, when boiled, renewed ideas imbibed with the May butter of our own country. Taste, however, is arbitrary, and of- ti^n the child of necessity. Two years before this, acorns had supplied me with a precarious sustenance, on a journey from Sandusky to Pittsburg. They momentarily sustained life and bodily labor, but the consequence was ill health. Your respectable kins- man, General Gibson, received me into his house at Logstown on the Ohio, and restored me sound to my parents. These minute matters are noted here, from an expectation, that knowing the privations men may suffer in respect to food, you will each of you remem- ber to receive the dispensations of Providence, of ev- ery kind| if not with thankfulness, at least with sub* mission. ■^ AGAINST QUEBEC. 29 ions M'- he was of him. nsylva- way of 7\lh the general, of life, make to the led for, Hav- B. On om usr, eadow. !er, met stance, agree- d they boiled, of our ind of- e this, nance. They »iit the » kins- use at to my B, from n may imem- of ev- btub< We passed the portage of Norridgewoc falls.— Thence for several days the navigation for such ca- noes as ours was tolerable, and in the most part, con-^ venient. We ascended the river rapidly, marking every carrying-place. Having now seceded many miles from the last white inhabitants at Norridgewoc, it became necessary to proceed with caution. A cir- cumspection was adopted, w^hich, though prudent in the predicament we were in, ap|)eared rather harsh to the feelings; the firing of a gun was inhibited ; though the weather was chilling, we dared scarcely make a smoke at night. Angling for trout and chub in the morning and evening made up our stock of fresh food. We frequently saw ducks, 6cc. and many moose deer, yet we discharged not a gun ; in truth we had been made to believe that this country had numerous Indians in it. The party reached without molestation, except from natural rock and a swift current, the twelve mile carrying-place, on the 27th of September. Here a new scene opened. Our guides professed that nei- ther of them had ever been north of this place across the carrying-place ; but Getchel alleged that he had hunted to the east of the river. Now we assumed the responsibility of being otn* own guides, giving to Getchel due respect and attention for his information relative to the route north. He informed me that the course of the river which is in^ judiciously called the ^' Dead River,'' tended 6() or 100 miles northerly, taking a short turn southward- ly, and was then within twelve miles of us. Tha^ this part was full of rapids, and impassable for boats, or even canoes. < We $eaiched for the carrying-place, and found a path tolerably distinct, which we made more SQ l^y marking the trees and snagging the busfal- « with our tomabawkf. Proceeding until evening, 't. 24 CAMPAIGN 11 the party encamped on the margin of a small lake, perhaps half a mile wide, where there were plenty of trout, which old Clifton, who was good at angliAg, caught in abundance. Here, in a conference on the subject, it was resolved that two persons of the party should remain, (with about one half of the provis- ions,) until the return of dur main body, calculating the return would be in eight or ten. days. It had been observed that Clifton, being the oldest of the . company, yet brave ^nd a good shot, from the fa- tigues we had endured had begun to flag. With the assent of our chief the younger part of us proposed to him to remain where we then were with, the bet- ter part of the provisions. After considerable alter- cation he assented, on condition of his having a com- panion. The youngest of the party nominated M'- Konkey, who could not restrain his joy at the propo- sal. It was advised for them to retire to the south end of the pond, perhaps a mile, and there, as in a per- fect recess, remain concealed. Knowing M'Konkey, the consequenceis were foreseen. After the accom- plishment of this affair Lieutenant Steele parted the provision appropriated for the marchers, not by pounds or ounces, my dear children, but |by <' whose shall be this." Some of you have been taught how this is done : if you have forgotten, it will he well now to tell you of it. The principal of the party, if he is a gentleman and man of honor, divides the whole portion equally into as many parts as there are men, including himself; this is done under the eyes of all concerned, and with their approbation; the officer then directs some one of the company to turn his back upon him, and laying his hand on a particular portion, asks " whose shaU be this T The answer IS bap-hazard, A. B. ^. or any other of the party. It hat frequently occurred that we were compeUed to AGAINST QUEBEC. 25 divide the necessaries of life in this way, and it could not be fairly said that any fraud or circumvention took place. September 28th, we left Clifton and his compan- ion in a most dreary wild, but with enough to sup- port them : and if they would act honorably, to as- sist us. A laughable occurrence ensued. ' Sergeant Boyd and myself had, that day, the charge of un^ loading and loading the canoes, which, as customa- ry, being very light and easily blown off shore by a puif of wind, were drawn half their lengths on the beach ; we ran a race to see who should perform his duty soonest-^he arrived first. Taking up his canoe 'suddenly, but hoping to have a better stand than the shore presented, he set his foot on a large bed of moss seemingly firm^ and sunk ten feet into as cold water, white fluid, as was ever touched. We soon passed (he pond, found the path,, marked it, and came, at the end of several miles, to a second pond, if my re- collection serves, larger than the former : traversing this, we encamped more cautiously than ever. On the next day, pursuing the path, and marking it, a third pond of small diameter was presented to our view. Passing this, by the evening we encamped on the north bank of the Dead River. This river, which is nothing more than an exten- sion of the Kennebec, is called by this remarkable name, because a current, a few miles below the place we were now at, and for many miles above it, is im- perceptible. It is deep, and perhaps 250 yards wide. The ground we footed within the last three days, is a very rugged isthmus, which forms the great bend of the Kennebec. Coming from the high ground to- wards the Dead River, we passed a bog, which ap« peared, before we entered it, as a beautiful plat of firm ground, level as a bowling green, and covered 8 h 1 26 CAMPAIGN by an elegant green moss. That day, to save my shoes for severer service, mockasins had been put in their place. Every step we made sunk us knee-deep in a bed of wet turf. My feet were pained and la- cerated by the snags of the dead pines, a foot and more below the surface of the moss ; these, and many other occurrences, which happened afterwards, con- vinced me more than reading could, of the manner of the formation of turf. Sometimes, to lighten the canoe when ascending swift water, several of us would disembark and proceed along shore, and on many occasions, traverse a point of land to save distance. Doing this, we ofien met with what we thought aflat ground cdvered with moss. Entering the parterre, as it might be called, and running along that which we found to be a log covered with moss, the moisture on the log would cause a foot to slip — down we would come, waist deep in a bed of wet moss ; such inci- dents always created a laugh. A spark, if these beds of moss had been dry, as they were wet, would have made a dreadful conflagration : the upper coun- try seemed throughout as if covered with it. To the south and west of the bog first mentioned, there was a natural meadow of great extent. On the west it reached, seemingly, to the foot of the mountains sev- eral miles off. A beautiful creek serpentined through it, and formed a convenient harbor and landing place, opposite to our camp, and directly to which the Indi- an path led us. The timber trees of this country are in a great measure diflerent from those of our own. Here are neither oaks, hickories, poplars, maples or locusts ; but there is a great variety of other kinds of excellent timber, such as the white and yellow pines, hemlock, cedar, cypress, and all the species of firs. Tlieee trees, in tne low grounds, grow to a very large size. AGAINST QUEBEC. 27 On the hills, as we approached northwardly, they seem to dwindle, particularly as we come to the " height of land ;" but again rise to a superb height as we descend into the intervale, on the streams run- ning into Canada. Among the trees of this country there are two which deserve particular notice, be- cause of their remarkable qualities. These are the balsam fir. (Canada Balsam — Balm of Gilead fir, or hahamum Canadense pinns halsomea: which produces ihe purest turpentine,) and the Yellow Birch. The first, as its vulgar name imports, yields a balsamic liquid, which has been, and perhaps is now, much esteemed by the medical profession. The bark is smooth, except that there are a vast number of white and lucid protuberances upon it, of the size of a finger or thumb nail, bulging from the surface of the bark. This tree grows to the size of from 15 to 20 inches in diameter. From the essays made, it seemed to me that a phial containing a gill might be filled in the space of an hour. Getchel, our guide, taught me its use. In the morning when we rose, placing the edge of a broad knife at the un- der side of the blister, and my lips at the opposite part, on the back of the knife, which was declined, the liquor flowed into my mouth freely. It was heat- ing and cordial to the stomach, attended by an agree- able pungency. This practice, which we adopted, in all likelihood contributed to the preservation of health — for though much wet weather ensued, and we lay often on lOW and damp ground, and had very many successions of cold atmosphere, it does not now occur to me that any of us were assailed by sickness during this arduous excursion. The yellow birch is useful in many particular instances to the natives. They form the body of the tree into setting-poles, paddles, spoons and ladles. The bark, its better pro- \-n ?M 28 CAMPAIGN perty, serves as a covering for the frame of the ca- noe, much in the same manner as the Esquimaux and Greenlanders apply the seal skin. To you it may appear to be a strange assertion, but to me it seems true, that the birch-bark canoe is the most in- genious piece of mechanism, man in a rude state is capab'e of constructing. From the bark of yellow birch, the Indian also forms bowls and baskets of a most beautiful construction, and it even serves as a wrapper for any nice matter which it is wished to keep securely, much in the manner we use brown wrapping paper. The appearance of the yellow birch tree at a distance, is conspicuous. Approaching near it, in the autumn, it seems involved in rolls, some- thing resembling large circular rounds of parchment, or -yellow paper. There is in my mind no question, but that among a numerous and industrious people, such as the Chinese, this indigenous product would become an article of general use in various ways. The bark, when taken from the tree, may be obtain- ed lengthwise of the tree, from one to four feet, and of a length equal to the circumference. It is some- times white, with a yellow cast, but more usually of a pale, and sometimes of a deep gold colour. It is divisible, when ever so thick, into the most filmy sheets. The Indians, for canoes, use it of the thick- ness of from a fourth, down to the eighth of an inch, according to the size of the vessel. Curiosity and convenience made us reduce it often to a film, by no means thicker or more substantial than the silky pa- per we obtain from India. It serves equally well for the pencil as paper. Ink, however, flows upon it. In the course of time a medium may be discovered to preclude this inconvenience ; this bark will pre- serve better than paper. The company, not apprehending the reverses that AGAINST QUEBEC. 29 the ca- limaux you it 3 me it nost in- state is yellow ?ts of a ;s as a shed to brown w birch agnear 8ome- hment, uestion, people, would ways, obtain- Bt, and 3 some- lally of It is It filmy \ thick- n inch, ly and by no kypa- vell for pon it. overed ill prc- esthat 1 fortune had in store for them, left the encampment, (September 30th,) full of courage and hope, though a strong drift of snow, which whitened all the sur- rounding hills, had fallen during the night. Having smooth water, we paddled away merrily, probably for thirty miles. Getchel, besides his sheer wisdom, possessed a large fund of knowledge concerning the country, which he had derived from the aborigines, and much humorous anecdote, with which, in spite of our privations, he made us laugh. It was omit- ted to be mentioned, that before we left our last en- campment, it became a resolution of the whole par- ty, that the pork in the possession of each one, should be eaten raw, and to be ate but in the morning and evening. As we could not obtain food in this miser- able portion of the globe, even for money, if we had had it, and having nothing else than our arms and our courage to depend on : unacquainted with the (rue dii^tance of our expedition, for we had neither map nor chart, yet resolved to accomplish our orders at the hazard of our lives — we prudently began to hoard our provision. Half a biscuit and half an inch square of raw pork, became this evening's meal. The day's journey brought us to the foot of a rapid, which convinced us that the term " Dead River" was much misapplied. The night was spent, not upon feath- ers, but the branches of the fir or the t^pruce. It would astonish you, my dear children, if there was leisure to explain to you the many comforts and ad- vantages those treii^ afford to the way-worn traveller. Suffice it now to say, we rested well. October Ist. The morning brought on new la- bors. Our secondary guide and myself, thinking that we could manage the water, slipped into our canoe. Qetchel and another worked Steele's, while our com- panioof, croflsing the hill, marked the carrying-placo. 3» I ,8* i I SO CAMPAIGN From our camp) two-thirds at least of these rapid?, were concealed from our view. In much danger, and by gieat exertion, we surmounted them in less than an hour. Tailing in our company, we had good water till the evening, when we were impeded by a precipitate fall of four feet. We encamped. Octo- ber 2d. Carrying here, we had good water all the next day ; mere fatigue and great lassitude of body most likely caused us to sleep well. From cautiona- ry motives our guns, though not uncared for, were considered as useless, in the way of obtaining food. Several of our company angled successfully for trout, and a delicious chub, which we call a lall-^sh. This place became remarkable to me, as sometime after- wards, my friends General Simpson, R o be rt Djxon, with myself, were here at the point ofaeatTi." This you will find in the sequel. Carrying a few perches around this precipice, we got into good water, and then performed a severe day's labor. October 3d. The evening brought us to our en- campment, on the south side of the river. Angling was resorted to for food. Sergeant Boyd, observing low ground on the other si(!S Of Ihg fiver, tind an un- common coldness in the water, passed over, and in an hour returned with a dozen trout, of extraordinary appearance, lon^, broad, and thick. The skin was of a very dark hue, beautifully sprinkled with deep crimson spots. Boyd had caught these in a large and deep spring-head. Contrasting them with those we caiught in the river, they were effdently of a differ- ent species. The river trout were of a pale ground, with pink spots, and not so flat or broad. The next day, proceeding onward, we here and there met with rrugh water. In the evening we were told, that on the next day we probably should arrive at the camp of Nataoia, an Indian, whom our coounander was instriK to the knew I dence goods ter, In AGAINST QUEBEC. SI instructed to capture or kill. Natanis was well known to the white inhabitants of the lower country ; they knew him from the geographical position of his resi- and I NATANIS, IN SEMI-BARBARIAN COSTUME. dence. The uninstructed Indian, if he possesses good sense, necessatily from his wanderings as a hun- ler, beoomm a geographer. This good man, (ai we 1-1 1 i» ) n J»?i CAMPAIGN ^^ 0ubsequently knew him to be,) had been wrongfully accused to Arnold, as a spy, stationed on this river to give notice to the British government, of any party passing this way into Canada : hence that cruel or- der. Oct. 4th. We landed some miles below where we supposed his house was. Our canoes were brought upon the shore and committed to the care of two of the party. We arrived at the house of Natanis, af- ter a march, probably of three miles, over a flat coun- try covered with pines, &,c. Approaching on all sides with the utmost circumspection, we ran quickly to the cabin, our riflps prepared, and in full belief that we had caught Natanis. Some were persuaded, at the distance of 200 yards from the place, that they saw the smoke of his Are. But the bird was flown. He was wiser and more adroit than his assailants, as you will afterwards learn. The house was prettily placed on a bank twenty feet high, about 20 yards from the river, and a grass plat extended around, at more than shooting distance for a rifle, free from tim- ber and underwood. The house, for an Indian cab- in, was clean and tigh^ with two doors, one fronting the river, the other on the opposite side. We found many articles of Indian fabrication, evidently such as would .:not be totally abandoned by the owner — besides, ic was remarked that the coals on the hearth, from their appearance, had been burning atleast with- in a week past. These notions did not allay our ap- prehensions of meeting with Indian enemies. The canoes, in the meantime having been brought up, we embarked and proceeded with alacrity. Vhis af- ternoon, in a course of some miles, we came to a ftream flowing from the west, or rather the north- west. As we were going along in uncertainty, part- ly iuduied to take the woiterly stream, one of the paity for driven d of neatl top. T terly strc more ws attentioi bark, w< streams liave de the maj tion froi er, whi( the Ind we attt who, a miles u after rel again r of one the we! desertei and thi kind ol of the Veniso spectin ney fe; ehallo> ed atp ter ini )X)nd t This 1 might Here, of an f- II igfully iver to party iiel 01- ere wo ought two of is, af- coun- sides ;kly to f that led, at t they flown, mts, as preirily ) yards ind, at mtim- m cab- onting found ' such ner — learth, wich- ur ap. Tlie It up, i^iisaf- to a lorth- , part- f the AGAINST QUEBEC. t» s paity fortunately saw a strong stake which had been driven down at the edge of the water, with a piece of neatly folded birch bark, inserted intoasplitatthe top. The bark, as it was placed, pointed up the wes- terly stream, which, at its mouth, seemed to contain more water than our true course. Our surprize and attention was much heightened, when opening the bark, we perceived a very perfect delineation of the streams above us, with several msH'ks which must have denoted the hunting camps, or real abodes of the map-maker. There were some lines, in a direc- tion from the head of one branch to that of anoth- er, which we took to be the course of the paths that the Indians intended to take that season. This map we attributed to Natanis, or to his brother, Sabatis, who, as we afterwards knew, lived about seven miles up this westerly stream. For when our party, after returning to the twelve mile carrying-place, had again re-ascended the river, we were told, by the crew of one of Morgan's boats, that they hsid mistaken the westerly stream as the due route, and had found deserted cabins at the distance already mentioned, and the property of the late inhabitants, placed in a kind of close cage, made of birch bark in the forks of the trees ; these they most iniquitously plundered. Venison, corn, kettles, 6cc. were the product. In> specting the map thus acquired, we pursued our jour- ney fearlessly. Now the river became narrower and shallower. The strength of each of us was exert- ed at poling or paddling the canoes. Some rapid wa- ter interfered, but in a few days we came to the first |X)nd at the head of the Dead River. October 7th. This first pond, in the course of the traverse we made might be about a mile, or a little more, in diameter. Here, on a small island, scarcely containing a fourth of an acre, we discovered and ate a delicio s species •4 U :m 1 •4 # CAMPAIGN of cranberry, entirely new to us. It grew upon bush- es from ten to twelve feet high, the stock of the thick- ness of the thumb, and the fruit was as large as a May-duke cherry. In the course of one or two miles, we reached a second pond. Between this pond and the third, we carried ; the communication, though not long, was too shallow for our canoes. The car- rying-place was excessively rugged, and in high wa- ter, formed a p»rt of the bed of the stream. The country around us had now become very mountain- ous and rough. Several of these mountains seemed to stand on insulated bases, and one in particular, formed a most t)eautiiul cone, of an immense height. We rested for the evening. October 8th. We arrived near the height of land which divides the waters of New-England from those of Canada, which run into the St. Lawrence. The weather, in consequence of the approaching winter, had become piercingly cold. My wardrobe was scan- ty and light. It consisted of a roundabout jacket, of woollen, a pair of half-worn buckskin breeches, two pairs of woollen stockings, (bought at Newburyport,) a hat with a feather, a hunting-shirt, leggins, a pair of mockasins, and a pair of tolerably good shoes, which had been closely hoarded. We set out early, yet jovially. We entered a lake surrounded by high and craggy mountains, and per- pendicular rocks of very considerable altitude, which about 1 1 o'clock, A. M. cast us into a dusky shade. Pulling the paddle, as for life, to keep myself warm, some trifling observation, which fell from me, relative to the place we were in, such as its resemblance to the vale of death, drew the attention of the company. Getchel, in his dry way, turning toward me, said, " Johnny, you look like a blue leather whet- stone." The simpUcity and oddity of the expresiion, and the AGAINST QUEBEC. 85 upon bush- f thethick- iarge as a two miles, pond and n, though The car- 1 high wa- im. The mountain- ns seemed particular, ,se height. fit of land rora those ce. The ff winter, was scan- jacket, of hes, two >uryport,) s, a pair d shoes, )d a lake and per- which shade, warm, relative cetothe mpany. 3, said, stone." indthe gravity of his manner, caused great merriment ti my expense : it was enjoyed on my part, certain that it was not an expression of disesteem, but affection, for the man liked me. These minim tales and jejune occurrences are related to convey to your minds an idea how men of true spirit will beard death in every shape, even, at times, with laughter, to effectuate a point of duty which is considered essential to the welfare of their country. Thus we went on, inces- santly laboring without sustenance, until we came, about 3 o'clock, to the extreme end of a fifth and the last lake. This day's voyage might amount to fif- teen or twenty miles. On this lake we obtained a full view of those hills which were then, and are now, called the " Height of Land." It made an impression upon us that was really more chilling than the air which surrounded us. We hurried ashore — drew out our canoes, and covered them with leaves and brush-wood. This done, with our aims in our hands, and our provisions in our pockets, we made a race across the mountain, by an Indian path, easily ascertainable, until we ar- rived on the bank of the Chaudiere river. The dis- tance is about five miles, counting the rising and de- scent of the hill as two. This was the acme of our desires. To discover and know the course of this river was the extent of our orders: beyond it we had nothing to do. Our chief, wishing to do every thing a good officer could to forward the service, asked if any one could climb a tree, around the foot of which we then stood. It was a pine of considerable height, without branches for forty feet. Robert Cunning- ham, a strong, athletic man, about twenty-five years old, presented himself. In almost the twinkling of an eye, he climbed the tree. He fully discerned th« meandering course of the rifer, as upoR a nap, nad - I H : * ?^ CAMPAIGN even descried the lake Chaudiere, at a distance of fourteen or fifteen miles. The country around and between us and the lake, was flat. Looking west- tvard, he observed a smoke ; intimating this to us, from the tree where he sat, we plainly perceived it. Cunningham came down ; the sun was setting ap- parently in a clear sky. Now our return commenced. It so occurred that I was in the rear, next to Getchel, who brought it up. We ran in single file, and while it was light, it was observed by me, as we tried to stride into the footsteps of the leader, that he covered the track with Uk feet ; this was no mean duty. It required the courage, the vigor, and the wisdom which designates genuine man- h^)d. Our object was to be concealed from a knowl- edge of any one who might communicate our pres- ence there, to (he Canadian government. The race was urged, and became more rapid by the indications of a storm of rain : we had scarcely reached more than half way up the hill, when the shower came down in most tremendous torrents. The night be- came dark as pitch ; we groped the way across the ridge, and in descending, relying on the accuracy of our leader, we continued with speed. The piecipice was very steep; a root, a twig, perhaps, caught the buckle of my shoe ; I tripped, and came down head foremost, unconscious how far, but perhaps twenty or thirty feet. How my gun remained unbroken, it is impossible to say. When I recovered, it was in my hands. My companions had out-stripped me. Stun- ned by the fall, feeling for the path with my feet, my arrival at the canoe-place was delayed till ten at night, an hour and more later than my friends. An erection called a tent, but more correctly a wigwam, tVtti made in the hurry with forki and cross-poles, covered with th« branches of fir. It rained incesr AGAINST QUEBEC. 07 stance of und and ng west- is to us, ;eived it. tting ap- d that I U it up. it was footsteps Jiia feet j •age, the neman- i knowl- ur prcs- 'he race ications id more sr came ght be- OSS tile racy of tecipice rht the n head enty or n, it is in my Slun- ly feet, ten at I. An rwam, ^polef, mcesf santly all that night. If the clothes we wore had been dry, they would have become wet ; so we laid down in all those we bad on. Sleep came to my eyes, notwithstanding the peltings of the pitiless storm through the humble roof. October 9th. We arose before day. The canoes were urged suddenly into the water, it still raining hard, and at day light we thought of breakfasting. Gracious God! what was our fare? What could we produce for such a feast ? Rummaging my pan- taloons pockets, I found a solitary biscuit and an inch of pork. Half of the biscuit was devoted to the break faifit, and so also by each person ; and that was consumed in the canoes as we paddled over the lake. The rain had raised the lake, and consequently the outlets, about four feet. We slid glibly along, over passages where a tew days previous, we had carried our canoes. At the outlet of the fourth lake, count* ing as we came up, a small duck appeared within shooting distance. It was a diver, well known in our country — a thing which we here contemn. Know- ing the value of animal food, in our predicament, sev- eral of us fired at the diver : Jesse Wheeler, how- ever, (whom all acknowledge(f"2rfi' excellent shot,) struck it with his ball. A shout of joy arose — the little diver was safely deposited in our canoe. We went on quickly, without accident, till the evening, probably traversing a space of more than forty miles. At night-fall we halted, weary and without tasting food since morning. Boyd and Cunningham, who were right-hand-men on most occasions, soon kindled a fire against a fallen tree. An occurrence this eve- ning took place, which my dear children you will hardly credit, but which, (permit me to assure you,) is sacredly true. The company sat themselves gloom- ily around the fire j the cook^ according to routine^ ,i.tf i if 88 CAMPAIGN : > (whether our chief or others,) picked the duck, and when picked and dressed, it was brought (o the fire- side. Here ii became a question, how lo make the most of our stock of provisions. Finally it was con- cluded to boil ihe duck in our camp-ketile, togeiiier with each man's bit of pork, distinctly marked by running a small skewer of wood through it, with his particular and private designation. Tliat the broth thus formed, should be the supper, and the duck on the ensuing morning should be the breakfast, and which should be distributed by "whose shall be this. ' Strange as this tale may appear to you, in these times, the agreement was religiously performed. Being young, my appetite was ravenous as that of a wolf, but honor bound the stomach tight. We rose early, and each person selected his bit of pork, which made but a single mouthful — there was no controversy. The diver was parted most fairly, into ten shares, each one eyeing the integrity of the division. Lieutenant Steele causing the "turning of the back," the loitery gave me a victory over my respectable friend Cunningham. His ishare was the head and the feet, mine one of the thighs. Hungry and miserabl« as we were, even this was sport to us. In fact, we were sustained by a flattering hope that we should, soon meet our friend?*, " the army." . Setting out early on the lOth of October, by the evening we mftde nearly fifty miles. The bit of pork and the rest of the biscuit became my supper. My colleagues were similarly situated. The morning sun saw us without any food. We did not despond. The consolatory idea that on that, or the next day, we should, certainly join the army, infused energy in- to our minds and bodies. Yet being without food, though we loved each other, every endearment which biodd man to man ^yns^iisit w^re^forgQUentJaa pro- jck, and the fiie- lake ihe was con- togeiher irked by with his he broth duck on ast, and shall be you, in srformed. that of a his bit of liere was [)st fairly, Ly of (he " turning over my i was the Hungry ort to us. >e that we , by the (itofpork )er. My morning despond, ext day, nergy in- Dut food, nt which Jaapro- a AGAINST QUEBEC. M found silence. After a long day's journey, still we were supperlevs. The succeeding morning, (11th,) starting early, we ran at a monstrous rate. The waters, by addi* tional rains above, had risen greatly. By ten or e- leven o'clock, A. M. we obseived a great smoke be- fore us, which from its extent, we could ascribe to noihirig else than the encampment of the army, our friends and fellow-soldiers. After some time, the light canoe, several hundred yards before us, (with Steele and Getchel in it,) passed between the forks of a tree, which lay rooted in the middle of the stream, where most likely it had lain for many years. Ail its branches had been worn away by the annual friC' tion of the ice or waters, except those which formed the fork, and they stood directly against the current, nearly a foot out of water, and tdn or more feet a- part. Seeing our iriends pass through safely, and be- ing unconscious that we were worse or less adventu- rous watermen than they were, we risked it. We ran with great velocity. JVIy good Irishman steered. By an unlucky stroke of some one of our paddles, (for each of us had one,) but from his situation and power over the vessel it was fairly attributable to the. steersman, the canoe was thrown a little out of itsj true course, just as it was entering the prongs of the fork. Trifling as this may appear to you, to us it was the signal of death. One of the prongs took the right hand side of the canoe, within six inches of the bow, immediately below the gunwale, duick as lightning that side of the canoe was laid open from stem to stern, and water was gushing in upon us that would inevitably have sunk us in a second of time, but for that interference of Providence which is athe- ist ically called presence of mind. Otherwise a host of men coi^ld not have saved us from a watery grave. ■ I' !li U \\ > H ) . I 40 CAMPAIGN Instinctively leaning to the left, we sunk the gun- wale of that side down to the water's edge, by which we raised the broken side an inch and more out of it. Calling loudly to our companions ahead, they eoon saw our distress, and put in at the great smoke. Carefully and steadily sitting, and gently paddling, many hundred yards, we landed safely. Here was no army, no friends, no food — only a fiiendly fire, kindled by ourselves as we ascended the river ; it had been our camp. The fire we had made had scarce- ly more than smoked, but now it had crept into the turfy soil, and among the roots of trees, and was spread over half an acre. Our situation was truly horrible. When we had examined the broken ca- noe, and had rummaged both, for the means of re- pairing it, every heart seemed dismayed. Our birch bark. and pitch had been exhausted in former repairs — we were without food — perhaps one hundred miles from the army, or perhaps that army had returned to New England. That sensation of the mind call- ed " the horrors," seemed to prevail. Getchej alone was really sedate and reflective. He ordered the oth- er guide to search for birch bark, whilst he would look among the pines for turpentine. We followed the one or the other of these worthies, according to inclination, and soon returned with the desired mate- rials. The cedar root was in plenty under our feet. Now a difficulty occurred, which had been unfoie- ■een, and which was seemingly destructive of'ail hope. This was the want of fat or oil of everv kind, with which to make the turpentine into pitch. A lucky thought occurred to the youngest of the company, thai the pork bag lay empty and neglected in one of the canoes. The thought and the act of bringing it were instantaneous. The bag was ripped, and as if it had beeo so much gold dust, we scraped from it a- AGAINST QUEBEC. 41 : the gun- , by which lore out of lead, they eat smoke. paddling, Here was endly fire, ^er ; it had I ad scarce- )t into the I, and was was truly iroken ca- ans of re- Our birch [ler repairs jred miles 1 returned mind call- shel alone id theolh- Iie would i followed lording to ired male- r our feet, n unfore- fall hope, ind, with A lucky company, in one of ringing it and as if from it a- bout a pint of dirty fat. Getchel now prepared an abundance of pitch. The cedar root gave us twine. The canoe was brought up to the fire. We found every rib except a few at the extreme points, actual- ly torn from the gunwale. All hands set to woik — two hours afterwards, the canoe was borne to the wa- ter. We embarked, and proceeding cautiously, as we thou>>hl, along the shore, (for we dared not yet, with our craggy ves^sel, venture into deep water,) a snag, standing up stream, struck through the bottom of the canoe. This accident happened about five hundred yards from the fire. We put back with heavy hearts and great ditficully — our friends followed. It took an hour to patch the gap. The cup of sorrow was not yet full. As the men were bearing the wounded ca- noe to the w^ater, Serp^eant Boyd who paddled in the small canoe, whicii was drawn up as usual, taking 'hold of the bow, raised it waist high, (as was light,) intending to slide ii. gently intt) the water — the bank wassieepand slippery, and Oh ! my dearchildien, you cannot conceive the dread and hormr the succeeding part of thii* scene produced in our minds. IVIr. Boyd's feet slipped — the canoe fell from his hands — its own weight falling upon the cavity formed by the decliv- ity of the bank and the water — broke it in the cen- tre into two pieces, which were held together by no- thing but the gunwale. Now absolute despair for the first lime seized me. A thought came across my mind, that the Almighty had destined us to die of hunger in this inhospitable wilderness. The recol- lection of my parentu, my brothers and sister, and the clandestine and cruel manner of my deserting them, drew from me some hidden, yet burning tears, and much mental contrition. This was unknown, unieeo, and unheard by any but Him who is prefleat 4* '! :i "^"^r 49 CAMPAIGN 'I I every where, and sees our inmost thoughts. Getch- el, (comparing small things with great, who much resembled Homer's description of Ulysses, in his per- son, and whose staid and sober wisdom and foresight also bore a likeness to the talents of that hero,) re- signed, yet thoughtful and active, instantly went to work. The canoe was brought to the fire, and pla- ced Id a proper posture for the operation. The la- cerated parts were neatly brought together, and sewed with cedar root. A large ridge of pitch, as is cus- tomary in the construction of this kind of water craft, was laid over the seam to make it water-tight. Over the seam a patch of strong bark a foot in width, and of a length sutiicient to encircle the bottom, even to the gunwales, was sewed down at the edges and pitch- ed. Again over the whole of the work it was thought prudent to place our pork bag, i^hich was well satu- rated with liquid fat. It was a full yard wide, and was laid down in the same manner. This work, which was laborious, nearly consumed the rest of the day. ,; We set out notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, and would it is likely have gone ail night, well knowing the water below to be good, but for an en- livening occurrence, which soon after happened. Hun- ger drove us along at a cautious but rapid rate. The sterility of the country above had afforded us no game, neither moose, bear, nor wolf: nothing in short but the diver and a red pine squirrel, which was too small and quick to be killed by a bullet. These squirrels did not much exceed in size our striped ground sauirrel. About dusk the lieutenant's canoe, four hundred yards before us, had within view turn- ed a sharp point oi land, when we heard the crack of a rifle, and presently another and a huzza. Ap- jNTeiiendiog an attack horn an enemyi we pulled hard AGAINST QUEBEC. 4t I. Getch- vho much in his per- d foresight hero,) re- f went to , and pla- Tiie la- and sewed as is cus- vatercraft, ht. Over M^idth,and n, even to and pitch- as thought well satu- wide, and 'his work, rest of the !S9 of the night, well for an en- Eied. PJun- aic. The ed us no )g in short h was too t. These ur Hlriped ni's canoe, ^'iew mm- the crack tsza. Ap- ulledhard 1 \ to be enabled to support our friends. In a moment or two, observing them pulling for the north shorcj which was steep, we looked up it for the enemy. Good Heavens ! what a sight ! We saw a moose- deer falling on the top of the bank. A cry of exul- tation seemed to burst the narrow valley of the riv- er. Steele had struck the deer in the flank, as it was leaving the water, but it sprung up the bank with agility. Wheeler, wiih better fortune for us all, pier- ced its heart as it arrived at the top. Seeing (his, you can scarcely imagine the celerity ol our move- ments. We were ashore in a moment. A fire was kindled — the secondary guide cut off the nose and upper lip of the animal, instantly, and had it on the fire. What a feast ! But we were prudent. We sat up all night, selecting the fat and tit-bits — frying, roasting, boiling and broiling. Tow^irds morning we slept a few hours, absolutely careless of conse- quences. We knew that we had arrived in a land where game was plentiful, and where there were no foes i^uperior to our number, to oppose us. Oct. 12. — We rose after sunrise, and began, accor- ding to practice, to examine and prepare our guns. Prepared, mine was placed against a tree ; my duty, in course, was of the culinary kind. George Mer- chant, my coadjutor, had gone to the river for water. He ran back, seized his own gun, and intimated that a bull moose was swimming across the river towards the camp. We jumped to our arms — it so happened that my station was rearward. The enormous ani- mal was coming towards us, and not more than fifty paces off, his head and horns only above water. 'J^he siffht was animating. Wheeler and some others fir- ed at his head, but without effect. The extieme desire they had to possess so noble a prey, piobably caused a tremor of the band, of that pari of his body I ■ I.:-! ui -T^-ijigaiiii UMiii Kl i. m CAMPAIGN -'^ t. ! . I ! I ^f. 1 II ■ 1 II ' 1 1 1 , !| i ; was impenetrable to our small balls, which is most likely. The moose turned and swam to the oppo- site bank. Having ^ot to ihe verge of the river, his emerging was awaited. My ball struck precisely where it ought to kill. The huge animal rose the bank by several boggling leaps, but seemed unknow- ing which way to run. We thought he would fall. Wheeler, and some others, getting into the canoes, pursued him by his blood half a mile. When Whee- ler returned he overloaded me with praises for the accuracy of the shot, and was confident that the deer was killed. We had no time to spare. We feasted till noon, and in the intermediate moments culled the entrails for the fat : we even broke the bones and extracted the marrow, under the full persuasion that food of an oily nature is one of the strongest main- stays of human life. Of this principle, if we had a doubt, we were shortly afterwards most irrefragably convinced. We departed from our camp joyously, untortured by the fear of starving : our canoe sunk deep by the weight of our venison. Running some miles and suddenly doubling a point, we saw a large grey wolf sitting on his haunches — he was fired at, but the distance was too great. He escaped. Look- ing down the river we saw a moose swimming from the main to an island ; it was soon brought down. It proved to he young — of about 3U0 pounds weight. Its ears and flanks were much torn by il*e wolf. It constituted veal in our larder. The choice parts were deposited in the canoes — the residue was at the disposal of the wolf. The following morning, (October 13th,) embark- ed early. After noon we arrived at our first encamp- ing ground on the '* Dead River," in good health and spirits, though pallid and weak fur the waut of sub- •tarttiai food in due qiiaoUty. AGAINST QUEBEC. 4« h is most ► the oppo- e river, his : precisely il rose the i un know- would fail, he canoes, len Whee- jes for the lat the (leer We feasted ;nts culled ! bones and ihsion that i^est main- r we had a refragably I joyously, anoe sunk ning some ;awa large as fired at, id. Look- ning from ight down, da weight. 8 wolf. It loice parts was at the ,) embark- stencamp- health and lut of tub- '%■ By this time the fat and marrow of tlie animate* had killed, were exhausted, and our stock of salthad been long since expended. One who has never been deprived of bread and salt, nor known the absence of oleaginous substances in his food, cannot make a true estimate of the invaluable benefiisof such ingre- dients, in the sustenation of the bodily frame ; nor of the extremity of our corporeal debility. We ascended the bank, which is steep, and about fourteen feet high, carrying our baggage, arms and venison, leisurely, by piecemeal. The canoes, be- ing too heavy for our strength, were secured below, in the water, by withes. It was immediately conclu- ded to prei^erve our provisions by jerking. This op- eration is done by slicing the meat into thin strips. Then driving four forks into the earth, in a square position, at the required distance perpendicularly, and laying poles from fork to fork, and poles athwart from pole to pole. A rack is thus made, about four feet high, on which the sliced meat is laid, and smoke-fres are made underneath. This duty was soon perform- ed. We now began to look about us, and discuss the subject of our return to the army, which we had, be- fore this time, persuaded ourselves we should meet at this place. The non-appearance of the army, and our distress induced a conclusion that we were desert- ed and abandoned to a diastrous fate, the inevitable result of which would be a sinking into eternity for want of food ; for though we might have killed more deer, the vigor of our bodies was so reduced that we were convinced that that kind of food could not re- store us to our wonted energy, and enable iis to per- form so rugged and long a march as that to the fron- tiers of Maine. The notion of navigating the riv- er was scouted as a fallacy, because we did not pos- sets a sufficient degree of bodily force to bear the ca- !';li j" I. r i i |. I 1.1 l\i i i j im ^ m ^ I " . jaL~Jfc« rtftf^W , < ■ ^■o>*^-— .- .■a,.>.y*.., il t; 1 i 46 Campaign noes across the twelve-mile carrying-place. As, in the case of the retreat of the army, we had deter- mined to follow, it became necessary to finis^h the jerkinsf, which would take six days, to make it the more portable for our feebleness, and preservableif we should have wet weather on the march. It was fur- ther concluded, "That Lieutenant Steele, Getchel and Wheeler, should immediately proceed on foot a- cross tfieTwi^ve mile carrying-place, to meet the ar- my. If they did meet it, that they should return to us with supplies by the end of three days, but in all events to return." Having no doubt of the honor of those gentlemen, the rest of the party remained, cheerfully jerking the meat. Now we experienced the full extent of a new species of starving. Hav- ing neither bread, nor salt, nor fat of any kind, ev- ery day we remained here we became more and more weak and emaciated. We had plenty of meat, both fresh and dried, of which we ate four, five and .six times a day, in every tihape we had the means of dressing it. Though we gorged the stomach, the ap- petite was unsatiated. Something like a diarrhoea ensued, which conirihuted to the imbecility of our bodies. Bear's oil would have made our venison sa- voury, but such an animal as a bear, we had not as yet seen in all our wanderings. On the evening of the fourth day, we looked out for our absent compan- ions with much heartfelt anxiety. They came not. On the morning of the next day, we consulted up- on the question whether we should follow the army. A majority voted for staying a few days longer to complete the jerking. To shew you the great bodi- ly weakness we were brought to, it, may be proper to relate the following anecdote as more evincive of the fact than any other method which might be adopt- ed, to bring it fully to your minds. Sergeant Boyd, AGAINST QUEBEC. 47 e. As, in had deter- finUh the ake it the vableif we It was fur- e, Getchel I on foot a- leet the ar- d return to , but in all le honor of remained, xperienced ng. Uav- f kind, ev- e and more meat, both ^e and .six I means of ich,theap- a diarrhoea ility of our venison sa- had not as evening of ntconipan- came not. nsulted up- 1 the army. 3 longer to great bodi- )e proper to icive of the L be adopt- eant Boyd, (the strongest and stoutest man of the party, and per- haps of the army,) and myself, taking our armw, de- scended into a canoe, and passed the river, to the mouth of the creek before mentioned, intending to go to the next pond on the carrying-place, there to meet, as we hoped, the advance of the array. We stag- gered along through the plain, falling every nowand then, if our toes but touched a twig or tuft of grass. Thus going forward, we arrived at the edge of the moss l)og, which is mentioned as we ascendf:d the riv- er, and which is one and a half, or two miles from the pond. Here my worthy friend Boyd, unable to proceed, sunk down upon a log. My seat, in tears of excruciating grief, was n. set such gadocio, a for prciof to ffe, excep- )erj partic- 11 r faces to- iiessmates, we soon )ur former Weac- in minute 8 we had id his pi- the bush- ity,in the J'he thiee upmirold ng the af- mped for ar of the New England troops : they came up hourly. Du- ring our stay here, it pleased me internally to observe that Morgan adopted certain rules of discipline, ab- solutely necessary to the state we were in, but dis- cordant with the wild and extravagant notions of our private men. Powder and ball, particularly the first, to us riflemen, was of the first consequence. At Cambridge the horns belonging lo the men were filled with an excellent rifle powder — which, when expended, could not be replaced in Canada by any powder of an equal quality. The men had got into a habit of throwing it away at every trifling object. Upon our return from the Chaudiere, this circum- stance raised disgust in us : for we had been stuclf- ously careful of our ammunition, never firing but at some object that would give us the means of subsis- tence. Though we drew our loads every morning, from a fear of the dampness of the atmosphere, yet the ball and powder were never lost. Our bullet^ screws brought the first out with ease, and it was re- cast: the latter was carefully relumed to the horn, where, if moist, it soon became dry. Morgan's prin- cipal rules were, that there should be no straggling from the camp ; and no firing without authoritative permission. Reasonable as these injimctions were, they were opposed. Being young, and my friend Steele absent, a whisper of approbation did not fall from me, which, in my subordinate station, might have been indelicate. \t was left '.o the energy of Morgan's mind, and he conquered. During our rest- ing here, Arnold, accompanied by Steele and some excellent boatmen, proceeded to the head of the riv- er. The rifle corps preceded the main body of the army, both by land and water. The boats, which were heavily laden with baggage and provisions, took in no more men than were necessary to navigate m ill 'HM "■i^--- n CAMPAIGN I! them, that is, three to a boat. The remainder of (he army marched by land, the river being generally their guide. Here, my dear children, permit me to give you the genuine character of my friend General Simpson, whom you all know personally. He was among iity earliest and best friends. He was then as apparent- ly eccentric as he is at this lime : there is no obvious difference in his manner between the two periods. — As an officer, he was always active and keen in the Eerfoimance of his duty. Hard was the service ; but is heart was soft to his friend. Simpson invited his messmate aboard his boat, being siill somewhat fee- ble from our late privations ; the invitation was glad- ly accepted. Oct. 21st. — We embarked. Having Lieut. Simp- eon for a steersman, and John Tidd and Jas. Dough- erty as boatmen, we went gaily on ibr that and the next day : able to lead any boat in the river. Oct. 22d. — On the evening of this second day, we encamped on a bank eight or nine feet high, at a place where we had rested when ascending the river the first time. In the evening a most heavy torrent of tain fell upon us, which continued all night. Hav- ing now a good tent over our heads, the inc(^veni- ence was not much felt. We slept soundly. To- wards morning we were awakened by the water that flowed in upon us from the river. We fled to high ground. Oct. 23d. — When morning came, the river present- ed a most frightful aspect : it had risen at least eight feet, and flowed with terrifying rapidity. None but the most strong and active boatmen enteied the boats. The army marched on the south side of the river, making large circuits to avoid the overflowings of the iotervale or bottom lands. This was oue of the most i hi th ini est us th th AGAINST QUfefiEC. 53 VI ainderofthe nerally their give you the ai Simpson, s among my IS apparent- i no obvious periods. — keen in the service ; but » invited his mew hat fee- n. wasglad- jieut. Simp- ^as. Dough- hat and the ver. iecond day, t high, at a ig the river avy torrent ight. Hav- inci#kveni- ndly. To- water I hat led to high jer present- least eiglit None but 1 the boats, the river, ings of the of the roost fatiguing marches we had as yet performed, though the distance was not great in a direct hne. But hav- ing no path, and being necessiated to climb the steep- est hills, and that without food, for we took none with us, thinking the boats would be near us all day ; in the evening we arrived at the fall of four feet, which was mentioned when ascending the river. Alas ! all the boats of the army were on the opposite side of the river. The pitch of the fall made a dreadful noise, and the current ran with immense velocity. We sat down on the bank sorely pinched by hunger, looking wistfully towards our friends beyond the tor- rent, who were in possession of all the provisions, tents, and camp equipage, convinced that the most adventurous boatmen would not dare the passage for the sake of accommodating any of us. We were, however, mistaken. There were two men, and only two, who had skill and courage to dare it. Need Lieutenant Simpson on an occasion like this, be na- med? He, accompanied by John Tidd, entered his empty boat. What skill in boaimanship ! what ap- titude with the paddle was here exhibited ! The prin- cipal body of the water ran over the middle of the fall, and created a foanun^ and impetuous torrent, in some iNieasure resembling, at this particular time, that of the Oswego falls, which had been known to me ere this. The river was about 150 or 200 yards in breadth, counting on the increase of water by the raius^ The force of the central current nalurally formed considerable eddies at each side of the river, close under the pitch. Simpson now disclosed his a- mazing skill. Though there was an eddy, even that was frightful, he came by its mean nearly under the pitch, and trying to obtain an exact start, failed. The stream forced his boat down the river, but he re- covered and brought it up. Now we, who were trem- 6* t : if f: it:<- ■^'- 1 ' 'us r ^- im tsasmmitm^iitfi 'iriiiriiiT'Win— 'It ■ 'i W ■ I tf i lull I'" !!lh M ., CAMPAIGN ,.v bling for the fate of our friend, and anxious for our own accommodation, began to fear be might be drawn under the pitch. Gtuick, abnost in a moment, Simpson was with us. He called in his loud voice to R obert Pixo n, James Old, (a messniate,) and myself ix) enter the boat. We entered immediaiely. He pushed off; attempting the start by favor of the hith- er eddy, which was the main tiling, we failed. Re- turning to the shore, we were assailed by a numer- ous band of soldiers, hungry and anxious to be with their companions. Simpson told them he could not carry more with safety, and would return for them. Henry M'Annely, a tall Irishman, who could not from experience cpmprehend the danger, jumped into the boat; he was followed by three or four other incon- siderate men. The countenance of Simpson chan- ged ; his soul and mine were intimate. '' O God,'* said he, " men we shall all die." They would not recede. Again we approached the pitch ; it was hor- rible. The batteaux swam deep, almost ungoverna- ble by the paddle. Attempting again to essay the departure, we failed. The third trial was made; it succeeded. As lightning we darted athwart the riv- er. Simpson, with his paddle, governed the stern. The worthy Tidd in the bow. Dixon and IHyself, our guns stuck m the railing of the batteaux, but without paddles, sat in the stern next to Simpson. Mr. Old was in the bow near Tidd. Henry M'An- nally was adjoining Mr. Old. The other men sat between the stern and bow. Simpson called to the met) in the bow to lay hold of the birch bushes : the boat struck the shore forcibly ; they caught hold, M'- Annaly in particular, (this was in the tail of the ed- dy,) but like children, their holds slipped at the only 9pot where we could have been saved ; for the boat bad beeo judiciously aad safely brought up. Letting i s .% ms for our might be a moment, )ud voice to and myself aiely. He of the hiih- ailed. Re- ^ a numer- \ to be with s couid not for them, lid not from id into the her incon- pson chan- "0 God,'» would not it was hor« mgoverna- essay the ) made ; it irt the riv- the stern, id CHyself, .eaux, but Simpson, iry M'An- men sat led to the jshes : the t hold, M'- of the ed- t the only ' the boat Lettiog AGAINST QUEBEC. H go their hdds, the bow came round to the stream, and the stern struck the shore. Simpson, Dixon and myself, now caught the bushes, but being by this time thrown into the current, the strength of the wa- ter made the withes as so many straws in our hands. The stem again swung round: the bow cameagaia ashore. Mr. Old, Tidd, and M'Annaly, and the rest, sprung to the land to save their lives. Doing this at our cost, their heels forced the boat across (he current. Though we attempted to steady it, the boatswagged. In a moment after, at thirty feet off shore, being broad side to the current, it turned, borne under, in spite of all our force, by the fury of the stream. The boat upsetting, an expression, as going into the wa- ter, fell from me, "Bimpson, we are going to iieav- en." My /all was head-foremost. Simpson came after me : his heels, at the depth of fifteen feet or more, were upon my neck and head, and those grind- ing on the gravel. We rose nearly together, your fa- ther first — my friend followed. The art of swim- ming, in which 1 thought myself an adept, was tri- ed, but it was a topsy-turvy business ; the force of the water threw me often heels-over- head. In the course of this voyage, after a few hundred yards, Simpson was at my side, but the force of the streaiTi prevented the exertion of swimming; yet the impetuosity of the current kept us up. It drove us toward the other side of (he river, against a long ridge of perpendicular rocks of great extent. Luckily in the course of some hundred yards the current chan- ged, and brought us perforce to the north side of the river. Floating along with my head just above wa- ter, (prayers in sincere penitence having been utter- ed,) a boat's crew of the eastern men handed me a pole. It was griped as by the hand of death — but griped) the poto remained tome. Tho itreogth of '..1' 'Al il tl'l' *! Hi!! i$ *>• CAMt»AlGJ^ ^^ the current was such that the boat would inevitably have upset, if the boatman had kept his hold. A glance of the eye informed me that my companion in misfortune had shared the same fate. Resigned into the bosom of my Saviour, my eyes became clo- sed ; the death appeared to me to be a hard one; sen- sibility in a great degree forsook me. Driving with the current, some hundreds of yards more, the most palpable feeling recollected, was the striking of my breast against a root or hard substance. My head came above water. Breathing ensued ; at the same moment Simpson raised his head out of the water, his gold laced hat on it, crying "Oh !" Neither of us could have crept out ; we should have there died, but for the assistance of Edward Cavanaugh, an l- rishman, an excellent soldier, who was designated in the company by the appellation of " Honest Ned." Passing from the lower part of the river, he happen- ed to come to the eddy at the moment my breast struck. He cried out, * Lord, Johnny ! is this you?' and instantly dragged me out of the water. I3imp- son imntediately appearing, he did him the same ser- vice. Lying on the earth |>erhaps twenty minutes, the water pouri^ig from my mouth, a messenger from the camp came to rouse us. Roused, we weftt in. But all eyes looked out for Dixon, all hearts were wailini? for his loss. It was known he could not swim, but none of us could recollect whether he had dropped into the water or had adhered to the boat. After a while we had the inexpressible pleasure of Dixon in our company. He had stuck to the side of the boat, which lodged on a vast pile of drift wood some miles below, and in this way he was saved. Ar- riving at the camp, our friends had a large fire pre-^ pared, particularly for our accommodation ; heat, af* ier Buch an occurreace, is most agreeable. My iwO 1 er M« or cat :iit AGAINST QUEBEC. •7 3 inevitably is hold. A companion Resigned )ecame do- id one; sen- riving with e, tiie most ing of my My head at the same the water, Neither of 1 there died, High, an 1- 3signated in ►nest Ned." he happen- my breast s this you?' er. Simp- le same ser- y minutes, jenger from ; went in. learts were could not her he had ,0 the boat, pleasure of the side of drift wood saved. Ar* It fire pre^ heat, af* My iwd friends in distress, whose clothing was principally woolen, felt none of my private disaster. My leath- er breeches attached closely and coldly to the skin. Mtxlesiy prohibited a disclosure, l^he sense of pain or inconvenience which was observed by my seniors, caused an inquiry. Immediately the breeches were off and stuck upon a pole to dry. Simpson was so much .exhilarated by our escape, that, seated upon a stump, he sung *^ Plato" in great glee. It became a favorite with us. During all this time, perhaps till one or two o'clock, my breeches were in my hand al- most in continued friction. The laugh of the corn- pa tiv 'VB9 against me, but it was borne stoically. 'i". f Mowing morning. (Oct. 24,) presented tome man^ uifficuiiies: to be sure my horn, with a pound of powder, and my pouch, with seventy bullets, weie unharmed by the water, though around my neck in the course of our swimming: yet I had lost my knap- sack, my hat, and my most precious rifle. Awaking, the world appeared to be a wild waste. Eisarmed, my insignificance pressed strongly on my mind; dis- honor seemed to follow of course. Without the ar- mour of defence^ men and nations aie mere autom- atons, liable to be swayed by the beck of power, and subject to the hand of oppression. Young as your father was, his soul was oppret-sed. To return wiih the invalids was dreadful, and without arm^^ he could not proceed. Comfort came to me in the sliape of Lieutenant, now General Nichols, then of Hendricks'. He had two hats — he presented me one: but what was more to my purpose, he, or General Simpson, in- formed me that some of the invalids wished to dis- pose of their rifles With the assistance of Nichols and Simpson, a bargain was struck with a person called William Reynolds, or Rannels, of our compa- ny, who was miserably sick, and returned in the boati. I f istsusegieiimsaam '■^ r I til iiji ;l!! .mil i .68 CAMPAIGN Money was out of the question. An order upon my father, dated at this place, for the sum of twelve dol- lars, was accepted, and afterwards honorably paid. This gun was short, and carried about 45 balls to the pound. The stock was much shattered, and it was worth about five dollars. Necessity has no law. Never did a gun, ill as its appearance was, shoot with greater certainty, atid where the ball touched, from its size it was sure to kill. This observation, trifling as it may seem, ought to induce government to adopt guns of this size, as to length of barrel and size of balL There are many reasons to enforce this opin- ion. We departed from this place without any ma- terial occurrence, and went rapidly forward. A laughable circumstance ensued on the morning of the 27ih of October, near the first pond, at the head of the river. The Virginians*, (though it is not probable that any of the officers, excepting one,) had taken up the idea that they were our superiors in ev- ery military qualification, and ought to lead. Hen- dricks, though the olde.e to v^hoin it wa;* not popsihle to fur- nish pmvinions. But thiA officer, embracing the occasion, return- ed with all his detachment to the camp at BosU>n All the aimy, on seeing him apfiear, were transported with indignation against a man who had absndoned his own companions in the midst of dan- gerr«, and whose desertion might occasion the miscarriage of tho whole enlerprize. He was brought before a court martial, but ac- quitted, in consequence of the acknowle<r Topham's after, slip- f a long log-, ely fainting ing between :t gave c casf, linst the kO;^, its contents. At that moment a large man sprung to his gun, and pointing it towards me, he threatened to shoot. It created no fear ; his hfe was with much more cer- tainty in my power. Death would have been a wel- come visitor. Simpson soon made us friends. Com- ing to their fire, they gave me a cup of their broth, A table spoonful was all that was tasted. It imi a greenisfi hue, and they said it was nmde iVorrs «ho flesh of a bear. This was instantly known to U^ un- true, from the taste and smell. It wastl'at ot adog. He was a large black Newfoundland dog l^eumgiog to Thayer, and very fat. We left these mcay lei- lows, for they were actually such, mauge aU their wants, and marching quickly, towards evening ..a- camped. We had a good fire, but no food. I'o me the world had lost its charms. Gladly would death have been received as an auspicious herald fi'om ih^j Divinity. My privations in every way were such aa to produce a willingne.-^s to die. Without food^wiiii- out clothing to keep me warm, without money, and in a deep and devious wilderness, the idea occurred, and the means were in my hands, of ending exis- tence. The God of all goodness inspired other and better thoughts. One principal cause of c'li^nge, (un- der the fostering hand of Providence,) in my senti- ments, was the jovial hilarity of my friend Simp- son. At night, warming our bodies^ at an immense fire, (our compatriots joined prcn'-cuously around,) to animate the company, he would sing "Plato;" his sonorous voice gave tpirit to my heart, and the morality of 'he song, consolation to my mind. la truth the music, though not as correct as Handel, ad- ded strength and vigor to our nerves. This evening it was, that some of our companions, whose stomachs had not received food the last tor ty -eight hours, adop- ted the notion that leather, though it had been maA- if 4 1- mi J ( ,'l I W CAMPAIGN ufactured, might be made palatable food, and would gratify the appetite. Observing their discourse, to me the experiment became a matter of curiosity. — They washed their moose-skin moccasins in the first place in the river, scraping away the dirt and sand with great care. These were brought to the kettle and boiled a considerable time, under the vague, but consolatory hope that a mucilage would take place. The boiling over, the poor fellows chewed the letith- er ; but it was leather still, not to be macerated. My teeth, though young and good, succeeded no better. Disconsolate and weary, we passed the night. November 3d. — We arose early, hunger impelling, and matched rapidly. After noon, on a point on the bank of the river, some one pretended he descried the * first house,' ten miles off. Not long after, an- other discerned a boat coming towards us ; and turn- ing a point of land, presently all perceived cattle dri- ving up the shore. These circumstances gave occa- sion to a ffeble huzza of joy from those who beheld thede cheerful and enlivening sights. We were now treading a wide and stony beach of the river. Smith, our captain, who at this moment happened to be in company, elated with the prospect of a sup()ly of food, in the joy of his heart, perhaps thoughtlessly, said to me, " Take ihls, Henry." It was gladly received. Opening the paper; which had been neatly folded, there appeared a hand's breadth and length of bacon- fat, of an inch thick ; thoughtlessly, it was eaten greedily, inattentive to all former rule, and thanks to God, did me no harm. Here it was that for the first time, Aaron Butr. a moi^t amiable youth of twenty, came to my view. He then was a cadet. It will require a most cogent evidence to convince my mind that he ever intended any ill to his country in after years, by his various speculations. Though differ- ing in political opinion from him, no reason has as i and would liscourse, to ciiriosily. — 3 in the first t and 8>and the kettle 1 vague, but take place. J the leoth- e rated. My i no better, ight. !r impelling, point on the he descried g after, an- i; and turn- d cattle dri- i gave occa- vvho beheld e were now ver. Sinilh, ed to be in 3})ly of food, ssly, said to ly received, ally folded, th of bacon- was eaten d thanks to for the first of twenty, et. It will e nny mind try in after ugh differ- son has as AGAINST QUEBEC. m yet been laid before me to induce a belief that he wag traitorous to his country. However, take this as the wayward ideas of a person totally excluded from a knowledge of the secrets of the cabinet, who was somewhat attentive to its operations, so far as news- paper infortnaiion can elucidate. We marched as hastily as our wearied and feeble limbs would admit, hoping soon to share in some- thing like an Abysinian feast. The curvatures of the river had deceived us in the calculation of dis- tance. It was many hours eie ,we came to the place of slaughter. We foimd a fire but no provision, ex- cept a small quantity of oaten meal, resembling in giit our chopfied rye. Simpson warmed some of this in water, and ate with gout. To me it was nause- ous; this may have'^been owing to the luncheon from Smith's hoard. I'he Frenchmen told us that those who preceded had devoured the very entrails of the cattle. One of the eastern men, as we came to the fire, was gorging the last bit of the colon, half rinsed — half broiled. It may be said he ate with pleasure, for he tore it as a hungry dog would tear a haunch of meat. We soon encamped for the night, cheered by the hope of succor. November 4th. — Alwut two o'clock, P. M. we ar- rived at a large stream coming front the east, which we ran through, though more than mid-deep. This was the most chilling bath we had hitherto received : the weather was raw and cold. It was my I7(h birth day, and the hardest of them all. Within a few hun- dred yards of the river stood the < first house' in Can- ada : we approached it in extacy, sure of being re- lieved from a death occasioned by famine. Many of our compatriots were unaware of that death which arises from sudden repletion. The active spirit of Arnold, with such able assistants as John M. Taylor >i 1 f 70 CAMPAIGN and Steele, had laid in a great stock of provisions. The men were furious, v^oracious, and insatiable. — Three starvations had taught me wisdom. My friends took my advice; but, notwithstanding the irrefraga- ble arguments the officers used to insure moderation, the men were outrageous upon the subject ; they had no comprehension of such reasoning. There was a Pennsylvania German of our company, a good and orderly soldier, who, from my affection towards him, I watched like another Doctor Pedro Positive. All of my reasoning and representation had no influence upon him. foiled beef, hot bread, potatoes boiled and roasted, were gormandized without stint. He seemed to defy death for the mere enjoyment of pres- ent gratification, and died two days alter. Many of the men sickened. If not much mistaken, we lost three of our company by their imprudence on this occasion. The immediate distension of the stomach by food, after a lengthy fast, operates as a more sud- den extinction of life than the total absence of ali- ment. At this place we for the first time had the pleasure of seeing the worthy and respectable Indian, Nata- nis, and his brother Sabatis, with some others of their tribe, (the Abenaquis.) Lieutenant Steele told us that when he first arrived Natanis came to him in an abrupt but friendly manner, and gave him a cordial shake by the hand, intimating a previous knowledge of him. When we came, he approached Cunning ham, Boyd, and myself, and shook hands in the way of an old acquaintance. We now learned from him that on the evening when we first enamped on Dead River, (September 29th,) in our first ascension, he lay within view of our camp, and so continued day and night to attend our voyage, until the path presented that led directly into (janada. This path he took. To the friends have k Ijudices and wi person er In(j niarchi place o ing, Ni He ad( at the me to linen q hung ( prisone diately is the ^ ry war fare ay of a ju come t ors; y upon t of a«rg tonislu Nov ance o nltenti wilderi does I) Nichoj good.) nephe called the gr< AGAINST QUEBEC. 71 of provisions. insatiable. — n. My friends the it lefraga- tj moderation, I'ct ; they had There was a ', a good and towards him, ■'osiiive. All no influence )tatoed boiled It slint. He 'nientof pres- 5r. Many of ken, we lost ence on this the stomach I a more t^ud- >sence of ali- I the pleasure idian, Nata- ^thers of their Leele told us 3 to him in an liim a cordial js knowledge ed Cunning- ds in the way led from him iped on Dead !nsion, he lay (led day and uh presented uh he took. To the question " Why did you net speak to your friends ?" he readily answered and truly, " You would |! have killed me " This was most likely^ as our pre- judices against him had been most strongly excited, and we had no limit in our orders as to this devoted person. He, his brother Sabatis, and seventeen oth- er Indians, the nephews and friends of Natanis, marched wit h us to Quebec. In the attack on that place on the morning of the first of January follow- ing, Na anis received a musket ball through hie wrist. He adopted a chirurgery (hat seemed extraordinary at the time, and quite new, but which now seems to me to be that of nature itself. He drew a pledget of linen quite though ihe wound, the ends of which hung down on each side of the arm. He wastakea prisoner, but General Carlton discharged hiin imme- diately, with strong tokens of commiseration. This is the first instance in the course of our revolutiona- ry war, of the employment of Indians in actual war- fare airaiiist our enemies. To be sure it was the act of a junior commander, unwarranted, so far as has come to my knowledge, by the orders of his superi- ors ; yet it seemed to authorize, in a small degree, upon the part of our opponents, that horrible system of armed of this a monih after. This real Catholicism towards l\ie remains of one we loved, made a deep and wide breach upon my early prejudices, which since that period has caused no regret, but has induced a more extended and paternal view of mankind, unbound- ed by sect or opinion. On the morning of the 6th Nov. we marched in straggling parties, through a flat and rich coimtry, sprinkled, it might be said, decorated by many low bouses, all white washed, which appeared to be the warm abodes of a contented people. Every now and then a chapel came in sight ; but more frequently the rude, yet pious imitations of the sufferings of om- Sa- vior, and the image of the virgin. These things cre- ated surprise, at least, in my mind, for where I ex- pected there could be little other than barbarity, we found civilized nten, in a comfoitable state, enjoying all the benefits arising from the institutions of civil iociety. The river, along which the road ran in this day's march, became in the most part our guide. It now flawed in a deep and almost sight lera current ; where my opportunities gave me a view. Our ab- UMBiouilieM iiiili continued. About iiooq of the m AGAINST QUEBEC. m next day we arrived at the quarters of Arnold, a sta- tion he had taken for the purpose of halting and em- bodying the whole of our emaciated and straggling troops. We were now perhaps thirty miles from Point Levi, which is on the St. Lawrence, and near- ly opposite to duebec. Now our mess had " friends at court." Arnold, since we left the twelve-mile carrying-place the last time, had deservedly taken Steele as a guide into his mess, and he had become a kind of aid- de-cam p. He was, to say no more, a confidential man. John M. Taylor, keen and bold as an Irish grey-hound, was of our company. Being a ready penman and excel- lent accountant, he was at once exalted by the shrewd and discerning eye of Arnold, to the offices of pur- veyor and commissary. We had no distinctions of office, scarcely any of rank, in those days. Our squad consequently came boldly up to head-quarters, though we did not go into the presence of the officers. Steele, who was in waiting, pointed to the slaughter-house, an hundred yards distant. Thither we went, deter- mined to indulge. Here we found our friend Tay- lor, worried almost to death in dealing out the suste- nance of life to others. Without hyperbole or cir- cumlocution, he gave us as many pounds of beef- steaks as we chose to carry. Proceeding to the next house, a mile l)elow, some one of the party became cook. Good bread and potatoes, with the accompa- niment of beef-steak, produced a savory meal. Be- lieving myself out of danger from any extraordinary indulgence of appetite, the due quantity was exceed^ ed, and yet, believe me, it was not more than an an- chorite might religiously take. We soon became sensible of (his act of imprudence. The march of the afternoon was a dull and heavy one. A fever at- UfikednA. I became, according to my lieeliDgSv the m ui m u Campaign ^ most miserable of human beings. Determined hot to lag behind, my eyes, at times, could scarcely dis- cern the way, nor my legs do their office. We did not march far this afternoon. In this high latitude, a winter's day is very short and fleeting. The eve- ning brought me no comfort, though we slept warm- ly in a farm house. November 7th. — The army now formed into more regular and compact order, in the morning preity ear- ly, we proceeded. About noon my disorder had in- creased so intolerably, that I could not put a foot for- w^ard. Seating myself upon a log at the way-side, the troops passed on. In I he rear came Arnold on horseback. He knew my name and character, and good-naturedly inquired after my health. Being in- formed, he dismounted, ran down to the river side, and hailed the owner of the house which stood op- posite across the water. The good Canadian, in his canoe, quickly arrived. Depositing my gun and ac- coutrements in the hands of one of our men, who attended upon me, and had been disarmed by losing his rifle in some one of the wrecking's above, and Arnold putting two silver dollars in my hands, the Fr^nrtiman carried me to his house. Going to bed with a high fever u|K)n me, I lay all this and the fol- lowing day without tasting food. That had been the cause of the disease, its absence became the cure. The morning of the third day,(10lh Nov.) brought me health. The mistress of the house, who hnd been very attentive and kind, asked me to breakfast. This humble, but generous meal, consisledof a bowl of milk for the guest, vjth excellent bread. The fare of the family was this same bread, garlic, and salt. I had observed that this was the usual morn* irig's dietj for I lay in the etove-roomi where iheftm* •mined tiot larcely dis- . We did rh latitude. The eve- lept warm- d into more I preity car- der had in- t a foot for- e way-side, Arnold on racter, and Being in- e river side, h stood op- dian, in his (un and ac- men, who d hy losing above, and hands, (he >ing to bed andtheibl- had been )ecau)e the av.) brought who had breakfast. 3d of a bowl read. The garlic, and jsual mdrii'- ereibeftm* AGAINST QUEBEC. H ily ale and slept. This worthy family was compo<> sed of ?even persons : the parents in tiie pi ime oi life„ and five charming, ruddy children, all neatly and warmly clothed in woollen, apparently of their own manufacture. You might suppose, from their man- ner of living, that these persons were poor. No such thing. They were in good circumstances. Their house, barn, stabling, &c. were w^arm and comfort- able, and their diet such as is universal among the French peasantry of Canada. Proffering my two dollai-H to this honest man, he rejected them with, something like disdain in his countenance, intima- ting to me that he had merely obeyed the dictates of religion and humanity. Tears filled my eyes whea 1 took my leave of these amiable people. But they had not even yet done enough for me. The father insiv^ted on attending me to the ferry some miles off, where the river takes a turn almost due north, to meet the St. Lawrence. Here my worthy host pro- ctired me a passage scott-free, observing to me my money might be needed beloie the army could be o- vertaken. Landing on the north bank of the river, the way could not be mistaken, the tiack of the ar- my had so strongly markt d the route. To me it was a most gloomy and soliiary march. Not a soul was to be seen in the course ol ten miles. Being without arms, and in an unknown country, my inconsequence and fuiileness lay heavy on my spirits. Here and there was a farm-house, but the inhabitants were ei- ther closely -housed or absent from iheir homes. Af- ternoon, arriving at the quarters of our company, my gun and accoutiemenfs were reclaimed with ardor, and a solemn resolution never to part with ihem a- gaii), uidess it happened by the compulsion of the foe. The house which the company possessed, lay some hundreds of paces from head-quarters, but withiu 11 ;;? m CAMPAIGN iii! III!" r - view. Morgan's quarters were nearer. WhercHen- dricks made his lodgment is not now recollected, but it was at no great distance. * On the follow ing day, (Nov. 11th,) otirguns in or- der, a scene opened, which then and now seems to me to have exhibited us in a disreputable point of view : it evinced, at least, the necessity of a staid and »ober conduct of the officer, as well as a strict subor- dination and obedience of the private. A hurried and boisterous report came from head-quarters, that the British were landing on our left at a mill, about a mile off. Each one grasped his arms. Morgan and the Indians, who lay nearest to the commander's quarters, were foremost. The running was severe. The lagging Indians, and a variety of the three com- panies, were intermingled. Coming to the brow of the precipice, but still unseen, we perceived a boat land- ing, which came from a frigate lying in the stream, a mile below. The boat came ashore. A youth sprung from it: (he tide ebbing, the boatswain iho't it better to obtain a deeper landing-place, nearer the mill, and drew off. Morgan, apprehensive of a dis- covery of our presence, fired at the boat's crew. A volley ensued without harm, probably because of the great space between us. They pulled off shore, be- yond the range of our guns, leaving the midshipman to our mercy. The hapless youth, confounded, un- knowing what to do, plunged into the river, hoping to regain his boat. His friends flying from him — he waded, he swam, yet could not reach the boat. At the distance, perhaps, of one hundred and fifty yards, nothing but his head above water, a shooting-match took place, and believe me, the balls of Morgan,Simp- ■on, Humphreys, and others, played around,and with- in a few inches of his head. Even after a lapse of thirty years, it gives me pain to recolleathat my gun AGAINST QUEBEC. W: was discharged at him. Such, however, was the savage ferocity engendered in those ungracions times, by a devoluiion of the ministry of the motlier coun- try from the true line of conduct towards her colo- nies. JJ'Kensie^ (the name of the young man,) seeing tliat his boat's crew had deserted him, showed a de- sire to surrender, by approaching the shore. The fi- ring ceased. But a still more disgusting occurrence than the preceding, followed. The lad, coming to- wards the shore, ^evidently intending to submit, Sa- batis, the Indian, the brother of Natanis, sprung for- ward, scalping knife in hand, seemingly intending to end the strife at a single blow. The huinanity of Morgan and Humphreys, towards a succumbent foe, was excited. One or the other of them, it is not now recollected which it) particular, by his agility and a- mazing powers of body, was enabled to precede the Indian by several yards. This contest of athleticism was observed from the shore, where we were, with great interest. Morgan brought the boy, (for he was really such,) to land, and afterwards esteemed him, for he merited the good-will of a hero. Wet and hungiy. we returned to quarters. Running along the shore with our prey, the Hunter sloop of war, having warped up for that purpose, pelted us all the way with ball and grape shot. It was no easy mat- ter to ascend the bank, which was steep and craggy. Our prisoner was prudently loquacious, and very gen* teel. He had left the sloop, of which he was a mid- shipman, upon command, to procure spars and oars which were in the mill. He had ordered off the boat to procure a better landing, when our imprudent fire drove his people frorn him. He was the brother of Captain M'Kensie of the Pearl frigate. In 1777, the young M'Kensie was again taken. I saw hint 7* 1 1 If m in 4 ''if n CAMPAIGN mi^ Wi''. at Lancaster, (Pennsylvania,) active, lively, and fa- cetious as ever. During our stay at Point Levi, Col- onel Arnold was busily engaged. Being now dis- covered, it became us to pass the St. Lawrence as soon as possible. The main difficulty consisted in the procurement of boats or canoes. Those kinds of craft on this part of the river, had previously to our arrival, been secured by the vigilance of government, which it is likely had some intimation of an inroad in the direction wecame. Twenty-five canoes, chief- ly of birch bark, were -with difficulty procured. The command of these was conferred upon Lieutenant Steele, who selected the steersmen, of whom it came to me to be one. The passage, if practicable, must be made in the night, and that in the most silent manner, at a time the tide served. Between the hours of 10 and 11 o'clock, on the night of the 13th of November^ the troops paraded on the beach, near the mill before mentioned, with- out noise or bustle. One cargo was despatched — then a second : upon making the traverse a third time, an accident happened to my friend Steele, which you can scarcely credit. Being at a consider- able distance behind with his canoe, 1 could not, at its occurring, obperve the trannaction, nor share in the danger, though my life would have been willingly risked for his, and yet the relation of this fact is most unquestionably true. These frequent asseverations may appear somewhat awkward, and to blur the de- tail of our story ; but our sufferings were so extraor- dinary in their kinds, and so aggravated by the na- ture of the severe services we underwent, that now- a-days it will require a faith almost approaching to credulity, to convince the mind of their truth. Steele eteered a birch bark canoe; the weight, and itishke- ly the awkwardness ot the men, when about in the AGAINST QUEBEC. 7ft middle of the river, (which at this place is full two miles wide,) burst the canoe. The men who were in it, swam to, or were taken up by the canoes near- est to them. It was otherwise with Steele. He was the last to get to a canoe under the management of the worthy Wheeler; but it was full of men. There could be no admittance. The steersman advised, and Steele was compelled from necessity, to throw his arms over the stern — Wheeler, seating himself upon them, so as to hold ttiem securely, for it was a bleak and numbing night. Thus, in this manner was this woilhy and adventurous officer floated to the shore at Wolfe's cove. Here there was an unin- habited house. A Are had been liglited in it by some of our people uho first landed. It became a pole- star to us in the rear — we steered for it. Landing a- bout half an hour after Steele, we found him at the fire, seemingly chilled to the heart; but he was a man not to be dispirited by slight matters. Friction soon restored him to bis usual animation. The moon, now about three o'clock, shone brightly, and the tide run out rapidly, sothat the passing of the rest of the troops, about one hundred and fifty in num- ber, this liight, was given up. This circumstance, of the absence of so large a part of our force, wai known to but few. They joined us on the following night. It had been the intention of our chief to storm the town this night ; but the deficiency of our scaling ladders, many of which had been lefl beyond the riv- er, now repressed that design. November 14th. — The troops easily ascended the hill, by a good road cut in it slantingly. This was not the case in 1759, when the immortal Wolfe mounted here. It was then a steep declivity, enfila- ded by a host of savages, but was surmounted by tht eager and gaUant spirit^ <^ our natiop. 'fell 1- * >y -* CAMPAIGN .;• '!:,:K.)i ';";;:!ri I ^A favorable opporfunlty here presenting itself for a digression from Mr Henry 'tf personal Narrative, it is embraced to give an ac- count of ttie landing of the Biiti>$h troops, their occtipatiim of the Heights of Abraham, and the subsequent " Battle nf Que- bee,** which events took place September 12 and 13, 1759, on- ly 16 years previous to the period arrived at in this Narrative ; and tlieir details are copied from " Hume's History qf Eng- land — continued by Smollett. **— Editor.'} The historian says, " The troops and artillery were landed at Point Levi : they afterwards passed up tiie river in transports ; while admiral Holmes made a movement with his ships, to amuse the enemy posted on the north shore : and the men being much crowded on board, the General ordered one-half of them to be landed for refreshment on the other side of the river. As no possibility appeai'ed of annoying the enemy a- bove the town, the scheme of operations was totally changed. A plan was formed for conveying the troops fartlier down in boats, and landijig them within a league of Cape Diamond, in hopes of ascending the heights of Abraham, which rise abrui)tly with a steep ascent from the banks of the river, that they might take pos- session of the ground on the back of the city, where it was but indifferently fortified. The dangers and diffi- culties attending the execution of this design were so peculiarly discouraging, that one would imagine it could not have been embraced but by a spirit of enterprize that bordered on desperation. The stream was rapid ; the shore shelving ; the bank of the river lined with sentinels ; the landing-place so narrow as to be easily missed in the dark ; and the ground so difficult as hard- ly to be surmounted in the day-time, had no opposition been expected. If the enemy had received the least intimation from spy or deserter, or even suspected the scheme ; had the embarkation been disordered in con- sequence of the darkness of the liight, the rapidity of the river, or the shelving nature of the north shore, hear which they were obliged to row ; had one senti- nel been alarmed^ or the landingplace muoh mistaken ; AGAINST QUEBEC. 81 the heights of Abraham must have been instantly se- cured by such a force as would have rendered the un- dertaking abortive j confusion would necessarily have ensued in the dark ; and this would have naturally pro- duced a panic, which might have proved fatal to the greater part of the detachment. These objections could not escape the penetration of the gallant Wolfe, who nevertheless adopted tb.e plan without hesitation, and even executed it in person ; though at that time la- boring under a severe dysentery and fever, which had exhausted his constitution, and reduced him almost to an extremity of weakness. The previous steps being taken, and the time fixed for this hazardous attempt, admiral Holmes moved with his squadron farther up the river, about three leagues above the place appoint- ed for the disembarkation, that he might deceive the enemy, and amuse M. de Bougainville, whom Mont- calm had detached with fifteen hundred men to watch the motions of that squadron : but the English admi- ral was directed to sail down the river in the night, s6 as to prbtect the landing of the forces; and these orr ders he punctually fulfilled. On the twelfth day of September, an hour after midnight, the first embarka- tion, consisting of four complete regiments, the light infantry commanded by Colonel Howe, a detachment of Highlanders, and the American grenadien^, was made in flat-bottomed boats, under the immediate command of the brigadiers Monckton and Murray ; though Gen- eral Wolfe accompanied them in person, and was a- mong the first who landed ; and they began to fall down with the tide, to the intended place of disembarkation : rowing close to the north shore, in order to find it the more easily. Without any disorder the boats glided gently along, but by the rapidity of the tide, and the darkness of the night, the boats overshot the mark» and the troops landed a little below the place at which the disembarkation was intended. As the troops land- ed, the boats were sent back for the second embarka* ■I >l|t:l ■fi Si CAMPAIGN tion, which was superintended by brigadier Towns- hend In the mean time, Colonel Howe, with the light infantry and the Highlanders, ascended the woody pre- cipice with admirable courage and activity, and dislodg- ed a Serjeant's guard, which defended a small intrench- ed narrow path, by which alone the rest of the forces could reach the summit. Then they mounted without further molestation from the enemy, and the General drew them up in order as they anivcd. Monsieur de Montcalm no sooner understood that the English had gained the heights of Abraham, which in a manner commanded the town on its weakest part, than he re- solved to hazard a battle ; and began his march with- out delay, after having collected his whole force from the side of Beauport. Genpral Wolfe, perceiving the enemy crossing the river St. Charles, began to ronn his own line, which consisted of six battalions,, and the Louisbourg grena- diers ; the right commanded by brigadier Monckton, and the left by brigadier Murray : to the rear of the left, Colonel Howe was posted with his li,^lit infantry, just returned from a four-gun battery, which they had taken without opposition. M de Montcalm advancing in such a manner as to show his intention was to flank the left of the English, brigadier Townshend was sent thither with the regiment of Amherst, which he form- ed en potencCt presenting a double front to the enemy ; ho was afterwards reinforced by two battalions ; and the reserve consisted of one regiment drawn up in eight subdivisions,, witli large intervals. The right of tho enemy was compos d of half the colony troops, two battalions, and a body of Canadians and savages : their centre consisted of a column formed by two other reg- ular battalions ; and on the left one battalion, with the remnindcr of tlie colony troops, was post<*d : the l)ush- es and corn-fields in their front were lined with fifteen hundred of their best marksmen, who kept up an ir- regular galling fire, which proved fatal to many bravo [Battle li ' f|,:ij. f \^^- * ;r Towns- th the light .voody prc- nd dislodg- 11 iiitrench- the forces ed without he General Monsieur de English had n a manner than he re- iiarch with- force from crossing the line, which ourg grena- r Monckton, rear of the rht infantry, h they had n advancing was to flank nd was sent h he form- the enemy ; alions; and up in eight ight of the troops, two ugcs : their o other reg- ni, with the : thel)U8h- with fifteen up "an ir- lany bravo i'-:'.V"' k^y y^ [Battle of Quebec, between Wulf and Muntcalm, Sept. It, 1750.] Is 4 1: 1 I y '• 'H i 'k rY^ ■1A "1 ! Ill i I I 1 *;;|j^|jfi ■JJi .Mm %* ■^■i •MI«M«»ltt»»?>VN»' ■ WS'^KH'^'lf**'' AGAINST QUEBEC. 4|^ officers, thus singled out for destiiiction. This fire, in- deed, was in some measure checked by the advanced posts of the British line, who piqueered with the ene- my for some hours before the battle began. Both ar- mies were destitute of artillery except two small pie- ces on the side of the French, and a single gun which the English seamen made shift to diaw up from the landing-place- This was very well served, and galled their column severely. At length, about nine in the morning, the enemy advanced to the charge with great order and vivacity, though their fire was irregular and ineffectual. On the contrary, the British forces re- sei-ved their shot until the French had approached with- in forty yards of their line : then they poured in a ter- rible discharge ; and continued the fire with such de- liberation and spirit, as could not fail to produce a very considerable effect. General Wolfe was stationed on the right, at the head of Bragg's regiment and the Lou- isbourg grenadiers, where the attack ww most warm. As he stood conspicuous in the front of <.he line, he had been aimed at by the enemy *8 marksrr.en, and received a shot in the wrist, which however did not oblige him to quit the field. Having wrapped a handkerchief a- round his hand, he continued giving orders without the least emotion ; and advanced at the head of the grena- diers with their bayonets fixed , when another ball un- fortunately pierced the breast of this young hero, who fell in the arms of victory, just as the enemy gave way. At this very instant, every separate regiment of the British aiiny seemed to exert itself for the honor of its own peculiar character. While the right pressed on with their bayonets, brigadier Murray briskly advanced with the troops under his command, and soon broke the centre of the enemy ; then the Highlanders, draw- ing their broadswords, fell in among them with irresia- time impetuosity, and drove them with great slaughter into the town, and the works they had raised at the bridge of the river St. Charles. Oia the leil aad rear h ill V I H campaioM^^^ of the English, the action was not so violent. Some of the light infantry had thrown themselves into hou- ses ; where, being attacked, they defended themselves with great courage and resolution. Colonel Howe hav- ing taken post with two companies behind a small copse, sallied out frequently on the flanks of the enemy, du- ring this attack, and often drove them into heaps ; while brigadier Townshend advanced platoons against their front ; so that the right wing of the French were total- ly prevented from executing their first intention. The brigadier himself remained with Amherst's regiment, to support this dispostion, and to overawe a body of savages posted opposite to the light infantry, Waiting for an opportunity to fall upoii the rear of the British army. General Wolfe being slain, and at the same •time Mr. Monckton being dangerously wounded at the head of Lascelles' regiment, where he distinguished himself with remarkable gallar.try, the command de- volved on luigadier Townshend, who hastened to the centre ; and finding the troops disordered in the pur- suit, formed them again with all possible expedition. This necessary task was scarce performed, when M de Bougainville, with a body of two thousand fresh men, appeared in the rear of the English. He had begun his march from Cape Rouge as soon as he received in- telligence that the British troops had gained the heights of Abraham, but did iK>t come up in time to have any share in the battle. Mr Townshend immediately or- dered two battalions, witu two pieces of artillery, to advance against this officer ; who retired, at their ap- proach, among woods and .swamps, where General Townshend very wisely declined hazaixling a precari- ous attack. He had already obtained a complete victo- ry, taken a great number of French officers, and was possessed f>f a very advantageous situation, whicli it would have been imprudent to forego. The French General, M. de Montcalm, was mortally wounded ini the battle, and conveyed into Quebec ; from whenc©, i[ AGAINST QbEBEC. m jnt. Some I into hou- themselves Howe hav- imall copse, snemy, du- iaps ; while rainst their were total- ition. The I regiment, a body of •y, waiting the Biitish t the same nded at the stinguished mmand de- ned to the n the pur- expedition. vhen M de fresh men, had begun eceived in- the heights o have any dintcly or- irtillery, to t their ap- re General r a precari- j)lete victo- \, and was I, whicli it he French )tHided' in n whenco. before he died, he wrote a letter to General Towns- hend, recommending the prisoners to that geneious hu- manity by which the British nation is distinguished. His second in command was left wounded on the field ; and next day expired on board an English ship, to which he had been conveyed. About one thousand of the enemy were made prisoners, including a great num- ber of officers; and about five hundred were slain on the field of battle. The wreck of their army, after they had reinforced the gan-ison of Quebec, retired to Point-au-Tremble ; from whence they proceeded to Jacques Quatiers, where they remained intrenched un- til they were compelled by the severity of the weather to make the best of their way to Trois Rivieres and Montreal. This important victory was obtained at the expense of fifty men killed, including nine officers : but the death of General Wolfe was a national loss, uni- versally lamented. He inherited from nature an ani- mating fervor of sentiment, an intuitive perception, an extensive capacity, and a passion for glory, which stim- ulated him to acquire every species of military knowl- edge that study could comprehend, that actual sei"vice could illustrate and confirm. This noble warmth of disposition seldom fails to call forth and unfuld the lib- eral virtues of the soul Brave above -all estimation of danger, he was also generous, gentle, complacent, and humane ; the pattern of the officer, the darling of the soldier; there was a sublimity in his genius which soar- ed above the pitch of ordinary minds ; and had his fac- ulties been exercised to their full extent by opportuni- ty and action, had iiis judgment been fully matured by age and experience, he would without doubt have ri- valled in reputation the most celebrated captains of an- tiquity. Immediately after the battle of Quebec, Admiml Saunders, who, together witli his subordinates Durrel and Holmes, had all along co-operated heartily with tho land forces for the advantage of tho service, sent up all k 88 CAMPAIGN the boats of the fleet with artillery and ammunition : and on the seventeenth day of the month sailed up, with all the ships of war, in a disposition to attack the lower town, whilfe the upper part should be assaulted by General Townshend. This gentleman had employ- ed the time from the day of action in securing the camp with redoubts, in forming a military road for the can- non, in drawing up the artillery, preparing batteries, and cutting off' the enemy's communication with the country. On the seventeenth, before any battery could be finished, a flag of truce was sent from the toWn with proposals of capitulation ; which, being maturely con- sidered by the General and Admiral, were accepted, and signed at eight next morning. They granted the more favorable terms, as the enemy continued to as- semble in the rear of the British army ; as the season was become wet, stormy, and cold, threatening the troops with sickness, and the fleet with accident, and as a considerable. gd vantage would result from taking possession of ^tiie town while the walls were in a state of defence. What rendered the capitulation still more fortunate for the British General, was the information he afterwards received from deserters, that the enemy bad rallied, and were reinforced behind Cape Rogue, under the command of M. de Levy, arrived from Mont- real for that purpose, with two regular battalions ; and that M. de Bougainville, at the head of eight hundred men, with a convoy of provisions, was actually on his march to throw himself mto the town on the e\.(hteenth, that very morning on which it was suirendered. The place was not then completely invested, as the enemy nad broke the bridge of boats, and posted detachments in very strong works on the other side of the river St. Charles. The capitulation was no sooner ratified, than the British forces took possession of Quebec on the land side ; and guards were posted in different parts of the town, to preserve order and discipline ; at the same time Captain Palliser, with a body oz seamen, entered AGAINST QUEBEC. tlie lower town, and took the same precautions. Next day about a thousand prisoners were embarked on board transports, which proceeded to France with the first opportunity. Meanwhile the inhabitants of the coun- try came in great numbers to deliver up their arms, and take the oath of fidelity to the English govern- ment. The death of Montcalm, which was indeed an irreparable loss to France, in all probability over- whelmed the enemy with consternation, and confound- ed all, their councils ; otherwise we cannot account for the tame suiTender of Quebec to a handful of troops, even after the victory they had obtained :.for although the place was not regularly fortified on the land side, and most of the houses were in ruins, their walls and parapets had not yet sustained the least damage ; the besiegers were hardly sufficient to complete the inves- titure ; a fresh army was assembled in the neighbor- hood, with which their communication continued open; the season was ao far advanced that the British forces in a little time must have been forced to desist by the severity of the weather, and even retire with their fleet before the approach of winter, which never fails to freeze up the river St. Lawrence." [Mr. Henry*s JVarrative reaumed."] November I5ih. Arriving on ihe brow of the precipue, we found ourselves on the plains of Abra- ham, 80 deservedly famous in story. The morning was cold, and we were thinly clad. While an ad- venturous party despatched by Arnold, under i he com- mand of one of Morgan's Lieutenants, were exam- ining the walls of the city, we were pacing the plains to-and-fro, in silence, to keep ourselves warm. The winter had set in — a cold northwester blew with un- common keenness. By (he tune the recounoilering party returned, daylight was not very distant. 'Ihe party found evety thing iv-wards the city in u state of perfect quieiutue. Thiu rcpoit was delivered, in my 51' "if- .... , \i>' 'i Ift;., w Ml 'As ii; ^ H>. CAMPAIGN hearing, to Morgan, however the world may have since been made to believe. Not even the cry of " All's well" was uttered, was a part of their report ; yet we heard that cry from the walls, even vrhere we were : but this, in a direct line, v^^as nearer to us than the voices opposite to the party. This was the hap- py moment ; but with our small and disjointed force, what could be done ? There was scarcely more than thiee hundred and fifty men, willing and determined to be sure, but too few to assail a fortress like due- bee. If that had been known this night which was evidenced in'a few days by the fugitives from the city, Arnold woidd most assuredly have hazarded an attack. St. John's gate, which opens on Abraham's plains, and is a most important station, was unbar- red, nay, unclosed : nothing but a single cannon un- der the care of a drowsy watch, was there as a de- fence ; we were not a mile distant, and might have entered unknown, and even unseen. These are un- certain opinions, resting on the vague reports of the moment, which might have been true or untrue. My memory is, however, fresh in the recollection of the heart-burnings this failure caused among us. Prov- idence, for wise pur|X)ses, would have it otherwise. Near daylight, requiring rest and refreshment, the trcMips moved a mile, to a farm-house of Lieutenant Governor Caldwell. This was a great pile of wood- en buildings, with rmmerous out-houses, which tes- tified the agricultural spirit and taste of (he owner. He, good soul, was then snug in Quebec. Thor« who came first fared well, and as It'ck would have it, we were of the number : every ining wn«.hin and without the house, became a prey. Adversity had destroyed in our minds every decorous or delicate sen- tation. Guards were stationed next the city. Wrap- ped ill my blanket* leaiieas of events^ castii^g my i AGAtNSt QtEBEC. may have the cry of eir report ; I where we to us than IS the hap- in led force, more than Jeter mined like Q,iie- which was J from the azarded an Abraham's vas unbar- ;annon un- ire as a de- light have lese are un- ions of the nirue. My ion of the us. Prov- otherwise. iment, the lieutenant of wood- which tes- he owner. Ic. Thor^ ould have i;in«,hin and ersity had elicaie sen- y. Wrap- astiog my person on the floor of an elegant parlor, I slept sweet- ly and soundly till two in the afternoon, and then was roused solely by a cry that the enemy was ad- vancing. We flew to arms, and rather in a hurried manner, ran tow^ards the city, which was nearly two miles from us. We saw no enemy. It Unned out ^^^^^ a Mr. Ogde n, a cadet from Jersey, a large and handsome you hg %ian, in favor wiih Arnold, had been authorized to place (he sentinels that day. He did place them, most stupidly. George Merchant, of Morgan's, a man who would at any time, give him fair-play, have sold his lilie dearly, he stationed in a thicket, within view of the enemy. At the time of placing him, when at his post, he was out of sight of the garrison ; but the mischief was, (though he could not be seen,) he could see no one approach ; he was taken ^bsoluiel}^ unaware of danger. A ser- geant of the " seventh," who, from the manner of the thing; must have been clever, accompanied by a few privates, slily creeping through the streets of the suburbs of St. John, and then under the cover of the bushes, sprung upon the devoted Merchant, even be- fore he hud time to cock his rifle. Merchant was %^ tall and handsome Virginian. In a few days, h«^ hunting-shirt and all, was sent to England, proba- bly as a finished specimen of the riflemen of the col- onies. The government there very liberally sent him home in the following year. The capture of Merchant grieved us, and brought us within a few hundred yards of the city. Arnold had (he lx)ldnesri, you might say the audacity, or still more c^irrecily, the folly, to draw us up in a line in front and opposite to the wall of the city. The par- apet was lined by hundreds of gaping citizens and ■oldiers, whom our guns could not harm, because of the 4i0taice. They gave us a hu2za I We return- m^ Ai m m iM^i"-iBtiiii-'-'*-^s^'-^^- - m CAMPAIGN -i-^^ i ed it, and remained a considerable time huzzaing, and spending our powder against the walls, for we harmed no one. Some of our men to the right, un- der cover of something like ancient ditches and hil- locks, crept forward within two hundred yards of the works, but their firing was disregarded by the enemy as farcical. Febiger, who was a real and well-in- Blructed soldier and engineer, did advance singly within a hundred paces, and pored with the eye of an adept. During all this, as my station in the line happened to be on a mound, a few feet higher than the common level of the plain, it was perceptible through the embrasures that there was a vast bustle within. After some minute? a thirty-six pounder was let loose upon us ; but so ill was the gun pointed, that the ball fell short, or passed high over our heads. Another and another succeeded — to these salutes, we gave them all we could, another and another huzza. It must be confessed that this ridiculous affair gave me a contemptible opinion of Arnold. This notion was by no means singular. Morgan, Febiger, and other officers, who had seen service, did not hesitate to speak of it in that point of view. However, Ar- nold had a vain desire to gratify, of which we were then ignorant. He was well known at Q,uebec. Formerly he had traded from this port to the West Indies, most particularly in the article of horses. — Hence he was despised by the principal people. The epithet of " Horse-jockey," was freely and universal- ly bestowed upon him by the Biitish. Having now obtained power, he became anxious to display it in the faces of those who had formerly despised and contemned him. The venerable Carletorv, an Irish- man of a most amiable and mild character. Colonel Maclean, a Scotchman, old in warfare, would not, io any shape, communicate with him. If Montgomery it AOAINST QUEBEC. huzzaing, Is, for we right, un- 9 and hil- ards of the lie enemy J well-in- ice singly the eye of in the line gher than perceptible ^ast bustle under was in pointed, our heads, sal u 1^8, we ler huzza, ^iffair gave his notion biger, and ot hesitate vever, Ar- i we were Quebec, the West horses. — )ple. The iniiversal- tiving now play it in pised and , an Irish- r, Colonel uld not, ia )ntgomery bad originally been our commander, matters might have been more civilly conducted. This particulari- ty in relating a most trivial and disgusting occur- rence, arises from a desire to set befiire you a cau- tionary rule, which it will be prudent for you to ob- serve in your historical reading. " Do not believe " an author unless the story he relates be probable, ^'accompanied by such circumstances as might rea- " sonably attend the transaction, unless he is corrob- " orated by others who speak on that subject." Many of our wisest men within the colonies wrote and spoke of this bravading as a matter of moment, and with much applause. Some of our historian.'^, (Gor- don,) have given it celebrity. Jkii a more silly and boastful British historian, (Amwell,) says there was a dreadful cannonadf, by which many of the rebels were destroyed. The truth is, that this day not a drop of blood was shed but that of Governor Cald- weirs horned cattle, hogs, and poultry, which run plentifully. Alter this victory in huzzaing, which was boy's play, and suited me to a hair, we return- ed to quarters to partake of the good things of this world. 'J he next day, ^Nov. 15th,) a scene of a different kind opened, which let us into the true character of Arnold. In the wilderness the men had been stint- ed to a pint of flour by the day. This scanty allow- ance of flour had been continued since we had come into this plentiful country. Morgan, Hendricks, and Smith, waited upon the commander-in-chief, to rep- resent the grievance and obtain redress. AitercatioQ and warm language took place. Smith, with his u- Bual loquacity, told us that Morgan seemed at one time on the |X)int of striking Arnold. We fared the better for this interview. Oa the following day, (Nov. 16th,) the rifle-com- !:■■ J3 ^'^ ^^^.2^ O .V^,^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 ■JO ^^~ H^H «f Bi |2.2 u 124 2.0 HiotogFajJiic ScMioes CorpQratiQn ^ <^ ^. ^. 31 WIST MAIN ITIHT \MIMTIR,N.Y. UIM (n*)l71-4IOI 4^ > 4t^ '\i <\ u CAllPAtGl^^ panies removed further from the city. About half a mile from Caldwell's liou»e our company obtained ex^ Cellenl quarters, in the house uf a French gentleman, who seemed wealthy. He was pleasing in his man- ners, but the rudeness our ungovernable men exhib- ited, created in him an apparent disgust towards us. Here we remained near a week. l>uring thai time, we had constant and severe duty to perform. There was a large building on the low grounds, near the river St. Charles, which was occupied as a nunnery, by a ntost respectable society of ladies. In front of this house, at the distance of fifty yards, there was a spacious log building, which seemed to be a school- house, occupied by the priesthood attendant on the nunnery. This liouse we took fjossession of as a guard-house, under an idea, (as it stood directly be- tween the town and the nunnery, which contained some precious deposited, that they had not had time to remove,) that the enemy would not fire in this di- rection. The conjecture was just. Nov. 16ih. — In the afternoon a distreeeing occur- rence took place here, notwithstanding our vicinity to this holy place. Towards t he evening the guard was relieved. Lieutenant Simpson commanded it. This guard was composed of two-and-twenty fine fellows of out company. When the relief-guard came, a Frenchman, of a must villainous appearance, both as to person and visage, came to our Lieutenant with a written order from Colonel Ai nold, conmianding him to accompany the bearer, ^ho would be our guide a- crora the river St. Charles, to obtain some cattle feed- ing beyond it, on the account of government. The order, in the first instance, because of its preposter- oufiness, was doubted, but, upon a little refleciioo, o- beyed. Knowing the danger, our worthy Lieuten- ant alio knew the best aod only means of executing ibout half a obtained ex^ gentleman, in his man- men exhib- to^aiilR us. ig that time, >rm. There Is, near the ) a nunnery, In front of there i^as a be a eschooi- dant un the Bion of as a 1 directly he- :h contained lot had time re in this di- 4.;. ifwing occur- ur vicinity to le guard >v as edit. This 1 fine fellows ird came, a I nee, both as nam "with a landing him our guide a- e cattle leed- nent. The prepoeter- reflection, o- hy Lieuten- »f ezeculing the enterprize. The call " come on, lads " was ut- tered. We ran with speed from the guard-house some hundreds of yards over the plain to the mouth of the St. Charles, where the ferry is. Near the fer- ry there was a large wind-mill, and near it stood a smair house resembling a cooper's shop. Two carts of a large size were passing the ferry heavily laden with the household-stuif, women, and children of the townsmen flying from ihesubuibsof St. Roqiie, con- tiguous to palace-gate, to avoid the terrible and fatal ejects of war. The carts were already in a large scow or flat-bottomed boat, and the ferrymen, seeing us coming, were tugging hard at the ferry-rope to get ofl" the Ixmt, which was aground, before we should arrive. It was no small matter, in exertion, to out- do people of our agility. Simpson, with his usual good humor, urged the race, from a hope that the garrison would not flre upon us when in the boat with their flying townsmen. The weight of our bodies and arms put the boat aground irk good earnest.— i- Simpson vociferously urging the men to free the boat, directed them to place their guns in my arms, stand- ing oii the bow. He ordered me to watch the flash- es of the cannon* of the city, near palace gate. — Jumping into the water mid-deep, all but Serjeont Dixon and myself, they were pushing, pulling, and with handspikes attempting to float the scow. One of the carts stood between Dixon and myself—he was tugging at the ferry rope. Presently *♦ a shot," was catied ; it went wide of the boat, its mark. The exertions of the party were redoubled. Keeping an eye upon the town, the aun about setting in a clear *TI»it WM a ridiculoQfi piMlic«,aniver«illy tdopted in Ihc ctmp ■ear Bupttm, anU wu now pumiied it tMs place. It U m«r«l> da- signal ive of the r^w aoldier. Such iadicatloM of Utu ahouM "ow* ■Khi^i te Mttttly reprimiiKM. -^ i ^ 1 ii i > CAMPAIGN sky, the view was beautiful indeed, but somewhat terrific. Baitlements like these had been unknown to me. Our boat lay like a rock in the water, and was a targf^t at point blank e;hot atK)ut three-fourfhs of a mile from palace gate, which issues into Saint Roque. I would have adored all the saints in the calendar if honor and their worships would have per- mitted the transportation of my person a few perches from the spot where it then stood, by the austere com- mand of duty. It was plainly observable that many persons were engaged in preparing the guns for an- othor discharge. Our brave men were straining ev' ery nerve to obtain success. ** A shot," was all that could be said, when a thirty-six pound ball, touching* the lower edge of the nob of the cart-wheel, descend- ing a little, took the leg of my patriotic friend below the knee, and carried away the bones of that part entirely. '* Oh ! Simpson/' he cried, '* I am gone.'' Simpson, whose heart was tender and kind, leaped into the boat : calling to the men, the person of Dix- on was borne to the wind-mill. Now a roar of tri- umph was heard from the city, accompanied by some tolerably well directed shuts. The unfoi tunate man was borne at a slow and solemn pace to the guard- bouse — the enemy every now and then sending us his majesty's compliments, in the shape of a 24 or 36 pound ball. When tlie procession came into a line with the town, the guard-house, and nunnerv, the firing censed. At the time we were most busily engaged with Dixon, at the wind-mill,the vile French- man, aghast and horror-stricken, fled from us to the city. If his desertu>n had been noticed in lime, his fate had been sealed ; but the rascal was unobserv- ed till he had run several hundred yards along the beach of the bay of St. Charles. He turned out to bo a spy, puiposaly aeni by governmeni to docoy aod AGAINST QUEBEC. n entrap us, and he succeeded but too easily with the vigilant Arnold. Dixon was now carried on a litter to the house of an English gentleman, about a mile off. An amputation took place— a tetanus followed, which, about nine o'clock of the ensuing day, ended in the dissolution of this honorable citizen and sol- dier. There are many reasons for detailing this af- fair so minutely to you. Among these are, to impress upon your minds an idea of the manners and spirit of those times : our means and rude method of war- fare ; but more particularly for the purpose of intro- ducing to your observation an anecdote of Dixon, which is characteristic of the ideas and feelings then entertiiined by the generality of his countrymen. Be- fore we left our native homes, tea had, as it were, be- come an abomination even to the ladies. The taxa- tion of it by the Parliament of England, with de- sign to draw from us a trifling revenue, was- made the pretence with the great body of the people, for our opposition to government. The true ground, however, with the politically wise, was, thai thai law annihilated our rights as Englishmen. It is an ax- iom of the common law of our glorious ancestors, that taxati^on and representation must ga hand in hand. This rule was now violated. Hence it was, that no male or female, knowing their rights, if pos- sessed of the least spark of patriotism, would deign to taste of f hat deHghtful beverage. The lady of the house, though not one who approved of our principles of action, was very attentive to our wounded com- panion ; she presented him a bowl of tea : ** No, madam,'' sakl he, *Vii is the ruin of my country." Uttering this noble sentiment, (Nov. I7ih,) this in» valuable citizen died, sincerely lamented bv every one who had the opportunity of knowing his virtues. Dixon wag a geouman of good property and odu- i! M CAMPAIGN r cation, though no more than the first sergeant of our company. His estate lay in West Hanover town* ship, in the county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was an agriculturist, which, in the vagueness and uncertainty of our language, is called. " a farmer." In fact he was a freeholder, the possessor of an ex- cellent tract of land, accompanied by all those agree- ables which render the cultivator of the earth, in Pennsylvania, the most independent, and, with pru- dent economy, the most happy of human beings. The following morning, Simpson was the first to give me an account of Dixon's death, which affect- ed us much. His corpse received the usual military honors. Duty compelled my absence *^elsewhere. The blood of Dixon was the first oblation made up- on ihe altar of liberty at Quebec, and Merchant was the first prisoner. The latter was a brave and de- termined soldier, fitted for suliordiuate station ; the former was intuitively a captain. The city and vi- cinity occupied the attention of the dommander near- ly a week Nov. 18th. — Not being fully in the secret, it does not become me to recount the causes of ouf retreat tp Point aux Tremble. We did, however, make this retrograde movement rather in a slovenly style, ac- companied, probably, by the maledictions of the cler- gy and nobility, but attended by the regrets of a host of well-wishers among the peasantry. Point aux Tremble is at the distance of twenty, or more, miles from Quebec. The route^ thither, though in a se- vere winter, was interesting. The woods were leaf- less, except as to those trees of the fir>kind ; but nu- merous neat and handsomely-situated farnt-hou^es, and many beautiful landscapes were presented, and enlivened our march along this majestic stream. At Detroil, which b auppoNd lo be litUe abort of nine eant of our over town- vania. He iieness and a farmer." ir of an ex- ihose agree- e earth, in I, with pru- lan heings. ihc first to hich affect- ual military •elsewhere, n made up- erchant was ve and de- station ; the city and vi- lander ncar- cret, it does our retreat jr, make this y style, ac- B of the cler- ets of a host Point aux more, miles igh in a se- \9 were leaf- nd ; butnu- 'Hrin-hou^es, Ktented, and itream. At bri of nine A6AINST QtJElfiiiCI. Ml hundred miles from Quebec, even there it is no con- temptible river ; but here the immense volume of its waters, strikes the mind uf the stranger with aston- ishment and rapture. Our Susquehanna, which, from its grandeur, attracts the European eye, stands in a low grade ^^h**" compared with the St.* Law- rence. Ascending the river, at a distance of ten or fifteen miles we observed the rapid passage, down stream, of a boat, and soon afterwards of a ship, one or the other of which contained the person of Sir Guy Carleton. That it was the Governor of the province, flying from Montgomery, who had by this time captured Montreal, we were informeit by a spe- cial kind of messenger, which was no other than the report of the cannon, by way of feu-de^foie, upon his arrival at the capital. Water, in regard to the com- munication of sound, is nearly as good a conductor as metals are, for the transmission of the electric flu- id. Though near to the place of our destination, we could mark with precision the report of every gun. Point aux Tremble, at this time, had assumed the appearance of a stiaggling village. There was a spacious phapel, where the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion were performed with a pomp not seen in our churches, hut by a fervenr.y and zeal ap- parently very pious, which became a severe and ad- ditional stroke at early prejudices. Quarters were obtained in the village and farm houses, dispersed o« ver a space of some miles, up and down the river. We enjoyed as much comfort as tight houses, warm fires, and our scantiness of clothing would admit. Provisions were in plenty, particularly beef, which, though small in bulk, was of an excellent flavor. Being in a few da>s domesticated, as it were, in a re- spectable farmer's house, we had leistire to observe tne economy of the family. Every crevice through ^1 i.- leo CAMPAIGN which cold air could penetrate,- was carefully pasted with strips of paper of every color. To permit the cold air to intrude is not the only evil which results ; hut the smallest interstice adii»its with the air an al- fnost impalpable snow, which is very inconvenient, particularly at night, when the winds bjow most sharply. A stove of iron stood a small space from tlie wall of the kitchen chimney, but in such a way that it might be encompassed by the family or guests. This stove was kept continually hot, both by day and by night. Over the stove there is a rack so con- structed as to serve for the drying of wet clothes, moccasins, 6u. &,c. When these people slaughter their beasts for winter use, they cut up the meat in* to small pieces, such as a half pound, two pounds, ^c. according to the number in the family. In the evening before bedtime, the females of the house pre- fNire the dinner of the following day. It may be par- ticularly described, as it was done in our view for a number of days together, and during the time was never varied. This was the manner : a pieceof pork or beef, or a portion of each kind, together with a suf* ficiency of cabbage, potatoes, and turnips, seasoned with salt, and an adequate quantity of water, were put into a neat tin kettle with a close lid. The ket- tle, thus replenished, was placed on the stove in the room where we all slept, and there it simmered till the time of rising, when it was taken to a small fire in the kitchen, where a stewing continued till near noon, when they dined. The contents were turned into a large basin. Each person had a ptate; no knife was used, except one to cut the bread, but a five or six pronged fork answered the purposes of a spoon. The meat required no cutting, as it was re- duced to a mucilage, or at least to shreds. This, you may say, is trifling information, and unworthy AOAtN^T ^tncBEa 101 of yotir notice j but according (o my mind, it is \m* portant to all of US) to know the habits, manners, and means of existence of that class of society, which in all nations, compose the bulk and strength of the body politic. Our dinner followed in a few hours. The manner of our cookery excited astonishment in our hosts. As much beef was consumed at a shigle meal, as would have served this family for a week. Remember, however, that the mess consisted of per^ sons who were entitled to double and treble rations. Two rosy cheeked daughters of the house, soon con^ trived the means and obtained the surplus. This circumstance most probably made us agreeable to the family, for we had nothing else to bestow. The snow had now fallen in abundance, and en- livened the country. Sleighs and sleds were passing in every direction. The farmers began to supply themselves with a full stock of winter's fuel from the forest. No fowls were visible about the house ; a few. were kept alive for breeding in the ensuing summer, in a close and warm coop in the upper story of the barn. The rest of the fowls, intended for the market or winter's use, had been slauglitered early in au« tumn, at the settiiig in of the frost, and were hung up in the feathers in the garret. Thence they were taken as ^wanted. Towards March they become un- savory, but in no way tainted. » We became acquain- ted with this kind of economy, but upon a much lar- ger scale afterwards, when in a state of afliction and sorrow. The roads in this part of Canada are kept in ex- cellent order. The corvee of Eurofiean France is maintained by the Qovernment in full effect, as to its principles, but far less rigid in its practice. The roads in low grounds were ditched on the sides and curved towards the oentre. . fivery forty or fifty yardt IM CAMPAIGN k. *: 1 l\ :\- on each side of the road, throughout the extent of it, young pines were stuck in the ground, to maris the central and safest passage. It is a law that the land- holder, whenever a snow falls, either by day or night, when it ceases, shall,- with his horses and cariole, re- trace the road formed on the preceding snow, through- out the extent of his grounds. This is a laborious duty, but it was discernible that it was peformed with punctuality, if not with pleasure. In December, January, and February, when the snow lays from three to five feet de*^p over the surface, there is no travelling in this country, but by ways thus formed, or upon snow shoes. On the 1st of December, General Montgomery, who was anxiously expected, arrived. Arnold's corps was paraded in front of the chapel. It was lowering and cold, but the appearance of the General here, gave us warmth and animation. He was welMimb- ed, tail, and handsome, though his face was much pock-marked. His air and manner designated the real soldier. He made us a short, but energetic and elegant speech, the burthen of which was, an ap- plause of our spirit in passing I he wildernet>s ; a hope that our perseverance in the same spirit would con- tinue; and a promise of warm clothing. The lat- ter was a most comfortable assurance. A few huz- zas from our freezing bodies were returned to this ad- dress of the gallant hero. Now new life was infu- sed into the whole of the corps. The next day (December 2,) we retraced the route from Quebec. A snow had fallen during the night, and continued falling. To march on this snow was a most fatiguing business. By this timewe had gen« erally furnished ourselves with seal-skin moccasins, which are large, and according to the usage of the coumryi stufT^ with kiy or leaves^ to keep tlM foet ixtent of it, mark the at the land- ly or night, cariole, re- w, ihroiigh- a laborious brmed with December, lays from there is no hu8 formed, fontgomery, mold's corps ras lowering ieneral here, 18 welUlinib- was much iignated the lergetic and Lvas, an ap- iet>s ; a hope would con- r. The lat- A few huz- ed to this ad- fe was infu- ced the route ig the night, lis snow was jwe had gen- 1 moccasins, isage of the kfiq>tlM feet [General MoDtgomerjr reviewing and addresBing the Troo|w.] lil I ■ ' * - dr , pot we wa tici ■-. - . ext mi ' ■ , .•' gar the ■ ' ' - wa as ilu th( AGAINST OIJEBEG. lOS dry and warm. Every step taken in tlie dry snow, the moccasin having no raii^d heel to support the position of the foot, ii slipped back and produced great weariness. On this march the use of the snow-shoe was very obvious, but we were destitute of that ar- ticle. The evening brought up the riflemen at aa extensive house in the parish of St. Foix, about three miles from Quebec. It was inhabited by tenants. We took possession of a front parlor on the left, Mor- gan upon the tight, Hendricks a back apartment, and the soldiery in the upper parts of the hou8e,and some warm outbuildings. The next day, (December 3d,) Morgan not find^ ing himself comfortable, moved a short space near- er to the city. Here, in low and pretty country hou- ses, he and his men were neatly accommodated. It seemed to rne that the Canadians in the viciniage o£ Quebec lived quite as comfortably as the genetr- aliiy of the Pennsylvani&ns did at that time in the county of Lancaster. It may readily occur to yoa that some restriction ought to cramp this latitude of expression : take it, however, as a description of our sensations, entertained in our minds by the. conve- niences we now enjoyed, in opposition to our laiepK- vations We had just arrived from a dreary and in- hospitable wild, Jiaif-starved and thinly clothed, in a land of plenty, where we had full rations and warm quarters ; consequently our present feelings, contrast- ed with former sufferings, might have appreciated in too high a degree the happiness of the Canadian.-^ What is now said, ought not, to be taken in anywise as an allusion to the political rights, but be confined solely to the apparent prosperity and economy of fam- ilies. .. December 12ih. We remained about tien days at these quartern. The tours of duty,^ to Arnold's par- '«s I ^M^,^ Mf Campaign ty, were peculiarly severe. The officers and mcii ttill wore noihiiig else than the remains of the sum- mer clothing, which, being on their backs, had esca- ped destruction in the disasters of the wilderness. The snow lay tiiree feet det p over the face of the whole country, and there was an addition to it al- most daily. Many impediments occurred to delay the transportation of the clothing which Gen. Mont- goniery had procured for us at Montreal. Our mis- erable state, contrary to our principles, excited an il- licit desire to be apparelled more comfortably. This desire would probs^bly have lain dormant, but for a scoundrel Canadian, who in all likelihood was an en- emy of Lieutenant Governor Croniie. One morn- ing, having returned from a cold night's duly near palace gate, the fellow addressed Sinipson, who was the only 4>fficer in quarters, and conm tunica ted the information, ^* That about two miles up the St. Law- rence, lay a country seat of Governor Cromie, stock- ed with many things we wanted, and he would be our guide." Carioles were inunediately procured. The house, a neat box, was romantic. Uy situated on • the steep bank of the river, not very distant from a chapel. Though in the midst of winter, the spot displayed the elegant taste and abundant wealth of the owner. It must be a most delightful summer residence, in the months of July and August, when the heat of this northern climate seems greater to sensation than that of our country in the same sea- son. The house was closed ; knocking, the hall door was opened to us by an Irishwoman, who, of the fair sex, was the largest and most brawny that ever came under my notice. She was the steward- ess of the house. Our questions were answered with an apparent affability and frankness. She introdu- ced 111 into the kitchen, a large apartment, weU-fiU- AGAINST QUEBEC. 107 and men f ihe 8um- , had esca- wildeiness. ace of ihe ion to ii al- d to delay Sen. Mont- Our mis- iciied an il- bly. This but for a waa an en- 3ne morn- duty near I, who was iiicated the he St. Law- Imie, siock- B would be procured, situated on ' ant from a ir, the spot wealth of j1 summer UBt, when greater to same sea- ;, the hall I, who, of awny that le steward- wered with le introdu- t, weU-fiU« ed with those articles which goo^ livers think neces- sary to the happy enjoyment of life. Here we ob- served five or six Canadian servants huddled into a corner of the )citchen, trembling with feat. Our pry- ing eyes soon discovered a trap-door leading into the cellar. Tn the country houses of Canada, because of the frigidity of the climate, the cellara are usually under a warm room, and are principally intended for the preservation of vegetables. The cavity in this instance abounded with a great variety of eatables, of which we were not in the immediate want. The men entered it — ;firkin after firkin of butter, lard, tal- low, beef, pork, fresh and salt — all became a prey. While the men were rummaging below, the Lieuten- ant descended to cause more despatch. My duty was to remain at the end of tfie trap-door, with my back to the wall, and rifle cocked as a sentry, keep- ing a strict eye on the servants. My good Irishwo- man frequently beckoned to me to descend : her drift was to catch us all in the trap. Luckily she was comprehended. The cellar and kitclien being thor- oughly rifled, and the spoil borne to the sleighs, the party dispersed into the other apartments. Here was elegance. The walls and partitions weie beautiful- ly papered, and decorated with large engravings, maps, d&c. &c. of the most celebrated artists. A no- ble view of the city of Philadelphia, upon a large scale, taken from the neighborhood of .Cooper's ferry, drew my attention, and raised some compunctive i- deas; but war and the sciences always stand at arras length in the contests of mankind. The lat- ter must succumb in the tumult. Our attention was much more attracted by thecostly feather beds, coun- terpanes, and chaniting rose- blankets, which the house aflbrded. Of these there was good store, and we lAfi not a joi bebiiid w* The owka and crevi» loe Campaign ces in the carioles were filled with smaller articles ; several dozen of admirably finished case>knives and Ibrks — even a sett of desert knives obtained (he no- tice of our cupidity. Articles of lesser moment, not a thousandth part as useful, did not escape the all- grasping hands of the soldiery. In a back apart- ment there stood a mahogany couch or settee, in a highly finished style, l^he woodwork of the couch was raised on all sides by cushioning, and lastly, covered by a richly figured silk. This, to us, was lumber, besides our carioles were full. However, we grabbed the matrass and pallets, all equally elegant as the couch. Having, as we thought, divested his Excellency of all the articles of prime necessity, we departed, ostensibly and even audibly accompanied by the pious blessings of the stewardess for our mod- eration. No doubt she had her mental renervaiions ; on such business as this, we regarded neither. Near the chapel, we met a party of Morgan's men coming to do that which we had already done. The ofiicer seemed chagrined when he saw the extent of our plunder. He went on, and finally ransacked the nouse, and yet a little more, the stables. The joy of our men, among whom the plunder was distributed in nearly equal portions, was extravagant. Now an X ration of the human mind, which often takes se in society, and is every day discernible by per- sons of observation, became clearly obvious. '^ Let a man once witii impunity desert the strict rule of right, all subsequent aggression is no(, only increased in a- trocity, but is done without qualm of conscience.'' Though our company was composed principally of freeholders, or the sons of such, bred at home under the strictures of religion and morality, yet when the reins of decorum were loosed, and the honorable feel<- ing wenkeoad* itt became impoieible to aduiioister re- AGAINST QUEBEC. 109 r articles; nives and td ihe no- ment, not le the alU ick apart- iitee, in a the couch md lasily, Lo us, was awever, we lly elegant ivested his ccBsity, we icompanied K our mod- servations ; iher. Near ten conning The officer ent of our sacked (he The joy of distributed Now an [)ften takes l)Ie by per- i^Leta ale of right, eased in a- onscience." ncipally of lome under t when the lorable feeU iiiiiii8t«r ra- sttaint. The person of a tory, or his property, be- came fair game, and this at the denunciation of some base domestic villain. On the morning following, (Dec. 13th,) the same audacious scoundrel again returned. By leading to the first affair, and his intercourse with the privates, he had so wormed himself into their good graces, that nothing would do but a system of marauding upon our supposed enemies, the tories. In this new expe- dition, which was further than the former, the offi- cers thought it prudent to accompany the men, in truth to keep order and repress their ardency. We arrived at a farm said to belong to Governor Cromie or some other inhabitant of Quebec. The farm- house, though low, being but one story, was capa- cious, and tolerably neat. The barn built of logs, with a threshing-floor in the centre, was from seven- ty to eighty feet in length. The tenant, his wife, and children, shuddered upon our approach. Assu- rances that they should be unharmed, relieved their fears. The tenant pointed out to us the horned-cat- tle, pigs, and poultry of his landlord. These we shot down without mercy, or drove before us to our quar- ters. Thus we obtained a tolerable load for our car- avan, which consisted of five or six carioles. With this disreputable exploit, marauding ceased. A returning sense of decency and order, emanating from ourselves, produced a species of contrition. It is a solemn truth, that we plundered none but those who were notoriously tories, and then within the walls of Quebec. The clergy, the nobles, and the peas- antry, were respected and protected, especially the latter, with whom, to use a trite expression, we frat- ernized. The minuteness of this description of oc- currences of a trivial, yet disgraceful nature, is made the more strongly to impress your minds with the 10 '1 no CAMPAIGN horrors attendant on civil wars. This species of war, more than any other, not only affects the great and the wealthy, but it intrudes itself into, and devastates tlie cottage. This the American people know, fioiii the many melancholy scenes that succeeded the pe- riod spoken of. Gracious and Almighty God ! the shield and pro- tector of the good, as well as thou art the scourge of the base and wicked nation, avert from my country this, the most terrible of thy modes of temporal ven- geance. December I5th.— In a short time the rifle compa* nies moved and occupied good quarters on the low grounds, near St. Charles' river, and about two miles from Quebec. Our clothing was still of the flimsy kind before noted, but our hearts were light, even to merriment. Individually, from our own funds, we supplied ourselves with arm-gloves, and renewed our moccasins. This was about the middle of Decem- ber. During all this time our daily duty was labori- ous in various ways, and every other night we moun- ted guard at St. Roque. A guard-house, ere this, had been established at this place, in a very large Btone house, which, though strong, (being exposed to the enemy's fire,) was soon battered about our ears ; the distance scarcely more than three hundred yards. That position was changed for one more secure. A house that had been a tavern was adopted in its stead. This house was peculiarly situated. It was compar- atively small with the former in its dimensions, but the walls were strong, and the ceilings bomb-proof. It stood under the hill, so as to be out of the range of the shot from the ramparts contiguous to Palace- gate, which were elevated far above us. Simpson would say, ''Jack, let us have a shot at those fel- lows." Even at noonday we would creep along close AGAINST QUEBEC. Ill !Sof war, real and evastates ow, from d the pe- and pro- ;courge of y country poral ven- le compa- 1 the low two miles the flimsy It, even to funds, we jnewed our of Deceni- svas labor i- Lwenioun- ere this, very large exposed to t our ears ; dred yards, secure. A in its stead, as compar- nsions, but (omb-proof. the range to Palace- Simpson ,t those fel- along close to the houses which ranged under the hill, but close in with it, till we came within forty yards of Palace gate. Here was a smith's shop, formed of logs, through the crevices of which we would fire, at an angle of 70, at the sentries above us. Many of them were killed, and it was said, several officers. This was dishonorable war, though authorized by the prac- tices of those times. The distance from this guard- house to Palace-gate, may be three hundred and fif- ty yards. The hill, at the back of the house, seem- ed to make an angle of 60 or 70 degrees. This ac- clivity continued from the walls of the city, and a- round it by the lower town, (where it is greatest,) for many miles up the St. Lawrence and St. Charles, and forms the basis of Abraham's Plains. It was about that time the York artillerists, under Captain Lamb, had constructed a battery on the Plains, at the distance of 600 or 700 hundred yards from the fortress. The earth was too difficult for the intrench- ing tools to pierce ; the only method left waste raise a battery composed of ice and snow. The snow was made into ice by the addition of water. The work was done in the night time. Five or six 9 pounders and a howitzer were placed in it. It was scarcely completed, and our guns had opened on the city, be- fore it was pierced through and through by the weigh- tier metal of the enemy. Several lives were lost on the first and second day. Yet the experiment was persisted in, till a single ball, piercing the battery, kill- ed and wounded three persons. In the quarters last mentioned, we enjoyed some pleasant days. The winter in Canada, as with us, is the season of good humor and joy. December 18ih, 19lh. Upon a secession from the out-post, or other military employments, we were a- l^reeably received in the farm bouses around. Our 112 CAMPAIGN > ! I engagements near Palace gate still continued to be of the arduous kind : our numbers being few, every second watch was performed by the same persons who had made the guard the last but one. Between the guard house and the extreme end of the suburbs of St. Roque, which may be half a mile from the ramparts, there was a rising ground in the main street, fairly in view of the enemy, and whilst we relieved in daylight, was raked, even by grape shot. Some good men were lost here. This circumstance changed the time of relief to nine o'clock in the eve- ning. The riflemen were principally employed as guards at this dangerous station. It is but Mr and honest to relate to you an anecdote concerning my- self, which will convey to your minds some notion of that affection of the head or heart which the milita- ry call a panic-terror. Being one of the guard and having been relieved as a sentry about twelve or one o'clock at night, upon returning to the guard house in a dozing state, I cast myself on a bench next the back wall. Young, my sleeps were deep and heavy ; my youth obtained this grace from Simpson, the of- ficer who commanded. About three o'clock I was roused by a horrible noise. The enemy, in casting their shells, usually began in the evening, and threw but a few ; towards morning they became more alert. Our station being out of siglit, it was so managed as to throw the shells on the side cap- tains. One Singleton, a sergeant in the troops that accompanied Montgomery, deserted from the guard at the suburbs of St. John, and disclosed to our foes the purport of our schemes ; his desertion caused much anxiety. The General prudently gave out that it was by command, he would return soon with intelligence. This was believed generally. The latter information came to my knowledge some time afterwards, when a prisoner. The relation of Smith to me is perfect on my memory. Youths seldom for- get their juvenile impressions. It was this : ^' That we, of Arnold's corj^, accompanied by Capt. Lang's York Artillerists, should assail the lower town, on the side of St. Roque : General Montgomery was to attack the lower town by the way of Cape Diamond, which is on the margin of the St. Lawrence. A false attack was to be made easterly of St. John's gate. When Montgomery and Arnold conjoined in the lower town, then the priests, the wonoen, and the children, were to be gathered and intermingled with the troops, and an assault be made on the upper town." Visionary as this mode of attack was, from what ensued, it is sincerely my belief that Smith was correct in his information, as to the plan suggested by the General. In ttiose turbulent times, men of gallantry, such as Montgomery, were imperiously ne- cessiated, to keep up their own fame and the spirits of the people, to propose and to hazard measures, e- ven to the confines of imprudence. There was an- other circumstance which induced our brave and worthy General to adopt active and dangerous means of conquest. Many of the New-England troops had ;. |fl 'f l| 118 CAMPAIGN f been engaged on very short enlistments, some of which were to expire on the first of January, 1776. The patriotism of the summer of seventy-five, aeeui- ed almost extinguished in the winter of seventy-six. The patriotic officers made every exertion to induce enlistirients, but to no purpose. We, of the " rifle corps," readily assented to remain with the General, though he should be deserted by the eastern men ; yet this example had no manner of influence on the generality. The majority were either farmers or sail- ors, and some had wives and children at home. — These, and other reasons, perhaps the austerity of the winter, and the harshness of the service, caused an obstinacy of mind which would not submit to pa- triotic representation. Besides, the small pox, intro- duced into our cantonments by the indecorous, yet fascinating arts of the enemy, had already begun its ravages. This temper of the men wad well known to the General. Great numbers of the soldiets in- oculated themselves for this disease, by laceration un- der the finger nails by means of pins or needles, ei- ther to obtain an avoidance of duty, or to get c^er that horrible disorder in an easy and speedy way. It was not until the night of the 3 1st of Decem- ber, 1775, that such kind of weather ensued as was considered favorable for the assault. The forepart of the night was admirably enlightened by a luminous moon. Many of us, officers as well as privates, had dispersed in various directions among the farm and tippling houses of the vicinity. We well knew the signal for rallying. This was no other than a snow storm. About 12 o'clock P. M. the heavens were o- vercast. We repaired to quarters. By 2 o'clock we were accoutred and began our march. The storm was outrageous, and the cold wind extremely biting. In this northern country the enow is blown horizon^ , some of ly, 1776. [ive, yeerii- !venty-six. to induce the "rifle B General, I men ; yet :e on the lers or sail- t home. — usterity of ce, caused bmit to pa- pox, intro- ;orous, yet r begun its rell known loldieis in- ration un- leedles. ei- ) get (wer Jy way. of Decem- led as was forepart of I luminous vates, had farm and knew the an a snow ns were o- o'clock we The storm ely biting. n horizon- [Montgomery's attack on Quebec] ,^i XM- * *■ AGAINST QUEBEC. 121 tally into the faces of travellers on most occasions — this was our case. January 1st. — When we came to Craig's house, near Palace gate, a horrible roar of cannon took place, and a ringing of all the bells of the city, which are very numerous, and of all sizes. Arnold, head- ing the forlorn hope, advanced perhaps one hundred yards before the main ~^body. After these followed Lamb's artillerists. Morgan's company led in the secondary part of the column of infantry. Smith's followed, headed by Steele ; the captain, from partic- ular causesj being absent. Hendricks' company suc- ceeded, and the eastern men, so far as known to me, followed in due ordeir. The snow was deeper than in the fields, because of the nature of the ground. The path mode by Arnold, Lamb, and Morgan was almost imperceptible because of the falling snow. Covering wfi locks of our guns with the lappets of our coats, and holding down our heads^ (for it was impossible to bear up our faces against the imperious storm of wind and snow,] we ran along the foot of the hill in single file. Along the first, of our run from Palace gate, hr several hundred yards, there stood a range of insulated buildings, which seemed to be store- houses—we passed these quickly in single file, pretty, wide apart. The interstices were from thirty to fifty yards. In these intervsds we received a tremendous fire of musketry from th^ ramparts aboVe us. Here we lost some brave men, when powerless to return the salutes we received, as the enemy was covered by his impregnable defences. They were even sightless to us — we coal4 Me nothing but the blaze from the muzzles of their muskets. A number of vessels of various sizes lay along the beach, moored by their hawsers or cables to the houies. Pacing after roy leader. Lieutenant Steele, 11 'K^ 'J •i 122 CAMPAIO!^ at a great rate, one of those ropes took me under the chin and cast me headlong down a declivity of at least fifteen feet. The place appeared to be either a dry dock or a saw pit. My descent was terrible ; gun and all was involved in a great depth of snow. One of my knees received a most violent contusion. On like occasions our intimates attepd to no other than their own concerns. Mine went from me, re- regardless of my fate. Scrabbling out of the cavity without assistance, divesting my persoit and gun of the snow, and limping into the line, it was attempt- ed to assume a station, and preserve it. These were none of my friends— they knew me not. We had not gone twenty yards^ in my hobblinggait, before I was thrown out and compelled to await the arrival of a chasm in the line, where a new place might be obtained. Men, in affairs such as this, seem in the main to lose the eompaseionate feeling, and are a- verse to being dislodged from their original stations. ■ We proceeded rapidly, exposed to a long line of fire from the garrison, for now we were unprotected by any buildings. The fire had slackened in a small degree. The enemy had been partly called off to resist the General, and strengthen the party opposed to Arnold in our front. Now we saw Colonel Ar- nold returning, wounded in the leg, and supported by two gentlemen ; a parson Spring was one, and in my belief, a Mr. Og dg^jjl^ the other. Arnold called to the troops in & cbeermg voice as we passed, urging us forward ; yet it was observable among the sol- diery, with whom it was my misfortune to be now placed, that the CblonePs retiring damped their spir- its. A cant phrase, *• We, are sold," was repeatedly heard in many parts throughout the line. Thus pro- ceeding, enfiladed by an animated but lessened fire, we came to the first barrier, where Arnold had been ii AGAINST QUEBEC. 123 undertbe irity of at )e either a 3 terrible; of snow, contusion. > no other m nie, re- the cavity ind gun of is attempt- rhew were We had ait, before I the arrival ;e might be seem in the and are a- lal stations, line of fire rotected by in a small illed off to rty opposed Colonel Ar- 1 supported one, and in )ld called to sed, urging )ng the sol- to be now d their spir- repeatedly Thus pro- jsened fire, Id had been wounded in the onset. This contest had lasted but a few rhinutes, and was somewhat severe ; but the energy of our men prevailed. The embrasures were entered when the enemy were discharging their guns. The guard, consisting of thirty persons, were either taken, or fled, leaving th^ir arms behind them. At this time it was discovered that our guns were use- less, because of the dampness. The snow, which lodged in our fleecy coats, was melted by the warmth of our bodies. Thence came that disaster. Many of the party, knowing the circumstance, threw aside their own, and seized the British arms. These were not only elegant, but were such as befitted the hand of a real soldier. It was said that 10,000 stand of such arms had been received from England In the previous summer for arming the Canadian militia. Those people were' loth to bear them in opposition to our rights. From the first barrier to the second, there was a circular course along the sides of houses, and partly through a street, probably of three hun- dred yards, or more. This second barrier was erect- ed across, and near the mouth of a narrow street, ad- jacent to the foot of the hill, which opened into a larger, leading soon into the main body of the lower town. Here it was that the most serious contiention took place ; this became the bone of strife. The ad- mirable Montgomery by this time, (though it was un- known to us,) was no more; yet we expected mo- mentarily to join him. The firing on that side of the fortress ceased ; his division fell under the com- mand of a Colonel Campbell, of the New York line, a nerveless chief, who retreated without making an effort, in pursuance of the General's original plans. The inevitable conseciuence was, that the whole of the forces on that siae of the city, and those who were opposed to the various detachments employed to If I { Pi 'if .' ail hi 124 CAMPAIGN mak« the false attacks, embodied and came down to oppose our division. Here was sharp shooting. We were on the disadvantageous side of the barrier for such a purpose. Confined in a narrow street, hardly more than twenty feet wide, and on the lower ground, scarcely a ball, well aimed or otherwise, but must take effect upon us. Morgan, Hendricks, Steele, Humphreys, and a crowd of every class of the ar- my, had gathered into the narrow pass, attempting to surmount the barrier, which was about twelve or more feet high, and so strongly constructed that noth- ing but artillery could effectuate its destruction. — There was a construction fifteen or twenty yards within the 1)arrier, upon a rising ground, the cannon of which much overtopped the height of the barri- er ; hence we were assailed with grape shot in abun- dance. This erection was called the j^latform. A- gain, within the barrier, and close in to it, were two ranges of musketeers, armed with musket and bay- onet) ready to receive those who might venture the dangerous I^p. Add to all this that the enemy oc- cupied the upper chambers of the houses in the inte- rior of the barrier, on both sides of the street, from the windows of which we became fair marks. The enemy, having the advantage of the ground in front, a vast superiority of numbers, dry and better arms, eave them an irresistible power in so narrow a space. Humphreys, upon a mound which was speedily e- rected, attended by many brave men, attempted to scale the banier, but was compelled to retreat by the formidable phalanx of bayonets within, and the weight of fire from the platform and the buildings. Morgan, brave to temerity, stormed and raged. — Hendricks, Steele, Nichols, Humphreys, equally brave, were sedate, though under a tremendous fire. The platform, which was within our view, was evacuated us. AGAINST QUEBEC. l» m down to ing. We arrier for et, hardly ;r ground, but must [s, Steele, of the ar- ittempting twelve or that noth- Lruction. — jnty yards he cannon the barri- lOt in abun- tform. A- , were two jtand bay- venture the enemy oc- in theinte- Btreet, from arks. The ind in front, better arms, ow a space, speedily e- ttempted to treat by the n, and the e buildings, id raged.— ually brave, -ifire. The M evacuated by the accuracy of our fire, and few persons dared venture there again. Now it wad that the necessity of the occupancy of the houses on our ^ide of the barrier, became apparent. Orders were given by Mor- gan to that effect — we entered. This was near day- light. The houses were a shelter from which we could fire with much accuracy. Yet even here some valuable lives were lost. Hendricks, when aiming his rifle at some prominent person, died by a strag- gling ball tiirough his heart. He staggered a few feet backwards and fell upon a bed, where he in- stantly expired. He was an, ornament to our little society. The amiable Humphreys died by a like kind of wound, but it was in the street before we en- tered the buildings. Many other brave men fell at this place ; among these were Lieutenant Cooper, of Connecticut, and perhaps fifty or, sixty non-commis- sioned officera and privates. The wounded were nu- merous, and many dangerously wounded. Captain Lamb, of the York artillerists, had nearly one half of his face carried away by a grape or canister shot. My friend Steelp lost three of his fingers as he wad presenting his gun to fire ; Capt. Hubbard and Lieu- tenant Fisdle were also among the wounded. When we reflect u|)on the whole of the gangers at this bar- ricade,, and the formklable force that came to annoy us, it is a matter of surprise that so many should es- cape death and wounding, as did. All hope of suc- cess having vanished, a retreat was contemplated ; but hesitation, uncertainty, and a lassitude of mind which generally takes place in the afifairs of men, when they fail in a project upon which they have at- tached much expectaiion, now followed. That mo- ment was foolishly lost when such a movement might have been made with tolerable success. Capt. Laws, «X the head of 200 men, issuing from Palace gate, i Xi 126 CAMPAIGN most fairly and handsomely cooped us up. Many of the men, aware of the consequences, and all our In- dians and Canadians, (except Natanis and another,) escaped across the ice which covered the bay of St. Charles, before the arrival of Captain Laws. This was a dangerous and desperate adventure, but worth the undertaking, in avoidance of our subsequent suf- ferings. Its desperateness consisted in running two miles across eiboal ice, thrown up by the high tides of this latitude — and its danger in the meeting with air holes, deceptively covered by the bed of snow. Speaking circumspectly, yet it must be admitted conjecturally, it seems to me that in the whole of the attack, of commissioned officers we had six killed, five wounded: and of non-commissioned and pri- vates at least one hundred and lifty killed, and fifty or sixty wounded. Of the enemy, many were kill- ed and many more wounded, com'paratively, than on our side, taking into view the disadvantages we la- bored under ; and that but two occasioris happened when we could return their fire — that is, at the first and second barriers. Neither the American account of this aflfair, as published by Congress, nor that of Sir Guy Cdrleton, admit the loss of either side to be so great as it really was, in my estimation. It seems to be a universal practice among belligerents of all nations to lessen the number of the slsiin of the side of the party which reports the event, and to increase it on the part of the enemy. Having had pretty good opportunities of forming a just opinion on the subject, it is honed diat gentlemen who have thought or writ- ten differently, will not disdain to listen to my argu- ment. As to the British, on the platform, they were fair objects to us« They were soon driven thence by the acuteness of our shooting, which, in our appre- hension, must have destroyed many. Perhaps^there h( AGAINST QVCBEC. 127 Many of ill our In- another,) )ay of St. ys. This but worth jquent suf- nning two gh tides of ig with air lOW. e admitted hole of the six killed, i and pri- I, and fifty were kill- ily, than on res we la- 5 happened at the first ah account )or that of ■ side to be It seems rents of all of the side to increase pretty good the subject, ght or writ- my argu- , they were 1 thence by our appre- rhaps^there never was a body of men associated, who better un- derstood the use and manner of employing a rifle, than our corps, which by this time of the attack, had their guns in good order. When we took possession of the houses, we had a greater range. Our oppr- tunities to kill were enlarged. Within one hundred yards every man must die. The British, however, were at home — they could easily drag their dead out of sight, and bear their, wounded to the hospital. It was the reverse with us. Captain Prentiss, who com> manded the provost guards, while we, were prisoners would tell me of .seven or eight killed, and fifteen or twenty wounded. Opposed to this, the sentries, (who were mostly Irishmen, that guarded us, with much simplicity, if not with honesty,) frequently admitted of forty or fiftjr killed, and many more wounded.**^ The latter aiEeertions accorded with my opinion. The reasons for this belief are these : When the dead, on the following days, were transported on the carioles, Eassed our habitation for deposition in the ^* dead ouse," we observed many bodies of which none of us had any knowledge : and again, :when our woun- ded were returned fo us from the hospital, they uni- formly spoke of being surrounded there in its niany chambers by many of the wounded of the enemy. To the great honor of General Carlton, they were all, whether friends or enemies, treated with like at- tention and humanity. The reason why the woun- ded of our side bore so small a proportion to the dead, seems to be this : In the long course we ran firom Palace gate to the first barrier, we lost many men who were killed outright, but many more di^ who were merely wound^, yet in such a manner as in a milder region to make the case a curable one. A blow from a ball so large as that of a musket, stag- gers a man, whether the wound be in the arm, leg, y:^a 1 ' I ^ii I.- ' ]•■■ . ! 'I: :'5 ■\% ■ r -n u '''I'M r 128 CAMPAIGN or elsewhere ; if in staggering, he falls, he comes down into a deep bed of snow, from which a^ hale man finds it viery difficult to extricate himself. Five or ten minutes strug^gling in such a bed benumbdthe strongest man, as frequent experiencie has taught me ; if the party be wounded, though but slightly, twenty or thirty minutes will kill him — not because of the severity of the wound, but by the intensity of the frost. These are my opinions, 'grounded on a toler- ably distinct and accurate knowledge of particular cases, which occurred in the first part of. the attack, and a variety of information obtained afterwards from individual sufferers, who were persons of credibility, rescued from death by the humane activity of Gen- eral Carleton. About 9 o'clock A. M. it was appa- rent to all of us that we must surrender ; and ii was done. On this occasion my friend General F. Nich- ols, by his own native spirit, perseverance, and. de- termined bravery, obtained an honorable distinction and acknowledgment from a brave' and distiliguish- ed enemy. It enhances his merit and the bodn, when we reflect that tlmt eneniy was no other than General Carlton, an ornament such as would grace any^ha^ion, whether in the worst or best of times. Some privates came to Lieutenant Nichols and de- manded his sword ; the requisition was peremptorily denied, though there was great risk in the refusal. He retained his sword till he met with Captain En-* desly of the enemy, to whom it was surrendered ; but with the exaction of a promise that it should be re- turned when he, (the captive,) should be released. In the August folio whig, before our embarkation for New- York, Capt^m Endesly waited on Lieutenant Nichpl8)-and in^ tlie presence of all the American of- ficers, re-delivered the sword, under the assurance that it was by the permiasion and command of Gen^ he comes ch a hale elf. Five numbs (he lughi me ; ly, twenty ise of the ity of the on a toler- particular he attack, i^ards from :retlibility, y of Gen- wias appa- and it was l1 F. Nich- , and. de- distinction istiliguish- tlie boon, )ther than uld grace of times, and de- •emptorily ^e refusal, ptain En- iered ; but luld be re- released, kation for iieutenant lerican of- assurance idof Gen^ AGAINST QUEBEC. 129 M eral Carlton. This trait in the character of Carlton adds to the celebrity of his derivation and manner of thinking, and casts into a dark ground the characters of most of the principal British officers, particularly the Scotch, who had much influence in those days, and bore towards us an intemperate hatred. The commissioned officers and some of the cadets were conducted to the seminary, a respectable build- ing. It became my lot in one way or other to be lost in the crowd, and to be associated with the non-com- missioned officers, in the cornpany of some of whom ardent and perilous duties had been undergone. — These nien are by no means to be lessened in char- acter by contrasting them with, the levies made in Europe, or those made since that time incur own country. Many of our sergeants, and even of our privates, were men of good education, and substaii- tial freeholders in our own country. Upon a former occasion you were told the story of the respectable Dixon. He possessed, (if sordid wealth makes the man,) two-fold the riches of his captain ; and if it be permitted me to decide |2pon the characters of men, five-fold his understandings activity and spirit. Ami- able Dixon! Many of these men, in the progress of the bloody scenqs which ensued, becanie props of our glorious cause in defence of our sacred liberties. All could be named. Let a few suffice. Thomas JBoydt so often spoken of in the wilderness for his good nu- mor, hii activity, and the intensity of his suiierings, struggled gloriously for his life as a paptain, and died a dreadful death by the hands of the savages in 1779, in the expedition conducted by General Sullivan a- gainst the Six Nation Indians. ^1 \m 1 ', ^;- i ^ ■'.1 I;' ;! IV-tJ ■'Ci'i ij 180 CAMPAiOlt. [Another digr&«sion is here made in Mr. Henry's Narrative, both to relieve the tedium of a subject which treats of one unvaried round of hardship and suffering, and to contrast the recital of the same event as given by an eye witness, and as laid down by the general historian. The following account of Montgomery's at- tack on Quebec, is from **Botta*s History of the War of the Revolution," a work reckoned by^ critics the most authentic of any yet published on that subject. The reader will find following the extract above alluded to, a por- tion of .an Oration, illustrative of the Revolutionary warfare, de* livered on the occasion of the removal of the remains of Lieut. Thomas Boyd from the grave near where he fell, to Mount Hope, in Rochester, August 20th, 1841, by Samuel Treat, of Geneseo. lAeiU. Thomas Boyd and Thomas Boyd^ mentioned by Mr. Henry, are identical.— Editor] ■ -^ . , - . r* \Jiecouht qf Montgon^ry't Attack on Quebec,'] «( Montgomery, having determined to attempt the as- sault, convoked a council of war, and acquainted them with his project. "Without denyinff that it was of diffi- cult execution, he maintained that it was possible^ and that valor and prudence would triumph overall obsta- cles. AH were in favor of his proposition. A few companies of Arnold, dissatisfied with their comman- der, alone testified repugnance. But Captain Morgan, a mfui of real merit, addressed them a i^ersuasive dis- course, and their opposition ibased/ The general had already arranged in his mind the plan of the attack, and thought of all the means proper to cany it into execution. He intended it should take place, at the same time, against the tipper and lower town. But understanding that a deserter had given notice of it to the governor, he resolved to divide his army into four corps, two of which, composed in great part of the Ca- nadians, under the command of Majors Livingston and Brown, were to occupy the attention of the enemy by two feigned, attacks of the upper town, towards St. John and Cape Diamond. The two others, led, the first by Montgomery, the second by Arnold, were re- served to assault the lower part of the town from two opposite points. The general was perfectly aware, AGAINST QUEBEC. nt rrative, both one unvaried recital of the down by the gomery's at* War of the authentic of ed to, a. por- warfare.de- fns of Li^ut. IVf ount Hope, I of Geneseo. med. by Mr. ee.l ipt the as- inted them v^as of diffi- ssible^ and r all obsta- a. A few • comman- in Morgan, iiasive dis- eneral had he attack, rry it into ice, at the own. But ce of it to r into four of the Ca- igston and enemy by ►wards St. i, led, the were re- from two tly aware, that after be should have carried this part_of Quebec, there would remain many difficulties to be surmounted in order to conquer the other. But he hoped that the inhabitants, on seeing so great a proportion of their property fallen into the power of the victors, would force the governor to capitulate. The l^t day of the year, 1775, between four and five o'clock in the morning, in the midst of a heavy storm of snow, the four columns put themselves iii^mo- tion,- in the best order, each towards the point assigned. It is said that Captain Frazer, of the Irish emigrants, ingoing his round, perceived-the fuzees which the A- mericans fired to give the signal ; and that, immediate- ly, without waiting furdier orders, he caused the drums to beat, and roused the garrison to arms. The columns of Livingston and of Brown, impeded by the snow and other obstacles, were not in time to e:!i:ecute their feints; But Montgomery, at the head of his, composed chiefly of New- York men, adyftnced upon the bank of the riv- er, marching by the way denominated Anse de «ier, un- der Cape Diamond. Here was encountered a first barrier, at a place called Potasse, which was defended by a battery of a few pieces of cannon ; further on, at the distance of two hundred paces from this, stood a redoubt, iumished ^vith a sufficient guard. The sol- diers that composed it, being the greater part Canadi- ans, on seeing the enemy approach, were seized with terror, threw down their arms, and fled. The battery itself was abandoned ; and if the Americans could have advanced with sufficient expedition, they would cer- tainly have been masters of it. But in turning Cape Di- amond, the foot of which is bathed by the waters of the river, they found the road interrupted by enormous masses of snow. Montgomery, with his own hands, endeavored to open a path for his troops, who followed him, man by man ; he was compelled to wait for them. At length, having assembled about two hundred, whom he encouraged with voice and example, he moved cour- If m \i\ f-r.t'S. i'M m 183 CAMPAIGN ageously and rapidly towards the barrier. But, in the mean time, a cannoni&r who had retreated from the battery, on seeing th^ enemy halt; returned to his post, and taking a match, which happened (o be still burn- ing, fired a cannon charged with grape shot; the A- mericans were within forty paces. This single explo- sion totally extinguished the hopes they had conceived. Montgomery, as well as Captains Macpherson and Cheeseman, both young men of singulai' merit, and dear to the general, were killed upon the spot. The soldiers shrunk back on seeing their general fall ; and Colonel Caipnipbell, on whom the command devolved, was not a man copable of executing so perilous, an en- terprize. The flight soon became universal ; so that this pJEurt of the garrison, no loniger having enemies to combat, was at liberty to fly to the succor of that which was attacked by Arnold. This colonel, who was himself at the head of the forlorn hope, inarched by the way of St. Roque, to- wards the place called Saut-att-^ateht. Capt. Lamb followed him with a company of artillery, and one piece of cannon ; next came the main body, preceded by the riflemen uhder Captain Morgan. The besiged had erected, at the entrance of the avenue, a battery, which- defended a barrier. The Americans found them- selves confined within a passage obstructed by deep snow, and so commanded by the works of the enemy, that his grape shot swept it in every direction. Miean- while, Arnold advanced rapidly under the fire of the beseiged, who manned the waUs. He received a mus- ket ball in the leg, which wounded him severely, splin- tering the bone. It was necessary to carry him to the hospital^ almost by compulsion. Captain Morgan then took the command, and with all the impetuosity of his character, he launched himself against the battery, at the head of two companies. The artillery of the ene- my continued to fire grape shot, but with little eflect. The American riflemen, celebrated for their extreme AGAINST QUEBEC. 183 It, in the Tom the I his post, ill burn- ; the A- ie explo- mceived. 'son and erit, and ot. The fail; and levolved, ud, an en- ; BO that nemies to hat which id of the Loque, to- bt. Lamb and one preceded e besiged a battery, ind them- by deep ie enemy, 1. Miean- re of the ed a mus- ely, splin- lim to the rgan then ity of his attery, at the ene- e effect, r extreme address, killed many of the British soldiers through the embrasures. They applied ladders to the parapet ; the besieged were daunted, and abandoned the battery to the assailants. Morgan, with his companies, and a few soldiers of the centre, who were come up to the van- guard, made many prisoners, English as well as Cana- dians ; but his situation became extremely critical. — The main body had not yet been able to join him ; he had no guide, and he was unacquainted with the city ; he had no artillery, and the day was still far from dawn- ing. He found himself constrained to halt ; his sol- diers began to reflect upon their position ; their ardor cooled rapidly. The ignorance in which they were of the fate of their columns, the obscurity of the night, the snow which fell with redoubled violence, the firing of musketry, which was heard on every side, and even behind them, finally, the uncertainty of the future, fill- ed the boldest spirits with an involuntary terror. Mor- gan alone resisted the panic ; he rallied his riflemen, promising them certain victory. He ran to the barri- er, to spur on those who had remained behind. Lieu- tenant-Colonel Green, Majors Bigelowand Meigs, join- ed him with their companies. The morning began to dawn, when Morgan, with a terrible voice, summon- ed his troops to the assault ; he led on with fury a- gainst a second battery, which he knew to be only a few paces distant, though masked by an angle of the road ; on turning the comer, he encountered a detach- ment of English, who had sallied from the battery, un- der the command of Captain Anderson. The latter summoned the Americans to lay down arms. Morgan levelled a musket at his head, and laid him dead upon the ground. The English then retreated within t^ battery, and closed the barrier. A fierce combat ensu- ed, which cost many lives to tlie two parties, but most to the Americans, whose flanks were exposed to a de-^ structive fire of musketry from the windows of the houses. Meanwhile, some of the most adventurous, 12 k Sfc. ', m 11 5' ^- 'I m 184 CAMPAIGN ladders against the palisade, seeing of having rested the peared disposed t soldiers prepared to receive them on the points of their bayonets, they renounced this project. Cut down by a continual fire, they now sought shelter in the houses. Morgan remained almost alone, near the barrier, en- deavoring in vain to recall his soldiers, and inspire them vnth fresh courage. Weariness, and the menacing countenance of the enemy, had disheartened the most audacious. Their arms, bathed by the snow, which continued to fall impetuously, were no longer of any use to them. Morgan then, seeing the expedition frus- trated, ordered the retreat to sound, to avoid being sur- rounded. But the soldiers who had taken refuge in the houses were afraid to expose themselves to the tem- pest of shot that must have been encountered, in gain- ing the comer of the avenue, where they would havo been out of danger, and whence they might have re- tired behind the first barrier. The loss they had sus- tained, the fury of the storm, and the benumbing ef- fects of the cold, had deprived them of all courage. In the meantime, a detachment of the beseiged, sallied out from a gate of the palace, and Captain Dearborne, who, with his company of provincials, held himself in reserve near this gate, having surrendered, Morgan saw himself encircled by enemies. He proposed to his followers, to open, with arms, the way of retreat ; but they refused, m the hope that the assault given on the other part might have succeeded, and that Montgomery would soon come to their relief. They resolved to de- fend themselves, in the meantime ; but having at length perceived, by the continually increasing multitude of enemies, the true state of things, they yielded to des- tiny, and laid down arms. Such was the issue of the assault given by the Amer- icans to the city of Quebec, in the midst of the most rigorous season of the year; an cnterprizo, which, though at first view it may seem rash, waA certainly sade, ap- o files of ts of their clown by e houses, rrier, en- pire them menacing the most w, which ir of any ition frus- being sur- refuge in o the tem- 3, in gain- ould have it have re- r had sus- mbing ef- courage. id, sallied earborne, limself in irgan saw led to his reat; but en on the intgomery Ived to de- ^ at length iltitude of sd to des- the Amer- thc most >, which, certainly > AGAINST QUElSor^ /^/•» ,35 not impossible. The events themselves have proved it ; for if General Montgomery had not been slain at the first onset, it is more than probable that on his part he would have carried the barrier, since even at the moment of his death the battery was abandoned, and only served by a few men ; by penetrating at this point, while Arnold and Morgan obtamed the same advanta- ges in their attacks, all the lower city would have fall- en into the power of the Americans. However this may be, though victory escaped them, their heroic ef- forts will be the object of sincere admiration. The governor, using his advantages nobly, treated the pris- oners with much humanity. He caused the Amencan general to be mterred vdth all military honors." lExtrctct from em Otation, by Samuel Treat, EaqJ] ** Congress at length determined to execute the project pre- viously formed, of carrying the war into the Indian coun- try. Gen. gjj^Uivan was ordered to ascend the S u8( ^ue- hanna t o Tioga Point ; and Gen. Clinton, to pass tlirough the Mohawk Valley, to meet the former officer at that place of rendezvous. After various delays caused by the character of the country through which the march watf di- rected, the combined forces, amounting to nearly 5000 men, were ready, on the 22d of August, 1779, to commence the campaign. Sullivan^s orders were, to destroy the In- dian villages, cut down their crops, and inflict upon them every other mischief which time and circumstances would permit, and not to return until the cruelties of jVyoming. Cherry, and the border-settlements had been fully avenffed. Permit me, before detailing the events of this campaign, to glance at the previous history of a few of those gallant men whose mournful fate we have this day met to deplore. After the battle of Monmouth, in 1778, Morgan's rifle- men were sent to protect the settlements near Schoharie. Among those whose term of service had expired before I the autumn of *79, was the bokl Virginian, Timotuy Mur- /) n %^-irtv I I 186 mm *^ % • ^^^ CAMPAIGN phy. Instead of returning home, he enlisted in the mili* tia, and continued to wage a desultory war against the sav- ages then hovering over the Mohawk settlements. By his fearless intrepidity, his swifltness of foot, his prompt- ness for every hazarclous enterprize, he was, though a mere private, entrusted with the management of every scouting party sent out. He always earned a favorite double rifle, an object of the greatest terror to the Intjians, who for a long time were awe-struck at its two successive dischar- ges. In the hands of so skilful a marksman, the greatest execution always followed its unerring aim. He had been several times surprised by small Indian parties ; but, with remarkable good fortune^ had as often escaped. When the savages had learned the mystery of his double rifle, knowing that he must reload after the second discharge, they were careful not to expose themselves until he twice filed. Once, when separated from his troop, he was sud- denly surrounded by a large party of savages. Instantly he struck down the nearest roe, and fled at his utmost speed. Being hard pushed by one runner, whom alone he had not outstripped in the flight, he suddenly turned and shot him on the spot. Stoppmg to strip his fallen pur- suer, he saw another close upon him. He seized the rifle of jhe dead Indian, and again brought down his victim. The s&vaget, supposing au danger now passed, rushed heedlessly on witn yells of frantic rage. When nearly exhausted, he again turned, and, with the undischarged barrel, fired, and the third pursuer fell. With savage won- der, the other Indians were riveted to the spot ; and, ex- claiming that ** he could fire all day without reloading,*' gave aver the pursuit From that hour, Murphy was re- garded by the savages as possessing a. charmed life. When Clinton passed along the Mohawk, on his way to Tioga Point, he again joined his rifle corps, to share the dangers of the marcD into the wilderness. A few of the Oneida warriors joined the expedition, and acted is guides. Cornelius and Honyerry had distin- guished tbemselvei in the battle at Oiiskany ; and, from m .Vi.vi*5 ^%^■^^^%l^M ^^U\^ m «\ • »k • •i # • the mill- it the sav- mts. By \ prompt- igh a mere |r scouting uble rifle, who for a 3 discliar- le greatest e had been but, with I When )uble rifle, discharge, il he twice e was sud- Instantly his utmost horn alone ;nlv turned fallen pur- ed the rifle his victim, ed, rushed len nearly discharged, ivage won- ; and, ex- eloading," ly was re- fe. When to Tioga le dangers ixpedition, had distin- and, from %K»f A^^J fi^"'.'^ ' AGAINST QUEBEC. \i7 •**«t. the destructive fire of their rifles, been marked by their foes as objects of especial hatred. Murphy was placed in the company commanded by Capt. Simpson and Lieut Thomas Bov d. This was also the company in whfch the late Mr. Salmon, who subse- quently-resided in Grovel:guard, which, after a brisk skirmish, fell back upon the main body. Fearing a repetition of the destructive havoc which they had already suffered at Newtown, they waited not the attack of the whole army ; but, having seized two friendly Oneidas, fled with their prisoners into the adja- cent forest. One of these captives had been Sullivan's principal guide, and had rendered many important services to the Americans. He was, therefore, regarded by his captors as a prisoner of no little consequence. There is an incident connected with his fate, worthy of note, as presenting a striking contrast to the inhumanity of the to- ry brothers at Oriskany and Wyoming . " This faithful Indian had an elder brother engaged with the enemy, who, at the beginning of the war, had exerted all his pow- er to persuade the younger into the British service also, but without success. At the close of this skirmish, the brothers met for the first time since their separation, when they had respectively chosen to travel different war-paths — the younger a prisoner to the elder. The latter had no sooner recognized his brother after the melee, than his eyes kindled with that fierce and peculiar lustre which lights up the eyes of a savage when meditating reyenge. Ap- proaching him haughtily, he spoke thus : "Brother! you have merited death. The hatchet or the war-club shall finish your career. When I begged of you to follow me in the fortunes of war, you were deaf to my entreaties. " Brother ! you have merited death, and shall have your deserts. When the rebels raised their hatchets to fi^ht their good master, vou sharpened your knife, you brightened your rifle, ana led on our foes to the fields of our fathers. " Brother ! you have merited deatb, and ihall die b/ 'I f'S i'^'.>S '•^jps,.- 140 CAMPAIGN ***** our hands. When those rebels had driven us from the fields of our fathers, to seek out new houses, it was you who could dare to step forth as their pilot, and conduct them even to the doors of our wigwams, to butcher our children and put us to death. No crime can be greater. But though you have merited death, and shall die on this spot, my hands shall not be stained with the blood of a brother. Who will strike?'* A pause of a moment ensued. The bright hatchet of Little Beard flashed in the air like lightning, and the young Oneida chief was dead at his feet. Thus did the red warrior of the wilderness prove himself nobler than his civilized associates. After the skirmish just alluded to, Sullivan encamped for the night at the Indian village, and was detained the next day to build a bridge over the inlet and marsh, for his artillery. Early on the evening of the encampment, Lieut. Boy^ requested leave to advance with a small de- tachrr.cnt, ^nd reconnoitre the next tow". The Indian guide, Honyerry, endeavored iji vain to dissuade him from, the attempt. The army was near the red men^s strong- hold, and their warriors lurked behind every covert. But the gallant Boyd, fearless of danger when he could be of service to his country, persisted in his request, until the consent of his commander was obtained. He set out up- on his perilous enterprise, about sunset, with a small band — the brave Honyerry acting as his guide. Murphy, ev- er ready on a scout, joined the troop to share the dangers of the attempt, and to enjoy the excitement of fighting the savages in their own way. Near the summit of the hill, about one mile and a half from the camp, the path di- vided—one branch being in the direction of Williamsburg, the other of Little Beard's Town. Boyd advanced cau- tiously, and took the former path to the Cansaraga. A- ware of the dangers with which he was surrounded, he proceeded slowlv, prepared for instant action. So great were the difficulties he encountered, that the night was far spent before he reached the first village. Here, all AGAINST QUEBEC. 141 from the was you [1 conduct itcher our le greater, ie on this )loocl of a hatchet of , and the IS did the Dbler than encamped jtained the marsh, for campment, ei small de- ""he Indian le him from a's strong- i^ert. But could be of until the set out up- mall band urphy, ev- le dangers of fighting mit of the he path di- liamsburg, need cau- raga. A- unded, he So great night was Here, all was silent and deserted. The Indians had fled but a short time before, as their fires were still burning. His little troop was too much exhausted, and the night too far ad- vanced, for his immediate return. He determined to en- camp near the village, and at early dawn to despatch two messengers to the camp with the information that the ene- my had not yet been discovered ; and then continue his search until he learned the position of the enemy. Sure- ly, a more hazardous enterprize was never undertaken : a- bout thirty men, seven miles from their camp, a dense for- est between them and the army, before them a trackless morass, the Indians lurking perhaps behind every tree, ready to fall upon their prey. But Boyd had offered his services for this perilous task, and lie would not shrink from its performance. Whilst his comrades are yet buried in sleep, taking with him the dauntless Murphy, he creeps cautiously from the place of concealment, until he gains a view of the village. About its outskirts they perceive two savages stealing along the woods ; and in a moment their unerring rifle"! have laid their foes prostrate in death, and Murphy she' is in triumph the reeking scalp of his victim. Fear'ijg that this occurrence would alarm the In- dians hovering near, Boyd now thought it prudent to re- tire. During that night the red warriors had not been idle. Little Beard had summoned his braves for the work of vengeance, and the messengers of Boyd never reached the camp. Brant, with five hundred warriors, and But- ler, with an equal number of rangers, at early dawn set forth from Beard's Town, to intercept Boyd and his party. They selected the spot where the two paths united, near the summit of the hill, for their ambuscade. Concealed in a deep ravine near the adjacent path, they were hid by the dense forest from the view of the army, and by the brush-wood from the path. Whether Boyd returned a- long the trail from Williamsburg or Beard's Town, they knew he must pass the spot where they lay concealed.—- They had wisely conjectured that, if he were attacked far- 11 m m. 142 CAMPAIGN M . ther from the army, he woul^ be prepared for a bloody re- sistance ; and that the first fire would hasten a large de- tachment to his relief. Whatever was done must be ac- complished in a moment ; and their success would be cer- tain, if, as they supposed, he should relax his vigilance ■when so near the camp, As soon as Boyd had decided to reiurn, he arranged his little troop to avoid being thrown into confusion on a sud- den attack. With Honyerry in front and Murphy in the rear, their eagle-eyes fixed upon each moving leaf and wav- ing bough, they marched forward slowly and with the utmost caution. Five weary miles had they thus traversed the dangerous route, and were beginning to descend the hill at whose base the army lay encamped. With rapid march they hurry on, regarding all danger as now past. But just as they emerge from the thick woodinto the main path, more than five hundred warriors, with brandished tomahawks, rise up before them. With horrid yells they close in upon their victims on every side. Boyd^ is not wanting in this fearful crisis. Quick as thought he perceives that ag&inst the fearful odds — the foe twenty times his own number — one chance of escape, and but one, remains — and that, the always doubtful step of striking at a given point, and cut- ting the way through the surrounding foe. At the word, his gallant band fire and rush to the onset. The charge tells fearfully upon the dusky warriors, and a ray of hone gleams upon their clouded fortunes. With unbroken ranks not one of his own comrades yet fallen, he renews the at- tack, and still the third time. With only eight now left, he braves the fierce encounter once again. The fearless Murphy indeed bears a charmed life. He tumbles in the dust the huge warrior in his path ; and, while the rude savages are shouting with kughter, he and two fortunate companions escape. True to his own dauntless nature, he turns to the foe, and, with clenched fist, hurls at them a bold defiance. Poor Honyerry, noted for the wonders that he had wrought at Oriskany, and for his unwavering at- tachment to the American cause, falls, literally backed to U AGAINST QUEBEC. 143 I bloody re- i large de- lust be ac- luld be cer- s vigilance irranged his n on a sud- rphy in the af and wav- b the utmost iversed the id the hill at rapid march st. Butjust 1 path, more tomahawks, lose in upon ating in this that agftinst Q number — nd that, the nt, and cut- it the word, The charge ray of hope Token ranks jews the at- ht now left, The fearless nbles in the lie the rude vo fortunate 18 nature, he s at them a wonders that avering at- y backed to pieces. But the unhappy Boy*^ — he, the gallant and no- ole-hearted ! who never ha(i known fear or shrunk from the most imminent perils — he and the equally wretched Parker, are prisoners in the hands of the merciless enemy. At this frightful moment, what are the emotions of these hapless captives 1 Does not the stout heart of Boyd now beat slowly ? Is not his cheek yet blanched with fear ? No ! Not such his spirit. His courage fails him not, e- ven now. " Red men," he exclaims^ " where is your chief.' Bring me before the brave warrior. Aye, bran- dish your hatchets, ye coward squaws, against the help- less : ye dare not strike. Your chief, I say." At this request the upraised tomahawk is turned aside, and the In- dian chief. Brant, stands before him. At the mystic sig- nal, known only to those initiated into the secrets of the craft, the stern brow of the warrior is relaxed, and Boyd and Parker are safe. The approach of Hand's brigade causes the immediate flight of the Indian foe ; and, in mad haste, they hurry a- way with their prisoners, leaving behind their blankets and the rifles of their victims. But this friendly succor comes too late. The fearful strife is over, and the red men are done. Brant leaves the unfortunate Boyd and Parker in the charge of Butler, and withdraws to provide for the coming danger. With painful march, the captives pursue their cheerless route, amid the fierce exultation of the savage Iribe, to the Indian village at our feet. W u l j ,g r Bu tler, than whom not a more ruthless fiend ev- er cureeotKeKiuman form, summons before him the two prisoners, to learn, if possible, the number, situation, and mtentions of Sullivan^s army. His questions remain un- answered. Boyd will not, even by a word, betray his country's cause Peihaps, relying on the plighted faith and generous nature of the Indian chief, he has no fears for the result. Around him gather the painted forms of the grim savages ; and, with tomahawks cutting the air, and reeking knives thrust towards his unprotected breast, a- mid the most hideous yells and frantic g^tures, demand »f ■■ til ;i*^ S.I.- n'^ 4i 144 CAMPAIGN the life-blood of their prey. Still the dauntless Boyd trembles not. He disregards the threats of his base inter- rogator, and refuses to reply. Denunciations avail not : danger does not intimidate. He has been nurtured in a nobler school than to basely yield when he should be most firm. His country calls — his mother's parting charge is still fresh in his memory. He cannot falter. She had en- graven on his heart of hearts, deeper, far deeper, than all other sentiments, love of country ; and love of life cannot usurp supremacy in this direful hour. But surely it can- not be, that a man educated in all the refinements of civil- ized life — early nurtured in the merciful tenets of the Christian faith, against whom the noble prisoners have been guilty of no more heinous offence than fighting for liberty, will — nay, he can not execute his bloody threat. Do you doubt, ye hapless pair, that such a monster lives } Ah ! remember the bloody deeds of Cherry-Valley, and know that such a monster now threatens " to give you o- ver to the tender mercies of the savages" clamormg for your blood. Again the question is asked, and again Sovd shrinks not. The fate of the army and the success of the expedition hang upon his firmness. He prefers to die, if it were possible, a thousand deaths, rather than betray the lives of his country's soldiers and her holy cause. He well knows that their secret must remain unrevealed by his lips — that on his decision now rests the safety of the whole army ; and he nobly chooses, by his own fall, to preserve the dangerous secret locked in his own speechless and mangled breast. The bloody command is at length given. Little-Beard and his clan have seized their help- less victims. Stripped and bound to that sapHnp^, Boyd bears the death-knell ringing in the air, and sees the Je- moniac ravings of his ruthless tormentors, as jnadly they dance around him. The chief takes the deadly aim : his glittering hatchet speeds through the air. But no : this were too kind a fate. It quivers in frightful proximity, just above his uncovered head. Another and yet another follows— still they glance within but a hair's breadth of .*^ :^A*;\ less Boyd base inter- avail not : tured in a lid be most ; charge is She haa en- r, than all life cannot ely it can- its of civil- jets of the oners have ighting for ody threat, [ister lives ? Valley, and ^ive you o- amoring for again !Poyd ccess of the rs to die, if 1 betray the cause. He evealed by afety of the own fall, to n speechless is at length 1 their help- )linp, Boyd lees the de- 4nadly they ly aim : his ut no : this proximity, yet another breadth of AGAINST QUEBEC. 14S his throbbing temples. Their fury becomes too great for so bloodless sport. Now they tear out his nails — his eyes — his tongue — and — But the horrors of that awful hour are too agonizing for description. The ear is pained at the direful tale. The mind revolts at the cruel reality. Poor Parker, thine is a milder death. With one blow, your frightful suspense, as you lay a witness of your hero- ic leader's anguish, and expect a similar fate, is ended.— Noble men ! could we but conjure up the agonies of your last hour — could mortal tongue disclose the secret emo- tions of your souls, the fierce pain of your mangled limbs — every heart in this assembly would cease to pulsate, every cheek grow pale with horror. Gallant Boyd — thy widow- ed mother^s sacred injunction has been — oh ! how sacred- ly — obeyed. Here, in the depths of the wilderness, you ceased not to cheiish the spirit of her own noble soul ; and at the immense price of the most lingering death, to show that your love of liberty was stronger than all ties of life and kindred. Far away in your native village, perhaps at that very hour, your mother's fervent prayer for her young- est and her darbng son, was winging its course to the mer- cy seat. Little did she imagine with what pious devotion you were fulfilling your high duties to God and your coun- try. Oh I what will be the fearful agony of her widow- ed soul, when she learns your ciuel fate! Already has she mourned your elder bi other's fall ; and now, in the bloom of early manhood, twenty-two summers scarcely f)a88ed over your devoted head, and your mangled corpse ies unburied in the remote wilderness. Talk not of Spartan daring nor Roman firmness, to il- lustrate his matchless heroism. In the excitement of bat- tle, under the eyes of those who Will honor his bravery, the soldier may dare the chances of even the cannon's mouth, to win undying fame. But to die in the remote wilderness, by the most excniciating torture — to die, too, with the power of safety in your own hands, rather than fail in your duly, even by a word — to die where no pity- ing eye can behold your fate, and the last solemn rites of 13 I ■W i %t I4« -h-; CAMPAtGN y ipi I sepulture cannot be performed by Christian hands, with no one to bear your dying words to your bereaved moth- to know and feel at that dread hour, that her scalding er tears will flow in torrents, when, as the dreary months drag heavily by, she lingers to hear fiom some passing •stranger, if perchance her youngest, her biave-hearted boy, yet lives — to die thus, for one's country — where, in the annals of the ^orld, can you find a parallel ? IMr. Henry^s JVarraiive resumed.'] . „I , Charles Porterfield, who lost his life in the battle of Camden, when in the station of a colonel. Jo- seph Aston, of Lamb's, who served his conntry throughout the war, and was promoted to a majori- ty. Doctor Thomas Gibson, of Hendricks', who di- ed in the performance of his duty at Valley Forge, in the winter of 1778. Robert Cunningham, a weal- thy freeholder, of Smith's, who here imbibed the seeds of that disorder which at too early an age, hurried him to the grave. In short, many others might be mentioned in the general, as worthy and well inform- ed as their superiors, without in anywise imputing to the latter, in so saying, the slightest degree of dispar- agement. This will always be the case when the great body of a nation rises in its strength to defend its rights. Those who understand the point in ques- tion in a national dispute, and are most strongly im- pressed with its importance, will be the first to arm. 'This has been, and^ever will be, the dfspositions of men in all ages past or to come, whenever their priv- ileges are invaded. Oflfices of prime importance can- not be obtained by all. Men of talents, of genius, and courage, must step into subordinate stations. Socrates, Alcibiades, and Demosthenes, fought in the ranks. God in his great goodness grant, in the future vi- to it,. lanJs, with ived moth- fier scalding jary months ime passing; ave-hearted —where, in I the battle ilonel. Jo- lis country to a majori- ks', who di- illey Forge, am, a weal- id the seeds ge, hurried a might be well inform- imputing to ee of disspar- jse when the th to defend oint in ques- strongly im- first to arm. ^positions of er their priv- lortance can- 1, of genius, ate stations, fought in the he ifuture vi- AGAINST QUEBEC. UT ci^situdes of the world, that our countrymen, when- ever their essential rights shall be attacked, will di- vest themselves of all party prejudice, and devote their lives and properties in defence of the sacred liberties of their country, without any view to emolument, but that which springs from glorious and honorable actions. Pardon me for frequent digression, upon this subject particularly, as my whole soul was bound up in our cause, you must forgive me. The leal apolo- gy is, we were all of us enthusiastic whigs. When under guard, in the morning of the first of January, Colonel M'Dougal, a Scotch gentleman, near noon came to review us : his person was known to me at Detroit, as an intimate of an uncle, three years before this time. The colonel was naturally, polite and kind-hearted. When it came my turn to be examined, as to name, place of birth, &c be- sides making the proper answers to his inquiries, I was emboldened to declare that he was known to me. He seemed surprised, but not displeased : a request was immediately added, that he would order me to be transferred to the quarters of the officers. " No, my dear boy," said he, '^you had better remain where you are ; the officers, as you are in rebellion, may be sent to England and there tried for treason." The advice of this venerable veteran, made an im- pression on my mind, which was then agitated by a thousand vagrant thoughts, and involved in doubt and uncertainty as to our destination. We then well knew of the voyage of Colonel «Ethan Allen to Eng- land, and the manner of it; and that of George Merchant, our fellow soldier — but the consequences were unknown. It became my determination td take the fatherly advice of Colonel M'Dougal, for it was really delivered in the parental style, and to adhere to it. He brought one of his sons, whom I had for- 1 i ( ■■Jill '! I m ^'^ CAMPAIGN ''^ fit siii: merly known, to see me on the following day. A- boiit mid-day we were escorted to a ruinous monas- tery of the order of St. Francis, called the Reguliers. It was an immense quadrangular building, contain- ing within its interior bounds half an acre or more, of an area, which seemed to be like a garden or shrubbery. The monks, priests or whatnot, who in- habited the house, must have been few in number, as, for my part, not more than half a dozen of dis- tinct faces came into my view while we staid here. We entered by the ground floor, (that is, by the cel- lar,) the building on that side being built on the de- clination of the hill, which in this part of the city is very uneven. The apartments on our right, as we entered, seemed to be filled with government stores, and with provisions of all kinds. They made us as- cend a large staircase into an upper story, where we were complimented with two sides, or rather a part of eachx)f the sides of the quadrangle. The whole buildinjl would have accommodated four thousand men. Monkish spirit must have been in high vogue when so great a pile could be erected merely from the alms of the people, and that too, for so egregiously absurd a purpose. The ranges of the rooms, though extensive in the length of the galleries, were small in their size, being scarcely more than ten by twelve or fourteen feet. The galleries were about twelve feet wide; many rooms were comfortable, others were dilapidated. Ten or a dozen of our poor fellows were compressed inta one of these small rooms. So much the belter, as it served to keep them the warm- er. Boyd, Cunningham, and a few of our intimates, took possession of a room near a large stove. The first week we slept most uncomfortably. Gracious God ! what did we not suffer. It was now that we fully learnt the destinies of AGAINST QUEBEC. lit ly. A- moiias- guliers. coniain- )r mure, Lfden or who in- number, 1 of dis- iid here, the ccl- 1 the de- le ciiy is t, as we nt stores, de us as- •here we ler a part he whole housand gh vogue from the regiOMsly s, though ere small jy twelve It twelve icrs were fellows oms. So hewarni- ntitnates, kre. The Gracious fltinies of our dear and revered general, and his companions in death. But allow me before the detail of that sad story, tp give you an anecdote. The merchants of Quebec, like those of England and our own coun- try, are a spirited and generous sect in society : they applied to Governor Carlton, and obtained leave, to make us a " New- Year's gift." This turned out to be no other than a large butt of porter, attended by a proportionate quantity of bread and cheese. It was a present which exhilerated our hearts, and drew from us much thankfulness. We sliaied more than a pint per man. General Montgomery had marched at the precise time stipulated, and had arrived at his destined place of attack, nearly at the time we attacked the first barrier. He was not one that would loiter. Colonel Campbell, of the New- York troops, a large, good- looking man, who was second in command of that parly, and was deemed a veteran, accompanied the army to the assault ; his station was rearward ; Gen- eral Montgomery, with his aids, were at the point of the column. It is impossible to give you a fair and complete i- dea of the nature and situation of the place, solely with the pen — the pencil is required. As, (by the special permission of government, obtained by the ^ood offices of Captain Prentiss in the summer fol- lowing,) Boyd, a few others, and myself, reviewed the causes ot our disaster, it is therefore in my pow- er, so far as my abilities will permit, to give you a tol- erable notion of the opot. Cape Diamond nearly re- sembles the great j Jlting rock which is in the nar- rows at Hunter's falic, on the Susquehanna. The rock, at the latter place, shoots out as steep as that at Quebec, but by no means forms so great an an- gle on the margin of the river : but in more craggy. 13* "//, 4't. li' «il m ^^^ CAMPAIGN ^'A U''M There is a stronger and more obvious difference in the comparison. When you surmount the hill at St Charles, or the St. Lawrence side, (which to the eye are equally high and steep,) you find yourself on Abraham's Plains, and upon an extensive champaign Country. The bird's-eye view around Q,uebec bears a striking conformity to the sites of Northumberland and Pittsburg, in Pennsylvania ; but the former is on a more gigantic scale, and each of the latter want the steepness and cragginess of the back ground, and a depth of rivers. This detail is to instruct you in the geographical situation of Quebec, and for the sole purpose of etp' ining the manner of General Mont- fomery's de'; ■ a .d the reasons of our failure. — Vom Wolfe's cove there is a good beach down to, and around Cape Diamond. The bulwarks of the city came to the edge of the hill, above that place. Thence down the side of the precipice, slantingly to the brink of the river, there was a stockade of strong posts, fifteen or twenty feet high, knit together by a 'stout raiting, at bottom and top with pins. This was no mean defence, and was at the distance of one hundred yards from the point of the rock. Within this palisade, and at a few yards from the very point itself, there was a like palisade, though it did not run to high up the hill. Again, within Cape Diamond, and probably at a distance of fifty yards, there stood a block house, which seemed to take up the space between the foot of the hill and the precipitous bank of the river, leaving^ a cart-way, or passage on each side of it. When heights and distances are spoken of, you must recollect that the description of Cape Diamond and its vicinity, is merely that of the eye, made, as it were, running, under the inspection of an ofiicer. The review of the ground our army had Aotod upon, WM accorded to 110 ae a particular iavor. isade. AGAINST QUEBEC. 151 jrence in e hill at '.li to the )u I self on ainpaign bee bears mberland former is Ltter want mnd, and ict you in >r the sole ral Mont- failure. — down to, ks of the lat place, ntingly to of strong ither by a This was ce of one Within very point id not run Diamond, I ere stood the space tous bank e on each re spoken of Cape f the eye, pection of army had alar fovor* Even to have stepped the paces in a fornial manner, would have been dishonorable, if not a species of treason. A block house, if well constructed, is an admirable method of defence ; which in the process of the war, to our cosst, was fully experienced. In the instance now before us, though the house was not built upon the most approved principles, yet it was a formidable object. It was a square of perhaps forty or fifty feet. The large logs, neatly squared, were tightly bound together by dove-tail work. If not much mistaken, the lower story contained loop holes for musketry, so narrow that those within could not be harmed from without. The upper story had four or more port holes for cannon of a large calibre. These guns were charged with grape or cannister shot, and were pointed with exactness towards the avenue at Cape Diamond. The hero Montgomery came. The drowsy or drunken guard did not hear the sawing of the |K)sts of the first palisade. Here, if not very erroneous, four posts were sawed and thrown aside, so as to admit four men abreast. The column entered with a manly fortitude. Mont«^om- ery, accompanied by his aids MThersonand ('heese- man, advanced in front. Arriving at the second pal- isade, the general, with his own hands, sawed down two of the pickets in such a manner as to admit two men abreast. I'hese sawed pickets were close un- der the hill, and but a few yards from the very point of the rock, out of the view and fire of the enemy from the block house. Until our troops advanced to the point, no harm could ensue, but by stones thrown from above. Even now there had been but an im- perfect discovery of the advancing of an enemy, and that only by the intoxicated guard. The guard fled ; the general advanced a few paces. A drunken sail- or returned to bis gun, swearing he would not for- i CAMPAIGN sake it white undischarged. This fact is related from the testimony of the guard on the morning of our capture, some of those tiailors being our guard. Ap- plying the match, this single discharge deprived us of our excellent commander. Examing the spor, the officer who escorted us, (pro- fes:«ing to be one of those who first came to the place after the death of the general,) showed llv> position in which the general's body was foimd. It lay two paces fiom the brink of the river, on the back, the arms extended. Cheeseman lay on the left, and M'- Pherson on the right, in a triangular position. Two other brave men lay near them. The ground a- bove described was visited by an inquisitive eye, so that you may rely with some implicitness on the truth of the picture. As all danger from without had vanished, the government had not only perntitted the mutilated palisades to remain without renewing the enclosure, hut the very sticks sawed by the hand of our commander still lay strewed about the spot. Colonel Campbell, appalled by the deafh of the general, retreated a little way from Cape Diamond, out of the reach of the cannon of the block house, and pretendedly called a council of officers, who, it was said, jumified his receding from the attack. If rushing on, as military duty required, and a brave man would have done, the block house might have been occupied by a small number, and was unassail- able from without, but by cannon. From the block house to the centre of the lower town, where we were, there was no obstacle to im|tede a force so pow- erful a« that under Colonel Campbell. Cowardice, or a want of good will towards our cause, left us to our miserable fate. A junction, al- though we might not conquer the ifortress, would en- able us to make an honorable retreat, though with the AGAINST QUEBEC. 163 iated from ig of our ard. Ap- prived us j U9, (pro- I ihe place lO posilion L lay two back, the t, and M'- on. Two rround a- /e eye, so 38 on the thout had milted the I wing the i hand of spot. !h of the )iamond, ck house, who, it ack. If a brave ght have unassail- te block here we e so pow- ards our tion, al- rould en- gh with the logs of many valuable lives. Campbell, who was ever after considered as a poltroon in grain, retreat- ed, leaving the bodies of the general, M'Pherson, and Cheeseman, to be devoured by the dogs. The dis- gust caused among us, as lo Campbell, was so great as to create the unchristian wish that he might be hanged. In that desultory period though he was tri- ed, he was acquitted ; that was also the case of Col- onel Enos, who deserted us on the Kennebec. On the 3d or 4th of January, being, as it were, domesticated in the sergeant's mess in the RegulierSy a file of men headed by an officer, called to conduct me to the seminary. Adhering to the advice of Col. M'Dougal, the invitation was declined, though the hero Morgan had solicited this grace from Governor Carlton, and had sent me a kind and pressing mes- sage. My reasons, which were explained to Mor- gan, in addition to the one already given, operated forcibly on my mind. Having lost all my clothes in the wilderness, except tho!?e on my back, and those acquired by the provident and gratuitous spirit of General Montgomery, nothing remained fitting me to appear in company anywhere. Additionally, it had become a resolution, when leaving Lancaster, (as my absence would go near to break the hearts of my parents,) never to break upon my worthy father's nurse. Dire necessity compelled me to rescind this resolution, in part, in the wilderness; but that cir- cun)stance made me the more determined to adhere to the resolve afterwards : again, my intimate friends were not in the seminary. Steele was in the hospi- tal, and Simpson, (by previous command,) on the charming Isle of Orleans ; which, from its fruitluU ness, had become, as it were, our store-house. Acid to all these reasons: it could not be said of the gen- tlemen in the seminary ** they are my intimates," ^ m CAMPAIGN except as to Captain Morgan, and Lieut. F. Nichols of Hendricks'. Besides, my leather small-clothes, all in fritters, had been cast away, and a savage cover- ing adopted until more auspicious times came. But even now an idea of escape and vengeance inflamed the breasts of many, and we were here in a much superior situation for such a purpose, than that of the seminary. More of this hereafter. All these facts and circumstances induced an evasion of ihe friendly solicitation of the kind-hearted Morgan. On the third day of our capture the generous Carl- ton despatched a flag to Arnold, to obtain what tri- fling baggage we had left at our quarters ; mine was either forgotten, or miserable as it was, had been plun- dered ; but as good luck would have it, the knap- sack of one Alexander Nelson of our company, who was killed when running to the first barrier, was dis- claimed by all of our men. Your father in conse- quence laid violent hands upon the spoil. It furnish- ed Boyd and myself with a large, but coarse blue blanket, called a "stroud," apd a drummer's regi- iTieutal coat. The blanket became a real comfort, the coat an article of barter. It was on this day that my heart was ready to burst with grief at view- ing the funeral of our beloved general. Carlton had in our former wars with the French, been the friend and fellow-soldier of Montgomery. Though politi- cal opinion, perhaps ambition or interest, had thrown these worthies on diflerent sides of the great ques- tion, yet the former could not but honor the remains of bis quondam friend. About noon the procession passed our quarters. It was most solemn. The cof- fin, covered with a pall, surmounted by transverse swords, was borne by men. The regular troops, with reversed arms, and scarfs on the left elbow, ac- companied the corpse to the grave. The funerals of AGAINST QUEBEC. 155 ^ Nichols iloihes, all ige cover- me. But } inflamed n a much hat of the hese facts le friendly rous Cail- what tri- mine was aeeii plun- ^he knap- Miny, who r, was dis- in conse- It furnish- >ar6e blue tier's regi- comfort, this day at view- rlton had le friend gh politi- (d I brown eat ques- remains irocession The cof- ansverse r troops, Ibow, ac- inerals of I »'. the other officers, both friends and enemies, were per- formed this day. Fiom many of us it diew tears of affection for the defunct, and speaking for myself, tears of greeting and thankfulness towards General Carlton. The soldiery and inhabitants appeared af- fected by the loss of this valuable man, though he was their enemy. If such men as Washington, Carl- ton, and Montgomery, had had the entire direction of the adverse war, the contention, in the event, might have happily terminated to the advantage of both sections of the nation. M'Pherson, Cheeseman, Hendricks, and Humphreys, were all dignified by the same manner of burial. On the same, or the following day, we were com- pelled, (if we would look,) to behold a more disgust- ing and torturing sight. Many cdVioles repeatedly, one after the other, passed our dwelling loaded with the dead, whether of the assailants or of the garri- son, to a place emphatically called the ' dead house.' Here the bodies were heaped in monstrous piles. The horror of the sight, to us southern men, principally consisted in seeing our companions borne to inter- ment uncof!ined, and in the very clothes they had worn in battle ; their limbs distorted in various di- rections, such as would ensue in the momentof death. Many of our friends and acquaintances were appa- rent. Poor Nelson lay on the top of half a dozen other bodies — his arms extended beyond his head, as if in the act of prayer, and one knee crooked and raised, seemingly when he last gasped in the agonies of death. Curse on these civil wars, which extin- guish the sociabilities of mankind, and annihilate the strength of nations ! A flood of tears was conse- quent. Though Montgomery was beloved, because of his manliness of soul, heroic bravery, and suavity of manners, Hendricks and Humphreys, for the same W •^ }66 CAMPAIGN admirable qualities, and especially for the endurances we underwent iti conjunction, enforced many a tear. Still my unhappy and lost brethren, though in hum- ble station, with whom that dreadful wild was pene- trated, and from whom came many attentions to- wards me, forced melancholy sensations. From what is said relative to the "dead house," you might con- clude that General Carlton was inhuman or hard- hearted. No such thing. In this northern latitude, at this season of the year, according to my feelings, (we had no thermometer,) the weather was so cold as usually to be many degrees below 0. A wound, if mortal, «r even otherwise, casts the party wounded into the snow ; if death should follow it throws the sufferer into various attitudes, which are assumed in the extreme pain accompanying death. The mo- ment death takes place, the frost fixes the limbs in whatever situation they may happen to be, and which cannot be reduced to decent order until they are thawed. In this state the bodies of the slain are deposited in the ''dead house,'' hard as ice. At this season of the year the earth is frozen from two to five feet deep, impenetrable to the best pick-axe, in the hands of the stoutest men. Hence yoa may per- ceive a justification of the " dead house." It is no new observation, *< that climates form the manners and habits of the people." On the next day, (January 4lh,) we were visited by Colonel Maclean, an old man, attended by other otficers, for a p<'culiar purpose ; thai is, to ascertain who among us were born in Europe. We had many Irishmen and some Englinb men. The auestion was put to each ; those who admitted a British birth were told they must serve his majesty in Col. Maclean's regiment, a new corps, called the < Emigrants.' Our poor fellows, under the fearful penalty of being car- AGAINST QUEBEC, ' 167 idurances ay a tear. 1 in hum- vas pene- ntions to- rom what c nght Con- or hard- 1 latitude, feelings, as 80 cold wound, if wounded irows the sumed in The mo- i limbs in be, and mtil they B stain Hre At thid two to k-axe, in may per- It is no manners tre visited by other I ascertain lad many Istion was lirth were laclean's Its.' Our sing car- ried to Brilain, there to be tried for treason, were compelled by riecessiiy, and many of them did en- list. Two of them, very brave men, Edward Cave- nangh and Timothy Conner, deserve to be named, because of a particular occurrence which happened shortly after. These two men, amor)g others, called upon me for my advice how to act. Being, at that time, neither a lawyer nor a casuist, they had my o- pinion according to the dictates of nature, and some slight reading. That is, that they should enlist ; for a constrained oath, (as theirs would be,) could not be binding on the conscience — and by all means to join our army as soon as practicable. They enlisted un- der the notion that the oath was non-obligatory, and a hope of a speedy return to their friends and wives. Allow me here to recount, by anticipation, the resi- due of the adventures of "honest Ned." Towards the end of January, Cavenaugh and Conner hap- pened to compose a part of the same guard at Pal- ace gate, where the walls are from thirty to forty feet liigh, independently of the declivity of the hill. — Cavenaugh was stationed as a sentry in conjunction with one of the British party. Conner had procured a bottle of rum ; coming to the station, he drank, him- self, and presented the bottle to the British sentry. While the latter was in the act of drinking, Cave- naugh gave him a push with the butt of his musket, which stunned and brought him to the earth. Ta- king his arms, they sprung over the wall into a bed of snow, perhaps twenty -five feet deep. This aver- ment concerning the depth of the snow, may appear problematical, as we know nothing like it in our cli- mate. Form no definite opinion until you have heard the reasons why it does happen. As you may recollect several instances in this narrative, where the asperity of a Quebec winter is intimated, and a de- 14 m m m CAMPAIO^f l! 8cription of its effects attempted ; such as frequent sno\V storms and jQerce winds. In the month of January, particularly, when the snow has increased to a depth of yeven feet over the face of the country, notwith- standing the shining of the sun, the cold is so great that those winds drive the snow daily against the high ramparts of the city, where it forms a compact mass — the last stratum heing light and dry as the finest sand, which may be whirled by the wind. Cave naugh and Conner leaped into such a soft bed. Their disadvantasre consisted in sinking too deep ; the height of the leap plunging them deeper than or- dinary walking would do, made it difficult for them to extricate themselvc"*. Th«? relief-guard came in time to give them a vnlley, as they were scampering away. Thanks to God, my worthy Irishmen esca- ped unharmed, though as they passed through St. Roque, they were complimented by several dischar- grs of cannister and grape >hot. This was the first notice we had of the escape of our daring friends. We heard, next morning, all the minutiae from those who guarded us. By the middle of January we were settled down into a state of something like household order: those who could economise fared tolerably well, though they could have used more. Our daily provisions consisted of a biscuit made of a coarse meal, from something like our chopped rye ; very often chaff or straw, halt an inch in length, was found in this spe- cies of bread. A biscuit of the size of a cake of gin- gerbread, now sold with us for a cent, was the daily allowance of this article : half a pound of pork, or three quarters of a pound of beef, though these were much salted, even so as to be uncomfortable — they Were of Irish preparation, perhaps for the sea-service : a competenl allowailce of butter, originally fine, yet II AGAINST QUEBEC. 169 piit, sno\^ January^ ) a depth notwith- so great the liigh tact mass the finest . Cave soft bed. Loo deep ; r than or- for them came in ampering nen esca- rongh St. l1 dischar- s the first g friends, rom those ed down er: those though jrovisions eal, from chatr or thisspe- ce of gin- ihe daily pork, or lese were )le— they -service : fine, yet now rancid : candles, molasses, and even vinegar — this last article, so lung as it could be afibrded us, was a preservative from the disorders wiiich unwit- tingly we were imbibing daily. Knowing ihe ditii- culties undt'r which the garrison lay — foes at the gates, arid an uncertainty of succor ; the governor was thought of by me, with similar allowances, that ought to be made toourowngeneralifi, in circumstan- ces of such pinching necessity. From all informa- tion attainable on our part, we were as well treated as those of the garrison, who lived on the same kinds of food, except as to liquor, wiiich deprivation was more beneficial than injurious to our men. it is grateful to my heart now to rementber and repeat the benevolent sensations this mild netiis and humani- ty cieated in my mind, towards the virtuous, the amiable and venerable Carlton. He was a genuine representative of the gentility of the Irish nation, which is so deservedly famous for the production of real heroes, patriotic statesmen, and a generosity and suavity of manners. He was of great candor, up- rightness and honor, and full of the spirit of philan- thropy, which marks the real gentleman. He made us several visits, in all of which he seemed merely to ha\e a solicitude for our welfare, without any sinis- ter view, such as seduction from our principles, <3^c. That he granted us every accommodation his try- ing situation authorized, there can be no doubt. — Shottly after the time now spoken of, we were con- ducted to the Dauphin jail. Before we quit the leg- uliers, admit me to state to you something mor^, re- lating to our manner of living there. My youthful appetite required and demanded a greater quantity of food than we then enjoyed. We wanted spoons, not only in our own mess, but throughout the whole corps, There w^s no money among us to purchase m ■AtL ! m 160 CAMPAIGN such an implement, and if tf)cre had been, and op- poilunity had offered, it is likely the jealousy of gov- ernment would have deprived us of them, if formed of metal of any kind. One day being at the unloading of a cord of wood, a birch slick, the only piece of hard wood in ih© load, was eagerly laid hold of, and borne to the mess room ; from this a wooden spoon was soon formed fc^ my own use. Lobscouse ma ght, they ri enemy, there has . Previ- Id of onr ou should he jail — ly was to lain pret- that the ) was on was ten rie foot of n of wa- jits lead- weather, in great h the ad- it the rin- sing of their buckets on the floor of the apartment, formed a bed of ice a foot thick, and very firm and solid. This cellar had a door newly made, of strong pine plank, five feet in width, which opened inwards — the sill was level with the street. The door was hung upon H hinges of a large size, fixed on the in- side, exposed to our view and operations. But what was still more absurd, the door was hasped within, and secured by a large pad lock. Close insppction and thoughtful ness had made the members of the council, by the means that they enjoyed, perlecJ mas- ters of those hinges and the lock ; they would not have stood a second of time. The principal obsftacle was the ice, which was raised fully a foot against the door. Even this would have given way to onr inge- nuity. The whole of our plan was well laid, and thoroughly digested. That door was to be our sally port. Boyd preceding with our divit^ion — Aston and M'Coy following, they turning rapidly to the left for St. John's gare. The dislocation of the iron bars of the window, was to ensue: all those which could be removed being known, were to become issues for our bravest men. Every man knew his station. It is an old and a trite observation, that it is a difficult thing to describe a battle so as to give a clear idea of all the causes and effects of each movement, with- out overloading and confusing the picture. The same may be said of a conspiracy such as ours. Going through the entry from the front door into the jail- yard, near the back door, hut still within the prison, there are two cavities opposite to each oiher, strongly walled and arched. We called them the black holes. On the outside of the building, in the yard, those cav- ities assumed the forms of banks, ten or eleven feet high, and as wide ; a^ d well sodded. With some address and agility a sprightly man coidd surpass ei- 15 ■f 170 CAMPAIGN \\H' thcr of them. The wall above these banks was probably ten feet higher. In the daytime we often climbed up (he wall, by meann of its interstt ices, from which the mortar had fallen in the course of time, to take a peep at the city, merely putting our eyes above the level of the top of it. A Mr. Martin, a hardy, daring and active young man of Lamb's company, I think a sergeant, propo> sed to bear intelligence of our projects to the Ameri- can commander, without the walls. His plan was approved. A lime for irruption was named, though the day was not particularized The signals to in- vite the advance of our army to St. John*s gate, were (he burning of the hou!3es,and the firing of the guns of the ramparts towards the city As yet, we were unprepared to move. This expedition of Martin's was a profound secret among the council, from a fear that some bungler might attempt the same path, fail, and by his being taken, unveil our plots. Permit me a short episode on the escape of Martin. It was sin- gularly adventurous, and the neatness of its execu- tion renders it worthy of remark. I had the pleasure of hearing it recounted, in more happy times, at New York. Martin was dressed in warm clothing, with good gloves ; a white cap, shirt and over-alls were prepared for him. He appeared in the jail-yard a- mong the prisoners, in hii^ daily dress. The time of locking up and calling the roll generally happened about sun-down. It was the business of the captain of the provost, who was accompanied by a file of men. The prisoners, instigated by those in the secret, em- ployed themselues out of doors until late in the eve- ning, in play, as if to keep their bodies warm. It was a blowing and dreary evening, which was pur- posely chosen. At locking up, those in the secret lagged behind, tardily, pushing the uninfortned be- AGAINST QUEBEC. 171 iks weis we often ;es,from of time, )ur eyes B young t, propo- j Ameri- lan was though lis to in- ite, were he guns ve were Martin's hh a fear ath, fait, ermitme was sin- 3 execu- pleasure , at New ngf with lis were -yard a- i time of lappened i captain e of (lien. ;ret, em- the eve- arm. It vas pur- he secret oied be- fore, yet so slowly, as effectually to crowd the gang- way ; Martin remaining in the rear. The operation took place at the clanging of the lock of the great front door. This measure was imagined and effect- ed on purpose to procure to Martin a sufficiency of leisure to get to his hiding place, which was no oth- er than a nook formed by the projection of the door way, and on the top of one of the banks before spo- ken of. Here he had time to put on his cap, shirt, M'Ooy's Several ! officer of -islie ap- id respec- ntions to r to come red to the 1 but his icating a )hysician. a pater- e into the r without the dona- at time to lumstance tierriment ly appro- Bry thing ly merry, le middle riod,) had' er. The s we dar- earofdis- d almost unloosing our com- )e a main Dt of the 18 uni ver- ged dowa suddenly, so that we might march over it. Remem- ber also, that a sentry was posted not more than from fifteen to twenty feet from ihe outside of the door. Many propositions were made in council, how to ef- fect the removal of the body of ice without exposure to detection. One was lightly to pick it away with hatchets, a few of which had been secretly retained by the prisoners, and brought into the jail. To this there were several insuperable objections : the softest stroke of the lightest tomahawk upon the ice, would be heard by a sentry so near ; or an unlucky stroke might touch the door, which would resound and in- evitably cause a discovery. Others proposed to wear away the ice by boiling water ; two most obvious ob- jections lay here : the steam would search for a vent through the crevices of the door and window, and develop our measures; besides, the extreme cold would have congealed the hot water the moment it fell, so as to add to our difficulties. Another idea was sug- gested : it was to cut the door across on the surface of the ice with knives ; to this plan there was a fatal exception^ — the ice had risen on the lower cross-piece of the door nearly an inch, so that we must cut thro' the cross-piece lengthwise, and through the thick plank crosswise. Though this labor might have been accomplished by industry and perseverance, yet the lime it would necessarily take would cause a dis- covery by the searchers. The last and only method to avoid discovery was adopted. This was to em- boily sixteen or eighteen of the most prudent men, who knew the value of silence, who should, two and two, relieve each other, and with our long knives gently pare a-vay the ice next the sill of the door, so as to make a groove of four or six inches wide, par- alell with, and deep as the sill. Tlic persons were named and appointed to this service. Now the ca- 1ll m ''■ 'til ' 176 CAMPAIGN pability of the execution of our plot, infused comfort and joy into all hearts. It was intended immediate- ly after locking up, on the night of the irruption, that those prudent men should descend into i he vault by pairs, and by incessant labor have the work fin- ished by three o'clock in the morning, when the sal- ly should be made. We had carefully noticed from the walls of the jail and the ridge ot the house, where there is a trap-door, the placing of the guards, the numiiers and stationing of the sentries. We were safe, therefore, in the measures we had taken for the attack of the guard of St. John's gate. Our own guard was perfectly scrutinized. The opportunities were of the most commodious kind. The guard- house was directly in our front, where we' could see and be seen. Their windows had no shutters. They had lights all the night through: we, the better to ob- serve them, kept none. This latter circumstance en- abled us distinctly to see that the arms with fixed bayonets were placed in the right hand corner of the room, as we would enter from the stairhead, and that the guard towards morning, to a man, were lying a- sleep on the floor. The sentries, as they were re- lieved, did the like. This guard, as was before said, in ordmary, consisted of thirty persons. Bujcd's par- ty, from a perfect knowledge of their method of con- ducting, esteemed it no great hardship to undertake the overwhelming them. The nights weie piercing- ly cold — the sentries soon housed themselves in their boxes. As the sally, to uucceed, vnua be most silent and quick, it was hoped to quiet all of them before any alarm could spread. Besides Qpyd'^ division, (the first rank of wnich was to despatch the nearest sentry by the spear,) others of the succeeding <:orp8 were assigned to assail the rest of the sentries imme- diately around the prison. The getting up tlie Btair9 AGAINST QUEBEC. IT7 1 comfort iniediate- irniplion. I he vault i^ork fin- 1 the saU ced from 36, where ardd, the We were n for the Dur own Drill nities e guard- ;ould see s. They Iter to ob- lanceen- th fixed er of the and that lying a- were re- "oie said, jid's par- of con- idertake )iercing- in their wt silent before division, nearest g oorps imme- he Btairs of our guard-house, so quickly as to create no alarm, was not only feasible, but in my mind, (with the force delegated to us,) of absolute certainty of success. — The front door being open by night and day, we knew the precise number of steps the stairs contain- ed. An agile man would mount at three strides. A light was continually in the passage. Entering the room, and turnmg to the right, the arms in the corner were ours. The bayonet, from necessity, would become the lot of the guard. In this part of the enterprise, profound silence was all-important ; the section was to rely on the spear and tomahawk. Aston, on the other hand, being victorious at St. John's gate, was instantly to turn the cannon upon the city : his fuses, portfire, 6cc. were prepared atid ready as substitutes for those of the enensy, if they were extinguished or taken from the guns. It was knoy the ex- thus faiu- a speedy •ecame us, was sud- T8on who it upon the usual at- us afoot, took place. leer of tlie e awaited ed us very rk of these uld assure the gentlemen that this effort to escape was without the knowledge of any of us. This, to be sure, was said in the Jesuitical style, but those who made the assertion did not then know either the persons or the names of the silly adventurers. The officers and the guard were departing, fully persuaded that it was no more than the alien ipt of one or two persons to es- cape. Major Murray was the last to rocede. An Englishman, (of whom we knew riot that he was a deserter from otu' enemies at Boston,) had posted him- self close to the right jamb of the door, winch w^as more than half opened for the passage of the major. Those of us who were determined to execute our last-night's resolution, armed with our long knives, had formed a half-circle around the door, without ob- serving the intrusion and presence of the deserter. Major Murray v/as standing on the threshold, speak- ing in a kindly manner to us, when the villian sprung past the major, even jostling him. The spring he made was so sudden and so entirely unsus- pected, that he screened himself from our just ven- geance. Touching major Murray's shoulder, "Sir," says he, " I have something to disclose." The guards encompassed the traitor, and hurried him away to the Governor's palace. We instantaneously perceived the extent and consequence of this disaster. The prisoners inmiediately destroyed such of the arms as were too bulky to hide, if destructible, and secreted the rest. In an hour an officer and file of men deman- ded Boyd, Cunningham pnd others, represented by the vile informer as prominent actors in the plot. They were escorted to the Governor's council. Here they found that the wretch had evidenced all our proceed- ings minutely, naming every one who wasprominent. Our worthy compatriots were examined on oath, and as inea of honor couM not conceal the tiuth. The t, r, € 186 CAMPAIGN *;!i, W ■I' I.' 4^1 questions of the council, (furnislied by the informer.) did not admit of equivocation or evasion, if the ex- aminants had been so inclined ; and besides, all ter- giversation, when the outline was marked, was nuga- tory. They boldly ad untied and justified the at- tempt. We did not fare the worse in our provisions nor in the estimation of our enemy. Returning to the jail, my dear Boyd shed the tears of excruciating anguish in my bosom, deploring our adverse fate. We had vowed to each other to be free or die, and to be thus foolishly baulked, caused the most heart- rending grief. J Towards 2 o'clock, P. M. we saw several heavy cart-loads, consisting of long and weighty irons, such as bilboes, foot-hobbles, and hand -cuffs, arrive. The prisoners were ordered lo their rooms. The ironing began below slaifs with Morgan's company. Here the bilboes were expended. If not much mistaken, ten or twelve persons were secured, each by a foot to a bar twelve feet long, and two inches in diameter. The heavy bolts were exhausted in the story below us. When they came to our range of rooms, they turned to the left, instead of coming to ihe right where we were. By the time the officers came to U8, even the hand-culfs were learly out. Each of us was obliged to take to !)is berth, which contained five men each. When they had shackled those of the lower births, they commenced at one the most distant from ours. Sii|)ping in the rear of my com- panions, bent down in apparent trepidation, the black smith ironed my mensmaies, and then called to me to descend and submit to his office. Coming — ' Nev- er mind that lad,' said my friend captain Prentiss. They had but three or four pairs .f hand-cuffs left, which were clapped on the elderly and robust. Be* gidoB M'Coy, our BoQifac^ Uie cook, ]>p$t(^ Gib^n, AGAINST QUEBEC. 181 informer.) f the ex- J8, all ter- ivas nuga- ;d the at- provisions urning to cruciating verse fate, die, and to ost heart- sral heavy irons, such rive. The he ironing ny. Here mistaken, liy a foot to 1 diameter, ory below loms, they the right s came to Each of I contained id those of e the most f my com- 1, the black [illed to me ig — ' Ncv- 1 Prentiss, -cuffs left, [bust. Be* ,or Gibson, two others and myself, who were unhampered, all the rest were, in appearance, tightly and firmly secured. Though iVl'Coy and Boniface were adepts at insur- rection, yet their services were of too much impor- tance to government, to be dispensed with. The others of the unfettered remained so from the exhaus- tion of the shackles. A new species of interesting occurrences, mingled with much fun and sportive humoi now occurred, which was succeeded by a se- ries of horrible anguish. The doors were scarcely closed before we l^egan to essay the unshackling. Those who had small hands, by compressing the palms, rouM easily slip the irons from their wri^t. Of thesj- there were n any, who became the assistants! of their fne.nds, whose luinds ueie larger. Here there was a necessity for ingenuity. Knives notched as saw-s were the principal means. "^Phe head of the rivei at the end of the bar was sawed off; it was lengthened and a sciew formed upon it, to cap which a fiilse head was made, either of iron or of lead, re- sembling as much as possible the true head. Again new rivets were formed from the iron we had pre- served in our secret hoards from the vigilance ot the searchers. These new rivets lieing made to benr a strong likeness to the old, were then cut into two parts — one part was diiven into the bolt tightly, be- came stationary, the other part was moveable. It behoved the wearer of the manacle to look to it that he did not lose the loose part, and when the search- eiHg came loexaniiite, that it should stand firm in the orifice. Soipe poor fellows, perhops fiom a defect of ingenuity, the hardness of the iron, or the want of the requisite tools, could not discharge the bilboes. This was particularly the melancholy predicament of tHree of Morgan's men, v\ hose heels were Uh) long to nUp ihiuugh the iioa, which «acoui '^ i^sed. the If its] Itiiitti Am §'. ]t2 CAMPAIGN vi, m small of the hg. It was truly painful to see three persons ati ached to a monstrous bar, the weight of which wa? above their ptrenarih to carry. Ii added to the poisrnancy of iheif pufferin^?, in svn'h frigid weather, that their colleafirnes at the bar, having shorter heels, could withdraw the foot and perambu- late the jail : where their companions left them, there they must remain seated on the floor, unless some kind hands assiisted them lo remove. There was a droll dog from the eastward, who was doubly unfortunate : in the attack on the city he had received a spent ball in the pit of the stomach, which had nearly ended him : now it l)ecame his lot to have an immense foot-bolt fastened to hi-^ leg, with- otit a companion to bear him company, and cheer his lonelv hours. This victim of persecution andsorrow would pometi'iies come auiong us in the yard, bear- iiiff up his bolt, slung by a cord Ivitched over his shoulder. Nothing could damp his spirits. He talked, lausrhed and sun? incessantly. Some others, besides those, were similarly situated. Those who were so luckv as to have light hand-cuffs, bore them about with them. The greatest danger of discovery arose from those who could free themselves from the heavy irons. The usual visitations were increased from twice to thrice a day — in the fii^t and last the smith searched the bolls of each person. But there were other intrusions, intermediately, by officers evi- dently despatched by the suspicions of government, for the purpose of discovery. To counteract these new measures of caution and jealousy, we were well prepared. Sentries, on our part, were regularly sta- tioned at certain windows of the jail, to descry the approach of any one in the garb of an officer. The vi»w from thete windown wk§ pretty extensive, down i%'t ^ the aitreets, e^'efally ttmi Tedding to tire pftkce. AGAINST QUEBEC. 188 see three weight of It added Xi'h frigid r, having perambii- lem, there iless some I, who was he city he I stomach, ime his lot « leg:, with- d cheer his and sorrow rard, hear- d over his liriis. He ime others, 'hose who bore them f discovery !? from the B increased nd last the But there r.fficer8 evi- I ivernment, ract these ; were well ularly sta- descrv the Rccr. The isive, down the pfthce. Notwithstanding every caution to avoid detection, yet the clang of the lock of the great dqpr was on some occasions the only warning given us of the impend- ing danger. The scamperings at those limes weie truly diverting, and having always e.-'caped discov- ery, gave us much amusement. The clanking of the fetters followed, and wa.s terrible ; such as the imagination forms in childhood of the condition of the souls in Tartarus ; even this was sport. Happi- ly our real situation was never known to any of the government officers ; unless the good blacksmith, (a worthy Irishman, of a feehng hecut,) might be call- ed such, and he was silent.. Towards the middle of April, the scurvy, which we had been imbibing during the wmier, made its appearance in its most virulent and deadly forms, pie-^ ced'd and accompanied by a violent dia'rhoea. — Many of those who were first aHe ted were taken to the hospital ; but the disease soon became it;eneral a- mong us. We were attended several limes by doc- tor Maybin, the physician general, who, by his ten- der atif.ntions and amiable manners, won our affec- tions : he reconunended a clean^^iiig of the ^^tomach, by ipecacuanha and mild caihartiChs i^uch as rhu- barb, together with due exercise. Those who were young, active, and sensible of the doctor's salutary advice, k«pt afoot, and practised every kind of ath- letic s|)ort we could devise. On the contrary, those who were supinely indolent, and adhered to their blankets, became objects of real conmiiseration — their limbs contracted, as one of mine is now : large blue, and even black blotches appeared on iheit UkJ- ies and limbs — the gums became black — the morbid flesh fell away — the teeth loosened, and in several instances fell out. Our minds w« re now really de- prefiaied. 'i bat hilarity and fun which vupporied our ■I^^ ft-i M- Ir" II 184 CAMPAIGN W spirits in the greatest misfortunes, gave way to wail- ings, groanings and deai h. I know, from dire expe- rience, thai when the body suffers pain, the mind, for the time, is deprived of alt its exhileratioiis — ^in short, ahnost of the power of thinking. The elbow joints, the hips, the knees, and ancles were most severely pained. It was soon observed, (though the doctor's mate attended us almost daily, and very caiefnlly,) there was little or no mitigation of our diseases, ex- cept that the diarrhoea, which was derived from an- other cause than that which produced the scurvy, was somewhat abated ; and that our remedy lay elsewhere in the materia medica, which was beyond the grasp of the physician. The diarrhoea came from the nature of the water we used daily. In the month of April the snows began to melt, not by the heat of the sun, but most probably by the warmth of the earth beneath the snows. The ground,' satura- ted with snow-water, naturally increased the foun- tain head in the cellar. Literally, we drank the melted snow. Ttie scurvy had another oiigin. The diet — salt purk, infemous biscuit — damp, and close confinement in a narrow space, together with the se- verity of the climate, were the true causes of the scur- vy. There was no doubt in any reflective mind among us, but that the virtuous and beneficent Carlton, ta- king into view his perilous predicament, did every thing for us which an honest man and a good Chris- tian could. An observation may be made in this place with propriety : that is, that in the climates of all high southern or northern regions, the soil is very rich and prolific. This beneficial operation of nature, is, in all likelihood, attributable to the nitrous qualities that the snow deposites. Of the fact that nitre is the AGAINST QUBBKC. 18ft ^ to wail- lire expe- niiiid, for —in short, ow joints, . severely le doctor's :aielully,) eases, ex- I from an- le scurvy, medy lay as beyond icea came y. lathe lot by the warmth of nd, satura- ihe foun- drank the igin. The and close 'itii the se- lf the scur- ind among ;arlton, ta- did every Qod Ch;i»- place with )f all high ry rich and lure, is, in lalities that litre is the principal ingredient which causes fertility in the ear»h, no man of observation can at this d ty rea3onribly doubt. The earth is replete of it. Wherever earth and shade unite, it is engendered arid becomt^ ap- parent. This idea is proved by ihe circumstance that nitre may be procured from caves, the earth of cel- lars, outhouses, and even from common earth, if kept ullider cover. During the revolution, when powder was so necesisa'ry, we every where ex|)erienced the good eflTecis of this discovery. The snows that usu- ally fall in Canada about the middle of November, and generally cover the ground until the end of A- pril, ifi my opinion fill the soil with thot»e vegetative salts that forward the growth of plants. This idea was evinced to nie by niy vague and inconsiderate mind, from observations then made, and which were more firmly established by assmances trow Captain Prentis, ihai muck or manure , which we employ in southern climates, is there never used. In that coun- try the moment the ground is free fr. m snow, the grass, and every species of plant, spring forward in the most luxuriant manner. Captain Prentis, be- sides the continuation of his care and friendship to Gibjson and myself, did not terfirain his generosity to individuals, but procured firus a permission from gov- ernment to send out an old Irishman, of the New- York line, an excellent Catholic,*to * oilect for us veg- etable food. The first specimen of this good old man's attention and industry, was the production of a large 4}:t8ket full of the ordinary blue grass of our country ; thi^ grass, by those who got it, was devour- ed ravenously at the basket, if so happy as to be a- ble to coiYie near it. Scurvy grass, in many varie- ties, eschalots, small onions, onion tops, and garlic, succeeded, and were wekoocd by all of us for ^ev- eral niomiis a(ierw«u-dff. Thii voraoitmi apngtttn fbr ■■:4. ill! liiti ''J! Pi •'I ■ p ■ X m CAMPAIGN 1^ ("I vegetables seems to bean incident always concurring in that terrible disease, the scurvy ; nature seems to instil into the patient a desire for such food, and of acids, which are the only specific, (with a due atten- tion to cleanliness,) hitherto discovered, that eradicate the stamina of the disease. About the time above spoken of. Gov. Carlton di- rected that we should be supplied with fresh beef. This was no other than that which had been brought into the city when we lay at Point aux Tremble, in the foregoing autumn, and in aid of the stores of the garrison. It had lain in a frozen state during the winter without salting, but now as warm weather was approaching, it began to thaw, and was lil^eral- ly disposed of to the garrison and prisoners. The beef was sweet, though here and there a little blue- ish, (like the mould of stale bread,) very tender, but somewhat mawkish. It was palatable and nutritive to men afflicted as w& were. This beef, connected with vegetables, soon animated us with an idea of returning health and vigor ; yet, though it mitigated the pains we endured, it did not totally expel the scurvy. The 7th of May arrived. Two ships came to the aid of the garrison, beating through a body of icp, which perhaps was impervious to any other than the intrepid sailor. This relief of men and stores crea- ted great joy in the town. Our army began their disorderly retreat. My friend Simpson, with his par- ty, was much misused, from a neglect of giving him information of the intended flight of our army. Some few of the men under his authority, straggled and were taken in the retreat. They came to inhabit our house. Now, for the first time, we heard an account of (he occurrences during the winter's blockade, which, though ol trivial import, was to us immense- •AGAINST QUEBEC. 187 mciimng seems to d, and of lue atlen- eradicate larlton di- resh beef, n brought embie, in Hes of the uring the I weather as lil)eraU >rs. The ittle bhie- inder, but 1 nutritive connected m idea of miiigated expel the ime to the dy of icp, r than the ores crea- gan their ih his par- ;ivjng him ny. Some rsled and nhabit our n account blockade, immense- ly interesting. The snlly of this day produced to the prinoners additional comfort ; though the troops took a severe revenge upon our friends without, by burn- ing and destroying their property. The next day more ships and troops arrived : a pursuit took place, the effect of which was of no consequence, except so far as it tended \x) expel the col* nial tro<^ps from Can • ada. To the prisoners, this retreat had |)leasing con- sequences; fre^h bread, beef newly slaughteied, and a supers) bundance of vegetables, was a salutary diet to our reduced and scorbutic bodies. Si ill, freedom, that greatest of blessings, and exercise, were requi- red to bring back to us genuine health. About this time an incident occurred that threw us into exiacy, as it relieved our minds and faculties from a most torturing piece of preservative duty : this was no oth- er than an authoritative divestment of the iron?. — One day, perhaps the 16th or 18th of May. Cv^lcnel Maclean, attended by Major (Jarlion, a younger bi oth- er of the General, Major Maibaum, a German offi- cer, both of whom had just ai rived from Europe, to- gether with Captain Prentis, and other officers, en- tered the jail about mid-day. The prisoners paraded in the jaii-yard, completely ironed. Captain Prentis, by the direction of Colonel Maclean, pointed out to the other officers: "This is General such-a-one — that is Colonel such-a-one," and in this manner pro- ceeded to name all the leading characters. Happen- ing to be very near the amiable, it might be said, ad- mirable Major Carlton, he was overheard to say, *Col- onef, ambition is laudable ; cannot the irons of these men be struck off?' This the Colonel ordeied to be done immediately. Our kind-hearted blacksmith was not distant: he came, and the officers remained to see some of the largest bolts divested, and then left ui. < Come, come, geotlemeu,' said the blacksmith, Jll ■^Vi i I > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 5< // z ^ ^Jki 1.0 I.I ItilM 12.5 ■so mi ■ 2.2 ■u -•>. IHII "* 1" 12.0 ftii V Photographic Sciences Corporalion 13 WHT MAM STillT WIUTIR.N.Y. I4SM (7U)I72-4S03 -^ :\ ill CAMPAKm * you can put off your ironsi' In ft minute; the vast pile lay before Kim. Btiingr now at full bodily libera ty, we completed a ball court which had been origin-^ ally formed, as it ^ere, by stealth. Hrre a singular phenomenon that attends the scurvy, discovered it- self. The venerable and respectable Maybin had rec- ommended to usexercise, not only asta means of cure, but as a preventive of the scorbutic humors operaiing. Pour of the most active would engage at a game of *^ fives." Having played some games in continua- tion, if a party incautiously sat down, he was seized by the most violent pains in the hips and knees, that incapacitated him fiom play for iitahy hours, and from rising from the earth, where the patient had seated himaelf. These pains taught us to keep afoot all day, and even to eat our food in an erect posture. Going to bed in the evening, after a hardday*8 play, thone sensations of pain u()on lying down, immedi- ately attacked us, The pain would continue half an hour, and often longer. My own experience will authoiise me to say two hours. In the morning we rose tree from pain, and the routine of play and fa- tigue ensued, but always atiendetl by -the same ef^ feciH, particularly tothestubbttrnand incautious, who would not adhere to the wholesome advice of doctor Maybin. Those who were inadiive retained those excruciating pains to the last, together with their dis- torted, bloated, and blackened limbs. U|H)n our re* turn ^om Canada, irrUhe autumn of 1776, 1 saw five or ^x of in V crippled compatriots hdbbling through the streets of Lancaster on (heir way home. Itcost a tear->a1l that could be given.' By the month of Atigust, the acti\'a were relieted firom iriose pains. Towards the end of May QoVernor Cavlton order- ed eacti of (he prisoners a linen shirt This gift, to me, wai most agrMAble, aa linen SMd the flun, ioi some have the VRBt ily iitoff Ringuiar ^crecl it- had ree- I of cure, leraimg. game of sntinua- 18 seized ees, that ire, and ent had sep afoot posture, y's play, inttiiedi^ nue half ince win itng we afid fa- tame ef"" »UF,^ho f doctor d thoM lieirdis- our re-i , 1 aaw 'hrough It'coet >nth of lini. order- [glft, ib in, iot AGAtNST QUEBEC. some monthff past, was unfek, and few persons who have nut felt the extremity Qf such endurances as ours, can form a full conception of the gratification we enjoyed. Having had but one shirt on at the ttfiie of our capture, it was soon destroyed by the wearing and the repeated washings it required. Del- icacy forbids a dilation upon the consequences. Yuu Would laugh at the description of one of our wash- ing parties. Rising early, the prime object was to make a strong lye of wooid-ashes, of which we had plenty, into which the linen was plunged, and con- cocted for an hour or more, under a liope of putting an end to certain vagrants, of a genus with which most of us are acquainted. During the boiling the votaries of cleanliness, cloaked in a blanket, or blan- ket coat, watched the ebulitbns of the kc4tle. The boiling done, the linen was borne to the yard, where each one washed his own, and watched it during the drying, almost in a state of nature. Captain Pren- Us, pitying my sad condition, pressed upon me often to accept from him money to purchase a suit of clotheiji, and he would trust to the honor and integri- ty of my Aither for payment, whoee chaiacter he jcnew. Adhering to my first determination,, this po« lite and genemus proposal of my amiable and deser- ving friend, was aa often, yet mosttliaiikfully declin- ed, maiigre the advice of my bosom friends, Boyd and Cunningham, to the conuary. He, however, forced upon me half a Johannes. This small sum was applied to the solace of my heart. In the first place,, to an article still more necessary than a shirt. The residue was expended upon matters which cheer- ed the hearts of my messmaiee, whom 1 dearly lov- ed ; cheese, sugar, tea, ooflee, Ac Spirits we^ de« tested, at we knew it to be a poison lo scorbutic per- Wbai pleaatd ma much more, and ga^ra ma rl ^p C4^MPAlON -i* pure delight, waa the following occurrence : Of ray owD accord, no one knowing of the intention, the good old Irishman was delegated to purchase three or four pounds of tobacco. It was secreily bought, and as tecreily borne to our room. A pound was produced and fairly parted among our tobacco chew^ ers. You caiimit conceive their joy. When the first paroxism was over, t he remainder was disposed of id the same way. The thankfulness of those brave, but destitute men, aitiee towards me, nearly to ador- ation. You will ask why? . Hear the re.i8on ; FrotH your small knowledge of mankiKid, you can have little conception of the force habfC has on the human irace. One who chews, smokes or snulfs to* bacco, is as little able to abstain from ihlii enjoyment as you would be if compelled U)' refrain from your U!*ual meals. This particular is stpoken of, to per-» siiade you by uo means to use tobacco: in any shape. Ilia a poison of the most inveterate kind, which like opium, araenk) and several other medicaments, may be applied Ur healthful purposes, yet, if eniployed in an extreme degree, produces instantaneous death. These kleas are not visionary, but are suppoi table by the auihoriiy of some of the best physkians. . You are at full liberty lo put your own const rui-tiona up- on these observationa. But to return to my fellow-^ prisoners. In the wilderness, where the army eoon run out the article of tobacco, the men had many valuable •uccedaneutoe. The barks of the different kinds of firs, I he cedar, the red willow, and the leaves of many astringent or bitter plants supplied the place ; bisi within th^ bare walls of our jail there was no substi- tute for this dear and inebriaiinf vegetable. Thut was all my money expendedr^nd much to my eatis* AuakiD, and to the heart-felt pkfMur* of my brava and w iMtt pc of the k^ished cdnvak mferry IntI tain Pr U:) by B of bein broiigh deauBii was ex bed out nie pen to travc tended otir Gei of the graves ' ly walk Cheesei by skle Ac, w< sure. J drearv ^ but littl which 1 disnolvei eed toti ed of II the grai drpoeite soldier,; proceedt Uiateoti AGAlNBt (^iifee III Of ray m, the le three bought, nd was i» chew- ihe (irst ed of ii) I brave^ Lo ador- re.i8on ; roil can on the joymeni m your to per-' y shape, lich hke Its, may ioyed in I death, lableby You Dns up* fellow^ un nut aUiable Kinds of fmany » ; bik aubdti- Thua y aatia* and worthy companions, whose suffering, in cer- taiii points/weregreater thari my own. The table of the virtuous and generous Prentis had often fiir- k^ished me fiiseraliy with wholesome viands. With cdnvalescency, though pennyless, we again became merry and light-hearted. in the beginning of August we were tnld by Cap^ tain Prentis that the Governor had concluded to send us by sea to New York, upon parole, for the purpose of being exchanged ; that the t'ransporis, which had brought the late reinforcements from Europe, were cleansing and preparing for the voyage. Now there was exultation. On the 7th of August we subscri- bed our written paroles. Captain Prentis procured nie permission from government, with a few friends, to traverse the city. An officer of the garrison at- tended us. Our first desire was to see the grave of otir General and those of his Aids, as well as those of the beloved Hendricks and Humphreys. 'l*he graves were within a small place of interment, neat ly walle^l with stone. The coffins of Montgomery; Cheeseman and M'Pherson, wete well arranged, side by side ; those of Hendricks, Humphreys. Coofier, {be, were artanged on the south side of the inclo- sure. As tlie burial of these heroes took place in a( dreary winter, and the earth impenetrable, there was but little earth on the coffins: the snow and ice, which had been the principal covering, being noM^ dissolved, the foot of the General's coffin was expo- sed to the air and view. The coffin was well form- ed of fir plank. Captain Prentis assured me that the greves stioutd he deeperfed and the bodies dtdy deposited, for he also knew Motrigomery as a fejlowi soldier, and lamented bis untittiely Aite. Thence we proceeded' paat the diadel, along tne ramparts tof Cape jMiaM^ dttMBded tke deQllv&.y rittiwgigriaiid«x« CAHPAIGN amined the stockades and block-house. It is this. lit- tle tour that enabled "*® todescrilie to you the ate and defences uf that fornudable pass, ^ntceeding thence through a part of the lower town, we came to a narrow sir^, which led us to an immense stair- way, one of the ascents into the upper town. As- cending here, we came to the main passage, which curvatured down the hilt into the lower town, and which was to lead us in our supposed attack upon the upper town ; this we puni>ued, and came to the place of the second barrier, which bad been lately demol- ished. The houses on both sides of the street, in which we had taken our stand, . were i^pw iri ruins, having been burnt by the garrison, as were the sUb* urbs of St. Roque and St. John's. This was done to render them unfit for the shelter of future assailanis. Thus it is, that war destroys the wealth, and robs the individual of happiness. We had no time to make observations but such lis could be done in pass- ing hastily. Returning to the upper town by the principal and winding road, we were strongly imt pressed with the o|iinTon that if our whole force, >as was intended, had formed a junction iii the lower town, that it was utterly impracticable, either from our number or our means, to mount by a road such as this yrtm. Suppose it not to have been barricaded and enfiladed by cannon^ it must be assailed by the bayonet, of which weapon we had very few, and the enemy was fully supplied. But when we rif fleet that acrqss the road, at the centre of the arc of each curve, there was a barricada, and cannon placed to rake the intervals between tba, different barricades, tha diflipMlties of , the ascent, Which it very staep, would ba increased even to insurmountability. Toe iroad is very narrow* And lined ne^t the hill, hy a fUVeodoiii.j^raa^ : 91^ iha other h«^ thero wt^f someH decUvit was an tain th< coniinei treat, 01 But siif arrived upper t( seiited J in the 1 is a hoi and the out of t Athwaj tieighi J the waj might f the fori harm f But th< dant sti our nui tred. striiciec toHing scheme senary Genera Uicean blaprec lower! Diesi I plans, promnl AGAINI^T QUEBEC. mme houses romaniically perched on the side of the declivity, and some rocks. The declivity, of itself, was an excellent defence, if the besieged could main- tain the position in Cron't, for in a short time, in so confined a space, the assailants must either die, re- treat, or be thrown down the hill from the road. — But suppose all these defences overcome, and we ha^i arrived at the brow of tlie hill at the entrance ot the upper towti, here a still more formidable obstacle pre- sented itself than those which could be formed by art in the lower parts of the road. At this place there is a hollow way, which in the hurry we were in, and the slight view we dared take, appeared as if cut out of the aoiid rock, of a depth of thirty or forty feet. Athwart thi# way there was a strong stockade, of a lieighi nearly equal with the perpemiicular slides of the way or guUey. From the surface above, we might have b^n stoned to death by the defenders of the fortress, without a probability of their receiving harm from us below, though ever so well armed. But the stockade itself, fit)m its structure and abuur dant srrength, would have resisted a force manifold our numbers, and much better supf^ied and accou- tred. From thes^ observations, (tnose of^n unia- striicied youth, to be sure,) there was no hesitation in teUing my intimate friends, then and since, that the scheme of the conquest of the upper town was vis- ionary and groundless; not the resuH of our dear General's reflections, but forced upon liim by the na- tiice and necessiiieeof the timen, and his di8a|^reea- bia predieameni. If a coalition of our forces ui the lower town had taken effect, the General wouM then mesi probably haive developed his latent and real piaof. The reaeone given in council ma^ have been promnlgaled merely to Induce a more spirited exer- y0a upMi t|ie ptii 4f tU oAmc» ftod Mdiery vAu^ [, ' ^ Hpi Wf« »*' W f w *« m '* . 'i . rjW ' m I^AMPAIGH were not in the secret, tn excite a-ficHtiowg valor. Oet- lins: into serinuR action, and warmed by the oppnei- tion of the enemy, the troopRnvisrht have been indu- ced trt persevere in any apparently sudden deptsrn of the General, The cnpiditv of the soldiers had been played upon. Thi« latter fact is known to me of my awn particular knowled^re. Somis^weeks before the attack the soldiers, in their common conv*»rsation««, spoke of the r«nquej»t of the citv as a certaintv, and exultinpfly of the plunder they should win bv their bravery. It was not mv business to contradict, but to ur^re them on. Perhaps by settinc Jlreto the low- er ti>wn. on the side of Cape Diamon4 (considering the prevailinfiT wind, which was at south-east, hut afterwards changed to north and north-west.) such a design mijB^bt have been effected. Theshippinir also ice-boun(t, numerous and valuable, moored around the point, would have been consumable. All this de- strnciion would have been a victory of no mean kinA ; but addinsr eclat to thd known firallantry and prowess of the General. The Almisrhty willed that we should never know the pith ormarrow of his pro- jects ; whatever they' were, my mind is assnred that they were considemtely and well desifrned. He was not a man ti> act inc«utiouslv and 'without motive, and too honest and brave to adopt H sinister mirt. No dofibt we could hnvei^caped by f he way of St. Boqne, protected by the smoke of the conflafirration, and the terror and bustle which would consequently be crea- ted in the t6wri. Thouirh this path is too nurrow far the operation of a larjirto body of men, ii| an ex- tended fmnt. atill we should hive been too nnmerom (under the circnmi^nres siippnsed^V ^ the (^neihy tiraffbrd a force, issuinf( f^nt Palacfe frnte, adec|ntf« topDpQ«eu8, |n the nifjtt instance, if we should ht^pptmiob^f^mtf fMiuoato ii iiiQii ii liinity ii AOJUKtn QUEBEC. fii )r. Get- Mfi indu- erisrn of neof mv fnrpt the rwition**, nfv, and by their rtict. hut thelow- isiderin^ eapt, htit .) puch a ipinsralfio li armmd II thie de- no mean ntf^ arid illed that f hip prb- nrfid that Hewaa t motivi>», fwrt. No It. RoqiHs, I, and the r be crea- f> narrow Q an ex- innneroiM e (^neiiny ad^cynate 6 phould to beat the foes, they must retreat into the city by the way of Palaee gate, and we should have entered pelt melt, and should thus have achieved the poftiies- sion of that important place, the upper town,- which was.the primary view, and last hope of the general and the army. These were the crude notions of a yoQth, formed upi^i the spot, but in a maturation of thirty yeais are stillreiained. The General did not want for information. Many persons, male- and female, (unnecessary mouths,) were expelled the city, to wander for sul^istence a- mon^ their friends in the country. His own knowl- edge of Cluebec, where he had served, would enable htm by interrogation to extort from these ettiigrants a full slock of iiiforiuation of all the new defences e- retted by Governor iJarlton since.. Consef,iienily, knowing the praaicftbility of Cape Diatitoud as an entrance to the lower town, (but a most dangerous one,) and that^of St JEloque, with which and its bar- riers, he was particularly acquainted, from his own and the observations of others ; if so, be would most astsiiredly be informed of the defensive obstructions on the slope of the hill, and the employment of the (t-oops that would in cdn^quence att^.nd: and he would also know that this place, to iho garrisimi. would be a perfect Thetmopylie, impassable by ten times our number, if we bad been ^^eterans and wera bettei furnished. From these reasons there was anr induiement for my mind, at all times since the at- tack, to conclude that it was never General Mont- gomery's real design to conquer the upper town by an invasion froln the lower town^ hut his hidden ana true plan was, by a consolidation of bur whole iorce, to burn the lower tow9 and sliipping, and to retreat by the way of Palace g^te and St. Roque. If a tally waa madt^ »t Palace gate, Ut» events as was o|»r IM CAMPAIGN served before, might be ffttal to the enemy. The comprelieiisive mind of Monigoiiiery wouid not only appreciate to the full extent the peculiar advantages of the enemy, but estimate to its true value the means he possessed, and the merits of his own army. Pre^ suming the colonists to be successful in the lower town, where there was much wealth, and the ava- ricious among us be in some degree gratified, it would have created a spirit of hope and eiiterprize among the men, tending to induce them to remain with us. Afterwards, combining our whole force, with the re- inforcemients we had a prospect of receiving, an at- tack upon the upper town n>ight have^cceeded. In «r word, the destruction of the lower town, in my ap- prehension, should be considered merely as prepara- tory to a genei-al assailment of the upper tiiwn, not- withstanding all that has been said in the memoirs of those days. A contrary opinion went abroad that " the General if he had lived, by^bis assault would have conquered Cluebec." No idea could be more fallacious. It was politically right to keep up that o- pjnion among the people in thoiw tryirig times, but Its accomplishment with our occOmpaniment of men and defective arms, was ideal Our walk from the great gate and palisade was considerable, ere we reach- ed our detestable d\i elling ; as we had; enjoyed a few hours of fleeting liberty, the " lockirrg-up" became the more horrit^ to our feelingi^. The next day^ however, we had the ineffable pleasure of marching in a body to the water skle, and embarked on board five transports. On the following day a new joy was in store foir roe. General William Thompson, (of wluNn it! miglH well be said, ^ikU is a many) who had commanded our regiment. at Prospect hill,^ as its Colonel, had been taken prisoner at the Three Riv- ars^ with sever^ othai oncers, in the preceding montli e The lot only antages i means y. Pre^ lower fci© ava- il would aniong with u€, 1 the re- an at* ded. In myap- prepara- wn, not- menioira road that lit would be more ipthato- imeSfbut t of men from the ^e reach- yed a fiew became ext day, narcbing on board V joy -was psuQ, (of !«,') who lill^ as its ^ree Riv- ng monUi AGAINST QUt:BEC. of June. He was now aboard of our little fleet, des- tined to New York. Thnmp^n came to our ship to visit the ftii^erable remnant of a part of his gallant corps. The General had a special message to me from my faiher, with whom he was intimate. Com- ing through Lancaster in his way to his command in Canada, he was authorized by my fHther, if he saw me in that cotmtry, to furnish me with money. The good man proffered me four half-johannes ; one only was accepted. What was nearer and dearer to my heart was the information that my parents, rela- tives and friends were well. That money was ap- plied to the u^e of my messmates in the way of sea stores. Permission being obtained, B<>yd aiid myself went ashor« : our purchases consisted of a very large Cheshire cheese, coffee, tea and sugar, together witt^ a targe roll of tobacco for the men^ Again penny- less, jollity and riiirth did not forsake us. We Vailed on the tenth of August, convoyed by the Pearl frigate, Captain M'Kenzie. Parsing the delightful island of Orlt^ans, much in shoie, we ob- served the fkrmers reaping their wheat, and as we run along We could seethai t he hau>«i,iiiinauy instances, was green towards the foot of the stalk. From this circumstance it was concluded that frequently, partic- ularly hi cold or wet seasons, the grain must be kiln- dried, fts is done in the north of Knglandand in (Scot- land, before it is housed and threshed. I1ie wheat, though sown between the fifteenth and tweniieih of May, and probably sometimes earlier or later, is weigtity, and prtMJuces a very fine white flour. I'he voyage d«)wn the river, except a few boisterous days, was pleasant We had some itoble views, tntersper- sed here agd there with something like villages, chap- ifi ihd form houses. Afterwards, we had in pros- peel a bleak atid dreary coast and country, whoie If rl Eli CAMPAIGN craggednesfl inspiied disagreeable sensations. The greatest curiosities were the seals, -whose historyrand manners were then known to me, but whose living form excited attention as they were creeping up or baskiug on the rocks. The poi poises, perfectly^ white, in vast droves, played before and around us, and drew my attention and surprise, as none but the black southern porpoise had before come under my view. To become a naturalist it is necessary a man should travel; it was many years before books could. per- suade me of the existence of a green-haired monkey ; but these were diminutive objects indeed in nature's scale of comparative imagery,, when coi^trasted with the immense river Cadaracqua^ or as it is noAV call- ed St. Lawrence, second to no river in the w<)rld, un- less it be the La Plata, of. South America. Makings thisobservatiofi, you must understand me to include within it the lake Superior, and the waters that feed that lake. Off Gaspy Point, where we soon arrived, in a due north line acroi^s ihe i.^laitd of Anticosta, the liver is about ninety miles wide. Steering with fa- vorable weather, the island of St John's came in view; passing it) and the Gut of Cauceaux, experi- encing some storiTty weather upon the ocean, and a few ditiiculties, we happily arrived at New York on the 1 1th of September, 1776, and anchored three miles south of Governor's Inland. Now it was, for tlie first time, that we beard of th^ dilemma in Aviiich our country stood. The imttle of Long Island, on the 27th of August^ had been unsuccessfully fought- by our troops, many of wKom were. prisoners. In such hurrying ^imes intercourse between hc^stile armid9 in the way of ne^ gotiation^upnn any point, is effected with difficulty. We had waited patiently several v^eeks to bedisem^ barked on our owa frieiMUy s^ore, y9, many )g 4in)e8 ay of ne^ iifficuUy. )e disenif Uzed ev* ery day with reports that to-morrow we should be put on Hhore^ some, and in a little while all, began to fear it was the intention of General Howe to detain us aaprimmera in opposition to the good will of Sir Guy Carlton. This notion had t^o strongly impress* ed the minds of my friend Doctor Thomas Gibson, and a young man called Juhn Biair, of Hendiicks, that they determined to escape from the ship. They were both of them athletic and able bodied men, and most adroit. Gibson planned the manner of escape ; its ingeniousness, hazard, boldne«}s of execution, and eventual success, received the applause of all,, but was disapproved upon the principle that it trenched upon their honor, and would impede our release.-— The story is this : Gibson and Blair, in the evt ning, dressed in shirts and trowsers, were upon the main deck with their customary flapped hats upon their beads. Gibson gave me a squeeze of the hand in token of farewell : he was greeted kindly, for he was the brother of my soul. He and his companion went to the forecastle, where there were two large New Foundland dogs, each of which had his pnrty, or rather, his partizans among the crew: These the adventurers hissed at each other ; the dogt^ being en- gaged with their usual fury, attracted the atienlton of the sailors and many of the prii«oners ; they took this opportunity of stripping and letting themselves down at t-he bow into the water. Leaning over the sides of the ship in compa;ny of some friends in the secret, and unregardful of the dogs, we awaited the management of the flight. The last lighted cloud appeared Ww in the west. Something extraordinary passed along the side i a foolish fellow asked * what is'thatT * A wave, you fool— a mere deceptk)ii of sight,' was ariswered. It was the head of Gibson,. covered by his large black hat. Withiita few yards '■ !:; ■» 1 ; ■, 0AMPAI6K I; I I of Gibson came Blair, but witb a emaller hat ; he was obvious. His wliite skin difcoveied him, but hickily ihe attention of the ignoramus was engaged another way. These daring men swam to the barge at ihe stern, entend if, and slipped the rope. They had rowed a thou»:and yards before the boat was mm' ed. The other boats of our ship, and tho^ near us, were despatched after the runax^ays; it was too late, the fugitives had too much of a start to be easily o- vertaken. They landed, (having rowed about five miles;) naked in our own country, somewhere in the vicinity of Bergen-neck, and bartered the boat for some ortiinary clothing. They waited on General Washington, who di^^approved of their conduct. A short time after the foregoing occurrence, a most beautiful and luminous, but baleful sight occurred to us ; that is, the city of New York on fire. One night, (Sept. 22,) the watch on deck gave a loud no- tice of this disaster. Running upon deck we could percei e a li|i(ht, which, at the distance we were from It, (four miles,) was apparently of the size of the flame of a candle. This light to me appeared to be the bi:rning of an old and noted tavern, called the ' Fighting Cocks,' (where, ere this I had lodged,) to the east of the battery, and near the wharf. The wind was southwardly, and blew a fresh ^9\e ; the flames at this place, because of the wind, mcieased lapidly. In a moment we saw another light at a great distance from the first, up the North Kiver. — The latter light seemed to be an original, distinct and new formed fire, near a celebrated tavern in the Broad- way called * White Hall.' Our anxiety for the fate of so fine a city caut*ed much solicitude, as we har- bored a belief that the enern^ had fired it. Th« flumes were fanned by the briskness of the breeze, ftnd drove the dettoicUve efl*ectg of the elemeate oo AGAINSn* QUEBEC. 201 hat; he im, but engaged lie barge They as nH!*8- near U9, too iate, easily o- K>ut five re in ihe boat for General net. B, a most ;urred to e. One loud no- /e could ere from of the ed to be lied the ged,) to f. The Eile; the ncreased ;ht at a River. — inctand leBroad- the fate we har- t. The breeze, leutt 00 alt sides. When the fire reached the spire of a large steeple, south of the tavern, which was attached to a large cliurch, the effect upon the eye was astonish- ingly grand. If we could have divested ourselves of the knowledge that it was the property of our fellow citizens which was consuming, the view might have been esteemed sublime, if not pleasing. The deck of our ship, for many hours, was lighted as at noon day. In the commencement of the conflagration, we observed many boats putting off from the fleet, row- ing speedily towards the ciiy ; our boat was of the number. This circumstance repelled the idea that our enemies were the incendiaries, for indeed they professedly went in aid of the inhabitants. The boat returned about day light, and from (he relation of the officer and the crew we clearly discerned that the burning of New York wan the act of some mad cap Americans. The sailors told us, in their blunt manner, that they had seen one American hanging by the heels dead, having a bayonet wound through bis breast. They named him by his christian and sirname, which they saw imprinted on his arm; they averred he was caught in ihe act of flring the hou- ses. They told us also that they had seen one per- son who was taken in the act tossed into the flie, and that several who were stealing, and suspected as in- cendiaries, were bayonetted. Summary justice is at no time laudable, but in this instance it liiay have been correct. If the Greeks couid have been resisted at Persepoli^*, every soul of them ought to have been massacred. The testimony we received from the sailors, my own view of the distinct beginning of the fire, in various spots, remote from each other, and Ihe manner of its spreading, impressed my mind with the belief that the burning of the city was the do- ings pf the moit low and vile of persons, for the pur- I Ml CAMPAIGN poees not only of thieving, but of devastation. This seemed to be the general sense, not only of the Brit- ish, but that of the prisoners then aboaid the trans- ports. Laying directly south of the city, and in a range witfi Broadway, we had a fair and full view of the whole process. The persons in the ships near- er to the town than we weie, uniformly held the same opinion. It was not until some years afterwards that a doubt was created ; but for the honor of our coun- try and its good name, an ascription was made of the firmg of the city to accidental circumstances^ It may be well that a nation, in the heat and turbu- lence of war, should endeavor to promote its interests by propagating reports ol its own innocence and prow- easj and accusing its enemy of flagrant enormity and dastardiiness, (as was dune in tins particular case,) but when peace comes, let us, in God's name, do jus- tice to them and to ourselves. Baseness and villany are the gruwth of all climes, and of all nations. — Without the most cogent testimony, as the fact oc- curred within my own view, the ek^quence of Cicero could not convince me that the firing was accidental. Same lime after the burning of the city we under- stood that we were to be embarked in shallops, and landed at Blizabethiown point. The intelligence caused a f>parkling in every eye. On the next day about noon we were in the boats. Adverse winds retarded us. It was ten or eleven at nigbt, before we landed ; the moon shone beautiful- ly. Morgan stood in the bow of the boat ; making a spring not easily surpassed, and falling on the earth as It were to grasp it, cried *' Oh my country." We that were near him, pursued his eiample. Now a race commenced, which in quickness could scarcely be exceeded, and soon brought us to Elizaheihlown, V Uere ihuie oi us wt|o weie drowsy ipeal an uoeasy LvThis he BriU e.irans- [id in a uU view ps near- he same irds that jr coun- je of the ices^ It 1 turbu- interests id prow- iiiiy and ir case,) s, do jus- I villany lions. — fact oc- f Cicero ;idental. ) uiider- ps, and cry eye. i boats. even at taiitifuU making ie earth » We Now a icarcety htown, uneasy niffht Being unexpected gueRtf>f and the town full of troopRf no quarters were provided for us. Joy ren- dered beds upetess ; we did not. close our eyes till day- light. Singingf dancing, the Indian halloo, in short, every species of vociferou^ness was adopted by the men, and many of the most respectable sergeants, to express their extreme pleasure. A stranger coming amonsr them would have pronounced them mad, or at least intoxicated ; thousrh since noon neither food nor liquor had pastsed our lips ; thus the passions may at times have an influence on the human frame as inebriatingas wine, or any other liquor. The morning brouGrht us plenty, in the form of rations of beef and bread. Hunger allaved, my only desire was to pro- ceed homewards. Money was wanting. How to obtain it in a place where all my friendsand acquain- tances were alike poor and destitute, gave me great anxiety and pain. Walking up the street very mel- ancholy, unknowing what to do, I observed a wag- gon, built in the Lancaster county fashion, (which at that time was peculiar in Jersey.^ unloading stores for the troops, come or cominff. The owner seeing me, crrnsped mv hand with fervor, and told me every one believed me to be dead. Telling him our story in a compendious manner, the good old man, with- out solicitation, presented me two silver dollars, to be repaid at Lancaster. They were gladly received. My heart became easy. The next day, in company with the late Colonel Febiirer, and the present Gen- eral Nichols, and some other gentlemen, we procured a liffht return wagon, which gave us a cast as far as Princeton. Here we had the pleasure of conversing with Dr. Witherspnon, who was the first that inform- ed IIP of tha resolatkm of Congress to augment the trm?. ft ireve ns pleasure, as we had devoted our- «lv« iadividuiUar to Uw mnkit of our oouotry.-*^ ■'■ M ii J h CABtPAIGN The next day, if not incoFreet, we proceed^ on feot, no carriage -of any kind being prpeurabie. Niglit brought us up at a farm house, soniewhere near Bris- tol. The owner was one of u^, that is, a genuine whig. He requested us to tarry all nighty which we declined. He presented us a supper that was gvate- fully received. Hearing our story, he was roueh af- fected. We then tried to prevail un hirato take us to Philadelphia in his light wagon. It was ol)jected that it stood loaded with hay on the barn floor ; bis sons were asleep or abroad. We removed these ob- jections by unloading the hay, while thp^ good eiti- sen prepared the horses. Mounting, wt^ arrived at the ** Harp and Crown," about two o'clock in the morning. To us, it was most agreeablej that we passed Sirough the streets of Phila£lphiain the night time, as our clothing was not only thread-bare but ^abby. Here we had friends and fundsi. A gen- tleman advanced me a sum sufficient to enable me to exchange my leggins and mockasins hr a pak of ■Cockinge and shoes, and to bear my expenses home* A ^y and a half brought me t&the arms of my b»- kyved parents. At Philadelpbtv I waited upon a cousin of my mother, Mr. Owen Bkldbj then a member of tba *< Council of Safety," who informed me that while in captivity he had procured me a Lieutenancy. My heart was otherwise engaged. Morgan, tlie hera^ had promised and obtaiiMd for me, a Captaincy in tbeThginia line^ Pollowiag the fortunes of that held and judicious commander, my nam^might bava besn emblaaened in the roQs of patnolk fome* But alas t in the course of eichl weeks after my remrn from capdvtty, a sUghl oSd, cauglil whilaskiAiBg oa' the hsa of Susquehwina^ or ia puBMiBf^ thji wild tuf> koy untag the KiMMkMiy kiUik py| tBctaAtoiilinir AGAINST QUEBEC. 205 visionary schemes of ambition. This cause renew- ed that abominable disorder, the scurvy, (which I had supposed was expelled from my system,) accompani- ed by every morbid symptom that had been so often observed at Cluebec, attendant upon others. The medical men of all classes being engaged in the ar- my, that species of assistance was unattainable in the degree requisite ; lameness, as you now observe it, was the consequence. Would to God my extreme suflferings had then ended a life which since has been a tissue of labor, pain, and misery ! 1« fiqnr.' I t _ r ■■ ' ■ -ill ,ti >l r- iV'J 7(1 fe?) 1.1 ■ I*' '7; r- -rium I '>lUk|50:;fl Ji 1; SKETCH OP THE LIFE OF ARNOLD. b^\UiU^.f}-i hay. .;..:*.,■•/ liiji BiBNEDfcl" Arnold was born at Norwich, Conn. Oil the 3d of January, 1740. Wliile yet a iad he was apprenticed to two geiilietueu by tlie name of Lftthfop, who were partners a$ druggtoU in a large establisnment at Norwich, and alike distiiiguitf bed m their probify^ worth, and the wide extent oi their bu- nniMs. Being allied' by a distant rdatiuneblp lo the mother of the young apprentice, they UAi& personal intei^t in 'his: welfare. • -- i i'.;|j/i . ■.. , ^'uw;^. ^ . ; ! It was^ooh made obviouij^to these g^pntlemea that they had neither an agreeable nor an easy task be- fore them. To an innate lo\^e of niischiel, young Arnold added ah obduracy of conscience, a cruelty of disposition, an irritability of temper, and a reckless tAdiffereinde to the good or ill :opinion of others, that left but a slender foundation upon which to erect a system of correct principles or habiis. Weary of the monotonous duty of the shop, and smitten with the attractions of a military lile^ he en- listed as a King's soldier, without the knowledge of his friends, when he was sixteen years old, and went off with other recruits to Hartford. This caused such deep dkti^ to his mother, that the Bev Dr. Lord, pastbr of the church to which she belonged, and some other persons, took a lively interest in the matter, and Buceemd in getting him released and brought back. 208 SKETCH OF THE It ^ Not long afterwards he ran away, enlisted a second time, and was stationed at Ticonderoga and diffierent places on the frontiers ; but l3eing employed in garri- son duly, and subject to more restraint and discipline than were suited to his restless spirit and unyielding obstinacy, and seeing no prospect of an opportunity for gratifying his Ambition and l6ve of bbid adven- ture, he deserted, lelurned to Norwich, and resumed his former employment. When a British officer pass- ed through the town in pursuit of deserters, fearing a discovery, his friends Moreted him in a'cellar till ni^t, aird theh deiit him several miles into the country^ where he remained concealed till the ofl^er was fone^ After he httd setved om his appremicedtupt Artiold left Norwich and cbmibeaced buiNrtess as a druggist in New Ha veh. At length Em. took up the profession of a navigator, shipped horses, cattlej and provisions to the W^t Indies^ afid commanded his Own yesbelsi His s|)eculations ended in bankruptcy, atid under «irr eumslaneeiei, Which, in the opinioti oif the world, left a stain upon his honesty and good faith. He resu- med his business, and applied himself lo it with his accustomed vigor and resource, and with the Sfime obliquity of moral purpose, hazard, and disregard of public seniimenti tnat had always itiarked his cob- dutt. ' ■ • ■■ ji iv iUi'U,;gi v:ji'-.t '.i! .:; He was early married at N^ Haven to a lady by the name of Mansfield. She died at New Haven a- boutthelinte the war began. There were in Connecticut two companies of mil- itia called the Giovernor's Guards, and organized in conformity to an act of the legislature. Qne qf these companies bebnged to New Haven, and in March, 1776, Arnold was chosen to be its commander* This company consisted of fiftjf-eight men. When the news of the battle of Lexington reached New Ha- a second i different d in garri- discipline inyielding pportuuity M aHven- i resumed fficer pass- , fearing a r till ni^t, i countnyi wasgone^ iipt ArtH>ld a drtlggist professiott provisionis vn vesisels^ under «ir- work!, left He resu* (with his the same sregard oC 1 his COB- a lady by Haven a- lies of mil- faoized m ne of these in March, der< This When the New Hd- LIFE OP ARNOLD. ix» vety the bells were rung, and great excitement pre- i^ailed among the people. Moved by a conmton im- pulse, ihey assembled on the green in the centre of the town, where ihe Captain of the Guards tiiok oc- casion to haiangue the iiiultiiude, and after address- ing himself to their patriutic feeiingH, and roue>iiig their martial spirit by suitable appeals aud represen- tations, he propo^ed to head any funnber of volun- teers that would join him, and luarch with ihem im- mediately to the scene of action. He ended his ad- dress by appointing a time and place for all such to meet, and form themselves into a company. ti When the hour arrived, sixty volunteers appeared bn the ground, belonging niOHtly to the Guards, with a few students from the L;ollege. No time was lost in preparing for their departure, and on the morning of the next day they were ready to march. Being provided with anmiunition, and participating the ar- dor of their leader, the company hastened forward by a rapid march to Cambridge, the head quarters of the troops, who were coilectmg irom variuus parts to resist any further aggressions from the British army in Boston. * .. - . On the 3d of May the Massachusetts Committee of Safety commissioned Benedict Arnold as a Colon- el in the service of Massachusetts, and commander- in-chief of a body of troops not to exceed lour hun- dred, with whom he was to proceed on an expedition to subdue and take Fort Ticondeioga. The temperament of Colonel Arnold admitted no d^lay after matters had been thus arranged, and he made all haste to the theatre of operaiiuns. He ar^ rived at Stockbridge, on theftiontierol Massachusetts, within three days of the time of receiving hie com^ mission. He there found himself anticipated by the expedition set on foot under the command of Ethan 18« 110 SKETCH OF THE Allen. A compromise in the command was e0e( ted, by which Arnold acted in the capacity of a volpn- teer. The party advanced to Ticonderoga, took |he fort hy surprise on the moining of the IQth of May, and made the whole garrison prisoners. Ethan Air len, a^ the commander, entered the fort at (he Itead of his men. Arnold, ever foremost in scenes of danr ger and feats of courage, assumed the privilege of passing through the gate at his left hand. Thus the love of glory, common to them l)otb, was gratified ; and the pride of Arnold was soothed, after the tvound it had received by the disappointment of his ambi- tious hopes. Pour days after the capture of the fortress, about 60 men, who had been enlisted in compliance with the orders given by Arnold on the road, joined him with two Captains at Ticonderoga. These were properly under his conmiand. They came by the way of Skenesborough, and brought forward the schooner ta- ken at that place, which belonged to Major Skene. He manned this vessel, proceeded immediately down the Lake to St. John's, where he surprised the garri- son, taking a sergeant and twelve men prisoners, and captured a King's sloop with seven men. After destroying five batteaux, seizing four others, and put- ting on board some of the valuable stores from (he fort, he returned to Ticonderoga. Colonel Allen went upon the same expedition with one hundred and fifty nten in batteaux from Crown Point, but, as the batteaux moved with less speed than the schooner, he met Arnold returning about fifteen miles from St. John's. After some other minor transactions on the fron- tiers, Afnold made haste back to Cambridge, where be arrived early in July. Arnokl was now uoemployedi bvit. a projea wag LIFE OF ARNOLD. B eflTet ted, a volpiv- , took (he I of May, 3th»n Air tl)e liea4 les of danr rivilege of Thu» the gratified ; he wound his amhi- ess, ahout ;e with the him with e properly le way of ihooner ta- jor Skene. Ltely down the garri- prisoners, en. After 8, and put- from the onel Allen mdred and Hit, as the ) schooner, B8 from St. the fron- Ige, where voject wai fonn 80t on foot suit^ to bis genius ftl^ oapacity^*^ General Wasliington had taken oommandl c^ the«rt my onff e^f had ieBo(?ed thai an incursion iqto danada Bbpuld i^ maide ky the troops under General Sohuyjfir. fTp i>r oilitate this object^ a plan wasde.tised ahputlKi mid-*' die of Aagust, by the OomniandeMn-Ghief aiid sev- eral members of Congress then qd a visit lothe; nrr my during an adjournment pf, that body, to aeod an expedition to duebec through the eastern wilderness, by the way of the Kennebec river, which should e- ventiially co-operate with the other party, or cause a diversion of the enemy, that would be fovorable to its movements. Arnold was selected to be the con- ductor of this expedition, and he received from Wash- ington a commission of Colonel in the Continental service. The enterprise was bold and perilous, en- compassed with untried difficulties, and not less haz- ardous in its execution, than uncertain as to its re- sults. These features, repelling as they were in themselves, appeared attractive in the eyes of a man whose aliment was glory, and whose spirit was san- guine^ restless, and daring. About eleven hundred effective men were detached and put under his com- mand, being ten companies of musketmen from New England, and three companies of riflemen from Virginia and Pennsylvania. The field officert. in addition to the chief, were Lieutenant-Colonei Chrit^topher Greene, afterwards the hero of Red Bank, Lieutenant-Colonel Roger Enos, and Majors Bigelow and Meigs. At the head of the riflemen was Captain Daniel Morgan, renowned in the sub- sequent annab of the war. These troops marched from Cambridge to Newba- ryport, where they embarked oa board oleveo tnna* :U- f $- portt/J'S^ewill^r 18tt^ iild Bailed the tiejct day for ''iill^r >Ii6hry\4 iEl(3cdUht of tN'Ifxpedltlon tbtbus^ th^ ^Id^l^h^ covers, In k de^ri^e^ i he histol'y bf ArtioM, t^i(fUhi8 4«tiUiti. 1?be iBub^quem evehts of his life, d0itUbylh^'««b^ huth space, > even v^ith abtirl^enient, f&i^^Wto'VolliiiSe; the freodervlrin find in " The Li^ tfHd'l^reAsdn 6f 'Bh'J^| ItHAj \\Ujh\ ■'■■:.■ •• : ^, •■ !' .m-/ ''^l ft'f O! *;: f'iim$»!'MH> !.-i"; .• - ■• l:ii til'.// 7.^,1 i vH t|ni:||i5.r|'t i .>:;,'■• . '^ , . .• rf/i!fl r; l'» ^\y(j-i i^i\\ !»> TRB siri>. ' ■ . •' ; < - f .. . . ■ i .b i#ij,5i«i uotii^Jt'.Uiiim .--'.1.. ' N: day for his lifi^ liiAi ym ■ ":■■■ /ift .in r I 7/'i4 ■#