Carleton moves troops to St. John’s.
On hearing of the capture of the forts on Lake Champlain, Carleton took what measures he could. He moved all his available troops, including some Canadian volunteers,[83] to St. John’s, and strengthened its defences. He went up himself from Quebec to Montreal, where he arrived on the 26th of May. On the 9th of June he called out the Canadian militia under the old French law, with little effect beyond causing irritation and discontent, which American emissaries and sympathizers turned to account; and on the 2nd of August he went back to Quebec, to summon the first Legislative Council which was constituted under the Quebec Act, that Act having now come into operation. Meanwhile, after the battle of Bunker’s Hill, the American Congress had resolved on invading Canada in force; General Philip Schuyler was placed in charge of the expedition, but, his health giving way, the command devolved upon Richard Montgomery, The Americans under Richard Montgomery invade Canada. who had served under Amherst throughout the campaign which ended with the conquest of Canada, and had subsequently settled in the state of New York and married an American lady.
At the beginning of September, the American troops moved northward down Lake Champlain, and took up a position at the Isle aux Noix, twelve miles from the fort at St. John’s, preparatory to besieging that fort. ‘The rebels are returned into this province in great numbers, well provided with everything, and seemingly resolved to make themselves masters of this province. Hardly a Canadian will take arms to oppose them, and I doubt all we have to trust to is about 500 men and two small forts at St. John’s. Everything seems to be desperate,’ so wrote Chief Justice Hey from Quebec to the Lord Chancellor on the 11th of September.[84] On the 17th he added, ‘The rebels have succeeded in making peace with the savages who have all left the camp at St. John’s, many of the Canadians in that neighbourhood are in arms against the King’s troops, and not one hundred except in the towns of Montreal and Quebec are with us. St. John’s and Montreal must soon fall into their hands, and I doubt Quebec will follow too soon.’
There was skirmishing between scouts and outposts, and on the night of the 24th of September, a party of about 150 Americans under Ethan Allen crossed over into the island of Montreal and penetrated to the suburbs of the town. Their daring attempt, however, miscarried: they were driven out: Allen was taken prisoner and sent in irons to England: and his failure gave for the moment some encouragement to the Loyalists’ cause.
Carleton applies to Gage for reinforcements.
On hearing of Schuyler’s and Montgomery’s advance Carleton at once hurried back from Quebec to Montreal. There were two possibilities of saving the town, and with it, perhaps, the whole of Canada. One was by obtaining reinforcements from the British army at Boston, the other by contriving, even without reinforcements, to hold the forts at St. John’s and Chambly until winter drove the invaders back whence they had come. Early in September Carleton applied to Boston for two regiments, the same number that in the previous autumn he had sent to Boston at Gage’s request; his message came to hand on the 10th of October, just as Gage was leaving for England, and Howe, who took over the command of the troops, at once prepared to send the men. But there was a blight on English sailors as on English soldiers in America in these days. Admiral Graves, who commanded the ships, refused Admiral Graves refuses to move. to risk the dangers of the passage from Boston to Quebec at the season of the year, and Carleton in his sore straits was left unaided. All, therefore, turned on the defence of the forts.
The siege of St. John’s and Chambly.
St. John’s fort was manned by between 600 and 700 men, 120 of whom were Canadian volunteers, the rest being regulars. Chambly was held by some 80 men of the line. A few men were stationed at Montreal, but Quebec was almost emptied of its garrison. Major Preston,[85] of the 26th Regiment, commanded at St. John’s, and Chambly was in charge of Major Stopford. On the 18th of September Montgomery laid siege to the former fort, cutting off communication between the defenders and the outside world; but, notwithstanding, news reached Preston of Allen’s unsuccessful attempt on Montreal, and he held out bravely, helped by the fact that Montgomery had hardly any artillery, and could only rely on starving out the garrison, while his own men were suffering from exposure, privations, and want of ammunition. But in the middle of October the outlook was changed, for, after less than two days’ siege, the fort at Chambly, said to have been well provisioned, The two forts taken. and with ample means of defence, was on the 17th of that month surrendered,[86] providing Montgomery with supplies, guns, and ammunition to be used against the main fort. Preston’s condition was now desperate. An attempt made by Carleton to cross from Montreal to his relief on the 30th of October was beaten back, and on the 2nd of November, St. John’s surrendered, after having held out for forty-five days.
Carleton leaves Montreal,