in every action from Quebec to Monmouth, and at a later period in a higher command, the conqueror of Tarleton at the Cowpens.

These troops were designed to co-operate with the force which invaded Canada, and formed a junction with them under the walls of Quebec.

In surmounting the difficulties of the arduous march through the wilderness to Quebec, and in every action attendant upon the disastrous expedition and attack upon the capital of Canada, in which Montgomery fell, Arnold by his ardour and daring-by his cool intrepidity and endurance of hardship-by his resources in every difficult emergency, increased his military reputation, and his popularity with all the friends of the great cause he so conspicuously served. I leave to the historian of the United States, the details. of the Canada expedition, and will take up the story of Benedict Arnold, when we again meet him on the territory of New York.

Richard Montgomery was born in the year 1736, near the town of Raphoe, in the north of Ireland, and educated at the college of Dublin. At the age of eighteen he entered the army, and was sent to Halifax with the regiment to which he belonged in 1757.

In 1758, he served under Amherst at the capture of Louisbourg, the American Gibraltar, which as we have seen, had been before taken by the American provincials and restored to France by Great Britain, to the great detriment of the colonists.

The 17th regiment, to which Montgomery was attached, followed Amherst to Lake Champlain, and introduced him to the future scenes of his republican military service under his friend Philip Schuyler. He followed the triumphant course of General Amherst until the conquest of Canada was completed in 1760. In the latter year, Montgomery was promoted to the rank of captain, and as such followed Monckton from Staten Island and New York to Martinico, the surrender of which, and of the Havana, was soon followed by the peace of February 10th, 1763.

Returning with the regiment to New York, he remained there, as it appears, some years, and then went to England. From some disgust to the service, he sold his commission and returned to New York in 1773. Having purchased an estate on the Hudson, in the neighbourhood of the Livingston family, he married the daughter of Robert R. Livingston, and thus became the brother-in-law of the late accomplished chancellor.

In the year 1775, he was elected by the county of Duchess, to the first provincial convention held in New York.

1775

The continental congress, probably guided by the advice of Washington, as in the choice of Charles Lee and Horatio Gates, appointed Captain Montgomery one of the first brigadier-generals that were selected for their army.

Philip Schuyler who at the same time was selected as a major

general, was appointed to command the army intended for an attempt upon Canada, by the way of Lake Champlain, while another force was pushed for the same purpose by land through the wilderness under Arnold; but intended for Schuyler's command.

Montgomery repaired to Albany, and was ordered by his friend Schuyler, to Ticonderoga, recently seized upon by Ethan Allen.

He proceeded with a small body of troops down the lake. Being joined by his friend and commander, they effected a landing near St. Johns, and proceeded on their march to the fort on the 5th of September, but were attacked while fording a creek, and thrown in some disorder by an Indian ambuscade. The enemy was however soon dispersed with loss to themselves, and principally by the prompt movement of the command immediately led by Montgomery.

General Schuyler was carried back to Ticonderoga in a state of extreme sickness and exhaustion, yet never ceasing to forward the men, artillery and stores, necessary for the expedition. On receiving a reinforcement, Montgomery began his investment of St. Johns.

After establishing an entrenched camp of 300 men in a position to intercept communication between St. Johns, Chamblée, and Montreal, he opened his fire of artillery upon the beseiged. But he experienced all the difficulties arising from incompetent guns, ammunition, and artillerists-his engineer was without the rudiments of knowledge, as such-his troops were undisciplined, and sunk under the effect of exposure to cold and wet, fatigue and unwholsome water. His efforts were counteracted by the insubordination of his officers and men. The conduct of Ethan Allen in making an attack on Montreal without orders from the general, and with a force altogether inadequate, added to the mortifications of Mont

gomery.

The capture of Allen took place on the 25th of September. Shortly after, Mr. James Livingston, who had at the instance of Montgomery, succeeded in raising a corps of 300 Canadians, in conjunction with Major Brown, and a detachment from the army, succeeded in capturing Chamblée, its garrison and stores, among which was the very acceptable acquisition of one hundred and twenty-six barrels of gunpowder.

This success and the danger of the post of St. Johns, rendered it necessary for General Carleton the English commander in Canada, to quit Montreal, and with a motley army of Canadians, Scotch emigrants, Indians, and some English troops of the regular force, to risk a field movement for the purpose of attacking Montgomery. Mc Lean of the British army was encamped at the mouth of the Sorel, and Carleton's first move was a junction with

him. This Montgomery foresaw, and gave such orders to Colonel Warner as placed him in a situation at Longuiel to oppose the movement of Carleton, who crossing the St. Lawrence, was received from the south bank by a fire of musketry and artillery, which had been masked, and which put to rout the whole armament. This success, and the advance of a further American force, induced Mc Lean to abandon his post and descend the St. Lawrence.

Carleton giving up all hope of saving Montreal, put himself on board of a boat, and with muffled oars, in a dark night, succeeded in passing the American posts and descended the river in safety. St. Johns surrendered on the 3d of November, and on the 13th Montgomery had full possession of Montreal, eleven sail of English vessels, General Prescott, and 120 regular troops of the seventh and twenty-sixth regiments.

On the 4th of December, Montgomery effected a junction with Arnold, and immediately proceeded to Quebec. In this fortress, under the command of a veteran soldier, the force consisted of 450 seamen and marines; 50 privates of the 7th regiment; 150 of Mc Lean's corps, and 250 Canadian militia. To invest the place with his miserable shadow of an army, less in number than the garrison, was out of the question with the commander of the Americans, and the inclemency of winter in Canada equally forbade it. Escalade was determined on. After the ceremony of surrender and some preparation, the attempt was made as detailed in many of our histories, and the gallant Montgomery fell. The Lieutenant Governour Cramahé, requested that the body of the fallen general might be buried within the walls, and Carleton granted the request. It was subsequently removed to the city of New York, and deposited many years after his death, with all military honours, under the monument voted by congress and erected to his memory in St. Paul's chapel.*

The following extracts from unpublished letters of Montgomery, written during the last and most eventful period of his life, to his friend Schuyler, whom he constantly addresses in the most respectful and affectionate terms, cannot but be read with interest.

Ticonderoga, August 18, 1775.-"The troops destined for the generous effort to relieve our brethren of Canada, will in all probability be at St. Johns in fourteen days."

Ticonderoga, August 25.-" I hope you will join us with all expedition. Let me intreat you (if you can possibly) to follow in a whale boat, leaving somebody to bring forward the troops and

As to the lives of Allen and Montgomery, see Sparks's American Biography, Vol. I.-of Arnold-Sparks, Vol. 3.

For these I am indebted to my highly esteemed friend, Ex-chancellor Kent.

artillery. It will give the men great confidence in your spirit and activity. Be assure I have your honour and reputation highly at heart, as of the greatest consequence to the public service; that all my ambition is to do my duty in a subordinate capacity, without the least ungenerous in ention of lessening the merit so justly your due, which I omit no opportunity of setting in its fullest light."

Camp, near St. Johns, Sept. 19, 1775.-" We arrived here on the 17th, in the evening. I have great dependence on your presence to administer to our many wants. Major Brown was driven off yesterday morning by a party of British when he landed on the left side of the lake."

Camp, south side St. Johns, Sept. 24.-"I can say nothing pleasing as to my troops. The other night Captain Mott basely deserted the mortar battery without being attacked, though he made me a report that the enemy had rushed on him. I expect to set our mortars to work to night. If successful I shall endeavour to have deputies sent from Canada to the congress, giving them assurances that before an accommodation takes place, Canada must have a free government, and that the congress will as soon give up the Massachusetts government to the resentment of the ministry as relinquish this point.

I should like to have three enlightened members of congress as a council, immediately, lest I should make a faux pas.

Should Arnold come in my neighbourhood, has he orders to put himself under my command? You know his ambition, and I need not point out the bad consequences of a separate command."

Camp, near St. Johns, Sept. 25.-"Colonel Allen passed the St. Lawrence below St. Johns with twenty of ours and fifty Canadians. He was attacked from the garrison and taken prisoner, and two or three of his men killed. I lament that his imprudence and ambition urged him to this affair singlehanded.”

Same date. "We have opened a battery of two twelve pounders upon the ship yards and schooner. I want men and ammunition; the weather is bad, and the ground encamped on, swampy. We are scanty in pork and flour. I have sent back ten boats with the naked and lazy."

Cump, south side St. Johns, Oct. 6.-" Your diligence and foresight have saved us from the difficulties that threatened us, and we are no longer afraid of starving. I am waiting with impatience for the arrival of troops.

We have a post at La Prairie, and a conference by Major Brown, and some of our officers, with the principal inhabitants of Montreal, at La Prairie to-morrow. I am too feeble in men. The weather has been miserable. If I could send 500 men to Montreal it would declare for us.

Our army shows a great want of military spirit. They petition

for the release of the base coward Captain Mott. Our sensible officers swallow every old woman's story that is dropped into their mouths. General Carleton is still at Montreal."

Camp, south side St. Johns, Oct. 9th." There has been shocking embezzlement of the public stores and monies. Pray send me Yorkers, they dont melt away half so fast as their Eastern neighbours. We want iron, steel, ammunition, a ten inch mortar. Your residence at Ticonderoga has probably enabled us to keep our ground. How much do the public owe you for your attention and activity ?"

Camp, near St. Johns, Oct. 13th.-"A general dissatisfaction prevails in the army, and that unless something is done in a few days, I am told there will be a mutiny. It seems I am at the head of troops who carry the spirit of freedom into the field and think for themselves. Owing to the want of subordination and discipline, I thought it expedient to call a council of the field officers. The result has deprived me of all hopes of success. The troops at the post of La Prairie have shown great intimidation, and l'have had great difficulty in keeping them there. The friendly Canadians grow exceedingly uneasy at their situation should we not succeed.

You will see the propriety of putting Ticonderoga in a state of defence against a winter coup-de-main, by a stockade, and by having a post at Crown Point. The vessels to be placed in stockade also: preparations for a naval armament in the spring."

Camp, near St. Johns, Oct. 20th.-" Chamblee surrendered to Major Brown and Mr. Livingston. The latter ho aded :300 Canadians. He had not above 500 of our troops. It was a plan of the Canadians, who carried down the artillery past the fort of St. Johns in batteaux. We have got six tons of powder, which with the blessing of God, will finish our business here. I have found Major Brown on all occasions active and intelligent. We have sunk the enemy's schooner; our troops are now in high spirits.

The quantity of women and baggage taken at Chamblée is astonishing. The officers of the 7th regiment taken at Chamblée are genteel men. I have had great pleasure in showing them all the attention in my power. I have not in my camp above 750 men." Camp, near St. Johns, Oct. 26th.-" In a few days I hope to have a battery to the north side, of three twelve, and one nine pounders, upon a dry piece of ground to the north west."

St. John's, October 31.-"I must earnestly request to be suffered to retire should matters stand on such a footing this winter as to permit me to go off with honour. I have not talents nor temper for such a command. I am under the disagreeable necessity of acting eternally out of character-to wheedle, flatter and lie. I stand in a constrained attitude. I will bear with it for a