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Colonies, strengthened those motives which were furnished by the actual state of American affairs, for a vigorous effort to terminate the war in that quarter. Impressed with the real necessity of taking decisive steps, and impelled by his native courage, this accomplished and gallant officer determined to risk an assault.

Of such materials was this little army composed that the most desperate hardihood could not hope to succeed in the purposed attempt, unless it should receive the approbation of all his troops. It was therefore necessary, not only to consult the officers individually on this delicate subject, but to obtain also the cheerful assent of the soldiers to the meditated enterprise. The proposition was at first received very coldly by a part of Arnold's corps, who were by some means disgusted with their commanding officer; but the influence of Morgan, who was particularly zealous for the enterprise, and active in advocating it, and who held up to them, as a very powerful inducement, the rights conferred by the usages of war on those who storm a fortified town, at length prevailed; and the assault was unanimously assented to.

Whilst the General was making the necessary preparations for that purpose, the garrison received intelligence of his intention from a deserter. This circumstance induced him to change the plan of his attack, which had been, originally, to attempt

both

both the upper and lower towns at the same time. The plan now resolved on was, to divide the army into four parts; and while two of them, consisting of Canadians under Major Livingston, and a small party under Major Brown, were to distract the attention of the garrison by making two feints against the upper town, at St. John's and Cape Diamond; the other two, led, the one by Montgomery in person, and the other by Arnold, were to make real attacks on opposite sides of the lower town. After gaining possession of the lower town, it would have yet been extremely difficult to conquer the obstacles to be surmounted in forcing their way to the upper town; but as all the wealth of the city would then have been in their power, it was confidently expected that the inhabitants, to secure their property, would compel the Governor to capitulate.

Between four and five in the morning the signal was given, and the several divisions moved to the assault under a violent storm of snow. The plan was so well concerted, that "from the side of the river St. Lawrence, along the fortified front, round to the basin, every part seemed equally threatened." Montgomery, at the head of the New York troops, advanced along the St. Lawrence by the way of Aunce de Mere, under Cape Diamond. The first barrier to be surmounted on this side was at the Pot-ash. It was defended by a battery, in

which were mounted a few pieces of artillery, about two hundred paces in front of which was a block house and picquet. The guard placed at the block house being chiefly Canadians, having given a random and harmless fire, threw away their arms and fled in confusion to the barrier. Their terrors were communicated to those who defended this important pass; and the intelligence afterwards received by the American prisoners in Quebec was, that the battery was for a time absolutely deserted.

Unfortunately, the difficulties of the route rendered it impossible for Montgomery instantly to avail himself of this first impression. Cape Diamond, around which he was to make his way, presents a precipice, the foot of which is washed by the river, where enormous and rugged masses of ice had been piled on each other, so as to render the way almost impassable. Along the scanty path leading under the projecting rocks of the precipice, the Americans pressed forward in a narrow file, till they reached the block-house an: picquet. Montgomery, who was himself in front, assisted with his own hands to cut down or pull up the picquets, and open a passage for his troops; but the excessive roughness and difficulty of the way had so lengthened his line of march, that he found it absolutely necessary to halt a few minutes, in order to collect a force with which he might venture to proceed. Having re-assembled

about

about two hundred men, whom he encouraged alike by his voice and his example, he advanced boldly and rapidly at their head to force the barrier. One or two persons had now ventured to return to the battery, and seizing a slow match standing by one of the guns, discharged-the piece, when the American front was within forty paces of it. This single and accidental fire was a fatal one. The General, and Captains M'Pherson and Cheesman, two valuable young officers near his person, the first of whom was his aid, together with his orderly serjeant and a private, were killed on the spot.

The loss of their General, in whom their confidence had been so justly placed, discouraged the troops; and Colonel Campbell, on whom the command devolved, but who did not partake of that spirit of heroism which had animated their departed Chief, made no attempt to prosecute the enterprise. This whole division retired precipitately from the action, and left the garrison at leisure, after recovering from the consternation into which they had been thrown, to direct their undivided force againstA rnold.

The division commanded by this officer moved in files, at the common signal for the attack, along the street of St. Roques towards the Saint des Matelots. In imitation of Montgomery he too led the forlorn hope in person, and was followed by Captain Lamb, with his company of artillery, and a field.

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field-piece mounted on a sled. Close in the rear of the artillery was the main body, in front of which was Morgan's company of riflemen, commanded by himself. At the Saint des Matelots, the enemy had constructed their first barrier, and had erected a battery of two twelve-pounders, which it was necessary to force. The path along which the troops were to march had been rendered so narrow by the rough cakes of ice thrown up on the one side from St. Charles, and by the works erected by the enemy on the other, that the two pieces of artillery in the battery in front were capable of raking with grape-shot every inch of the ground, whilst his whole right flank was exposed to an incessant fire of musketry from the walls, and from the picquets of the garrison.

In this order Arnold advanced with the utmost intrepidity along the St. Charles against the battery. The alarm was immediately given, and the fire on his flank commenced, which, however, did not prove very destructive. As he approached the barrier he received a musket ball in the leg, which shattered the bone, and he was carried off the field to the hospital. Morgan rushed forward to the battery at the head of his company, and received from one of the pieces, almost at its mouth, a discharge of grape shot, which killed only one man. A few rifles were immediately fired into the embrazures, by which a British soldier was wounded in

the

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