Tyconderoga on their way home by the end of the 1775. month. The ruin of the caufe was further hazarded by the turbulent and mutinous fpirit of several officers.

Colonel Arnold's arrival, with his detachment, at Point Levi, was not known at Quebec for twenty-four hours; and was at length discovered by his ordering out some men to fecure the midshipman of the Hunter floop of war, who was just landed on that fide the river; the boat returned and carried the intelligence to Quebec; on which two fhips of war were ftationed, one above and the other below Wolfe's cove, to prevent the Ame ricans croffing over. A council was called, and by a majority of one it was agreed not to proceed immediately to attack the town. The contrary refolution, backed by vigorous exertions, would probably have put him into the poffeffion of it. On the fifth of November it was really in a defenceless state, without a fingle foldier. Had the detachment croffed, the gates would, it is thought, have been opened by the difaffected and faint-hearted. The colonel however declared, that he would certainly make the attack when he had croffed, in cafe they were not difcovered to be over. In the mean time, the troops were employed in preparing fcaling ladders. Before they were ready with thefe, colonel Maclean, the deputy governor, arrived at Quebec 12. from Sorel, with about 170 men of his new raised regiment of emigrants; of this colonel Arnold had advice the next day, when, in the evening at nine o'clock, he began to embark his forces on board thirty-five canoes, leaving the ladders behind, and by four the next morning got over and landed 500 men wholly undifcovered. 14. They landed in the small cove where the brave and en

1775. terprifing general Wolfe did, now called Wolfe's Cove.

The Lizard's barge rowing up the river, the colonel ordered her to be hailed, and fired upon for refusing to come in shore; on which the pushed off, and carried the account of the detachment's having croffed over, But before this difcovery, the men paraded on the heights of Abraham. From thence they fent out a reconnoitring party toward the city, marched across the plain, and took poffeffion of a large houfe formerly owned by general Murray, and other adjacent houses, which afforded fine accommodations for the troops. Guards were placed on the different roads to cut off the communication between the city and country, The main body, about noon, marched fairly in view of the enemy, and gave them three huzząs, which were returned by a few shot from the ramparts. In the evening the colonel fent a flag of truce with a demand of the garrison, in the name and on behalf of the United Colonies, which was fired upon as it approached the walls. The colonel was certainly overfeen; he should have taken, the fcaling ladders along with him; have concealed his being over, and attempted a coup de main the next night, which might have been done with a profpect of fuccefs, as his Canadian friends, English and French, were in the city to fecond his operations, and as the failors were then scattered on board the fhips, fome about Quebec and Nov. others up the river. A company of men were fent to 16. take poffeffion of the general hofpital. The Canadians were continually coming in to exprefs their fatisfaction at the continental forces having entered the country, The next day a certain account was received of the cap19. ture of Montreal, Early in the morning the troops decamped

camped and marched up to Point au Trembles, about 1775feven leagues from Quebec, through a thick fettled country, where you meet, every few miles, with a handfome little chapel. This was the day on which governor Carleton arrived at Quebec; and the first thing he did, was to turn out the fufpected, and all who would not affift in the defence of the city. By exprefs from 23. Montreal, the forces were informed that general Montgomery was upon his march, and had fent down clothing for them. The general finding plenty of woollens at Montreal, at a reasonable price, gave his foldiers new clothes, after their having fuffered much by the feverity of the climate, to which they fubmitted with patience and resolution, particularly in marching from St. John's to Montreal, the road being half leg deep in mire. He was alfo mindful of colonel Arnold's detachment, which had fuffered ftill greater handfhips. General Montgomery arrived at one o'clock, with three Dec. armed fchooners, men, ammunition and provifion, to the great joy of the colonel's forces, who toward evening turned out and marched to the general's quarters, and were there received and complimented by him upon their appearance. The next day the batteaus were fent to Point Levi for the fcaling ladders. The general appeared before Quebec, which is the last we have heard of his movements,

General Howe iffued orders for taking down the old North meeting houfe, a large wooden building, containing a great deal of timber; and a hundred old wooden dwelling houses and other buildings, to be used for fuel. The fcarcity of this article, now that the ufual fupplies M 4 from

5.

14.

1775. from the country are cut off, will reduce the inhabitants to an extreme difficulty.

Dec.

30.

P. S. Admiral Shuldham is just arrived from Great Britain in the Chatham man of war of 50 guns, to fuperfede admiral Greaves.

1776.

Jan.

5.

LETTER

III.

Roxbury, April 22, 1776,

YOU have been informed of the meafures which

You

the promoters of independency adopted for the ripening of that event; in the advice which congrefs were prevailed upon to give to the New Hampshire, the South Carolina, and the Virginia conventions.

The New Hampshire provincial convention proceeded in their defign, and voted "that this congrefs take up civil government in form following-We being authorized in particular to establish some form of government, provided that meafure be recommended by the continental congrefs, and a recommendation being tranfmitted the fudden departure of his excellency John Wentworth and several of the council, leaving us destitute of legiflation, and no executive courts being open to punish criminal offenders-therefore protefting that we never meant to throw off our dependence upon Great Britain, and that we fhall rejoice if fuch a reconciliation, between us and our parent ftate, can be effected, as hall be approved by the continental congrefs-do refolve,

2

folve, that the congrefs do affume the name and power 1776. of a house of reprefentatives; that they proceed to choose twelve perfons, to be a diftinct branch of the legislature, by the name of a council for this colony; and that no act shall be valid unless paffed by both branches." But this procedure was not univerfally approved. A memorial and remonftrance of the freeholders and inhabi- 10. tants of Portsmouth was prefented to the convention fitting at Exeter. It fets forth, that "the memorialists are greatly alarmed, by the information, that they are about to diffolve their existence as a convention, and affume that of a house of reprefentatives, and to proceed to the election of twelve counsellors, who are to act as another branch of legiflation for the future government of this colony." They remonftrate against the procedure from an opinion that the inhabitants will not generally approve it; and wifh therefore that the minds of the people may be fully taken on fuch a momentous concernment, for that it is their inherent right to know the plan, before adopted and carried into execution. They fay alfo, "it amounts to an open declaration of independency, which we can by no means countenance." A diffent and protest was brought into convention, by 12. feveral of the reprefentatives; the purport of it was, "We diffent and proteft against the prefent plan of taking up government for the following reafons-the vote of the continental congrefs, countenancing the fame, was obtained by the unwearied importunity of our delegates there, as appears by their letter;-the faid vote does not appear to have been unanimous, but we have reason to think very otherwife ;-New York and Virginia (which are in fimilar circumftances with us, and

are