An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut: detailing the distressing events of the expedition against Quebec, under the command of Col. Arnold in the year 1775Stocking, Abner
History
An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut: detailing the distressing events of the expedition against Quebec, under the command of Col. Arnold in the year 1775
Stocking, Abner
Canadian Invasion, 1775-1776; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Personal narratives
In our long and tedious march through the wilderness, it was not with us
as with the children of Israel, _that our cloathes waxed not old_, ours
were torn in pieces by the bushes, and hung in strings--few of us had
any shoes, but moggasons made of raw skins--many of us without
hats--and beards long and visages thin and meager. I thought we much
resembled the animals which inhabit New-Spain, called the Ourang-Outang.
The French appeared a little surprised at the first sight of us; and had
not Colonel Arnold gone forward to apprise them of our approach, they
might have fled from their habitations.
In coming to this place we passed several very pretty villages,
ornamented with handsome churches for worship. We discovered some people
of fashion, living in good style, but most of the inhabitants appeared
ignorant and to have but little ambition.
November 7. This day we were very busy in preparing to cross the river
at night; we had collected a great number of Canoes, some of them made
of bark by the Indians; but most of them of large pine logs. When night
approached, we began to cross, and made our first landing at a place
called Wolfe's Cove. We directly ascended a steep bank and paraded on
the plains of Abraham, where we found a plenty of barracks which had
been erected for the use of the British troops and were then unoccupied.
Several of the bark canoes in crossing upset, by which accident we lost
some muskets, and baggage, but no lives, though some of us very narrowly
escaped.--Most of the troops were over by day break; those who crossed
after were fired upon by the _Lizard_, a British frigate that lay in the
river, but received no damage.
November 14. We now had in our possession the midshipman of the
_Lizard_, and several other prisoners, which we had taken on the south
side of the river. The frigate fired upon us in our encampment; but she
was at too great a distance to do us any injury. We this day took a
prisoner near our encampment--supposed to be a spy. We let him and our
other prisoners, every day walk on parole.
The weather being very cold, we quit our barracks and took up our
residence in houses, built for the King's officers, which they evacuated
on our approach. We remained here until the 21st, during which time we
received intelligence that there were not more than 100 regular troops
in the city--some sailors, and a few newly enlisted troops from
Newfoundland; in all not exceeding 400 under arms. This intelligence was
soon contradicted. A servant of Colonel Arnold's who had been taken
prisoner and made his escape gave us a very different account: he stated
that the inhabitants and King's troops exceeded 800 under arms; our
whole force at that time not exceeding 500, and the most of our
ammunition spent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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