On September 17th, three and a half months after Allen urged the invasion of Canada, Montgomery began the siege of St. John's. Two or three days later Warner arrived with his regiment of Green Mountain Boys. Arnold, not behind in energy and daring, captured a British sloop. On September 24th Allen, with about eighty men, chiefly Canadians, met Major John Brown, with about two hundred Americans and Canadians, and Brown proposed to attack Montreal. It was agreed that Brown should cross the St. Lawrence that night above the city, while Allen crossed it below. Allen added about thirty English-Americans to his force and crossed. The cause of Brown's failure to meet him has never been explained. Several hundred English-Canadians and Indians with forty regular soldiers attacked Allen, and for two hours he bravely and skilfully fought a force several times larger than his own. Most of Allen's Canadian allies deserted him, and with thirty of his men he was finally captured, loaded with irons, and transported to England. Thus, within five months, Allen, who had never before seen a battle or an army, who had never been trained as a soldier, becomes famous by the capture of Ticonderoga; is influential in preventing the abandonment of Ticonderoga; is foremost in the institution of a regiment of Green Mountain Boys; is rejected by that regiment as its commanding officer; is successful in raising the Canadians; urges Congress to invade Canada; fails from lack of support in his attack on Montreal; in five short months, fame, defeat, and bitter captivity. Warner's announcement to Montgomery is as follows: LA PRAIRIE, September 27, 1775. May it please your Honor, I have the disagreeable news to write you that Colonel Allen hath met a defeat by a stronger force which sallied out of the town of Montreal after he had crossed the river about a mile below the town. I have no certain knowledge as yet whether he is killed, taken, or fled; but his defeat hath put the French people into great consternation. They are much concerned for fear of a company coming over against us. Furthermore the Indian chiefs were at Montreal at the time of Allen's battle, and there were a number of Caughnawaga Indians in the battle against Allen, and the people are very fearful of the Indians. There were six in here last night, I suppose sent as spies. I asked the Indians concerning their appearing against us in every battle; their answer to me was, that Carleton made them drunk and drove them to it; but they said they would do so no more. I should think it proper to keep a party at Longueil, and my party is not big enough to divide. If I must tarry here, I should be glad of my regiment, for my party is made up with different companies in different regiments, and my regulation is not as good as I could wish, for subordination to your orders is my pleasure. I am, sir, with submission, your humble servant, SETH WARNER.