Famous Firesides of French CanadaAlloway, Mary Wilson
History
Famous Firesides of French Canada
Alloway, Mary Wilson
Québec (Province) -- History
Governor Carleton, being desirous of ascertaining the certainty of
Montgomery's fate, sent an aide-de-camp to enquire if any of the
American prisoners would identify the body. A field officer, who had
commanded in Arnold's Division, consented to perform the sad office. He
followed the aide-de-camp to the Pres-de-Ville guard, and singled out
from among the other bodies his General's remains, by the side of which
lay his sword, at the same time pronouncing with the deepest emotion a
glowing eulogium of the worth and character of him who, frozen stiff
and cold, had been found half buried in his winding-sheet--a Canadian
snow-drift. Deeply impressed by the scene and circumstances, Sir Guy
Carleton ordered that his late enemy be interred in the foreign soil
with the glory of martial, burial honours. In the Chateau Museum may be
seen a sword which was picked up in the morning after Montgomery's
repulse. It is in a good state of preservation, much care evidently
having since been bestowed upon it.
[Illustration: SIR GUY CARLETON]
"Of these five sieges, in the years 1629, 1690, 1759, 1760 and 1775,
none were pushed with more spirit and apparent prospects of success than
this blockade of the city by the two armies sent by Congress in the
autumn of 1775, under the advice of the illustrious General George
Washington; and, had there been a governor less firm, less wise and less
conciliating than Sir Guy Carleton, the Star-Spangled Banner would now
be floating from Cape Diamond.
Fort after fort, town after town, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Saint John,
Chambly, Montreal, Sorel and Three Rivers, had hoisted the white emblem
of surrender, but there still streamed to the breeze the banner of St.
George on the Citadel. With the black flag of rebellion over the suburbs
and the American riflemen of undisputed courage and determination
thundering at the gates, never had a brave little garrison to contend
against greater odds, nor leader to accept a more unequal contest, no
help from Britain being possible."
"When news reached Congress that the assault on Quebec had failed; that
Montgomery had been left dead on the snowy heights, and Arnold had been
borne from the field; that cold, hunger and small-pox were wasting the
army, and that discipline was forgotten, the expedient was resorted to
of appointing commissioners to go to Montreal to confer with Arnold, and
arrange a plan for the rectification of Canadian affairs."
They were received by General Arnold in the most polite manner,
conducted to the Chateau de Ramezay, the headquarters of the Continental
Army, where a "genteel" company of ladies and gentlemen had assembled to
welcome them, after which they supped with Arnold, probably in the
dining-room adjoining the _Salon_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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