Montgomery having satisfied himself on these points, next presented a summons to surrender in the customary form, a cannonade of the fort from a battery of five guns and one howitzer; a display of the American force in full view of the British garrison, in the hope that the enemy would forego a contest; but this was done without producing any effect. At this moment a circumstance took place which threatened the whole project with defeat. Three companies of Arnold’s detachment (whose term of service was on the point of expiring) having taken offence at the conduct of their commanding officer, the cause of which offence was never properly explained; seized the present occasion to make known their intention of quitting the army, unless, in the approaching movement they were permitted to attach themselves to some other corps. Upon investigating the affair, General Montgomery found the complaints so absurd, that he promptly determined, in justice to Arnold, to reject the proposal. But before officially announcing his decision, he thought it most prudent to try what could be effected by expostulation; in this attempt he finally succeeded, and brought them back to a sense of good order and obedience, without coercive means. The mind of Montgomery was not yet at ease, and suspecting that the flame of the late controversy might not be extinguished, he resolved to call a council of war, in which he submitted two questions,—“Shall we attempt the reduction of Quebec by a night attack? And if so, shall the lower town be the place attacked?” This seemed to infuse new life into the officers, and both questions were affirmatively decided, the troops were ordered to parade in three divisions at two o’clock in the morning of the 31st of December; the New York regiments and part of Easton’s Massachusetts militia, at Holland House; the Cambridge detachment and Lamb’s company of artillerists, with one field-piece at Captain Morgan’s quarters; and the two small corps of Livingston and Brown at their respective grounds of parade. To the first and second of these divisions were assigned the two assaults on the opposite sides of the lower town; and to the third, a series of demonstrations or feigned attacks on different parts of the upper. This arrangement was made to meet the expectations of colonies, who looked to Montgomery for the capture of the capital, and speedy reduction of the province. But they understood little of Montgomery’s difficulties; the steep heights which fortified the upper town rendered the passage from one to the other almost impassable. The number of soldiers in the garrison consisted of about two hundred and seventy marines and regulars, eight hundred militia, and four hundred and fifty seamen. The movement began between three and four o’clock in the morning, from the Heights of Abraham; Montgomery advancing at the head of the first division by the river road, round the foot of Cape Diamond