We must go back to the 11th of November and visit defenseless
Montreal. The loyalists were sad, as having been at a funeral,
in the passing away of its defenders. The discontented, now that
Montreal was on the point of changing hands, openly abandoned
their arms and threw off their disguise. That night Montgomery’s
force encamped on St. Paul’s Island. On Sunday morning, about
9 o’clock, when many were going to church, news arrived that
Montgomery was coming from the island to Point St. Charles and
a committee of twelve citizens was appointed to go to meet him.
Meanwhile he had arrived and the inhabitants of the suburbs
west of the city had assured him of their neutrality. He had
also received encouraging messages from the disaffected within
the city, for Bindon, now a sentry at one of the embrasures,
traitorously allowed a partner of Price, whom we have mentioned
as in league with the Boston party, and another, to communicate
with the congress party now advancing. Montgomery must have
learnt that there was a strong following in the city prepared
to side with him and that those opposed to him were handicapped
for want of ammunition and provision. It was reliance on these
elements within and without the city, with the knowledge that few
were willing to take up arms against him, that made it possible
for Montgomery with his slight force to capture a city of 1,200
inhabitants.
The deputation meeting him was told that he gave them four
hours to consider the terms on which they would accede to his
authority. Being told that he must not approach nearer the
city, he answered that it was somewhat cold weather and he
immediately sent fifty men to occupy the Récollet suburb, and
before 4 o’clock his whole force was established there. This made
an uproar in the town and the loyalists were for shooting on
them. The articles of capitulation were prepared and presented
to Montgomery. “I will examine them and reply soon,” said he.
They demanded that “The religious orders should enjoy their
rights and properties, that both the French and English should
be maintained in the free exercise of their religion, that trade
in the interior and upper part of the provinces and beyond the
seas should be uninterrupted, that passports on legitimate
business should be granted, that the citizens and inhabitants
of Montreal should not be called upon to bear arms against the
mother country, that the inhabitants of Montreal and of every
part of the province, who have borne arms for the defense of the
province then prisoners, should be released, that the courts of
justice should be reestablished and the judges elected by the
people, that the inhabitants of the city should not be forced to
receive the troops, that no habitant of the country parishes and
no Indians should be admitted into the city until the commandant
had taken possession of it and made provision for its safety.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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