II. CHAP. happy prisoners he had taken, the feelings of humanity induced him to have recourse to this expedient to save him from the destruction that hung over him. To assure him that he was well acquainted with his situation, 30th. Wind westerly, very mild. In the night a deserter came in from the rebels; he reports, that "the army under Mr. Montgo mery amounts to between two and three thousand men, including Canadians; that they have been newly cloathed, and are most plentifully supplied by the country people, who are paid in hard money. They have got shells lately from Montreal. The small-pox rages among them. The whole army was assembled at head-quarters, by the General's orders lately :—it was given out that they were to at tack the town that night. Mr. Montgomery made a speech to them; he thanked them for the noble spirit they had hitherto shewn, and the zeal they had discovered in the glorious cause of liberty. He informed them that some circumstances had made it necessary to put off the attack for that night, but that he would soon ask them to follow him to an easy conquest. The Americans expressed an ardent desire to proceed immediately." The deserter's own opinion is, that they will flinch whenever they come within reach of our guns. He says, "all the old country people wish to be at home; they are not at all fond of attacking the town; they wish not to be aiding in distressing their countrymen; they did imagine they were to attack a parcel of Canadian slaves, professed enemies to the colonists." They threw thirty shells into town, one third of them did not burst, the rest did no damage. He warns us to be on our guard, for that we shall be attacked the first dark night. 31st. About four o'clock this morning, Captain Malcolm Fraser, of Colonel Maclean's regiment, in going his rounds, perceived signals not far from St. John's gate; and finding the weather such as the enemy wished for, by the last deserter's report, he alarmed the guards and picquets, who stood to their arms; all the sentries between Cape Diamond and Palace gate saw many and repeated flashes like lightning; on the heigthts of Abraham lights like lanthorns were placed on poles at regular distances. Two rockets were thrown up from the foot of Cape Diamond, and immediately a hot fire was kept up on those who lined the walls at that place, and a body of men were seen in St. John's suburbs; from the flashes of the enemy's fir II. that a great extent of works, incapable of defence, man- CHAP. ned with a motley crew of sailors, the greatest part his friends, of Citizens who wished to see the (Americans) within their walls, and a few of the worst troops that ing we perceived they were hid behind a bank of snow; however we returned their fire, directed by their flashes: during this sharp musquetry, the drums were beating to arms, the bells rang the alarm, and in less than ten minutes, every man in the garrison was under arms at his alarm post; even old men upwards of 70 were seen forward to oppose the rebels. Colonel Maclean detached a party of the British militia, under Colonel Caldwell, to reinforce Cape Diamond; there he was to make the disposition of the men, and return to the parade. * Mr. Montgomery, with 900 of the the best men attacked at Près de Ville, and Arnold, with 700 chosen fellows, attacked at * Sault au Matelot. The attack at Cape Diamond, the parade of men (Canadians it is said) near St. John's gate, with a bombardment from St. Roc's, were intended to draw off our attention from the Lower Town, where the rebels were to make the real attacks. Our guard at Près de Ville had seen the flashes, every man was posted before the alarm was given; the gunners with lighted matches, waited for the word of command. Captain Barnsfair, who commanded the battery, coolly waited the near approach of the enemy; he saw a group advancing; they stopped within fifty yards of our guns; there they seemed in consultation; at last they rushed forward to their destruction, for our grape shot mowed them down; groans and cries were heard, but not a soul was to be seen; however, we kept sweeping the road with our guns and musquetry for some time. At the other end of the the town Mr. Arnold was wounded in the leg, in passing the piquets behind the Hotel Dieu, from whence a shower of balls was poured on his party in their way to the Sault au Matelot; he was sent disabled to the General Hospital; the officers under him forced our guard, and made us retreat to a barrier about two hundred yards nearer the centre of the Lower Town; there we made a stand, returning a brisk fire, which the enemy under cover of houses, poured upon us. * A strong post at the southern extremity of the Lower Town. * A battery and guard house at the northern extremity of the Lower Town. CHAP. ever stiled themselves soldiers, the impossibility of II. relief, and a certain prospect of wanting every necessary of life, should his opponents confine their operations to a simple blockade, pointed out the absurdity of resis General Carleton, experienced in military affairs, saw the advantage the rebels gave us over them; he improved it, and sent Captain Laws out at Palace gate, with a detachment of the troops to take the enemy in rear; and Colonel Maclean ordered Captain Macdougal to support him with a party, and to keep possession of the post we had abandoned. Major Nairne of the Royal Emigrants, and Monsieur Dembourges of the same corps, by their gallant behaviour attracted the notice of every body The General ordered them, with a strong de tachment to the support of those already engaged in the Lower Town. These two gentlemen mounted by ladders, and took possession of a house with fixed bayonets, which the rebels had already entered, and thus secured a post which overlooked a strong battery on Lymburner's wharf, and commanded a principal street. The regular troops, the militia, the seamen, in short, every per son bearing arms marched chearfully, led on by their officers. They placed the greatest confidence in the General's knowledge, and they advanced secure of victory. Colonel Maclean, the second in command, with that coolness which distinguishes the good soldier, had his eye every where, to prevent the progress of the attackers; his indefatigability since he arrived in Quebec merits much praise; no man could do more for the good of the service; every power of his was exerted, especially on this day. Colonel Caldwell took infinite pains with the British militia; by his good example he made that corps emulous to appear where danger made their presence most necessary. The seamen were under the strictest discipline; Colonel Hamilton and Major M'Kenzie headed the brave fellows, who behaved as they do on all occasions, like British tars. The handful of Royal Fuzileers, commanded by Captain Owen, distinguished themselves, and the Royal Emigrants behaved like veterans. The French militia shewed no backwardness; a handful of them stood the last at Sault au Matelot; overcame by numbers, they were obliged to retreat to the barrier. As the General had foreseen the sortée, made the victory ours, tance: That he was at the head of troops accustomed to CHAP. success, confident of the righteousness of the cause they II. were engaged in, inured to danger and fatigue, and so highly incensed at his inhumanity, illiberal abuse, and we hemmed the rebels in on all sides: they called for quarter, and we made prisoners, The flower of the rebel army fell into our hands; we have reason to think that a great number were killed and wounded The prisoners say, that if Mr. Montgomery had attacked with the expected resolution we should have lost the Lower Town. Little know they of the situation of Pres de Ville; after the Lower Town is taken, it remains commanded by the Upper Town. Liberty or Death, was wrote on slips of paper, and pinned to their caps. We lost Captain Anderson, formerly a Lieutenant in the navy; 5 privates killed, and two privates wounded. We took at St. Roc's two brass three-pounders, two royals, three howitzers, and some small shells. January 1st, 1776. A very great snow fell last night; the whole garrison lay on their arms, but every thing remained quiet. The bodies that lay outside of Pres de Ville were brought in, thirteen in number. Two deserters from the enemy to-day, report that Mr. Montgomery is missing; the dead bodies have been examined, and his, McPherson's (his Aid-de-Camp) and Captain Cheeseman's, are found amongst them. Monsieur Lanaudiere was ordered to accompany Mr. Meigs, one of the prisoners called Major, to the head quarters of the enemy, to demand the cloaths, &c. of these unfortunate men; but by hints given to him by some Canadians at the end of St. Roc, he thought it prudent to return to town. The whole II. CHAP. the ungenerous means employed to prejudice them in the minds of the Canadians, that with difficulty he res trained them till his batteries were ready, from insulting the works, which would afford them the fair opportu force of the rebels was collected between their advanced guard-house and Menut's. Many Canadians had joined them in hopes of plunder. A genteel coffin is ordered by the Lieutenant-governor for the body of Mr. Montgomery. 2d. All the last night an incessant fire was kept up from our walls on the rebels at the end of St. Roc. The people of Beauport and the adjacent parishes actually believed that the Lower Town was in possession of the rebels. A volunteer comes from thence over the ice to Sault au Matelot; he was amazed to find himself made a prisoner. Mr. Meigs went out to-day on his parole to fetch in the prisoners baggage, &c. 3d Soft cloudy weather. Shot and shells thrown into St. Roc's Many of the prisoners, officers and men, have been innoculated. 4th. There was no disturbance in the night.-Soft drizzly weather to-day, wind at S. W. Captain Anderson buried with all the honours of war. Mr. Montgomery interred privately. 5th. Wind S. W. with a great thaw. Making additions to the works at Sault au Matelot. Firing heard towards St. Foix. Mr. Meigs returned with the baggage in part. 6th. Wind N. W. It began to freeze early this morning-as the sun rose the cold encreased. 7th. Wind at W. very cold. We found some of the St. Roc people skulking there to-day; they are confined on suspicion of having been aiding and assisting the rebels. It is reported in town, that the country people were told, the day after the attack, that the Royalists were beaten out of the Lower Town, 600 of us had been killed, and that they had lost but 15 men, and that General Montgomery was gone through the woods to Boston for a reinforcement. Ninety-four of the prisoners, all Europeans, have petitioned to be enlisted in Colonel Maclean's corps of Royal Emigrants.. 8th. Wind at N. E. cloudy, raw, blowing weather. The ninetyfour men who petitioned to be enlisted into his Majesty's service, say that their engagements with the rebel party ended on the 31st of |