crease." They stated to them, that "eight battalions were raising to proceed to their province, and that if more force was necessary it should be sent." They requested them to seize with eagerness the favourable opportunity then offered to co-operate in the present glorious enterprise.

The cause of the Americans had received such powerful aid from many patriotic publications in their gazettes, and from the fervent exhortations of popular preachers, connecting the cause of liberty with the principles of religion, that it was determined to employ these two powerful instruments, printing and preaching, to operate on the minds of the Canadians. A complete apparatus for printing, together with a printer and a clergyman, were therefore sent into Canada.

These powerful auxiliaries were, however, of no avail. Reinforcements had been promised to general Arnold, who still continued the blockade of Quebec ; but they did not arrive in time to second his operations. Being sensible, however, that he must either desist from the enterprise, or finish it successfully, he recommenced in form; attempting to burn the shipping, and even to storm the town itself. The provincials were unsuccessful, by reason of the smallness of their number, though they succeeded so far as to burn a number of houses in the suburbs; and the garrison were obliged to pull down the remainder, in order to prevent the fire from spreading.

As the provincials, though unable to reduce the town, kept the garrison in continual alarms, and March 25. in a very disagreeable situation, some of the nobility collected themselves into a body under the command of one Mr. Beaujeu, in order to relieve the capital; but they were met on their march, and so entirely defeated, that they were never afterwards able to attempt any thing.

By the first of May so many new troops had arrived, that the American army, in name, amounted to 3000; but they had little reason to plume themselves on their success or augmented numbers. Their want of artillery at last convinced them, that it was impracticable in their situation to reduce a place so strongly fortified: the small pox at the same time made its appearance in their camp, and carried off great numbers; intimidating the rest to such a degree, that they deserted in crowds. The affections of the Canadians were likewise alienated by the rapacity and love of plunder which led many of the invading army to practises, disgraceful to themselves, and injurious to the cause in which they had taken up arms. To add to their mis

fortunes, the British reinforcemants unexpectedly ap peared, and the ships made their way through the ice with such celerity, that the one part of their army was

separated from the other, and general CarleMay 6. ton, sallying out as soon as the reinforcement was landed, obliged them to fly with the utmost precipitation, leaving behind them, all their cannon and military stores; at the same time that their shipping was entirely captured by vessels sent up the river for that purpose. On this occasion the provincials fled so fast that they could not be overtaken; so that none fell into the hands of the British, excepting the sick and the wounded.

May 10.

The humanity and generosity of general Carleton met with no less applause, on this prosperous turn in his favour, than what he acquired by the brave and judicious defence he had made, whilst every thing seemed to conspire against him. A number of the sick and wounded Americans were scattered about in the woods and villages, not only destitute of every comfort necessary in their miserable situation, but in the utmost danger of perishing for want. To prevent the melancholy fate which threatened these unfortunate men, the viotorious general issued a proclamation, to remove their doubts and fears, engaging, "that they should have relief and assistance at the public expense;" at the same time assuring them, " that as soon as they were recovered, they should have free liberty to depart." "This humane line of conduct," says Dr. Ramsay, was more injurious to the views of the leaders in the American councils, than the severity practised by other British commanders. The truly politic, as well as humane general Carleton, dismissed these prisoners, after liberally supplying their wants, with a recommendation, "to go home, mind their farms, and keep themselves and their neighbors from all participation in the unhappy war."

It was during this calamitous state of affairs that congress were seriously deliberating upon a final separation from Great Britain. And, at length, in the month of July, the declaration of independence was published. A particular account of this momentous transaction will be given hereafter. In the mean time we shall go on with an account of the northern can paign.

The British general, now freed from any danger of an attack, was soon enabled to act offensively against the provincials, by the arrival of the forces destined for that purpose from Britain. By these he was put at the head of about 13,000 men, among whom were

those of Brunswick. With this force he instantly set out to the Three Rivers, where he expected that Arnold would have made a stand; but he had retired to Sorel, a place 150 miles distant from Quebec, where he was at last met by the reinforcements ordered by congress. Here, though the preceding events were by po means calculated to inspire much military ardour, a very daring enterprise was undertaken; and this was, to surprise the British troops posted here under generals Fraser and Nesbit; of whom the former commanded those on land, the latter such as were on board of transports, and were but a little way distant. The enterprise was undoutedly very hazardous, both on account of the strength of the parties against whom they were to act, and as the main body of the British forces were advanced within 50 miles of the place; besides, that a number of armed vessels and transports with troops lay between them and the Three Rivers. Two thousand chosen men, however, under general Thomson, engaged in this enterprise. Their success was by no means answerable to their spirit and valor. Though they passed the shipping without being observed, general Fraser had notice of their landing; and thus being prepared to receive them, they were soon thrown into disorder, at the same time that general Nesbit, having landed his forces, prepared to attack them in the rear. On this occasion some field pieces June 8. did prodigious execution, and a retreat was found to be unavoidable. General Nesbit, however, had got between them and their boats; so that they were obliged to take a circuit through a deep swamp, whilst they were hotly pursued by both parties at the same time, who marched for some miles on each side of the swamp, till at last the unfortunate provincials were sheltered from further damage by a wood at the end of the swamp. Their general, however, was taken, with 200 of his men.

By this disaster the provincials lost all hopes of accomplishing any thing in Canada. They demolished their works, and carried off their artillery with the ut most expedition. They were pursued, however, by general Burgoyne; against whom it was expected that they would have collected all their force, and made a resolute stand. But they were now too much dispirited by misfortune, to make any farther exertions of valor. On the 18th of June the British 'general arrived at Fort St. John's, which he found abandoned and burnt. Chamblee had shared the same fate, as well as all the vessels that were not capable of being dragged up against the cur

June 18.

rent of the river. It was thought that they would have made some resistance at Nut Island, the entrance to Lake Champlain ; but this also they had abandoned, and retreated across the lake to Crown Point, whither they could not be immediately followed. Thus was the province of Canada entirely evacuated by the Americans; whose loss in their retreat from Quebec was not calculated at less than 1000 men, of whom 400 fell at once into the hands of the enemy at a place called the Cedars, about 50 miles above Montreal, by the bad conduct of colonel Cole and major Butterfield, who escaped deserved punishment, and were only cashiered and disgraced. General Sullivan, however, who conducted this retreat after the affair of general Thomson, had great merit in what he did, and received the thanks of congress accordingly.

Great numbers of Canadians had taken a decided part with the Americans; and although congress had assured them but a few months before, "that they would never abandon them to the fury of their com mon enemies," the provincial commanders were, from the necessity of the case, forced to leave them to the mercy of that government against which they had offended. A short time before the Americans evacuated Canada, general Arnold was busily employed in plundering the merchants of Montreal, under pretence of supplying the army. And "his nephew, soon after, opened a store at Albany, and publicly disposed of goods which had been procured at Montreal."

Gene

General Sullivan left the northern army on the 12th of July, and was succeeded by general Gates. eral Sullivan's return of the troops serving in Canada was 7006. It appears that the whole loss sustained by the provincials at Quebec, Three Rivers, Cedars, the consequent retreat from Canada, together with deaths and desertions which happened from the first of April, amounted to upwards of 5000 men, exclusive of 3000 sick.

Towards the end of July, one lieutenant Whitcombe, a Green Mountain boy, who was out on a scouting party, was guilty of a most base and villanous action, from no other principle than a desire to plunder. He wanted a sword and a watch; and in order to supply himself, shot general Gordon, as he was riding unarmed from St. John's towards Chamblee. The general died of the wound a few days after. This, as was natural, raised the resentment of sir Guy Carleton's army. Through the weakness of government, and military discipline, at that time, he was neither delivered up to the enemy, nor received deserved punishment.

Some transactions happened at Boston, after it was One Mugevacuated, which deserve to be mentioned. ford, who had been master of a trading vessel, applied to general Ward for the command of a continental cruiser which lay unemployed. By his importunity and professions he prevailed, and had an order given him. The captain, having procured powder and ball, with twenty men, pushed immediately into Boston Bay. After he was gone from the general, the latter received such a bad character of him, that he sent off an express to recall the order; but it was too late, as Mugford had sailed. Soon after he had got into the bay, the ship Hope of 270 tons, 4 guns, and 17 men, presented to view. She was last from Cork, and had on board 1500 barrels of gunpowder, besides carbines and bayonets, travelling carriages for heavy cannon, a vast variety of tools, implements, and necessaries for the army and artillery. Captain Mugford, in his cruiMay 17. ser of fifty tons and four guns, ran up to her, and ordered her to strike. The Hope, either from the sailors declining to fight, or from other motives, made no resistance. Commodore Banks lay a few miles off with his men of war, in sight; and his boats might soon have been up with the ship. The captain of the Hope, sensible of this advantage, gave orders to his men to cut the topsail haliards and ties. Mugford heard the orders, and knew the consequence of executing them-that the sailing of the ship would be so long prevented, that the men of war's boats would recover her. He therefore opened with a volley of oaths and execrations, and, in the most horrid manner, threatened the captain and every man on board with immediate death if the orders were executed, upon which the captain was so terrified as to desist. After taking possession of his prize, Mugford was joined by two other small cruisers, who assisted in carrying her safe through Pudding Point Gut. The inhabitants of Boston, who had been engaged in keeping the continental fast, had, on leaving their respective places of worship in the afternoon, the peculiar pleasure of seeing in the harbor the most valuable prize, on account of the powder, taken since the commencement of the war.

Two days after this exploit, Mugford's cruiser and another in company were attacked, when at anchor in Pudding Point Gut, by thirteen boats from the men of war at Nantasket. The boats were beaten off with the loss of the brave lieutenant who commanded, and several of his men; but Mugford, exerting himself heroically, was killed, and was the only person lost on the side of the American cruisers.