which good livers think necessary to the happy enjoy
ment of life. Here we observed five or six Canadian
servants, huddled into a corner of the kitchen, trembling
with fear. Our prying eyes soon discovered a trap
door leading into the cellar. In the country houses of
Canada, because of the frigidity of the climate, the cel
lars are usually under a warm room, and are principally in
tended for the preservation of vegetables. The cavity
in this instance, abounded with a great variety of eata
bles, of which we were not in the immediate want.
The men entered it. Firkin after firkin of butter, lard,
tallow, beef, pork, fresh and salt, all became a prey.
While the men were rummaging below, the lieutenant
descended to cause more despatch. My duty was to
remain at the end of the trap door, with my back to the
wall, and rifle cocked, as a sentry, keeping a strict eye
on the servants. My good Irishwoman frequently
beckoned to me to descend ; her drift was to catch us all
in the trap. Luckily she was comprehended. The
cellar and kitchen being thoroughly gutted, and the spoil
borne to the carriages, the party dispersed into other



Campaign against Quebec , 1775. 97

apartments. Here was elegancy. The walls and par
titions were beautifully papered and decorated, with
large engravings, maps, etc., etc., of the most celebrated
artists. A noble view of the city of Philadelphia, upon
a large scale, taken from the neighborhood of Cooper s
ferry, drew my attention, and raised some compunctive
ideas , but war and the sciences always stand at arms
length in the contests of mankind. The latter must
succumb in the tumult. Our attention was much more
attracted by the costly feather beds, counterpanes, and
charming rose-blankets, which the house afforded. Of
these there was good store, and we left not a jot behind
us. The nooks and crevices in the carioles were filled
with smaller articles ; several dozens of admirably
finished case-knives and forks ; even a set of desert knives
obtained the notice of our cupidity. Articles of lesser
moment, not a thousandth part so useful, did not escape
the all-grasping hands of the soldiery. In a back apart
ment there stood a mahogany couch, or settee in a
highly finished style. The woodwork of the couch was
raised on all sides by cushioning, and lastly, covered by
a rich figured silk. This to us was lumber, besides our
carioles were full. However, we grabbled the mattrass
and pallets, all equally elegant as the couch. Having, as
we thought, divested his excellency of all the articles of
prime necessity, we departed, ostensibly and even audibly
accompanied by the pious blessings of the stewardess
for our moderation. No doubt she had her mental re
servations ; on such business as this, we regarded neither.
Near the chapel we met a party of Morgan s men com
ing to do that which we had already done. The officer
appeared chagrined when he saw the extent of our plunder.
He went on, and finally ransacked the house, and yet a
little more, the stables. The joy of our men, among
whom the plunder was distributed in nearly equal portions,
was extravagant. Now an operation of the human mind,
which often takes place in society, and is every day dis
cernible by persons of observation, became clearly
9



98 Campaign against Quebec , 1775.

obvious. " Let a man once, with impunity, desert the
strict rule of right, all subsequent aggression is not only
increased in atrocity, but is done without qualm of con
science." Though our company was composed prin
cipally of freeholders, or the sons of such, bred at home
under the strictures of religion and morality, yet when
the reins of decorum were loosed, and the honorable
feeling weakened, it became impossible to administer
restraint. The person of a tory, or his property, became
fair game, and this at the denunciation of some base
domestic villain.

December I3th. On this morning the same auda
cious scoundrel again returned. By leading to the first
affair, and his intercourse with the privates, he had so
wormed himself into their good graces that nothing
would do but a system of marauding upon our supposed
enemies, the tories. In this new expedition, which
was further than the former, the officers thought it pru
dent to accompany the men, in truth, to keep order
and repress their ardency. We arrived at a farm said to
belong to Gov. Cromie or some other inhabitant of
Quebec. The farm house, though low, being but one
story, was capacious, and tolerably neat. The barn
built of logs, with a threshing-floor in the center, was
from seventy to eighty feet in length. The tenant, his
wife, and children, shuddered upon our approach. As
surances that they should be unharmed, relieved their
fears. The tenant pointed out to us the horned-cattle,
pigs and poultry of his landlord. These we shot down
without mercy, or drove before us to our quarters.
Thus we obtained a tolerable load for our caravan, which
consisted of five or six carioles.

With this disreputable exploit, marauding ceased.
A returning sense of decency and order, emanating from
ourselves, produced a species of contrition. It is a
solemn truth that we plundered none but those who
were notoriously tories, and then within the walls of
Quebec. The clergy, the nobles, and the peasantry,



Campaign against Quebec , 1775. 99

were respected and protected, especially the latter, with
whom, to use a trite expression, we fraternized. The
minuteness of this description of occurrences, of a trivial,
yet disgraceful nature, is made the more strongly to
impress your minds with the horrors attendant on civil
wars. This species of war, more than any other, not
only affects the great and the wealthy, but it intrudes
itself into, and devastates the cottage. This the Ame
rican people know, from the many melancholy scenes
which succeeded the period spoken of.

Gracious and Almighty God ! the shield and protector
of the good, as well as thou art the scourge of the base
and wicked nation, avert from my country this the most
terrible of thy modes of temporal vengeance.

December I5th. In a short time, the rifle companies
moved and occupied good quarters on the low grounds,
near St. Charles river, and about two miles from Quebec.
Our clothing was still of the flimsy kind, before noted,
but our hearts were light, even to merriment. Indi
vidually, from our own funds, we supplied ourselves
with arm-gloves, and renewed our moccasins. This was
about the middle of December. During all this time,
our daily duty was laborious in various ways, and every
other night we mounted guard at St. Roque. A guard
house ere this, had been established at this place, in a
very large stone house, which, though strong, being
exposed to the enemy s fire, was soon battered about
our ears, the distance scarcely more than three hundred
yards. That position was changed for one more secure.
A house which had been a tavern, was adopted in its
stead. This house was peculiarly situated. It was
comparatively small with the former in its dimensions,
but the walls were strong, and the ceilings bomb-proof.
It stood under the hill, so as to be out of the range of
the shot from the ramparts contiguous to palace gate,
which were elevated far above us. Simpson would say,
Jack, let us have a shot at those fellows. Even at
noon-day, we would creep along close to the houses,



loo Campaign against Quebec ^ 1775.

which ranged under the hiil, but close in with it, till we
came within forty yards of palace gate. Here was a
smith-shop, formed of logs, through the crevices of
which we would fire, at an angle of seventy, at the
sentries above us. Many of them were killed, and it
was said, several officers. This was dishonorable war,
though authorized by the practices of those times. The
distance from this guard-house to palace gate, may be
three hundred and fifty yards. The hill, at the back of
the house, seemed to make an angle of sixty or seventy
degrees. This activity continued from the walls of the
city, and around it by the lower town (where it is greatest),
for many miles up the St. Lawrence and St. Charles, and
forms the basis of Abraham s plains. It was about that
time the York artillerists, under Captain Lamb, had con
structed a battery on the Plains, at the distance of six
hundred or seven hundred yards from the fortress. The
earth was too difficult for the intrenching tools to pierce,
the only method left was to raise a battery composed of
ice and snow. The snow was made into ice by the
addition of water. The work was done in the night
time. Five or six nine-pounders, and a howitzer were
placed in it ; it was scarcely completed, and our guns
had opened on the city, before it was pierced through
and through, by the weightier metal of the enemy.
Several lives were lost on the first and second day. Yet
the experiment was persisted in, till a single ball, piercing
the battery, killed and wounded three persons. In the
quarters last mentioned, we enjoyed some pleasant days.
The winter in Canada, as with us, is the season of good
humor and joy.

December i8th, iQth. Upon a secession from the
out-post, or other military employments, we were agreea
bly received in the farm houses around. Our engage
ments near palace gate, still continued to be of the
arduous kind ; our numbers being few, every second
watch was performed by the same persons who had
made the guard the last but one. Between the guard-



Campaign against Quebec , 1,775. *>i.oi



house, and the extreme end of the suburbs of St. Roque,
which may be half a mile from the ramparts, there was
a rising ground in the main street fairly in view of the
enemy, and whilst we relieved in daylight, was raked
even by grape shot. Some good men were lost here.
This circumstance changed the time of relief, to nine
o clock in the evening. The rifle men were principally
employed as guards at this dangerous station. It is but
fair and honest to relate to you an anecdote concerning
myself, which will convey to your minds some notion
of that affection of the head or heart, which the military
call a panic terror. Being one of the guard and having
been relieved as a sentry, about twelve or one o clock
at night, upon returning to the guard house, in a dozing
state, I cast myself on a bench next the back wall
young, my sleeps were deep and heavy ; my youth
obtained this grace from Simpson, the officer who com
manded ; about three o clock I was roused by a horri
ble noise. The enemy, in casting their shells, usually
began in the evening, and threw but a few, towards
morning they became more alert. Our station being
out of sight, it was so managed as to throw the shells on
the side of the hill, directly back of us, so as they would
trundle down against the wall of the guard house. This
had frequently occurred before, but was not minded.
A thirteen inch shell, thus thrown, came immediately
opposite the place where my head lay ; to be sure the
three feet wall was between us. The bursting report
was tremendous, but it was heard in a profound sleep.
Starting instantly, though unconscious of the cause, and
running probably fifty yards, through untrod snow, three
feet deep, to a coal house, a place quite unknown to me
before, it was ten or fifteen minutes before the extreme
cold restored that kind of sensibility which enabled me
to know my real situation. Knowing nothing of the
cause, the probable effect, nor anything of the conse
quences which might follow from this involuntary exer
tion, it seemed to me to be a species of the panic which



.i:c2 Campaign against Quebec , 1775.

has been known to affect whole armies. The circum
stance here related, caused a laugh against me ; but it
was soon discovered that those of the soldiery, though
wide awake, were as much panic stricken as myself.
The laugh rebounded upon them. During this period
we had many bitter nights. To give you some idea of
a Canada winter, allow me to relate an occurrence
which is literally genuine.

December 24th. One night, at the time of relief, a
confidential person came from Colonel Arnold, accom
panied by an Irish gentleman named Craig, directing
the relieved guard to escort him to his own house, which
stood between twenty and thirty paces from palace
gate. Craig was a merchant of considerable wealth, and
what was more, an excellent whig. He was expelled
from his habitation because of his whigism, and took
refuge in Arnold s quarters. Montgomery, by this time,
had furnished us with personal clothing suitable to the
climate, but there were a thousand other things wanting
for comfortable accommodation. Many of these Mr.
Craig possessed, and Arnold s luxurious cupidity desired.
Craig s house was an extensive building, three stories
high, with back buildings of an equal height, running
far in the rear along the foot of the hill. This last
building consisted of stores which, as well as the house,
was of brick work. We came to the back part of the
house silently, and with the utmost caution. Mr. Craig
by a slight knock brought a trusty old negro to the
door, who was the sole guardian of the house. The
objects of Mr. Craig were frying pans, skillets, and a
great variety of other articles of ironmongery, together
with cloths, flannels, linens, etc., etc., etc. The
party with Craig entered the house. As a man of con
fidence and as a sentry, it became my business to watch
the palace gate. There was a clear moonlight, but it
was exceedingly bleak. My place of observation was
under a brick arch, over which were stores of Mr. Craig,
perhaps less than eighty feet from palace gate. My



Campaign against Quebec y 1775. IO 3

gloves were good and well lined with fur, and my moc
casins of the best kind, well stuffed. Unseen, continu
ally pacing the width of the arch, my companions
seemed to employ too much time. Some Frenchmen,
of Colonel Livingston s regiment, without our know-
Iedge 1 had been below palace gate marauding. Repass-
ing the house we were at, like so many hell hounds,
they set up a yelling and horrid din, which not only
scared our party, but alarmed the garrison itself. My
companions in the house (apprehensive of a sally from
palace gate), fled, carrying all they could. Though I
heard the noise, the flight of my friends was unseen, as
they emerged from the cellars. The noise and bustle
created by the Canadians attracted the attention of the
enemy. Large and small shells were thrown in every
direction, wherever a noise was heard in St. Roque.
Having on a fine white blanket coat, and turning my cap,
or bonnet rouge, inside out, the inside being white, made
me, as it were, invisible in the snow. Under the arch
the conversation of the sentries, as it were, almost over
my head, was very distinguishable. In this cold region,
many reasons operate to induce the placing two sentries
at the same post they enliven each other by convers
ing, and it prevents the fatal effects which follow from
standing still in one position. P ifteen minutes, at this
time, was the term of the sentries standing. The time
of my standing under the arch seemed to be several
hours, yet honor and duty required perseverance. At
length, being wearied out, going to the back door of the
house and knocking, no whisper could be heard within,
the old negro was soundly asleep in his bomb-proof
shell. At this moment those Canadians ran past the
gateway again, with their usual noisy jabber ; to me, in
my deserted state, it seemed a sally of the enemy.
There was no outlet but by the way we came, which
seemed hazardous. Running gun in hand into a large
enclosure, which was a garden of Mr. Craig s, here was
a new dilemma. There was no escape but by return-



IO4 Campaign against Quebec , 1775.

ing to the house or climbing a palisade twenty feet high.
The latter was preferred ; but my rifle was left within
the enclosure, as no means could be fallen upon to get
it over the stockade. The guard house was soon
reached. One of the sergeants kindly returned with
me to assist in bringing over my gun. It was grasped
in ecstasy. Alas ! the determination never to part with
it again, but with life, was futile. While in the enclo
sure, going from and returning to it, we were assailed
with grape-shot and shells, not by any means aimed at
us, for the enemy knew not that we were there, but was
intended to disperse those vociferous and vile Canadians,
and it had the effect. They were as cowardly as noisy.
The cohorn shells were handsomely managed. They
usually burst at fifteen or twenty feet from the earth, so
as to scatter their destructive effects more widely. Again
coming to the guard house, my immediate friends all
gone, I ran thence to our quarters, about two miles, with
great speed. This was about three o clock in the morn
ing. Coming to quarters, my feet and hands were
numbed, without ever having, during those many dreary
hours, been sensible of the cold. It was soon discovered
that they were frozen. Pulling off my leggings, etc.,
and immerging my feet and legs knee deep in the snow
at the door, rubbing with my hands a few minutes, soon
caused a recirculation of the blood ; the hands were re
stored by the act. For fifteen, and even twenty years
afterwards, the intolerable effects of that night s frost
were most sensibly felt. The soles of my feet, particu
larly the prominences, were severely frostbitten and
much inflamed ; so it was as to my hands. But it was
very remarkable that these subsequent annual painings
uniformly attacked me in the same month of the year
in which the cause occurred.

On the night of the 2Oth, or 2ist of December, a
snow-storm, driving fiercely from the north-east, induced
the noble Montgomery to order an attack on the fortress.
Our force, altogether, did not amount to more than



Campaign against Quebec , 1775. 105

eleven hundred men, and many of these, by contrivances
of their own, were in the hospital, which, by this time,
was transferred to the nunnery. The storm abated
the moon shone, and we retired to repose, truly unwill
ingly. We had caught our commander s spirit, who
was anxious, after the capture of Chamblee, St. Johns
and Montreal, to add Quebec, as a prime trophy to the
laurels already won. Captain Smith, * the head of our
mess, as captain, had been invited to General Mont
gomery s council of officers (none under that grade
being called) ; like most of uninstructed men he was
talkative, and what is much worse, in military affairs,
very communicative. I believe blushing followed the
intelligence he gave me : the idea of impropriety of con
duct in him, deeply impressed my mind. The whole
plan of the attack on the two following days was known
to the meanest man in the army. How it was disclosed,
is uncertain, unless by the fatuity of the captains. One
Singleton, a sergeant in the troops which accompanied
Montgomery, deserted from the guard at the suburbs of
St. Johns, and disclosed to our foes the purport of our



1 Colonel Matthew Smith of Paxtang, who commanded the company in
which young Henry served in the Quebec campaign, was one of the war
eagles of the revolution. He was a native of Lancaster county, now Dau
phin, born about 1730. He took a warm interest in the affair at Conestoga
and Lancaster in 1763-4, and was delegated by the Paxtang Boys to make
a proper representation to the provincial assembly who were bent on per
secuting that band of heroes. He enlisted his company in June, 1775, anc ^
with Hendricks was the first south of the Hudson river to reach the be
leaguered city of Boston after the battle of Bunker hill. At the time of the
attack upon Quebec, Captain Smith was on detached duty, and not with
his company. He was, however, taken prisoner, released on parole and
exchanged the latter part of the year 1776, and subsequently promoted to
major. He served as a member of the supreme executive council of
Pa., in 1778-9, and was for a brief period vice-president of the state.
Early in 1780 he was appointed -prothonotary of Northumberland county.
He died at Milton, July 21, 1794, and was buried at Warren Run burying
ground six miles distant. Col. Smith was a fine looking man, had the air
of a soldier, and was as ardent a patriot as ever breathed. Judge Henry,
on account of Capt. Smith s rigid discipline, took a dislike to him, and in
his narrative shows it prominently. Dr. Wm. H. Egle.



106 Campaign against Quebec , 1775.

schemes ; his desertion caused much anxiety. The
general prudently gave out that it was by command, he
would return soon with intelligence. This was believed
generally. The latter information came to my know
ledge some months afterwards, when a prisoner. The
relation of Smith to me is perfect on my memory.
Youths seldom forget their juvenile impressions. It was
this : " That we, of Arnold s corps, accompanied by
Captain Lang s York artillerists, should assail the lower
town, on the side of St. Roque : General Montgomery
was to attack the lower town by the way of Cape Dia
mond, which is on the margin of the St. Lawrence. A
false attack was to be made eastwardly of St. John s
gate. When Montgomery and Arnold conjoined in the
lower town, then the priests, the women and the child
ren, were to be gathered and intermingled with the
troops and an assault be made on the upper town."
Visionary as this mode of attack was, from what ensued,
it is sincerely my belief that Smith was correct in his
information, as to the plan suggested by the general.
In those turbulent times, men of gallantry, such as
Montgomery, were imperiously necessitated, to keep
up their own fame and the spirits of the people, to pro
pose and to hazard measures, even to the confines of
imprudence. There was another circumstance which
induced our brave and worthy general to adopt active
and dangerous means of conquest. Many of the New
England troops had been engaged on very short enlist
ments, some of which were to expire on the first of
January, 1776. The patriotism of the summer of
seventy-five, seemed almost extinguished in the winter
of seventy-six. The patriotic officers made every exer
tion to induce enlistments but to no purpose. We, of
the rifle corps, readily assented to remain with the gene
ral, though he should be deserted by the eastern men,
yet this example had no manner of influence on the
generality. The majority were either farmers or sailors,
and some had wives and children at home. These, and



Campaign against Quebec > 1775. 107

other reasons, perhaps the austerity of the winter, and
the harshness of the service, caused an obstinacy of mind
which would not submit to patriotic representation.
Besides the smallpox, * which had been introduced into
our cantonments by the indecorous, yet fascinating arts
of the enemy, had already begun its ravages. This
temper of the men was well known to the general.

It was not until the night of the thirty-first of
December, 1775, that such kind of weather ensued as
was considered favorable for the assault. The forepart
of the night was admirably enlightened by a luminous
moon. Many of us, officers as well as privates, had
dispersed in various directions among the farm and tip
pling houses of the vicinity. We well knew the signal
for rallying. This was no other than a snow-storm.
About twelve o clock P.M., the heaven was overcast.
We repaired to quarters. By two o clock we were
accoutred and began our march. The storm was out
rageous, and the cold wind extremely biting. In this
northern country the snow is blown horizontally into
the faces of travelers on most occasions this was our
case.

January ist. When we came to Craig s house, near
palace gate, a horrible roar of cannon took place, and a
ringing of all the bells of the city, which are very numer
ous, and of all sizes. Arnold, heading the forlorn hope,
advanced, perhaps, one hundred yards before the main
body. After these, followed Lamb s artillerists. Mor
gan s company led in the secondary part of the column
of infantry. Smith s followed, headed by Steele, the
captain, from particular causes, being absent. Hen-
drick s company succeeded, and the eastern men, so far
as known to me, followed in due order. The snow was



1 In relation to the small-pox, the circumstance about to be related, is
most assuredly true, as it is known to me of my own particular knowledge.
A number of women loaded with the infection of the small-pox, came into
our cantonments. Henry.



io8 Campaign against Quebec , 1775.

deeper than in the fields, because of the nature of the
ground. The path made by Arnold, Lamb and Morgan,
was almost imperceptible, because of the falling snow ;