The American Revolution Month-by-Month October 1775
The Canadian Expedition
By Compatriot Andrew "Andy" Stough
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted by Permission of the Gold Country Chapter No. 7 of the CSSAR and was slightly Edited by the Sons of Liberty Chapter of the CSSAR.
Congress had for some time had been investigating the possibility of liberating Canada from what they thought of as English misrule. In event diplomacy failed the creation of an army in northern New York would be a first step in a move to make Canada the 14th state.
In May of 1775 Congress authorized an expedition to Montreal and Quebec. The expected invasion would in all likelihood strike Montreal first. The delay between authorization and the actual invasion gave Sir Guy Carleton, governor and captain general of the Province of Quebec, plenty of time to reinforce Fort St. John’s, the key to Montreal (Leckie).
On June 25 General Philip Schuyler, a militia officer, had been put in command of the “Department of New York�?/EM> with orders to man Ticonderoga and other defenses along Lake Champlain. Later orders from Congress were given to him for an aggressive movement to the north IF it were practical and IF it was not disagreeable to the Canadians.
Schuyler had assembled a force of 2,000 men from New York and Connecticut as ordered. Trouble arose immediately, men on both sides refused to take orders from anyone but officers from their own state. Schuyler’s published instructions, as sent down by Congress were to maintain the peace by keeping watch on the British Indian Agents and others who used Indians to raid the northern border settlements from Canadian territory.
There was a fallacy inherent in any attempt to make Canada a 14th state. Canadians were quite satisfied with the current governor Sir Guy Carleton and with his administration of the “Quebec Act.�?/EM> This act had given the common people of Canada not only continuation of Catholicism and use of the French language but relief from the semi-feudal system imposed by the former (French) authorities. All-in-all, living conditions for citizens of French extraction had been improved by becoming British subjects. Few would find any interest in joining the colonies in their fight for freedom.
Schuyler departed New York on the 4th of July arriving at Ticonderoga on the 18th. He found Ticonderoga in a sorry state both structurally and in the make-up of the garrison, not to mention a lack of supplies and ammunition. Crown Point and Ft. George were in no better shape as they were under the same ineffective commander who was later relieved of duty and returned to militia duty.
Schuyler, on August 3rd, had been informed by an advance party that there was only a total force of about 700 men to defend the entire province of Quebec,. Schuyler at the time had at least 500 able men, theoretically giving him the advantage. He was urged to move before the enemy could improve his defenses and while the weather was favorable, Schuyler lingered, building his supplies etc. On the 17th of August, Schuyler went to Albany to attend a meeting with Indians (Ward).
The mantle of command now fell upon the shoulders of Brigadier General Richard Montgomery (Leckie;Ward). On August 28th, the greater part of the Army departed Ticonderoga and subsequently reached Crown Point, then on beyond to Isle La Motte, where Schuyler on September 4th, suffering from biliousness and rheumatic pains, caught up with them.
When Schuyler joined the troops he made no protest about Montgomery’s having moved the army (now called the Northern Army) without his (Schuyler’s) permission. On September 5th, the army continued up Lake Champlain to the Richelieu River which flows from the lake northeastward, emptying into the St. Lawrence. Fort St. John’s (the first defense of Montreal) lies on the north side of the Richelieu River (Ward).
The army moved rapidly up the lake and down the Richelieu despite sickness and misery caused by the constant cold and drizzly fall rain. Not only was the weather against them but they suffered casualties on September 9th, at a point near St. John’s when they were ambushed by Indians led by a British officer. The men reacted well and the Indians were repulsed. However, when the word was told back in Montreal it spread rapidly that a small group of Indians led by a New York Tory had sent the Americans running. The story was believed and at the cathedral a grand mass with a “Te Deum�?/EM> celebrated the great victory.
On the night of September 10th, a two-pronged force moved toward St. Johns. Leery after the ambush of the previous day, a panic set in when the two forces accidentally collided. Montgomery calmed them and started off again. A few shots were heard and the panic began anew. Most of the attacking force turned tail and ran. But all was not lost as a small group of New York men under Colonel Ritzema stayed together then moved forward capturing a house held by the enemy. The next day another false ambush occurred when two scouting parties accidentally met and another panic ensued.
Montgomery realized that his force was firmly in the grip of panic and was unfit to fight. If a late start under Schuyler and the loss of most of his boats and canoes were not sufficient to delay the venture into winter this certainly would be. To retrain and obtain confidence in the woods the force was moved back to Ile aux Noix (Ward).
Schuyler, sick and further weakened by exposure, departed for Tichonderoga and home on September 16th. Montgomery was at last in full command and quickly moved against Fort St. John's, the sole defense of Montreal. When the decision to invade Canada was issued, Fort St John's was lightly armed and defended. The delays by Schuyler allowed the reinforcement of St. John’s to the point that it must be reduced by siege.
Another thorn in the lion's side had been the all too frequent capture of British vessels by Yankee ships in the Massachusetts Bay region. Vice Admiral Graves had been sent to enforce the blockade of all Yankee ships in the area. It soon became evident that the superior British force could not stop the pilfering. On October 6th he sent out two ships with orders to “burn, destroy, and lay waste�?/EM> the seacoast towns that supported privateer fleets. He first approached Gloucester but found it a poor target to teach the people that it could be harmful to their health if they continued to harbor privateers. On October 16th, he anchored off Falmouth Maine (Now Portland) and delivered his ultimatum. He was put off until the following morning when they refused to follow his dictum. He then sent a landing party to raid the town, then set it afire. By evening, the town and 11 ships were left in ashes. Four other vessels were taken and returned with the raiders to Boston. Graves apparently satisfied, ordered no more raids.
References: Christopher Ward's "War of the Revolution"; Robert Leckie's "George Washington's War"; U.S. Army Historical Series “American Military History�? Don Higginbotham’s “The War of American Independence;�?/EM>
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