10/25/2018 Battle of Quebec 1775

Ba le of Quebec 1775
The unsuccessful American invasion of Canada and a ack on Quebec on 31st December 1775
Death of General Richard Montgomery in the a ack on Quebec on 31st December 1775 in the American Revolu onary War:
picture by John Trumbull

Ba le: Quebec 1775

War: American Revolu on
Date of the Ba le of Quebec 1775: 31st December 1775
Place of the Ba le of Quebec 1775: Quebec in Canada.
Combatants at the Ba le of Quebec 1775: American troops a acked a force comprised
of Bri sh recruits and French Canadian mili a and volunteers.
Generals at the Ba le of Quebec 1775: The Governor of Canada, Guy Carleton, and
Colonel Allen Maclean commanded the Bri sh forces.
Major General Benedict Arnold and Brigadier Richard Montgomery commanded the
American troops. Montgomery was a half pay Bri sh officer.
Size of the armies at the Ba le of Quebec 1775: There were round 1,200 troops on each
side.
Uniforms, arms and equipment at
the Ba le of Quebec 1775: Each side Major-General Richard
wore whatever clothing was available Montgomery: Ba le of Quebec on
to them, other than the small party of 31st December 1775 in the
Bri sh recruits who may have been in American Revolu onary War:
uniform. Weapons were muskets and picture by Alonzo Chapell
bayonets. The Bri sh had the benefit
of the heavy guns on the city’s
for fica ons.
Winner of the Ba le of Quebec 1775: The Bri sh and French-Canadian
garrison drove off the American a ack and ended the threat to the Bri sh
control of Canada.
Bri sh Regiments at the Ba le of Quebec 1775: It is unknown which
regiments were represented in the garrison.
Map of the Ba le of Quebec on 31st December 1775 in the American
Revolu onary War: map by John Fawkes
Guy Carleton, Bri sh Governor of Canada:
Ba le of Quebec on 31st December 1775 in
the American Revolu onary War

Account of the Ba le of Quebec 1775: While General Washington, with the American Con nental Army, was blockading the
Bri sh garrison in Boston, Brigadier Montgomery led an American a ack up the Lake Champlain route into Canada and General
Arnold took his American force across country through Maine. The purpose of the invasion of Canada was to bring the French-
Canadian popula on into the war on the American side, to take control of the sea route from Britain to the St Lawrence River and
to drive the Bri sh out of Canada.

The Americans captured Fort St John and Montreal. In late October 1775, Arnold arrived on Point Levis across the St Lawrence
from Quebec, having lost a substan al part of his force on the punishing journey from New England.
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10/25/2018 Battle of Quebec 1775

The Americans under Arnold underes mated the distances they would be forced to
travel and ran out of supplies. They were forced to eat their shoes and equipment
and many died.The Bri sh officer, Colonel Maclean, hearing of Arnold’s march on
Quebec, force marched his recruits from Sorel to Quebec, being joined later by Carleton.
On 13th November 1775, Arnold took his force across the St Lawrence to the north bank, climbed onto the Plains of Abraham, and
summoned the garrison to surrender or come out and fight. The garrison did neither. Arnold launched a night a ack that was
beaten back.
On 31st December 1775, with the addi on of Montgomery’s troops, and in a snowstorm, Arnold launched night a acks at either
end of the city.

Arnold led the assault along the north-east side of Quebec, while Montgomery’s troops a acked along the southern shore.
The garrison was alerted by premature feint a acks on other parts of the city perimeter.
Montgomery’s assault was repelled with heavy grapeshot from the cannon on the city
walls and Montgomery was killed.
Arnold’s a ack penetrated the city wall but he was wounded. Maclean arrived from dealing with Montgomery’s assault and led a
counter a ack. The American troops who had penetrated the walls were captured and the assault was driven off.
Casual es at the Ba le of Quebec 1775: Bri sh and Canadian losses were 20. The American losses were around 500.
Follow-up to the Ba le of Quebec 1775: Following the ba le, the Americans withdrew from Canada and no further serious
a empt to bring the Canadian popula on into the war on the American side was made.
Governor Guy Carleton pursued the retrea ng Americans down the Lake Champlain route forcing the Americans to abandon their
ships and boats and con nue south overland.
Anecdotes from the Ba le of Quebec 1775:
Major-General Richard Montgomery, killed during the American a ack on Quebec on 31st December 1775, was a half-pay Bri sh
officer. Montgomery first went to America in 1757, as an officer in the Bri sh 17th He fought at the Siege of Louisburg in 1758. In
1762, Montgomery, with the 17th Foot, took part in the a ack on Fort Moro during the capture of Havana. On the return of the
17th Foot to New York, Montgomery served in the War of Pon ac’s Conspiracy in 1764. A er the war, Montgomery went to
England with his regiment. In 1772, Montgomery le the Bri sh army and returned to New York Colony, intending to farm, and
married. On the outbreak of the American Revolu onary War in 1775, Montgomery was appointed brigadier in the new American
Con nental Army and placed in command of the a ack on Bri sh Canada. By the me of his death in the a ack on Quebec on
31st December 1775, Montgomery had been promoted major-general in the American Con nental Army. The death of General
Montgomery was the subject of one of John Trumbull’s pain ngs of the American Revolu onary War (see above).
Major-General Benedict Arnold was a fiery military leader, inspira onal
in ac on but unreliable in character. Arnold led his troops on the
difficult journey across the Maine back-country, running out of supplies on the way. His a ack on Quebec was beaten back a er
the death of Montgomery and the release of MacDonald’s Bri sh troops to join the garrison figh ng Arnold’s force. A er playing
a major role in the defeat of the Bri sh General Burgoyne at Saratoga, Arnold was appointed the military commander in
Philadelphia. Arnold there married a loyalist woman and began corresponding with the Bri sh. In 1780, Arnold was appointed to
command the for fied post at West Point. Arnold’s treachery in intending to deliver the post was discovered and he fled to the
Bri sh. His Bri sh contact, Major Andre, was hanged as a spy. A er the Revolu onary War, Arnold lived in England, Canada and
the West Indies. He was heavily cri cised by Bri sh officers for his treachery during the American Revolu onary War and is
reputed to have fought two duels in England.
One of Montgomery’s officers in the a ack on Quebec was Daniel Morgan. Morgan was captured by the Bri sh. On his exchange,
Morgan found he had been promoted colonel. He was required to re-raise his regiment of Virginian riflemen. Morgan went on to
command the American army at the highly successful Ba le of Cowpens.

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