Posted on 01/16/2010 4:48:14 PM PST by mdittmar
Jany. 16 [1776] Your letters of the 25 and 30 of December & 4th of January have been duly received and laid before Congress.
By the enclosed resolutions you will perceive that the Congress, in providing for the defence of Canada, have directed that two batallions be formed out of the troops now serving there. This they did in testimony of their approbation of the services of those brave men, apprehending at the same time, that it would be agreeable both to the officers and men to have the honor of defending a country which their valour had rescued from slavery. And the Congress have a firm confidence that general Montgomery, who has a warm and just sense of their merit and services, will cheerfully embrace this opportunity of continuing and promoting the officers of that corps, and as far as in his power, of rewarding with offices and commands in those batallions such voluntiers and others, as have distinguished themselves.
The committee to whom your letters were referred brought a report on part, whereupon the Congress came to'certain resolutions which you will see in the enclosed extracts. I am just to acquaint you, it is expected when the paymaster general draws any bills on me he will observe to make them payable a few days after sight Say 3 or 4. The committee have desired leave to sit again which is granted. When they have compleated their report and the Congress have come to a determination thereon I shall do myself the pleasure of transmitting it to you.
The money just voted is now ready and will I expect be sent forward tomorrow.
I have the pleasure to inform you the secret Committee have purchased the salt petre and have agreed with the owners of Mills to manufacture it into powder. One of the Mills, it is expected, will make near a ton per week and another near half a ton. I hope you will soon receive the powder ordered to be purchased at New York. There were besides eight tons imported in the same vessel for the use of that Colony.
The public papers will inform you, that Lord Dunmore has endeavoured to exercise the same barbarity against the defenceless town of Norfolk, as was exercised against Falmouth. By these repeated instances of inhumanity so contrary to the rules of war and so long exploded by all civilized nations, it would seem as if the rancorous ministry, despairing of their measures to conquer and enslave, had determined to glut their revenge with destruction & devastation.
For my part I shall not be surprized to hear that, in the frenzy of rage and to effect their dark purposes, they proceed under form of law to murder those prisoners, whom the tools of their vengeance have chanced to take, and whom with officious zeal they have so hastily & industriously sent to England.
As it is now apparent that our enemies mean to exert their whole force against us next summer, the Congress are taking measures for putting the middle and southern colonies in a posture of defence.
We shall, doubtless, in this great struggle suffer much, but I trust no losses or sufferings will induce us to give over the defence of our liberty, and that cost what it may, we will persevere with unremitting vigour to maintain that inestimable jewel which we have received from our ancestors and transmit the same with unsullied lustre to our posterity.
The committee to whom your letter of the 31st of December was referred desire to be informed whether the companies stationed at Chelsea and Malden are regimented and whether, if those at Hingham, Weymouth & Braintree were withdrawn, it would be necessary to replace them out of the continental Army.
My Dearest Mr. Hancock
Not only did I pick the Cardinals, but they didn’t even cover the spread.
Find herein an IOU, redeemable in silver, as agreed.
George Washington
The disastrous Canadian campaign is still studied in the world's military academies.
John Hancock letter to George Washington: “If you need me to sign something...”
LOL!
I believe at the time the rebels held Montreal and were besieging Quebec, with not unreasonable hopes of taking it, and with it control of Canada.
It seems highly unlikely the Congress could have known the Dec. 31 assault on Quebec had failed, with Montgomery killed and Benedict Arnold, the real moving spirit behind the campaign, seriously wounded.
Given the vulnerability of the St. Lawrence to a naval assault, it doesn’t seem likely the rebels could have held Canada against a serious counter-attack in any case. But they dang near conquered it on Dec. 31.
One of the reasons I love FR,people know their history.
Arnold's trek through the Maine woods was a disaster. Likewise, the boat trip down the Chaudiere, which was not known to be a white water river.
At least Richard Montgomery and his forces came by water, which made them battle ready.
Montgomery and Campbell got killed at the east gate of Quebec. Burr tried placing his people in the buildings as snipers only to discover that Sir Guy Carleton had gotten the same idea.
At the west gate, Arnold and Morgan pulled off two valiant charges with the result that the British troops were on the edge of panic and ready to flee. Arnold's wounding prevented a third charge, which would have taken the city.
The future Lord Dorchester's career would have ended badly that day with one more charge.
Don’t blame me. Blame Kenneth Roberts, a very good historical novelist big in the 30s. Wrote two best-sellers about the Canada campaign, Arundel and Rabble in Arms. Highly recommended.
Quite true.
However, even had they taken Quebec I doubt they could have held it. They were getting into imperial overstretch without even having been an empire. The British could bring in tropps up the St. Lawrence more easily than the Patriots could up the Champlain.
The French Canadians were just never going to be enthusiastic supporters of the American Revolution. Their Catholic and feudal orientation was just too different. At this point in time there were essentially no “English Canadians.” In fact, the first English Canadians were mostly American Tory refugees from Patriot persecution.
I've read Kenneth Roberts on the subject, and he makes the whole campaign come alive.
One of the acts of Arnold's men on the way to Quebec was to desecrate a Catholic church, and that was a mistake. The French had no desire to make common cause with New England Protestants. The English at point had turned out to be enlightened rulers.
Considering they'd been fighting each other for close onto 150 years, using Indians as surrogates, complete with all the atrocities that involves on both sides, it's not at all surprising they weren't enthusiastic about signing up.
Thanks,love reading about history.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.