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.