The Battle of Quebec occurred as part of a failed American attempt to invade Canada and rally French-Canadian support for the Patriot movement against the British. Limited troops, illness, and disorganization on the Patriot side contributed to a British victory on December 31, 1775. After the Americans had successfully captured Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775, Patriot commanders, including Gen. Phillip Schuyler, gained confidence in the strength of the American forces. With faith in the Continental army, Schuyler made plans to invade Canada in order to rally support among French-Canadians for the American cause. Quebec was held by British Gen. Guy Carleton, who acted as both provincial Governor and commander of the British troops. It was early fall of 1775. General George Washington had taken command of the rag-tag, bobtail state’s militia camped around Boston, and was endeavoring to turn the “rabble” into an army. He and the Continental Congress made the decision on June 27 to wrest Quebec and the St. Lawrence River from the British. They erroneously assumed that the tens of thousands of French-Canadians would gladly join the thirteen colonies in rebellion. The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775, between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of Quebec City early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came with heavy losses. General Richard Montgomery was killed, Benedict Arnold was wounded, and Daniel Morgan and more than 400 men were taken prisoner.
The city's garrison, a motley assortment of regular troops and militia led by Quebec's provincial governor, General Guy Carleton, suffered a small number of casualties. The initial American efforts to invade Canada began in September 1775, when Ethan Allen and his “Green Mountain Boys“ attempted to capture Montreal. With a force of only 100 militia, Allen's men were defeated, and Allen was imprisoned. In addition to this failed attempt, Gen. Schuyler, who was also meant to lead his army into Montreal, fell ill and was forced to delegate the invasion to Gen. Richard Montgomery. Although the preceding circumstances were demoralizing, Montgomery successfully captured Montreal on November 13, 1775. Following this success, the Patriot forces turned their attention towards invading Quebec. Carleton followed the American invasion's progress, occasionally receiving intercepted communications between Montgomery and Arnold. Lieutenant Governor Hector Cramahé, in charge of Quebec's defenses while Carleton was in Montreal, organized a militia force of several hundred to defend the town in September. He pessimistically thought they were "not much to be depended on", estimating that only half were reliable. In the wake of the fall of Fort St. Jean, Carleton abandoned Montreal and returned to Quebec City by ship, narrowly escaping capture. Upon his arrival on November 19, he immediately took command.
A storm broke out on December 30, and Montgomery once again gave orders for the attack. Brown and Livingston led their militia companies to their assigned positions that night: Brown by the Cape Diamond redoubt, and Livingston outside St. Jean's gate. Arnold was wounded when a musket ball tore into his leg. He attempted to continue on, but could not. He allowed himself to be carried from the from the fight, leaving Morgan in command. Morgan rallied the men and the Continentals overran the barricade after some heavy fighting. Morgan and his men raced through Lower Town, pouring over another unmanned barricade. Morgan was ready to continue toward Upper Town, but his subordinates advised caution and persuaded him to wait for Montgomery. By dawn, Morgan finally grew impatient and ordered his men forward. The wait had cost the Americans their advantage and momentum. Carleton had used the time to position men throughout the city. The American advances had failed, and the British were victorious in the battle for the city of Quebec. Gen. Arnold reorganized the surviving militia into an encirclement of the city and laid siege. However, in preparation for the American attacks, Gov. Carleton had already stored ample supplies for the city that would last for months. During the siege, disease and the harsh winter weakened Arnold's forces. Despite their best efforts, the ineffectiveness of the siege coupled with the arrival of British reinforcements forced the Patriots to retreat from the city in May 1776.
The city's garrison, a motley assortment of regular troops and militia led by Quebec's provincial governor, General Guy Carleton, suffered a small number of casualties. The initial American efforts to invade Canada began in September 1775, when Ethan Allen and his “Green Mountain Boys“ attempted to capture Montreal. With a force of only 100 militia, Allen's men were defeated, and Allen was imprisoned. In addition to this failed attempt, Gen. Schuyler, who was also meant to lead his army into Montreal, fell ill and was forced to delegate the invasion to Gen. Richard Montgomery. Although the preceding circumstances were demoralizing, Montgomery successfully captured Montreal on November 13, 1775. Following this success, the Patriot forces turned their attention towards invading Quebec. Carleton followed the American invasion's progress, occasionally receiving intercepted communications between Montgomery and Arnold. Lieutenant Governor Hector Cramahé, in charge of Quebec's defenses while Carleton was in Montreal, organized a militia force of several hundred to defend the town in September. He pessimistically thought they were "not much to be depended on", estimating that only half were reliable. In the wake of the fall of Fort St. Jean, Carleton abandoned Montreal and returned to Quebec City by ship, narrowly escaping capture. Upon his arrival on November 19, he immediately took command.
A storm broke out on December 30, and Montgomery once again gave orders for the attack. Brown and Livingston led their militia companies to their assigned positions that night: Brown by the Cape Diamond redoubt, and Livingston outside St. Jean's gate. Arnold was wounded when a musket ball tore into his leg. He attempted to continue on, but could not. He allowed himself to be carried from the from the fight, leaving Morgan in command. Morgan rallied the men and the Continentals overran the barricade after some heavy fighting. Morgan and his men raced through Lower Town, pouring over another unmanned barricade. Morgan was ready to continue toward Upper Town, but his subordinates advised caution and persuaded him to wait for Montgomery. By dawn, Morgan finally grew impatient and ordered his men forward. The wait had cost the Americans their advantage and momentum. Carleton had used the time to position men throughout the city. The American advances had failed, and the British were victorious in the battle for the city of Quebec. Gen. Arnold reorganized the surviving militia into an encirclement of the city and laid siege. However, in preparation for the American attacks, Gov. Carleton had already stored ample supplies for the city that would last for months. During the siege, disease and the harsh winter weakened Arnold's forces. Despite their best efforts, the ineffectiveness of the siege coupled with the arrival of British reinforcements forced the Patriots to retreat from the city in May 1776.
