M : NATURAL AND CIVIL 



the Canadians and Indians to carry war into 

 their frontiers, and that both had refused to be 

 concerned in the quarrel. It was easy for them 

 to foresee that it would not be in the power of 

 the Canadians to preserve a neutrality any long- 

 er, than till governor Carkton should receive an 

 addition to the British forces, sufficient to com- 

 pel them to obedience ; and that now was the 

 favorable time to secure their own interest, by 

 sending, a body of American troops to penetrate 

 into that province ; that there was an encourag- 

 ing prospect that the Canadians would join them 

 in their operations against the British troops and 

 garrisons ; and that it was not improbable, that 

 in the event, the destruction of the British pow- 

 er in Canada might be effected, and an union 

 brought about between Canada and the other' 

 provinces in the grand pursuit and object. 



For this expedition, ^ it was proposed to raise 

 two thousand men. Two regiments of militia 

 were to be raised in New York, and the rest to 

 be formed out of the New England colonies ; 

 the command to be assigned to generals Schuy- 

 ler and Montgomery. A number of batteaux 

 and flat-bottomed boats were built at Tyconde- 

 roga and Crown Point, to convey the forces a- 

 long lake Champlain to the river Sorell ; and 

 much pains v;as taken to raise the troops frji- 

 this enterprise. Montgomery set out for Crown 

 point, August the twenty first ; and soon recei- 

 ved intelligence tliat general Carleton was prepar 

 ing to obstruct his designs : That a schooner 

 of considerable force, and other armed vessels 

 lay at St. Johns, and that the British troops in 

 Canada were preparing to enter the lake, anc 



