HISTORY OF VERMONT. 5i 



the plan of an expedition against the easterh 

 parts of the province, and the city of Quebec 

 itself. The troops destined for this expedition 

 were put under the command of colonel Arnold. 

 On September the thirteenth, he set out from 

 the camp at Cambridge, with eleven hundred 

 men, and proceeded to Newhuryport, at the 

 mouth of Merrimac river. There he embarked 

 on board ten transports, and arrived at the 

 mouth of Kennebec river, on September the 

 twentieth. Dismissing the transports, they em- 

 barked on board batteaux, and proceeded up . 

 that river with all the expedition that the busi- 

 ness would admit. It would be difficult to find 

 any thing in the histories of war, or indeed to 

 conceive of greater hardship, labor, and resolu- 

 tion, than attended the exertions of this body 

 ©f men. On the river, they vere impeded by a 

 rapid stream, with a rocky bottom and shores ; 

 by cataracts, carrying places, descents, and ra- 

 pids, impassable for boats. On the shores they 

 had to travel through deep swamps, thick woods, 

 mountains, precipices, and large streams of wa- 

 ter : Nor could they, for the most part, advance 

 more than from four to eight miles a day. By 

 their incessant labors and hardships, several fell 

 sick, and so much of their provisions was lost 

 in passing the rapids, that they became scarce, 

 and many suffered severely with hunger. Some 

 of the men killed and eat their dogs, and a few- 

 were reduced to such extremity as to devour 

 their cartouch boxes, breeches, and shoes. 

 Having arrived at the head of Kennebec river, 

 colonel Enos was ordered to send back the sick, 

 and thos» that could not be furnished with 



