54 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



The next morning, it was known in the city what 

 had taken place. Some of the sailors were lan- 

 ded from the ships, to manage the guns on the 

 fortifications ; several of the most active of the 

 citizens came forward, and all began to doubt 

 whether Arnold was in such force that it wuuld 

 be prudent to appear to assist or favor him. 

 Arnold paraded his men on the plains of Abra- 

 ham, set guards to cut off the communication 

 between the city and country, and sent ~a flag to 

 demand the surrender of the place. His flag 

 was fired upon, and refused admittance ; he 

 was not strong enough to attempt to storm the 

 city ; and the hour in which it might probably 

 have been carried by a coup du main, amidst 

 the surprise and consternation of the inhabitants, 

 was now past. On the nineteenth, the Ameri- 

 cans decamped, and marched up to Point au 

 Trembles, about seven leagues from the city ; 

 and the same day general Carleton arrived at 

 Quebec. Determined to defend the place, his 

 first step was to turn out the suspected, and all 

 that would not engage to assist in the defence 

 of the city ; and nothing now remained for Ar- 

 nold, but to wait the arrival of assistance from 

 Montreal. 



Encouraged and animated by the vigorous 

 proceedings of Arnold, Montgomery made all 

 the exertions in his power to join him. Hav- 

 ing left some troops in Montreal and the forts, 

 and sent detachments into the different parts of 

 the province to encourage and secure the Cana- 

 dians, he pushed on with as many men as could 

 be spared, and such artillery and supplies as he 

 could procure, to join the troops before Quebec j 



