58 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



York ; and was in all the happiness of domes- 

 tic enjo)-ment, with an easy fortune, and in ru- 

 ral and philosophical pursuits and retirement* 

 When the controversies arose between the Bri- 

 tish ministry and the American colonies, he ex- 

 amined and penetrated the views of both ; and 

 from a thorough examination and conviction, 

 he embraced the cause of the latter. When the 

 commencement and rage of hostilities left 

 nothing for the colonies but unconditional sub- 

 mission or war, he chose the latter, and took a 

 decided part. Few commanders ever had a 

 more difficult part to act, than what fell to his 

 share when he undertook the command of the 

 troops that were to invade Canada. Unac- 

 quainted with military discipline, infatuated with 

 their notions of liberty, intoxicated with the idea 

 of their own importance and fitness to command, 

 the troops at first had much more the appearance 

 of an undisciplined mob and rabble, than of a 

 regular army. Painful and provoking as this 

 must have been to an experienced officer, Mont- 

 gomery bore it all, out of a regard to the Ameri- 

 can cause and interest ; and persevered in his 

 patience till he had taught his soldiers how to 

 submit to discipline in their own camp, and to 

 carry victory into diat of their enemies. In all 

 his language, behavior and conduct to the Brit- 

 ish officers and troops, whom he had subdued, 

 he preserved an elegant and dignified politeness, 

 and propriety of conduct. Acting in the duties 

 of his profession with unalterable firmness, he 

 carefully avoided every thing that bore the ap- 

 pearance of rudeness, affront, or insolence, to thr 

 officers or trOops which he had captured. 



