Chap. 3. 



REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 



35 



MONTGOMKRV ADVANCES INTO CANADA. 



ETHAN ALLEN TAKEN. 



at Ticonderoga and Crown Point to con- 

 vey the forces to Canada. 



Montgomery set out from Crown Point 

 on the 21st of August, but soon received 

 intelligence that the British Gen. Carle- 

 ton was prepared to obstruct his designs 

 — tliat he had provided a considerable na- 

 val force and was about entering the lake 

 with a body of British troops. To pre- 

 vent tliis, Montgomery proceeded down 

 the lake, with the forces which had ar- 

 rived, to the Isle la Motte, where he was 

 soon joined by Gen. Schuyler ; and tliey 

 both moved forward to the Isle aux Noix, 

 where they took proper measures to pre- 

 vent the passage of the British vessels 

 into the lake. 



From this place, the American generals 

 sent proclamations into the adjacent coun- 

 try, assuring the Canadians that the\' had 

 no designs against them, and inviting 

 them to unite with the Americans in as- 

 serting their rights and securing their 

 lilierties. On the Gth of September, they 

 proceeded without opposition towards St. 

 Johns with their whole force, vv'hich did 

 not exceed 1000 men. A landing was 

 effected about a mile and a iialf from the 

 fort, but, wliile advancing to reconnoitre 

 the works, tiieir left was attacked by a 

 party of Indians, who killed three and 

 wounded eight of the Americans. The 

 Indians were, however, soon repulsed, 

 with the loss of five killed and four se- 

 verely wounded. Finding the fortress 

 well garrisoned and prepared to make a 

 vigorous defence, the Americans tiiought 

 it prudent to return to the Isle aux Noix, 

 and tliere wait the arrival of their artille- 

 ry and re-enforcemeuts, which were daily 

 expected. 



Schuyler returned to Albany to con- 

 clude a treaty, which had been some time 

 negotiating, with the Indians, leaving the 

 command to JMentgomery. On tlie 17th 

 of September, Montgomery, having re- 

 ceived the expected rc-enlbrceraents, pro- 

 ceeded to St. Johns and laid siege to that 

 fortress. The place was garrisoned bv 

 the greatest part of two British regiments, 

 and contained nearly all the regular troops 

 in Canada, and it was at the same time 

 well supplied with artillery, ammunition 

 and military stores. The first measure 

 of Montgomery was an attempt to detach 

 the Indians, wiio had joined Gen. Carle- 

 ton, from the British cause. Having suc- 

 ceeded in this, parti^ of the provincials 

 were dispersed over the country and were 

 favorably received by the Canadians. 



As Col. Ethan Allen, with 80 men, 

 was returning from one of tliese excur- 

 sions, he was met b}'^ Maj. Brown, who 

 was out upon the same business with 200 



men. Brown informed Allen that Mont- 

 real was entirely without defence, and 

 might easily be surprised ; and it was 

 finally agreed between them tliat they 

 sliould proceed to make an immediate at- 

 tempt upon it. Allen was to cross the 

 river and land a little north of the city, 

 while Brown was to land a little to the 

 south, and both were to commence the at- 

 tack at the same time. Allen crossed 

 over with his little band of 80 men, in the 

 night, as had been agreed, but lie waited 

 in vain for tlie appearance of Brown to 

 co-operate with him. And when day 

 light appeared, and rendered the surprise 

 of th{> place impracticable, instead of sav- 

 ing himself !jy a retreat, Allen rashly de- 

 termined to maintain his ground. ' 



Gen. Carleton soon received intelli- 

 gence of Allen's situation, and early in 

 the morning marched out against him, 

 with about 40 regulars, together with sev- 

 eral hundred English settlers, Canadians 

 and Indians. Allen's force was made up 

 of Green Mountain Boys and C.anadians, 

 and at the head of these ho fought with 

 desperate courage until most of the Cana- 

 dians had deserted him, and fftecn of his 

 men were killed and scvcriiL wounded. 

 But courage was unavailing against such 

 a suj)eriority of numbers. Allen was 

 taken prisoner, on the 25th of Septcmb(;r, 

 with 38 of his men, and by order of Gen. 

 Carleton they were all immediately load- 

 ed with irons. In that condition, they 

 were put on board a man of war, and car- 

 ried to England. During the voyage 

 tjiey were treated with such rigor as to 

 render their suffering almost intolerable. 



Montgomery was in the mean time 

 pushing the siege of St. Johns as fast as 

 iiis embarrassed circumstances would per- 

 mit. He derived much assistance from 

 the Canadians, who had joined him, and 

 i)eing informed by them that the little 

 fortress of Chamlily, situated further 

 down the Sorel, contained a large quanti- 

 ty of ammunition and military stores, of 

 which the besiegers were much in need, 

 he ordered Majors Brown and Livingston 

 to proceed against it. The garrison, con- 

 sisting of about one hundred men, after a 

 short resistance surrendered themselves 

 on the IStli of October, prisoners of war. 

 By this capitulation the Americans ob- 

 tained 120 barrels of powder, a large 

 quantity of military stores and ])rovi.':'ions, 

 and the standard of the 7th Regiment. 

 This standard was immediately transmit- 

 ted to Congress, and was 1he first trophy 

 of the kind which tliat body had ever re- 

 ceived. 



The besiegers, having obtained a sup- 

 ply of ammunition and stores by the cap- 



