The Revolutionary War, pt. 3: The Invasion of Canada and Knox's Noble Train of Artillery
- Timothy Dusablon
- 3 days ago
- 24 min read
Too Often Overlooked: The American Invasion of Canada in 1775
The 1775 invasion of Quebec is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood chapters of the Revolutionary War. In part, this is because the events that unfolded don’t fit neatly into either the United States or Canada’s national narrative. On the side of the US, this was our first “war of liberation,” our desire to liberate those “poor” French Habitants from the oppressive rule of the British Monarchy and to give “liberty” to the Canadiens. This invasion changed the war from a fight between Englishmen to a much larger war for independence. As such though, through a series of miscalculations and the lack of a congressional delegation for oversight of civilian issues, rather than military administration of civil issues, the invasion of Quebec failed to take hold with the populace of Canada. The war for liberation was for not.
In Canada, however, there was already unrest during this time, in particular during the summer of 1775, when at least four different violent Habitant uprisings took place in protest of martial law rules imposed on the populace of Canada. Many histories have attributed these uprisings to American interference. This is not the case though, as pointed out by Mark Anderson in his work “The Battle for the Fourteenth Colony”, one of the best works available regarding the invasion of Canada. These uprisings were in protest to how militias were being formed in response to the threat of American invasion. Despite what many histories have stated about the American invasion of Canada during the Revolutionary War, the invasion was not a misguided adventure bound for failure, but rather it was mismanaged. My hope is to tell the story of this often overlooked chapter of the American Revolution from both sides, as the Champlain Valley does, after all, include towns in Canada.
Lake Champlain Before the Invasion
But before we delve deeper into the Invasion of Quebec, let’s take a step back to where we left off in our previous episode. Benedict Arnold had just invaded Canada on a mission to capture the British naval warship, the Betsy. He did so with a swift victory, capturing the vessel, and renaming her The Enterprise. This would be the first in a long lineage of storied naval vessels in American history named The Enterprise. This lineage includes the storied CV-6 aircraft carrier named the USS Enterprise, which saw action in the Pacific during World War II. She served at the Battle of Midway, Battle of Leyte Golf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, just to name a few campaigns. After World War II, the first ever nuclear powered aircraft carrier was also named the USS Enterprise serving from 1961 to 2012. Another aircraft carrier is also under construction, this one a Gerald R Ford style aircraft carrier which will continue on the lineage of the Enterprise name. The vessel is set to launch in 2030. And of course, you can’t forget the fictional spacecraft, Starship Enterprise, of Star Trek lore. Ironically enough, a full-scale replica of the Starship Enterprise bridge is on display in the village of Ticonderoga, NY a little over two miles from Fort Ticonderoga.
Arnold soon returned to Lake Champlain with the new American vessel and secured the Continental forces control of Lake Champlain, at least for the time being. But back at Ticonderoga, Arnold’s incredible victory and feat of glory were short-lived. Unbeknownst to Arnold, three men were actively starting what can only be described as a smear campaign against him. The three men were Ethan Allen, John Brown, and James Easton. Brown and Easton were allies with Allen and were his right hand men. Brown knew Benedict Arnold from New Haven and had disliked him for years. James Easton rubbed elbows with Arnold at Ticonderoga, and thus began a violent power struggle between the two. Easton, being from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, felt he should have been placed in charge by the colony’s committee of safety rather than Arnold who was from Connecticut.
In Ethan Allen’s summary to Congress of the capture of Ticonderoga, he does not once mention Benedict Arnold, all the while shamelessly promoting himself. He also embellishes James Easton’s role in capturing the fort. Likewise, Easton and Brown sent several letters to Congress and the Massachusetts Committee of Public Safety attacking Arnold’s character. Benedict Arnold, returning after a reconnaissance mission into Canada, returned to Ticonderoga to find a secret council of war, for which Arnold was excluded. Arnold was furious - as a commander he should have been included in any council of war. Then things escalated. James Easton confronted Arnold and questioned his authority, to which Arnold responded by challenging him to a duel. Easton, in what would at the time be considered an act of cowardice, refused. Arnold then responded by “breaking his head”.
Benedict Arnold was an energetic, strategic, and gifted military commander. One of the best commanders in the continental army during the first few years of the war. But his fatal flaws were his intolerance for any commander he deemed as inferior to himself, and his irascibility following any actual or perceived slight of character. These traits were traced back to his childhood when his father, struggling with alcohol addiction, was ridiculed mercilessly by the high society of New Haven.
General Philip Schuyler
Arnold felt he should have been hailed as a hero for capturing Fort Ticonderoga and capturing the largest naval vessel on Lake Champlain, securing the region from British incursions. He is not wrong - if it wasn’t for Arnold and his foresight, things may have been very different, and the revolution may have ended before it officially began. But instead, Arnold was being vilified in a game of politics, something he had no patience for. In his disgust, he resigned his post on Lake Champlain and made his way south. Before he did though, the residents of Lake Champlain issued a proclamation to Arnold honoring his spirit, politeness, and virtue.
In Albany, Arnold met the new Commander of the Northern Army, a man whose family's military connections to the Champlain Valley go back to 1690. Phillip Schuyler was an aristocrat from Saratoga, NY. He had recently been appointed to his position by George Washington, and named the Commander and Chief of the continental forces outside of Boston. Schuyler’s grandfather and great uncle had led numerous expeditions to Lake Champlain during King William's War and Queen Anne’s War. For more information on these ventures, see our episode called the French in the Champlain Valley, part 1. Philip Schuyler himself was no stranger to the Champlain Valley, having fought in the Battle of Lake George and the Battle of Carillon during the French and Indian War. He was also in charge of logistics for Amherst’s army in 1759, and gained invaluable experience that would help him in the years to follow. Immediately, Schuyler appreciated and admired Arnold’s strategic thinking and enterprising attitude. After conferring with Arnold, Schuyler realized he had to make his way north to the forts on Lake Champlain.
Meanwhile, Benedict Arnold received devastating news. His first wife Peggy (not to be confused with his second and more infamous wife Peggy Shippen) had passed away suddenly. She was just 30 years old. Arnold loved her a great deal, and was devastated. He immediately went back to New Haven to grieve her passing and care for his three children.
The Battle of Bunker Hill
To the south, just outside of Boston, a major conflict took place in Charlestown, on a piece of land known as Bunker Hill, and the nearby Breed’s Hill. The commander of British forces was General William Howe. He was the brother of Lord George Augustus Viscount Howe who was 2nd in command of the 1758 British assault on Fort Carillon. George Howe lost his life two days before the famed battle at Ticonderoga in a skirmish with the French and their native allies during the French and Indian War. William Howe was victorious in taking the high ground in Charlestown, but his victory came at a very steep price. His forces suffered over 1,000 casualties in a frontal assault that must have seemed eerily similar to the 1758 battle at Ticonderoga. It was becoming clear this was not going to be a quick conflict.
Taking part in the Battle of Bunker hill were two veterans of the Champlain Valley who served in Rogers Rangers unit, Israel Putnam and John Stark. Both men likely would have conversed with Howe’s brother George in 1758. The lack of heavy artillery by the continental forces reiterated how important it was to get the cannon from Ticonderoga and Crown Point to the post outside of Boston.
Canada's "Petite Rebellion"
Meanwhile, to the north in Canada, troubles seemed to be brewing for the Governor General of Canada, Guy Carleton. Carleton had spent the last two years diligently pushing for the passage of the Quebec Act, one of the "intolerable acts” from the viewpoint of the American Colonists. What the Quebec Act did was formalize into law the compromises that General Jeffrey Amherst set into motion during the British conquest of Canada in 1760. The citizens of Canada would be loyal to the King of England, and all ties with France were cut. However, the citizens of Canada would be able to continue speaking French, and would be able to continue practicing Catholicism. The seigneurial system remained, although slightly modified, maintaining the traditional civil laws of Canada, while adopting the British criminal laws. After over a decade of military rule, Canada was ready to be run by civil authorities.
But that would suddenly change after Benedict Arnold’s first invasion of Canada, when he captured the Enterprise at Fort St. Jean. Although the continentals retreated back to Lake Champlain, Governor Carleton was spooked enough to once again declare martial law. After all, Carleton only had 800 regulars in Canada at this time, as he had lent forces to Howe down in Boston. As such, he needed several militia units formed for when the Americans returned, an action his intelligence told him was very likely. But in doing so, he made a major misstep that alienated much of the Canadian populace. Traditionally, Canadian society had several social groups, and among the most numerous were the Habitants, or the tenant farmers.
Peasants is a rather incorrect term, as these Habitants actually enjoyed a much higher standard of life than their European counterparts. They were granted narrow tracts of land emanating from a body of water by the seignior, or landlord, who owned the much larger grant given by the King of France. British authorities had decided to maintain the seigneurial system, so many of the seigneurs kept their land grants. Now Canadiens had long had a militia system dating back to the mid-1600’s. Traditionally, each parish would elect a militia commander who would be in charge of recruiting and mustering men if needed. Carleton’s actions deviated from this tradition.
He instructed the land-owning seigneurs to raise a militia from their tenant-farmers, or habitants, from their grants. This was unacceptable in the eyes of the Habitants, as it gave the seigneur, or landlord, way too much power beyond what they already had. When the seigneur went to muster men, many of the Habitants flat out refused. The clergy of Canada did its best to resolve the issue by urging the Habitants to serve under the seigneur despite the fact this deviated from the norm in Canadian society. This did not help, and in fact added even more anger amongst the Habitants when it was discovered that Bishop Jean Olivier Briand, the Bishop of Canada, was on the payroll of the British crown receiving 200 pounds annually. It also did not help that Carleton surrounded himself with his friends as government officials, without any representation or input from the lower classes of French Canadian society. These officials included those in charge of gathering a militia for the defense of Canada.
During this time, three violent uprisings occurred around Montreal. The first at Longueil on the south shore, the second in Mascouche on the north shore, and the third on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence, opposite Sorel. In all three cases, the violence was fueled by government officials and seigneurs taking a tone of forced submission against the Habitants. It was unacceptable in the eyes of the Habitants to give their seigneurs more power beyond what they already had in collecting rent and other just dues. The Longueil Habitants even gathered at Chambly and armed themselves, ready to take on any British regulars that might force them into service. A regular officer did arrive, but did so to diffuse the situation and avoid any more violence. But the damage had been done, as many blamed the recently passed Quebec Act as the reason for these over-reaches.
With this turn of events, some of the new English speaking merchants, who moved to Canada after the conclusion of the French and Indian War, felt emboldened enough to correspond with rebel forces in the lower colonies. The Habitants called them “Bostonnais”, as the epicenter of the revolution to this point was in and around Boston. Many correspondences from these merchants to colonial leaders urged them to invade Canada as soon as they could, and that the country was ripe for the taking. They would be welcomed with open arms as liberators from oppressive British rule.
There’s no doubt this was over-exaggerated. Even despite the uprisings in Canada and the anger of some towards Carleton in the government, many French Canadians were tired of warfare. They had been pressed into service for generations, most recently during the grueling and devastating French and Indian War. This conflict saw much of the Canadian countryside around Quebec City and north devastated by the war of attrition waged by Wolfe and others before Amherst took a more genteel approach towards the end. Many Habitants had no desire to take up arms for either side.
Continentals Prepare to "Liberate" Canada
Nevertheless, the encouragement from American-allied merchants continued. Preparations for the invasion were in full swing. Scouting missions continued into Canada, gauging the perception of the French Habitants and getting intelligence on military movements and positions. One of those scouts was a man by the name of Remember Baker, one of the original Green Mountain Boys and Ethan Allen’s cousin. He was skilled in scouting and had made a few ventures into Canada. He was given strict orders from Schuyler and Montgomery not to agitate the Habitants or First Nations in any way, shape or form.
In mid-August, Baker and private Peter Griffin, yes his name was actually Peter Griffin, crossed the province line into Canada near what would later be known as Rouses Point. They scouted the works of Fort St. Jean with the assistance of an Abenaki scout. But on August 22nd, on the east shore of the Richelieu River just south of Ile aux Noix at Noyan, a band of Mohawk warriors on a scouting mission from Fort St. Jean had spotted his canoe and had seized it. Baker fired upon the warriors in an ill-advised manner and ignoring Schuyler’s direct orders. The warriors returned fire and killed Remember Baker. The rest of Baker’s scouting party fled south. The warriors returned to the scene and severed Baker’s head. They then placed it on a spike at Fort St. Jean to discourage further American ventures into Canada. British officers, disturbed by the scene, purchased the severed head and reburied it at the site of the skirmish.
Schuyler was furious, as he had given them direct orders to not harass any Canadian or native, and feared this may have doomed the invasion before it began due to his disobedience. Schuyler already knew of Remember Baker’s antics before the war, as Schuyler was among the members of the land-holding New York elite that the Green Mountain Boys were violently agitating in the grants, later to be known as Vermont. This could not have come at a worse time for General Schuyler, as he was at that very moment negotiating with the Haudenosaunee First Nations in preparation for the invasion of Canada. He did not want them as allies, he was simply seeking their neutrality in the conflict, and attempted to persuade them not to take up arms with the British. Thankfully for Schuyler, this did not lead to widespread anger, and his diplomatic skills kept the news of Baker’s aggressions from angering the leaders of the Haudenosaunee six nations. It can be argued that Remember Baker was the first American service member killed in what would become a foreign country.
Back on Lake Champlain, General Philip Schuyler made his way north. Just weeks after his appointment as commander of the northern army, congress was on board with an aggressive plan to invade Canada, should he find it “agreeable” with the Habitants of Canada. When Schuyler arrived at Ticonderoga, he was horrified by what he saw. At the northern end of Lake George, two lookouts were fast asleep. At Fort Ticonderoga, there was a rampant lack of discipline and an army unfit for action. They were also severely lacking in supplies, especially if a larger invasion of Canada was set to take place.
General Richard Montgomery
It was at this time that Schuyler’s second in command, General Richard Montgomery, arrived at Fort Ticonderoga. Montgomery was also a veteran of the French and Indian War with the 17th Regiment of Foot during the 1760 invasion of Canada from Lake Champlain. He became disgruntled after being continuously passed over for promotion. Montgomery resigned from the British army in disgust and moved to the colonies, settling in New York. He was eventually appointed Brigadier General and was ready to take an active role in the invasion of Canada. In fact, Schuyler delegated the advance of the invasion of Canada to Montgomery when he felt the timing was right to do so.
As Montgomery received the intelligence gathered by Peter Griffin during the infamous scouting mission with Remember Baker, he learned the news that two large sailing vessels were under construction at Fort St. Jean. Once complete, those sailing vessels could go south into Lake Champlain and attempt to retake Crown Point and Ticonderoga. General Montgomery knew time was of the essence, and made the decision to move north into Canada. He shared the news with General Schuyler, who would join the large force en route.
The 1,200 man force moved north in recently-constructed bateaux, built using the wood from William Guilliland’s settlement at Willsboro, New York. They had a tough task ahead, as Schuyler had estimated the mission to capture Canada would require at least 4,000 men. He had about a quarter of the necessary forces.
In the prelude to the Canadian invasion, both Ethan Allen and Seth Warner rode down to Philadelphia to lobby Congress to admit the Green Mountain Boys as an official continental regiment, despite the fact they were not recognized as a separate colony. Congress agreed, and instructed Schuyler to move forward with the regiment.
Then, in an even more interesting turn, Ethan Allen was voted out of command of the Green Mountain Boys by a regimental vote in Dorset. In fact, the vote wasn’t even close. This was likely due to a couple of factors. The first of which was Ethan Allen’s imprudence when he attempted to capture and maintain Fort St. Jean after Benedict Arnold had warned him against doing so. It was a near disaster for Allen and his men who narrowly escaped capture. The second factor was Allen’s controversial religious views. He openly and often argued against organized religion, particularly Christianity and the notion of original sin. Later in life he wrote a book criticizing organized religion called “Reason, the Only Oracle of Man”.
Instead, the force decided that Seth Warner would command the Green Mountain Boys for the invasion of Canada. He was much more cautious and level-headed than Allen. Ethan Allen would still choose to participate in the invasion with an independent command, but was devastated that he was voted out of power. Allen arrived ahead of the larger force with John Brown with a letter to the Canadian inhabitants. The Continentals, according to the letter, were friendly invaders there to restore their British rights, regardless of class and religious affiliation. The invasion of Canada, under these pretenses, was the first “War of Liberation” for the American Army, and would be the first of many.
The Invasion of the "Bostonnais"
On August 30th, the American liberation force set out from Crown Point, sailing north on the lake in bateaux. By September 2nd, the entire 1,200 man force landed at Isle la Motte, just south of the provincial line. It was at Isle la Motte that General Phillip Schuyler caught up with this force on September 4th. They moved north, into Canada, and set up a base of operations at Ile aux Noix. Some battered remnants remained on the island from the siege of Ile Aux Noix in 1760, the last significant stand of New France before the surrender of Montreal, which effectively ended the French and Indian War. The American forces built a log boom across the river to prevent any British sailing vessels from entering Lake Champlain.
Their first objective was Fort St. Jean, the post that Arnold and his force had overwhelmed just a few months prior. This time was different though. A much larger British force was at the fort, and they had spent the last few months strengthening the works. The continentals built a small battery on the opposite shore, but Schuyler quickly made the decision to retreat back to Ile aux Noix owing to a lack of munitions and heavy artillery needed for a prolonged siege. Then, a second attempt was made to capture Fort St. Jean. This one would end rather embarrassingly, as some of the continental troops engaged in a friendly fire incident in the dark of night. Montgomery tried to restore order and instill courage, but a rumor of a schooner approaching led to a mad dash back to the boats they had used to land. After a short council of war, Montgomery decided on a second retreat back to Ile aux Noix. These were two embarrassing efforts for Schuyler and Montgomery.
Soon after, fresh reinforcements arrived to boost their numbers, along with more artillery. Encouraged by the new enforcements, they moved forward with their 3rd attempt at Fort St. Jean. This time they kept the foothold, forced a British detachment back into the fort’s walls, and established a battery.
At this time, General Schuyler was growing exceedingly unwell. He had bouts of rheumatic fits and fevers that left him bedridden on the dank, soggy, bug-infested Ile aux Noix. Schuyler was no stranger to health issues, but he had really taken a turn. The decision was made for Schuyler to go back to Ticonderoga to recuperate. This left General Richard Montgomery in charge of the invasion.
Ethan Allen Captured
Meanwhile, John Brown and Ethan Allen moved north to the South Shore of Montreal along the La Prairie road. This stunned British authorities in and around Montreal, and caused many of them to retreat back into the walls of the fortified city. Ethan Allen stated he could easily raise a regiment of 1,000 Canadians to capture Montreal. He was able to raise about 250. And once again, Ethan Allen would show his ill-advised decision making and decided he could capture Montreal easily and get the praise of victory all to himself.
Together Brown and Allen had agreed to coordinate their two regiments and attack the island of Montreal together. This decision was made WITHOUT General Montgomery’s approval. Allen then showed a lack of patience and a desire for glory, and attacked the island of Montreal without Brown. The results were disastrous. Allen thought the inhabitants of Montreal would gladly open the gates and let him in. This was not the case.
He faced stiff opposition near Longue Point, not too far from the current location of Olympic Stadium in Montreal. His force was overwhelmed. At one point, Ethan Allen apparently grabbed a smaller man and used him as a human shield. It was to no avail though, as his force was captured. Allen, who had no path to retreat due to his position on the island, was forced to surrender. Allen was arrested and sent back to England aboard the British naval vessel the HMS Gaspee in chains. Eventually he went overseas to England where he would spend the next three years of the conflict suffering in brutal confinement. Montgomery was furious. He reprimanded Allen for his imprudence and impatience. Had he waited just a bit longer, he would have had ample man-power to easily take the city.
The First Canadian Regiment
Back at Fort St. Jean, an English merchant living in Canada had a great deal of success raising a company of French Canadians to fight on the side of the Americans. James Livingston lived near Chambly, Quebec, not far from the famed stone fort, Fort Chambly. There he raised 250 volunteers of Canadians to fight alongside the continental cause. The area of the Northern Richelieu River Valley was a hotbed of Canadians eager to support the American cause. The Chambly Patriot Cell, as they would come to be called, is surrounded by a great deal of mystery to many historians. No one is quite sure why there was so much support in the area for the American cause, other than local merchants who were able to raise support. But let me propose a theory.
Going back before the Revolutionary War, there was a considerable French village on the shores of Lake Champlain, near present-day Crown Point, NY and Chimney Point, VT. From the early 1730s through to 1759, there was a thriving community of Habitants and soldiers living near the French Fort St. Frederic at Crown Point. The village was called Pointe-a-la-Chevelure. For more information on this community, please check out part two of the episode the French in the Champlain Valley. The settlers fled the community in 1759 to flee the advancing British forces, and burned the settlement as they retreated. All that was left were chimneys, hence the name Chimney Point. When they fled north, the original French Habitants of Lake Champlain moved to Chambly. Fast-forwarding to 1775, is it possible the reason for American support near Chambly was because those Habitants wished their land in the Champlain Valley back? Please note, this is just a theory at this point, and I hope to do some in-depth research to see if there are any connections, but it is interesting to think that there might have been a connection.
Back at Fort St. Jean, the Chambly patriots erected another battery, facing the onslaught of cannon fire with great bravery. They were successful, and the Americans had another battery to bombard the fort into submission. Livingston’s Chambly patriots would eventually be known as the First Canadian Regiment, and would have deep ties to the Champlain Valley after the war.
But even with their success, progress capturing the fort seemed to drag on. The commander of the British force at the fort, Charles Preston, was less than impressed by the American offensive. In traditional European warfare, the enemy would have dug trenches in a zig zag pattern, slowly approaching the fort until artillery was able to penetrate the wall. This was the playbook used at Fort William Henry by Montcalm in 1757. Montgomery had little success finding volunteers to face the direct fire and construct the trenches. Meanwhile the Canadian volunteers erected a second battery. Even then, the siege dragged on. Morale was beginning to lower among the continentals.
Then, James Livingston proposed that the American forces capture Fort Chambly in the meantime. The stone fort was impressive looking, but the reality was that the fort could not last long against cannon fire, as the fort was built to withstand native raids rather than an artillery bombardment. Livingston and 300 Canadian patriots took the lead on capturing Fort Chambly. The continental forces were only there as an auxiliary unit. Within a couple days, Major Joseph Stopford surrendered the fort. The Canadian volunteers exceeded all expectations. This raised the morale of those on the outskirts of Fort St. Jean. The prisoners were paraded past the fort in an effort to demoralize the British units stationed there.
Meanwhile, Guy Carleton in Montreal attempted to send a relief column to Fort St. Jean. The relief column was composed of Canadians, British regulars, and First Nation Warriors numbering 800. They crossed the St. Lawrence River to Longueil. There, Seth Warner and the Green Mountain Boys, along with a company of New York volunteers, intercepted the group. Warner brought his lone cannon forward and fired grapeshot at the British. Carleton, who was at times overly cautious, decided to retreat back to Montreal. It was a disaster for Carleton. Seth Warner and the Green Mountain Boys fought valiantly.
Fort St. Jean Finally Surrenders
On November 3rd, the British garrison at Fort St. Jean was finally surrendered by Major Preston. The first American attempt at Fort St. Jean was way back on September 6th with the first of the two failed approaches. The third approach began on September 17th. Charles Preston and the 750 men stationed there held out for 48 days in an effort that, in the big picture, likely saved Canada. Although the Fort St. Jean garrison surrendered, the 48 day delay caused by this admirable defense cannot be overlooked, given that winter was right on the doorstep. This was also important because the majority of continental enlistments were expiring on December 31st. This gave Montgomery less than two months to capture the three largest cities in Canada, Montreal, Trois Rivieres, and Quebec. The delay caused here simply cannot be overstated in the importance of defending Canada.
By November 6th, Montgomery’s men were at Laprarie on the south shore, sending the residents of Montreal into a panic. Governor Guy Carleton made it known he planned to evacuate to Quebec. The wealthy elites of Montreal would be on their own. The Americans were on the doorstep of Montreal.
Henry Knox's "Noble Train of Artillery"
Meanwhile to the south at Fort Ticonderoga, another impressive military feat in the darkness of winter was about to begin. Henry Knox, a 25 year old bookseller from Boston, arrived at Fort Ticonderoga to begin what should have taken place months ago - move the heavy artillery from Ticonderoga and Crown Point to Boston, to help the newly appointed General George Washington end the stalemate around Boston and liberate the city from British control.
There’s no doubt the needless squabbling and the smear campaign against Benedict Arnold had delayed the transport of the artillery to Boston for over six months. Washington needed the artillery more now than ever. Henry Knox departed from Washington’s camp November 17, took a detour to New York City for supplies, and arrived at Fort Ticonderoga in early December.
In a very interesting event, the day before Knox arrived at Fort Ticonderoga, he spent the night at Fort George, the remnants of the old fortress built by Amherst at the end of the French and Indian War at the head of Lake George. There he met a personable and sophisticated prisoner of war, who had been captured at Fort St. Jean about a month earlier. They had what Knox recalled was a lovely conversation, sharing their fondness of books and plays and having a splendid dialogue. This prisoner was none other than John Andre, the future head of British Intelligence in North America, and the mastermind behind Benedict Arnold’s eventual betrayal. Ironically enough, when John Andre was captured years later, Henry Knox oversaw Andre’s court martial after his capture by continental soldiers in the Hudson Valley. He sentenced Andre to death for his spy activity and role in Arnold’s treason.
On December 5th, Henry Knox began his journey to Boston with 59 pieces of artillery. 30 from Fort Ticonderoga, and 29 from Crown Point. This would be known as the “Noble Train of Artillery”. The 60 tons of artillery were mounted on sleighs and carts, with oxen towing the load. They had a journey of 300 miles of rugged, mountainous terrain between Ticonderoga and Boston.
The journey took him south aboard a gundalow on Lake George, which was already beginning to freeze up. At Sabbath Day Point, the gundalow experienced significant damage after hitting a rock, but was able to sail again after urgent repairs. Continuing south, he crossed the (mostly) frozen Hudson and Mohawk rivers at least four times while en route to Albany. Turning west, he crossed the Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts. 6 weeks later, Knox arrived at the Boston Continental camp to the delight of General Washington after a nearly 300 mile journey in the dead of winter.
By March 5th, Washington ordered the artillery from Ticonderoga and Crown Point to Roxbury, Cambridge, and most importantly to the Heights of Dorchester, where both the British-occupied city and naval fleet were in range of cannon shot. William Howe was stunned by the sight, and is said to have commented that the continentals did more in one night than his army could do in three months. Howe briefly considered an attack on the heights, but decided on a retreat instead. Howe sent a communication that if they were allowed to evacuate without issue, they would leave the city of Boston intact. Finally, on March 17th, the British evacuated Boston, and the Continentals and General Washington had a signal victory for the cause of liberty. Today, March 17th is still celebrated in Boston as “Liberation Day”. All of this due to the bravery of a Boston bookseller.
Back north in Canada a second prong of the invasion of Canada was well underway and nearing its miraculous conclusion. It was a feat of sheer will against an unforgiving wilderness that the force made it to Quebec. And the leader of that incredible march was none other than Benedict Arnold. The stage was set for the climax of the invasion of Canada, the Battle of Quebec.
This is part 3 of the Revolutionary War on Lake Champlain series. For part 2, click here.
Sources:
Anderson, Mark R. "The Battle for the Fourteenth Colony: America's War of Liberation in Canada 1774 - 1776"
Anderson, Mark R. "Remember Baker: A Green Mountain Boy’s Controversial Death and Its Consequences" appearing in The Journal of the American Revolution. https://allthingsliberty.com/2023/05/remember-baker-a-green-mountain-boys-controversial-death-and-its-consequences/
Barney, Jason. "Northern Vermont in the Revolutionary War"
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Cohen, Eliot A. "Conquered Into Liberty: Two Centuries of Battles Along the Great Warpath That Made the American Way of War"
Elmore, Paul B. "James Easton vs. Benedict Arnold: Anatomy of a Feud" appearing in The Journal of the American Revolution. https://allthingsliberty.com/2024/11/james-easton-vs-benedict-arnold-anatomy-of-a-feud/
Kelly, Jack. "God Save Benedict Arnold: The True Story of America's Most Hated Man"
Lanctot, Gustave. "Canada & the American Revolution 1774 - 1783"
Millard, James P. "Lake Passages: A Journey Through the Centuries. Volume I 1609-1909"
Ouellette, Susan. "Windmills and Garden Plots: Early French Settlement in the Champlain Valley". Appearing in "When the French Were Here.... and They're Still Here: Proceedings of the Samuel de Champlain Quadricentennial Symposium" edited by Nancy Nahra
Philbrick, Nathaniel. "Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution"
Randall, Willard Sterne. "Ethan Allen: His Life and Times"
Wren, Christopher S. "Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom: Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys and the American Revolution"
