The Battle of Quebec

December 31, 1775 The Battle of Quebec took place. But Why? What were American troops even doing in Canada? In this blog we are going to cover just that. Remember you can join our email list and stay up to date with all of our latest podcast episodes, blogs, and specials by clicking here!

 Overview

It's important to remember that the Battle of Quebec took place in December of 1775. 7 months before the Declaration of Independence. The American forces had experienced some success following Lexington and Concord. In New York, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold’s combined force had seized Fort Ticonderoga from the British. The British had technically defeated Massachusetts militiamen at the Battle of Bunker Hill, but the victory cost the Brits dearly. Even though the British had won the battle, the American militias had them surrounded in Boston. Shortly after the Battle of Bunker Hill, George Washington was appointed Commander-In-Chief of the Continental Army.  Washington traveled to Boston, assumed command, and continued the siege of the British army in Boston. 

Washington Assumes Command

Washington then had the artillery captured from Fort Ticonderoga moved to Boston to improve their firepower.  Things were going well. The 2nd Continental Congress as well as Washington wanted to take advantage of their success and momentum. The Americans believed that if they attacked the British in Canada, they would draw the support of Canadians, particularly Catholic French Canadians. In September the 2nd Continental Congress authorized the plan to attack Quebec. 

 The March to Quebec

The plan of attack was for two separate forces to meet outside of Quebec and attack the city together. Two simultaneous expeditions were launched - one led by Benedict Arnold through the treacherous wilderness of Maine, and another by Richard Montgomery from Fort Ticonderoga. 

Benedict Arnold

Arnold's march has become legendary for its sheer hardship. His men navigated through dense forests, raging rivers, and the unforgiving terrain of what would become known as the Arnold Trail. Starvation, desertion, and disease whittled down his force, but Arnold's determination did not waver.

By November 14, Arnold and his remaining men reached the outskirts of Quebec. Montgomery, on the other hand, had captured Montreal with relative ease before pushing towards Quebec City.

While Arnold was waiting for Montgomery, he demanded that Quebec Governor, Gen. Guy Carleton surrender the city to him. 

Quebec Governor-General Guy Carleton

Carleton ofcourse did not oblige.  At this point, Arnold knew that he could not attack the city alone and he was forced to await Montgomery’s arrival. Once Montgomery arrived on December 2nd, both forces had united, but they were still significantly outnumbered by the British defenders under Governor Guy Carleton, who had fortified the city, expecting an attack. The Americans again demanded that Carleton surrender the city to them and again Carleton refused.  

Time Was Not on Their Side

The Americans were outnumbered and lacked artillery. They were facing harsh winter conditions, starvation, and smallpox. They attempted to blockade the city but it was not successful.  Arnold and Montgomery were faced with another challenge as well. 1775 was coming to an end. That meant the enlistment of many of Montgomery’s men was also ending. Montgomery’s men made up the majority of the American force. With them they were outnumbered, without them there was no hope of success. An attack before the end of the year was inevitable if they were to capture Quebec.

 The Battle

On the last day of 1775, under cover of a blizzard, the combined forces launched their assault. The plan was to attack from multiple points, hoping to overwhelm the defenders. Montgomery led his men from the south near the St. Lawrence River, while Arnold attacked from the north. However, the operation was fraught with difficulties.

Montgomery was killed almost immediately by grapeshot from a British cannon. This threw his men into a state of confusion. They were being overwhelmed by superior firepower and after his death, Montgomery’s men retreated from the city.  

The Death of Richard Montgomery

Arnold was having his own trouble. The snowstorm that they hoped would provide cover, was slowing them down and even caused them to get lost. On their way to the north the British were taking shots at them and throwing grenades from the top of the high city walls. The British aimed at the lanterns that the Americans were using to help guide their way. Arnold finally entered the city from the north and his men flooded the unfamiliar city streets blinded by snow. Arnold was then shot in the leg and forced to personally fall back, leaving Daniel Morgan in command.    

         Daniel Morgan

Unaware that Montgomery had been killed and his men had retreated, Morgan moved to the location that they were supposed to meet together. They soon realized that Montgomery wasn’t coming and they were on their own. Governor Carleton took advantage of the disorganized Americans and mounted his counter attack.  The remaining Americans left in the fight were vastly outnumbered, many were out of ammunition, and if they did have ammunition their guns were rendered useless from the weather.  The battle did not last very long.

By 9am it was over. Daniel Morgan and over 400 Americans were surrounded and forced to surrender.  Morgan would remain a prisoner of war for over a year, until he was part of a prisoner exchange in January of 1777.  

 The Aftermath

After the battle, Arnold attempted to maintain a siege of the city, but it was ineffective. He didn’t have the men or the artillery to pull it off. He was outnumbered 3 to 1 by the British who were well supplied within the city walls.  Arnold’s men were still suffering from starvation, disease, and harsh Canadian winter conditions. They were forced to plunder the locals for food and supplies.  Arnold also continued to fire on the city with the little artillery he had, in the process damaging civilian homes. Needless to say, the mission to endear Canadians to the American’s cause was a failure.  

The siege's ineffectiveness was made even worse when British reinforcements arrived. In April General David Wooster arrived from Montreal and took command from Arnold until he was also replaced by John Thomas. 

General Guy Thomas

Thomas quickly realized that there was no longer any logical reason to remain in Quebec.  Carleton’s numbers had been bolstered by reinforcements in the spring. It was time for the Americans to retreat from Canada. As the Americans retreated, Carleton did not make it easy for them. He sent attachments to attack the Americans as they fled and the Americans were forced to retreat all the way back to New York. 

The Quebec campaign had been a failure. This was the first major defeat of American forces since the formation of the Continental Army.  The Battle of Quebec was also the last American excursion into Canada during the Revolutionary War. Looking back, the Battle of Quebec underscores the courage, resilience, and missteps of early American military strategy. It was an operation driven by hope more than reality.

The failure at Quebec was a harsh lesson for the American forces. It was a victory for British morale, but the spirit of the American cause was not broken. The siege highlighted the logistical challenges of waging war far from home, the importance of unity and leadership, and the need for better preparation and resources. For Canada, the battle solidified British control for the time being, although it also sowed seeds of future tension between French and English-speaking communities.

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