The First American Army - Bruce Chadwick [36]
The two generals were wrong. The inhabitants had no intentions of assisting the Americans. That realization led Montgomery to suggest a short siege of the city and its eighteen hundred defenders to soften up its defenses, followed by a storming of the walls. The siege did not last long because it was ineffective, as the American forces totaled around 1,325 men; Montgomery then planned a direct assault. He would wait until a snowstorm hit and then launch a surprise attack, using the blanket of falling snow as a cover. The generals knew that they could not attack the city directly across what was called the Plains of Abraham on the western side of the city because the walls overlooking the wide plains were too well fortified. They had to go around the city and attack from the rear, near the river. That would be a difficult task.
The central part of Quebec, with its military garrison, administrative officials, and cathedral, was inside a stone fortress that could only be entered through heavily guarded gates. The only feasible assault would have to be a concentrated charge against one of the large gates protecting the city or an attack in which men mounted the walls with ladders. To do so, the Americans would have to charge through the streets of what was called the lower town, a series of neighborhoods in front of one gate that overlooked the St. Lawrence. Two narrow roads led to it.
Everything fell into place on December 31 when a storm began. The attack was a disaster. Montgomery and Arnold underestimated the firepower of the British inside the town. Very few local residents rose up and joined Montgomery, but the overwhelming majority helped the British hold Quebec against the Americans. The snowstorm did not act as a cover and, in fact, made it difficult for the advancing lines of Americans to see where they were going. The nearly one foot of snow on the ground made it impossible to carry cannon caissons on sleds and some had to be left behind. The roads into Quebec were much narrower than they appeared on maps and the troops found that they had to advance in double, and at times in single file, and became easy targets for British musket fire. The British had suspected a night assault and were prepared with artillery. A single cannon burst killed Montgomery and two of his top aides shortly after his wing of the army reached the town. Benedict Arnold, advancing from another direction, was shot in the leg and went down, cursing loudly. His wound prohibited him from any movement, slowing his column of troops.
Several companies of men managed to force their way into the lower town after subduing the enemy at barricades at one of the wharves defended by several cannon. Wrote Private Morison, “We fired into the portholes with such effect that the enemy cannot discharge a single cannon.” One company of riflemen led by Daniel Morgan surprised a company of British, taking them prisoners. Morgan was uncertain about what to do next. He had heard that Arnold was wounded, but he had no idea what was happening to Arnold’s main troop. Morgan took command, but did not know the fate of Montgomery and his men, either. His officers insisted on waiting for the general. Instead of moving forward, Morgan opted to wait for Montgomery, who never came. He and his men were eventually confronted by the British in the town. Morison continued, “A furious discharge of musketry is let loose upon us from behind houses; in an instant we are assailed