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American Invasion
In the year 1775, when the thirteen American Colonies had risen in arms
against the Motherland, it was to be expected that they would desire to
have the assistance of those north of the forty-ninth parallel. Being so
recently laid under British allegiance, it was supposed there would be
much sympathy for the young cause in the Canadian Colonies. But, whether
the treaty which had been made had been considered gracious in its
terms, or that the horrible memories of war had not had time to die
away, or from a combination of causes, the French-English provinces
refused to take up the Colonial grievances. To compel them to do this,
an expedition, consisting of Col. Ethan Allen and his "Green Mountain
Boys," was detached against Montreal. Arriving on the opposite bank of
the river, just below the town, with about one hundred and fifty men, he
crossed over from Longueuil and reached the eastern suburbs at about
ten o'clock p.m., when he proceeded to billet his men in private houses.
That was before the days of telephones, so it was some time before the
news reached the city and the gates were closed. The rash project of so
small a force attempting to beleaguer a walled town of fourteen thousand
inhabitants could have but one outcome, and it resulted in the capture
of Ethan Allen. He was brought in through the Quebec Gate, or Porte St.
Martin, sent to England and lodged in Pendennis Castle, where he could
hear the moan of the wide sea that separated him from the land he loved
and longed to fight for.
But the expedition was not abandoned on account of this repulse, for
soon General Montgomery appeared. Rattray describes Montgomery as a
brave officer of generous and exemplary character. He was an Irishman, a
lieutenant in the 17th Foot, but resigned his commission in the year
1772, owing, it is said, to some grievance connected with promotion;
when he settled and married in the State of New York. Crossing the
Canadian lines he captured Forts St. Jean and Chambly, the latter a
stone fortress on the site of a post built by Tracey's men, and thus he
became possessed of ammunition and other military stores of which he
stood in need. The French-Canadian Noblesse were the first to offer to
defend the country against the invader, but Sir Guy Carleton,
Commander-in-Chief of the forces, being without sufficient troops to
successfully resist attack at this point, determined to retire to Quebec
and make a resolute stand within its walls. He therefore dismissed to
their homes the Canadians under arms, spiked the cannon and burned the
bateaux he could not use. Three armed sloops were loaded with
provisions and baggage to be ready for emergency. He felt it was a point
of honour to remain at Montreal as long as possible, but it was of the
utmost importance to the cause that his person should not fall into the
hands of the enemy. He therefore remained until news arrived that the
Americans had landed on a small island in the river, a short distance
above the city, now called Nun's Island, and then hurried arrangements
were made for his departure. As he left the Chateau, passing out of the
main entrance and down the path that led to the river, he was followed
by groups of friends and citizens, whose sad countenances evinced their
forebodings of the future. The historian Bouchette, whose father was one
of those in attendance on the Commander, relates the incidents of the
perilous and momentous journey in the following words:--
"It was through the intrepidity of a party of Canadian boatmen that the
Governor of the country was enabled, after escaping the most critical
perils, to reach the Capital of the Province, where his arrival is well
known to have prevented the capitulation of Quebec and the surrender of
the country. In reverting to the history of the Revolutionary contest,
no event will be found more strikingly illustrative of the extraordinary
chances of war than the perilous, though fortunate, adventure of the
Commander-in-Chief of the army in Canada, whose descent by water from
Montreal to Quebec was effected with safety in the very teeth of
danger. The shores of the St. Lawrence for upwards of fifty miles below
the city were possessed by the enemy, who had constructed armed rafts
and floating batteries at the junction of the Sorel with the St.
Lawrence, to cut off communication with the Capital. Upon the successful
issue of so hazardous an attempt depended the preservation of Canada,
and the taking of General Carleton, which appeared nearly certain, would
have rendered its fate inevitable; but the happy arrival of the Governor
at Quebec at so critical a juncture, and the well-advised and active
steps which he immediately adopted, secured to Britain a footing in that
beautiful portion of America which circumstances threatened to forever
deny her. A clandestine escape from the surrounding enemy was the only
alternative left, and an experienced officer, distinguished for his
intrepidity and courage, was immediately sent for to concert measures
for the General's precipitate departure. Captain Bouchette, the officer
selected for this purpose, then in command of an armed vessel in the
harbour, and who was styled the 'wild pigeon' on account of the celerity
of his movements, zealously assumed the responsible duty assigned him,
suggesting at the same time the absolute necessity of the General's
disguise in the costume of a Canadian peasant fisherman. This was deemed
prudent as increasing the chances of escape, if, as seemed probable,
they should fall in with the enemy, whose gun-boats, chiefly captures,
were cruising in various parts of the river.
"It was a dark and damp night in November, a light skiff with muffled
paddles, manned by a few chosen men, provisioned with three biscuits
each, lay alongside the waiting vessel." Under cover of the night, the
disguised Governor embarked, attended by an orderly sergeant, and his
devoted Aide-de-Camp, Charles Terieu de la Perade, Sieur de Lanaudiere,
Seigneur de Ste. Anne, and a lineal descendant of de Ramezay. The skiff
silently pushed off, the Captain frequently communicating his orders in
a preconcerted manner by silently touching the shoulder or head of the
man next to him, who passed on the signal to the one nearest, and so on.
"Their perplexity increased as they approached the Berthier Islands,
from the knowledge that the enemy had taken up strong positions at this
point, especially in the islands which commanded the channel on the
south-west of Lake St. Peter, which compelled their adoption of the
other to the northward, although the alternative seemed equally fraught
with peril, as the American troops were encamped on the banks. The most
eminent danger they experienced was passing through the 'Narrows' at
Berthier, the shores of which were lined by American bivouacs, whose
blazing fires, reflecting far out on the surface of the waters, obliged
them to stoop, cease paddling and allow themselves to drift down with
the current, imitating the appearance of drifting timber frequently seen
in the St. Lawrence. So near did they approach, that the Sentinel's
exulting shout of 'All's well' occasionally broke upon the awful
stillness of the night. Their perilous situation was increased by the
constant barking of dogs that seemed to threaten them with discovery. It
evidently required the greatest prudence and good fortune to escape the
vigilance of an enemy thus stationed. The descent was, however, happily
made by impelling the skiff smoothly along the water, and paddling with
the hands for a distance of nine miles. After ascertaining that the
enemy had not yet occupied Three Rivers (a point half way to Quebec),
they repaired thither to recruit from their fatigue, when the whole
party narrowly escaped being made prisoners by a detachment of the
American Army which was then entering the town. Overcome by exhaustion,
the General leaned over a table in an inner room and fell asleep. The
clang of arms was presently heard in the outer passage, and soon
afterward American soldiers filled the adjoining apartment to that in
which the General himself was, but his disguise proved his preservation.
Captain Bouchette, with peculiar self-possession and affected
listlessness, walked up to the Governor, and with the greatest
familiarity beckoned him away, at the same time apprising him of the
threatened danger. Passing through the midst of the heedless guards, and
hastening to the beach, they moved oft precipitately in the skiff and
reached unmolested the foot of the Richelieu Rapids, where an armed brig
was fortunately found lying at anchor, which on their arrival
immediately set sail with a favouring breeze for Quebec.
Arrived at the Citadel, they proceeded to the Chateau St. Louis, where
the important services just rendered the country were generously
acknowledged."
It is remarkable that the man who shared so largely in the risk involved
in this dramatic scene should have been a Frenchman, Carleton's
Aide-de-camp. Between him and his Chief a warm attachment continued to
exist until the end of their lives, an uninterrupted correspondence
being kept up between this noble soldier, Charles Terieu de Lanaudiere
and Lord Dorchester, after the latter with the title bestowed upon him
for his success on this occasion had retired from active service in the
colonies. De Lanaudiere's career was a remarkable one. He began with the
rank of Lieutenant in the Regiment de la Sarre, and was wounded in the
battle of Ste. Foye. He was afterwards received with royal favour by
King George the Third, being present at the state dinner when His
Majesty with the dignity which he knew how to assume when the occasion
required, rang for the carriage of his sometime favourite, the
fastidious Beau Brummel, who had presumed on his august good nature by
undue familiarity.
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