102114-116

LOOKING NORTHWARD ALONG THE CHAUDIERE, RIVER IN QUEBEC PROVINCE, CANADA.... more

by Mike Davis

Title

102114-116

Artist

Mike Davis

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

LOOKING NORTHWARD ALONG THE CHAUDIERE, RIVER IN QUEBEC PROVINCE, CANADA.
BENEDICT ARNOLD'S EXPEDITION FOLLOWED THIS RIVER UP TO LEVIS WHERE IT RUNS INTO THE SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER ACROSS FROM THE CITY OF QUEBEC.
ONCE THEY ARRIVED AT LEVIS, THEY WERE ABLE TO REST AND REPLENISH SUPPLIES. THEY HAD BEEN IN THE WILDERNESS WITH LITTLE OR NO FOOD, AND IN BITTER COLD FOR CLOSE TO A MONTH.
ON NOVEMBER 13, 1775, ARNOLD SENT A SURRENDER DEMAND TO THE CITY, WHICH WAS REFUSED.
ARNOLD FELT THAT THE APPROXIMATELY 600 MEN HE HAD LEFT OF THE 1,000 WHO HAD STARTED THE TREK WITH HIM, WERE INSUFFICIENT TO ATTACK THE CITY, AND THEREFORE DECIDED TO WAIT FOR GENERAL RICHARD MONTGOMERY, WHO HAD CONQUERED MONTREAL, TO ARRIVE FROM THE WEST WITH RE-ENFORCEMENTS.
MONTGOMERY ARRIVED IN MID DECEMBER AND ARNOLD DECIDED ON A TWO-PRONGED ATTACK ON THE CITY.
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF NEW YEARS EVE IN EXTREME COLD AND UNDER COVER OF ONE OF THE WORST BLIZZARDS IN MEMORY, MONTGOMERY ATTACKED FROM THE WEST ACROSS THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM, WHILE ARNOLD ADVANCED THROUGH THE NARROW STREETS OF THE LOWER CITY TOWARDS THE NORTHERN FORTIFIED WALL.
THE BRITISH, HOWEVER, WERE PREPARED FOR THE ATTACKS.
EARLY IN THE WESTERN ASSAULT, MONTGOMERY WAS KILLED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AGAINST THE WALLS, THEY WERE FORCE TO RETREAT.
ARNOLD'S FORCE FARED NO BETTER; VERY EARLY ON, ARNOLD WAS SHOT IN THE LEFT LEG AND, UNABLE TO LEAD THE ATTACK, HE ASSIGNED COMMAND TO DANIEL MORGAN, ALOUD, RUDE, CRUDE, CRASS, FORMER MULESKINNER AND TEAMSTER, WHO WAS A BRILLIANT LEADER, AND ONE OF THE FEW MILITARY COMMANDERS THE ARNOLD HELD IN ESTEEM.
MORGAN REACHED THE SECOND DEFENSIVE WALL OF THE CITY AND THERE, WAITED FOR THE REMAINDER OF ARNOLD'S MEN TO CATCH UP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE BRITISH WERE RE-ENFORCING THE DEFENSES.
MORGAN WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER. HE AND HIS MEN WERE AMONG THE APPROXIMATELY 400 AMERICANS KILLED WOUNDED OR CAPTURED IN THE ATTACK.
IN TIME, MORGAN WAS EXCHANGED AND RE-JOINED THE AMERICAN FORCES.
ARNOLD SPENT MONTHS RECOVERING FROM HIS WOUND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF QUEBEC, AND EVENTUALLY TOOK COMMAND ONCE AGAIN OF AMERICAN TROOPS, AND ALTHOUGH THE ATTACK WAS A FAILURE, THE FACT THAT BENEDICT ARNOLD WAS ABLE TO GET AN ARMY TO QUEBEC UNDER THE CONDITIONS HE AND HIS MEN SUFFERED IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREAT FEATS IN AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY, AND ONE THAT, MOST LIKELY, NO ONE OTHER THAT THE REMARKABLY CHARISMATIC ARNOLD COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.

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November 30th, 2014