RELATION DE L'ASSAUT DE QUÉBEC

Voici comment le Juge Henry raconte le combat du Saut-an-Matclot :

" It was not until the night of the 31st (30th) of December, 1775, that such kind ofweather ensued as was

considercd favorable for the assault By 2 o'clock

we were accoutred and began ourmarch. Thestorra was outrageons, and the cold wind extremely biting. In this northern country the snow is blown horizontally into the faces of travellers on most occasions, this was our case.

January Ist. — When we came to Craig's house, near Palace gâte, a horrible roar of carinon took place, and a ringing of ail the bells of the citA', which are very numeroiis, and of ail sizes. Arnold, headingthe forlorn hope, advanced perha])s one hundred yards bcfore the main body. After thèse followed Lamb's aitilk-rists. Morgan's comjjany led in the secondary part of the column of infanlrj'. Smith's followed, headed by Stcele; the captain, from. particiilar causes, being al>ent. Ilcndricks' Company succeeded, and the eastern men, so far as known to me, followed in due order

*' In thèse intervais we rcceivcd a tremendous fire of muskeliy fiom the ramjjarts above us. llere we lost

8ome brave men, when powerless to return the salutes we received, as the enemy was covered by his impregnable défenses. They were even sightless to us — we could see iiothing but tlie blaze frora the muzzles of their muskets

" We proceeded rapidly, exposed to a long line of fire from the garrison, for now we were unprotected bj' any buildings. The fire had slackened in a smail degree. The enemy had been partly called off to resist the General, and strengthen the party opposed to Arnold in our front. ISTow we saw colonel Arnold returning, wounded in the leg, and supportcd by two gentlemen ; a parson Spring was one, and in my belief, a Mr. Ogden the o<her. Arnold called to the troops in a cheerii g voice as we passed, urging us forwai-d ; yet it was observable among the soldiery, with whom it was my misfortune to be now placed, that ihe Colonol's retiring damped their spirits. A cant phrase, " We are sold," was repeatedly lieard in man}- parts throu2;hout the line. Thus proceeding, onfiladed hy an animated but lesscned fire, we came to the first barrier, where Arnold had been wounded in the onset. This contest had lasted but a few minutes, and was somewhat severe ; but the energy of our men prevailed. The embrasures were entered. when the enemy were discharging their guns. The guard, consisting of thirty persons, where either taken, or fled, leaving their arms behind thcm. At this time it was discovercd that our guns were useless, because of the dampness. The snow, which lodged in our fleecy coats, was melted by the warmth of our bodies. Thence came that disaster. Many of the party, knowing the circumstance, threw aside their own, andsized the British arms

"From the first barrier to the second, there was a ciicular course along the sides of bouses, and partly through a Street, probably of three hundred yards, or more. This second barrier was erected across, and near the mouth of a narrow street, adjacent to the foot of the hill, which opened into a larger, leading soon into the main body of the lower town. Hère it was that ihe most serions contention took place; this became the bone of stiife. The admirable Montgomery I y this time (though it was

unknown to us) was no more ; jet we expected inomentarilj- to join him. The firirg on thatside of the fortress ceased; his division fell under the command of a colonel Campbell, of the New York line, a nerveless chief, who retreated without makiiig an eftort, in pursuance of the General s original plans. The inévitable conséquence -was, that the whole of the forces on that side of the city, and ihose who were opposed to the various detachmehts employed to make the false attaches, embodied and came down to oppose our division. Hère was sharp shooting.

" We were on the disadvantageous side of the barrier for such a purpjose. Confined in a narrow street, hardlj more than twenly feet wide, and on the lower ground, scarcely a bail, well armed or otherwise, but must take effect upon us. Morgan, Hendricks, Steele, Humphreys,, and a crowd of every class of the army, had gathered into ihe narrow pass, attimpting to surmount the barrier, which was about twelve or more feet high, and so stiongly construcled that nothing but artillery could eftectuate its destruction. Tht-rc Vas a construction fifteen or twcnty yards within the barrier, upon a rising ground, the cannon of which much overtopped the height of the barrier ; hence we were assailed with grape t-hot in abundance. This érection was called the platform. Again, within the barrier, and close in to it, were iwo ranges of musketeers, armed with musket and bayonet, ready to reçoive ihose who migbt venture the dangcrous leap. Add to ail this that the enemy occupied the ii])per chambers of the liouses in the interior of the bariicr, on both sides of the sirect, from the Windows of which we became fair marks. The enrmy, having the advantago «of the ground in front, a vast superiority of number.s, dry and better avms, gave them an irresisiible powoi- in so narrow a sjiace, Humphreys, upon a mound which was s])eedily erectcd, attcnded by many brave men, attcmptcd to scall the barrirr, but wns compclled to retreut by the tormidable jihalanx of bayonets within, and the weiglii of fiie fioni the platform and the bnilditigs. MoigîiM, brave to îcmerity, ^tormcd and raged. — Hendricks, Steele, Nichols, Ilumphrej's, equally brave, were scdate, thuiigh under a trcmendous fire. The plat-

forin, wjbich was wilhin our view, was evacuated by the ac'curacy of our firo, and few persons dared venture there again. Now it was that the necessity of the occupanty of the houses on our aide of the barrier, became apparent. Orders were given by Morgan to that effect, we entered. This was near daylight. The houses were a shelter from which we could tire with much accuracy. Yet evcn hère some valuable lives were lost Hendricks, when aiming his rifle at some prominent person,died by a straggling bail throught his heart. He staggered a few fect backwards and fell upon a bed, were he instantly exjDÏred. He was an ornament to our little society.

" The amiable Humphrej^s died by a like kind of wound, but it was in the street before we entered the buildings. Many other brave men fell at this place ; among thèse were Lieutenant Cooper, of Connecticut, and perhaps fifty or sixt}^ non-coramissioiied officers and privâtes. The wounded were numerous, and many dangerously wounded. Captain Lamb, of the York artillerists, had nearly on half of his face carried away by a grape or canister shot. My friend Steele lost three of his fingers as he was presenting his gun to fire ; Captain Hubbard and Lieutenant Fisdle were also among the wounded. When we reflect upon the whole of the danger at this barricade, and the formidable force that came to among us, it is a matter of surprise that so many should escape death and wounding, as did. Ail hope of success having vanished, a retreat was eontemplated ; but hésitation, uncertainty, and a lassitude of mind which generally takes place in the afïairs of men, when they fail in a project upon which they hâve attached much expectation, now followed. That moment was foolishly lost when such a movement might hâve been jiiade with tolerable success. Captain Laws, at the head of 200 men, issuing from Palace gâte, most fairly and handsomely cooped us up. Many of the men, aware of the conséquences, and ail our Indians and Canadians (except Xatanis and another,) escaped across the ice which covered the bay of St. Charles, before the arrivai of Captain Laws. This was a dangerous and de^pel•ate adventure, but worth the undertaking, in avoidance of eur subséquent sufîerings. Its desperateness consisted

(îi fUtinmg two miles across shoal ice, throWn up hy th& high tides of this latitude — aiid its danger in the meeting with air holes, deceptivel j covered by the bed of snow, " Speaking circuraspectly, yet it raust be admitted conjeeturally, it seems to me that in the whole of the attack, of commissioned officcrs we had six killed, five wounded : and of non-eommissioned and privâtes at least one hundred and fifty killed, and fifty or sixty wounded. Of the enemy, many were killed and many more -vvounded, Comparatively, than on onr side, taking into view the disadvantages "we labored under ; and that but two occasions happened when we could return their fire — that is, at the first and second barriers. Neither the American accountof this affair, as publithed by Congress, ïior that of Sir G-uy Carleton, admit the loss of either 8ide,to be so great as it really was, in my estimation. "

COMBAT DU 8AUT-AU-MATEL0T ET ATTAQUE DE PRÈS-DE- VILLE, RACONTÉS PAR 8ANGUINET.

" Alors M. Montgomery, voyant qu'il dépensoit inutilement sa poudre, etqu'ilétoitau moment d'en manquer, pendant que la ville faisoit un feu Continuel, prit la résolution de donner uno escalade pendant une nuit obscure, persuadé qu'il avoit beaucoup d'amis dans la ville qui luy faciliteroient son entreprise. On en fut averti par un déserteur. On fit en conséquence bonne garde ce joùr-là, mais l'attaque ne se fit point au temps fixé parle déserteur. On se douta que les Bastonnois attaqueroient le jour suivant*, et l'on ne se trompa point, car le trente un de Décembre 1775, à cinq heures du matinj les Bastonnois au nombre d'environ trois cent cinquante, ayant à leur tête le Généi-al Montgomery, vinrent pour escalader Près-de- ville, et en même temps cinq cent cinquante ayant à leur tête M. Arnold, pour attaquer le Sault-au-^ Matelot. Le capitaine McCloude du Royal Émigrant qui étoit de garde <à ce poste, malgré qu'il fût averti par lea factionnaires de l'approche des Bastonnois, feignit de ne vouloir rien croire.

" La garde voulut prendre les armes, mais il s'y opposa, de tnaniète qiïe les Bftstonnois montèrent le»

jpnlissadtss, s^emparèrent des canons qui étoient sur un quay. Alors les factionnaires se rendirent à la garde «t les Bastonnois prii-ent toute la garde sans tirer un seul coup de fusil et s'emparèrent de toutes les maisons du Sault-au-Mtitelot. Alors le capitaine McCloude qui «omniandoit la garde lit le saoul, il se fit porter par quatre hommes. Il y avait tout lieu de croire qu'il avait quelqu'intelligence avec les Bastoanois. Il fut mifc aux arrêts jusqu'au printemps après le départ des Bastonnois de devant Québec. Quelques écoliers qui étoient à cette garde vinrent donner Talarrae à la Haute* ville. A l'instant l'on fit sonner toutes les cloches et battre le tambour, tout le monde se réveilla et chacun courut à la place d'armes. Les écoliers et plusieurs citoyens qui étoient de piquet ce jour-là, se rendirent les premiers au Sault-au-Matelot, à la garde de ce poste, ne ci'oyant pas que les Bastonnois étaient dans cette partie, mais la surprise fut grande quand ils se trouvèrent parmi les Bastonnois qui lem* présentoient la main en disant ; ViVB la liberté 1 Les écoliei's à ces mots, s'apercevant qu'ils étoient au milieu de leurs ennemis, 86 trouvèrent dans un triste embarras. Plusieurs d'entre eux commencèrent à s'évader, mais les Bastonnois voyant leur dessein les désarmèrent. Cependant, plusieurs montèrent promptement à la Haute-ville, sur la place d'armes X)ù. toute la garnison étoit assemblée, en criant de toutes leurs forces que les ennemis étoient dans le Sault^au- Matelot, qu'ils avoient pris la garde et une batterie j comme c'etoit des jeunes gens, on eut peine à les croire. " Cependant le Grénéi*al Griiy Carleton donna aussitôt ordre au Colonel McClene de courir à la Basse- ville afin de connoître la vérité. Il revint un instant après en criant : Oui par Dieu, c'est bien vrai que les ennemis sont dans le Sault-au-Matelot. Alors le Général Carleton dit aux citoyens que c'étoit le temps de se signaler et de montrer leur courage. Il donna ordre à deux cents hommes d'aller au Sault-au-Matelot Quand ils furent près de l'ennemi) ils se trouvèrent saisis de crainte et surpris du grand progrès que les Bastonnois avoient fait, car ils avoient déjà posé trois échelles sur la troisième barrière, qui étoit la plus foible et la dernière à franchir. L'alarme •ugmenta et tout étoit en combustion, le désordre régnoit

partout et ceux qui dévoient commander ne se pressoient pas d'avancer, la crainte s'empara davantage de l'esprit des meilleurs roj^alistes qui en;endii'ent crier les Bas* tonnois, — Mes ajiiis, en nommant le nom de plusieurs citoyens de la ville, étes-vous là ? On s'aperçut alors par ces paroles qu'il y avoit plusieurs traîtres dans la ville, et c'est qui lit trembler les bons citoyens. Qu'importe ? Un nommé Charland, canadien aussy fort qu'intrépidC) tira par dessus la barrière les échelles de son côté. Il y avoit alors plusieurs Baj^tonnois tués le long de la barrière, parce que l'on commençait à se fusiller de part et d'autre. Les Bastonnois avoient pour se distinguer un papier cacheté sur le sommet de la tête, où étoit écrit : Vive la liberté ! d'autres, où étoit écrit : Mors aut Vic^ toria. Alors les Bastonnois abandonnèrent le dessein d'escalader cette dernière barrière et se retirèrent dans les maisons, ouvrirent les fenestres et tirèrent de tous côtés, et approchoient du côté de la Basse-ville de maison en maison, et s'ils n'eussent été arrêtés, ils seroient parvenus facilement à celle qui faisoit le coin de la Barrière. Mais M. Alexandre Dumas qui étoit un capitaine, ordonna de s'emparer de cette maison. Dans l'instant le Sieur Dambourgès monta par une fenestre, par le inoyen des échelles enlevées à l'ennemi, suivi de plusieurs canadiens. Ils défoncèrent la fenestre du pignon de la maison. Il y trouva déjà plusieurs Bastonnois. Après avoir tiré Bon coup de fusil, il fonça avec la bayonnette et entra dans la chambre avec plusieurs Canadiens qui le suivoient, animés du même courage, jcttèrent la frayeur parmy les Bastonnois qui se rendirent prisonniers.

** Sur ces entrefaites, le Général Guy Carleton fit sortir deux cents hommes par la porte du Palais, commandés par M. Lawse afin de couper le chemin aux Bastonnois, s'ils voulaient s'en retourner et les mettre entre deux feux. On en donna aussitôt avis aux citoyens qui avoient arrêté les Bastonnois dans le Sault-au- Matelot, ce qui augmenta leur courage. M. Lawse se rendit avec ses deux cents hommes à l'autre bout du Sault-au-Matelot, ayant sorti par la porto du Palais et entra dans une maison où étoient tous les oflSciers Bastonnois qui tenoient conseil Bur le parti qu'ils avoient à prendre. Alors plusieurs oiliciers Bastonnoia tirèrent leurs épées pour le tuer,

iliais il leur dit qu'il avoit douze cents hommes qu'il Gommandoit, et que s'ils ne se rendoient à l'instant, qu'ils seroient tous tués sans miséricorde. Quelques-uns dos officiers regardèrent par la fenestre, il leur parut effectivement y avoir beaucoup de monde, quoiqu'il n'y eut que deux cents hommes. Alors ils traitèrent plua favorablement M. Lawso et se rendirent prisonniers. Cette ruse luy conserva la vie.

" Comme les Canadiens étoient à l'extrémité du Saultau-Matelot, du côté de la Basse- ville, qui tiroientcontinueU lement sur les Bastonnois, ils entendirent une voix qui crioit: Se tireè pins, Canadiens, car vous allez tuer vos amis. L'on crut d'abord que c'était une feinte de la part des Bastonnois et comme l'on continuoit à fusiller, on entendit encore proféret les mêmes paroles. On cessa alors de faire feu, reconnoissant la voix de plusieurs dos nôtres qui avoient été faits prisonniers à la garde. En même temps les Bastonhais demandèrent quartier, en disant qu'ils se rendoient prisonniers. Les uns jettèrent leurs armes par les portes et les fenestres des maisons où ils étaient logés, et les autres, saisis de frayeur se cachèrent dans des caVes, des greniers et la plus grande partie présenta la crosse de leuî-s fusils. Le combat dura environ deux heures. Nous n'eûmes dans ce combat que six hommes tués et cinq blessés, et les Bastonnais, environ vingt ou trente tués et autant de blessés.

" Le Sï- Arnald qui Commandait Ce détachement, fut blessé à la jambe et fut porté à l'Hôpital-Grénéral, et il fut fait deux cent quatre-vingts à trois cents prisonniers, y compris trente-deux officiers.

" Pendant ce combat, il s'en livra un autre en même temps à Près-de-Ville ; M. Montgomery, général des Bastonnois, attaqua ce poste à la tête d'environ trois cent cinquante hommes, parce que pour s'y rendi-e le chemin est extrêmement étroit. La garde qui étoit à ce poste, au nombre de quarante-cinq hommes, virent les Bastonnois espalader la première barrière et se rangei' en ordre de bataille sut- un quay. Mais comme dans ce poste il y avait une batterie masquée, dans ie pignon d'une maison, de neuf pièces de canons, ils laissèrent avancer M. Montgotiiery avec son monde jusqu'à quàfahte pieds de là. Alofs le Sieur Chabotte et ie Sieui*

Alexandre Picard qui commandoiont ce jour-là la garde, donnèrent ordre de mettre le feu aux canons chargés à mitraille. A l'instant les Bastonnois prirent la fuite et la garde en tit autant de son côté et se sauva jusqu'à la Basse-Ville. Alors le poste resta sans être gardé ; mais quelques-uns de la garde ayant eu honte de leui' fuite proposèrent aux autres de retourner, n'entendant aucun ruit. Efiectivement ils arrivèrent à leur poste et trouvèrent les Bastonnois décaiîipés, et s'aperçurent qu'il j avoit plusieurs Bostohnais qui avaient été tués par la décharge des neuf coups de canons, ils trouvèrent trentesix hommes tués dont 31. Montgomery étoit du nombre, et quatorze blessés, sans compter ceux qui se noyèrent en se sauvant. Il n'y eut aucun des nôtres de tué ni blessé parce que les Bastonnais furent surpris de la décharge des canons, à quoy ils ne s'attendoient pas. Ils ignoraient même qu'il y eût une battei-ie à ce poste, que si M. Montgomery n'eût point éfé tué et M. Arnold blessé, il est certain que la ville de Québec aurait été prise. Le poste qui fat attaqué par M. Jfontgomery etoit le plus difficile à prendre, parce qu'il falloit l'attaquer à la face des canons, dans un chemin qui ne pouvoit contenir que deux ou trois hommes de iront."

atCIT DE l'assaut de QUÉBEC TAR UX OFFICIER DE LA

garnison; publié dans le- 2e vol, de smitu"s

IIISTORY OF CANADA.

^ " About four o'clock this morning, captain Malcolm Fraser, of colonel Maclean's régiment, in going his rounds, perceived signais not far'from St. John's gâte ; and finding the weather such as the enemy wished for, by the last deserter's report, he alarmed the guards and picqucts, -^vho stood to their arnis ; ail the sentries between Cape Diamond and Palace gâte saw many an l repeated flashes like lightning; on the heigths of Abraham, lights like lanthorns Vere placed on pôles r.r regular distances. Two rockets were thrown up fropi the foot of Cape Diamond, and immediatcly a hot H)-, was kept up on those who lined the walls at that place, a«dabody of men were seen in St. John's suburbs;

from the flashes of the enemy's firing we perceived tBey were hid behind a band of i^now ; however we returned their fire, directed by their flashes : during this sharp rausquetry, the drums were beating to arms, ihe bellsi rang the alarm, and in less than ten minutes, every man in the garrison was under arms at his alarm post ; even old men upwarda . of 10 were seen forward to oppose the rebels. Colonel Maclean detached a party of the British militia, under Colonel Caldwellj to reinforce Cape Diamond ; there he was to,make the disposition of the men, and return to the parade.

•' Mr. Montgomery, with 900 of the best men attacked at Près-de- Ville, and Arnold, with 700 chosen fellows, attacked at Sault-au -Matelot. The attack at Cape Diamond, the parade of men (Canadians it is said) near St. John's gâte, with a bombardraent from St. Eoc's, were intented to draw off our attention from the Lower Town, where the rebels were to make the real atlacks.

" Our guard at Près-de- Ville had seen the flashes, every man was posted before the alarm was given; the gun- Tiers with lighted matches, waited for the word of command. Captai nBarnsfair, who commanded thebattery, cooUy waited the near approach of the enemy ; he saw a group advancing } they stopped within fifty yards of our guns } there they seemed in consultation ; at last they rushed forward to their destruction, for our grape shot mowed them down ; groans and cries were heard, but not one soûl was to be seen ; however, we kept sweeping the road with our guns and mu!~quetry for some time. At the other end of the town Mr. Arnold was wounded in the leg, in passing the picquets behind the Hôtel-Dieu, from whence a showcr of balls was poured on his party in their way to the Sault-au- Matelot; he was sent disabled to the General Hospital ; the oflicers under him forced our guard, and made us retreat to a barrier about two hundred yards nearer the centre of the Lower Town ; there we made a stand, returning a brish fire, which the enemy under cover of houses, poured upon us.

<' General Carleton, experienced in military affaira, saw tho advantage the rebels gave us over them ; he improved it, and eont Captain Laws out at Palace gâte,

With a dctachraent of the troops to take the enemy in rear, and Colonel Maclean ordered Captain Macdougal to support him with a party, and to keep posses-sioa of the post we had abandotifd.

" Major Nairne of the Royal Emigrants, and Monsieur Dambourges of the sarae corps, by their gallant behaviour attracted the notice of every body. The General ordered theni, with a strong detachment to the support of those ah'eady engaged in the Lower Town.

" Thèse two gentlemen mounted by ladders, and took possession of a house wiih fixed bayonets, which the rebels had already entered, and thus secured a post which overlooked a sLrong battery on. Lymburner's wharf, and commanded a principal street.

"The regular troops, the militia, the seamen,in short, every person bearing arms marched cheerfuUy, led on by their oflBcers. They placed the greatest confidence in the Genei'al's knowledge, and they advanced secure ofviclory. Colonel Maclean, the second in command, with that coolness which distinguishes the good soldier, had his eye every where, to prevent the progresg of the attackers ; his indefatigability since he arrived in Québec merits much praise ; no man could do more for the good of the service j every power of his was exerted, especially on this day. Colonel Caldwell took inrinite pains with the British militia ; by his good example he made that corps emulous to appear where danger raade their présence most necessary.

" The seamen were under the strictest discipline; Colonel Harailton and Major MacKenzie headed the brave fellows, who behaved as they do on ail occasions, like British tars. The handful of Éoyal Fusileers, commanded by Captain Owen, distinguished themselves, and the Royal Emigrants behaved like vétérans. The Fronch militia shewed no backwardness ; a handful of them stood the last at Sault-au-Malelot; overcame by numbers, they where obliged to rotreat to the barrier.

" As the G-eneral had foreseen the sortée, made the victory ours, we heinmed the rebels in on ail aides: they called for quartor, and we mado prisoners :

" 1 Lieutenant-colonel, 2 majors, 8 captains, 15 lieutenants, 1 adjutant, 1 quarter-mastor, 4 voluntoers, 350

rank nnd file, not wounded ; 44 offcers and soldicrs •woundcd. 426 taken.

" The flower of the rebel army fell into oar haiids ; we liave reaso« to think tliat a great number were killed and M'ounded.

" The prisonevs say, that if Mr. Moiitgomery had attacJced with the expected résolution we should huAO lost LoAver Town. Little know they of the situation of Près de-Ville ; after the Lower Town is taken, it remains commanded by the Upper Town.

" Liberty or Beath, was wrote on slips of paj)er, and pinned to their caps.

" We lost captai n Andersen, forme ri y a lioiitenfint in the nàvy, 5 privâtes killed, and two privâtes wonnded.

" We took at St. Eoc's two brass thvee-pounders, two royals, three howitzers, and" some small shells."