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Writer's pictureGeorge Castrioti

December 31st, 1775 - The Battle of Quebec

Conflict: American Revolution

Combatants: Americans vs. British

Location: Quebec (Canada)

Outcome: British victory


After drudging through the snow-laden Maine wilderness, American General Benedict Arnold arrived on the St. Lawrence in November 1775 with only six hundred of his 1,100 volunteers remaining. In the following month, he joined General Richard Montgomery, bringing their total force strength up to roughly 900 men. This proved too little to successfully assault the 1,800 soldiers garrisoning British Quebec under General Sir Guy Carleton. Montgomery was killed in the attack; Arnold wounded. One hundred American soldiers died and around 300 were taken prisoner.


The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec December 31 1775 by John Trumbull

Points of Interest:

  • The British lost only 5 soldiers in the attack.

  • Four years later, angered by missed promotions and minor scandals, Benedict Arnold would leave the American cause and joint the British, thus forever making his name synonymous with "traitor" in the United States.


Benedict Arnold by Thomas Hart
General Sir Guy Carleton by an unknown artist


















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Sources:

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

 

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

 

Leckie, Robert (1992). George Washington's War. New York: HarperCollins.

 

McDowell, Bart (1967). The Revolutionary War. Washington D.C., National Geographic Society.

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