On December 26, 1775, General Richard Montgomery held a council of war with the officers of his army besieging Quebec. Colonel Benedict Arnold argued strongly that an assault on the city must be tried, despite the slim chances of success. The plan called for Montgomery to attack Quebec’s Lower Town from the south while Arnold attacked from the north. Five days later, in a driving snowstorm, Montgomery launched the attack, but within minutes, was killed by British fire.
Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses how the assault on Quebec ended in disaster for the Americans, and why it still matters today.
Photo Credits:
New York Public Library
Library of Congress
Mount Vernon
Don Troiani
National Portrait Gallery
National Archives
Fraunces Tavern Museum
Yale University Art Gallery
