The book of the army - 1845 Author:John Frost Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. Expedition to Canada. |IR GUY CARLETON, the governor of Canada, no sooner heard that the Americans had surprised Ticonderoga and Crown Po... more »int, than he planned a scheme for their recovery. The Indians, however, refused to take up the hatchet; and the Canadians declared themselves ready to defend the province, but refused to march out of it, or to commence hostilities on their neighbours. Sir Guy then declared martial law, in order to compel the inhabitants to take up arms. Congress, fearing for the safety of the colonies, should Canada be left as an open door, by which the British might at any time invade their northern frontier, and counting on the backwardness of the Canadians to engage in a war with them, and the general discontent attendant upon the Quebec act, resolved upon the invasion of that province should it be found practicable. Besides, as it was evident that Britain was as resolutely determined to maintain her authority, and86 SIEGE OP ST. JOHNS. Ramsay vol. ii, p. 56. continue her encroachments, as they were to resist both, and considering the possession of Canada as indispensable to the preservation of their conquests at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, they determined to prosecute the war with vigour, to act on the offensive, and prevent a formidable force from attacking them in the rear, while they were using their utmost endeavours to protect their cities and sea-coasts. The invasion of Canada was therefore resolved upon. Congress committed the management of their military arrangements, in this northern department to Generals Schuyler and Montgomery. The former issued an address to the inhabitants of Canada, informing them, " that the only views of Congress were, to restore to them those rights, to which every subject of the British...« less