Before dawn on 31 December 1775, in a snowstorm, American forces under Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold attacked Quebec, the last British stronghold in Canada. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was wounded, and several hundred Americans were captured by Governor Guy Carleton's garrison. In May 1776 the Americans gave up their siege and withdrew.1
Battle of Quebec
31 December 1775 · 250 years ago
The invasion of Canada
In 1775 the Americans invaded the province of Quebec. Montgomery took Montreal on 13 November and turned toward Quebec, the last important British stronghold. A second American force under Arnold had marched through the wilderness from New England to approach the city, and in early December Montgomery joined Arnold before its walls.2
The besiegers numbered about 1,200 men, Americans and some Canadians, while the garrison of regulars, militia and seamen was about 1,800 strong.3
Two columns in the storm
Montgomery and Arnold attacked from opposite sides before dawn on 31 December, in a blizzard. Montgomery's column moved along the riverbank toward Près-de-Ville, while Arnold's advanced toward the barricade at Sault-au-Matelot. At Près-de-Ville a small post of Canadian militia and British sailors opened fire, Montgomery and several of the men around him were killed, and the rest of his column fell back.4
On the other side Arnold was shot in the leg and carried to the rear, but his men pushed on into the streets of the Lower Town until they were stopped by the defenders. Cut off, they surrendered.5
The cost and the retreat
The figures differ. The Dictionary of Canadian Biography gives 60 to 100 Americans killed or wounded and about 400 captured, for the loss of fewer than 20 British and Canadians. The American Battlefield Trust lists 51 Americans killed, 36 wounded and 387 missing or captured, and 5 British killed and 13 wounded.6
The Americans kept up a blockade of Quebec through the winter, weakened by disease. In May 1776 British reinforcements arrived, and the Americans retreated, ending their campaign in Canada. Arnold went on to the battles that made his name; see the Battle of Saratoga and our biography of Benedict Arnold.7
Battle of the Barents Sea, 1942: the destroyers that saved JW 51B
31 December 1942 · 83 years ago
German warships attacked British ships escorting Arctic convoy JW 51B to the Soviet Union in the Barents Sea, north of Norway's North Cape, in World War II. The raiders failed to hurt the convoy badly, and an angry Hitler ordered the navy to rely on U-boats instead.
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