Some twelve hundred men were landed,
and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two
generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the
swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders
were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as
far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General
Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and
soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their
landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they
threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the
British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them.
After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to
Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion
of Canada being nine men.
A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General
Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into
the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they
left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof
from the contest.
St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain
Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it
being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to
defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had
marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take
no further part in the fight, Montgomery--who was now in command,
Schuyler having fallen sick--landed the whole of the force and
invested the fort.
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