BATTLE // January 1, 1775

Invasion of Quebec (1775)

Name: Invasion of Quebec (1775)
Start: 1775-01-01
End: 1775-01-01
Location: Invasion of Quebec (1775)

Significance

The Invasion of Quebec was the first major military initiative undertaken by the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. The campaign pursued two strategic aims: seizing the Province of Quebec from British control and drawing French-speaking Canadiens into alliance with the Thirteen Colonies. One column under Richard Montgomery advanced from Fort Ticonderoga, besieging and capturing Fort Saint-Jean and taking Montreal, while a second column under Benedict Arnold traversed the Maine wilderness to converge on Quebec City. Despite these initial successes, the two forces were defeated at Quebec in December 1775. The failure foreclosed any prospect of Canada joining the revolution and left the northern frontier exposed, ultimately allowing Britain to use Quebec as a base from which to threaten the colonies from the north throughout the remainder of the war. The campaign also demonstrated the difficulty of projecting force over extended wilderness supply lines while relying on local populations that did not mobilize as anticipated.

Tactics

Montgomery's column departed Fort Ticonderoga, conducted a siege of Fort Saint-Jean sufficient to reduce it, and subsequently took Montreal, coming close to capturing British commander Guy Carleton in the process. Arnold's column undertook a separate approach march from Cambridge, Massachusetts, moving through the wilderness of Maine under considerable hardship before reaching Quebec City. The two forces joined at Quebec City, where they launched an assault that ended in defeat. The overview does not provide further detail on the dispositions or maneuvers at the assault itself.