Quebec Expedition/Battle of Quebec (1775)

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Permalink Reply by Rachael Sorenson on July 14, 2009 at 7:54pm

My ancestor, Silas Tucker b. 2 Oct 1739, d. 1777, enlisted from Sheffield, MA. He was on the expedition to Canada in 1775, and was in the Burgoyne Campaign and severly wounded at Hubbardton, VT, in 1777. He died in Hospital at Ft. Ticondaroga of smallpox in 1777.

Permalink Reply by GeneJ on July 19, 2009 at 5:59pm

Hi Rachael,
Was Silas among those taken prisoner at Quebec?
My ancestor is William Preston, he had served earlier at Bunker Hill and when, in Sept. 1775, he transferred to Dearborn's unit for the Quebec Expedition.
William Preston went on to serve three years in the 3rd NH Regmt; Capt. Benjamin Stone's company, Alexander Scammell, Commander. He was with the 3rd at the taking of Burgoyne. William mentions the campaigns he served in with the 3rd. I have started to reconcile the dates, places and battles, but have much more work to do and resources to learn about.
I'm further along in researching his service in Dearborn's unit. I follow William to 11 Sept 1776--he's on the _Mermaid_ at New York harbor. From his affidavit and other documents in the pension file of another soldier, I learn William came ashore at Elizabeth, New Jersey and travelled to Kingsbridge for his pay. Hoping to learn on day if there is a record of those who were let off the boats at NJ and/or if any pay records from Kingsbridge in that period still exist.

Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Valin on August 23, 2009 at 9:14pm

I've studied the mission quite a bit, since I have my masters in military history with a concentration in the American Revolution. If he was captured, then he would have been held prisoner alongside Daniel Morgan, and there are several books about him that you could read that describe the invasion pretty well. I'd also suggest "Benedict Arnold's Navy" by James Nelson.

My ancestor was actually on the British side. He was the captain in command of the squadron that relieved Quebec from the seige.

Permalink Reply by GeneJ on August 23, 2009 at 10:18pm

Hi Christopher:
So ... it may have been your ancestor who marched my guy to the blockade?

Thank you for responding to my inquiry.

I checked the descriptors (Library of Congress) for Nelson's book -- it appears most worthy, but perhaps has a a focus on a later period in the war. Would love to know more about the books you'd suggest. --Gj

Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Valin on August 23, 2009 at 11:37pm

Hi Gene,

My ancestor was a captain (and later a rear-admiral) in the Royal Navy, so it wouldn't have been him. Plus, he didn't arrive until May of 1776.

The only thing I didn't like about "Benedict Arnold's Navy" was that the title is misleading. It actually does an excellent job of describing the entire invasion in detail, and it's a very enjoyable read. I also liked "Daniel Morgan: Revolutionary Rifleman" by Don Higginbotham, which describes not only the invasion, but the time the prisoners spent in Quebec (and they were treated very well, by the way).

Let me know if you have any more questions. I'd be happy to answer them.

-Christopher

Permalink Reply by Susan Sanderson on November 10, 2010 at 1:46pm

What do they call the 1775 Ethan Allen expedition and attack on Ft St John (Quebec) then? I've always seen that referred to as the "Invasion of Canada". I have an ancestor who was part of that action, but didn't even realize there was a follow-up campaign.

Permalink Reply by GeneJ on November 10, 2010 at 2:02pm

Hi Susan,

The best reference might come from military scholars, but I find reference to a "[raid on] Fort St. Jean," (May 1775) in the _Wikipedia_ entry for the "Siege of Fort Jean" (September 17 to November 3, 1775) reporting St. Jean as aka, St. John/St. Johns/St. John's). See the URL, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Fort_St._Jean ; note the passage, "Fort Saint-Jean guarded the entry to the province of Quebec on the Richelieu River at the northern end of Lake Champlain. When Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen captured Fort Ticonderoga and raided Fort St. Jean in May 1775, Quebec was garrisoned by about 600 regular troops, some of which were widely distributed throughout Quebec's large territory"; cites George Stanley (1973), Canada Invaded 1775-1776, Hakkert, p. 29.

Hope this helps.

* "The Siege of Fort St. Jean (also called St. John, St. Johns, or St. John's) was conducted by American Brigadier General Richard Montgomery on the town and fort of Saint-Jean in the British province of Quebec during the American Revolutionary War. The siege lasted from ."

* Background: