St Johns and Chambly part 2 (Quebec 1775)

A third attempt was scheduled for 13 September, but the weather intervened. Schuyler again fell ill and, on 16 September, handed over command to Montgomery. Determined to make the most of this opportunity, Montgomery returned to St Johns that day with 2,000 men aboard a schooner, a sloop, two armed row galleys, and ten bateaux -sufficient to blockade both the fort and the river. He also had 40 Canadians recruited near Chambly by Livingston and Jeremy Duggan, a Quebec barber, and led by Major John Brown. The Americans disembarked under sporadic artillery fire and encircled the fort. Brown captured a supply column from Laprairie and then occupied an old redoubt astride the road. The fort's commander, Major Charles Preston, sent out a patrol, which captured Hazen and forced Brown to abandon the work. Montgomery then arrived with 500 fresh troops and forced the British back to the fort with some loss but in good order. By the evening of 18 September the Americans had the fort surrounded and Preston sent Lorimier to inform Carleton of his predicament. The next day, Montgomery sent patrols to warn of any relief attempt from Montreal - Brown went to Laprairie, while Allen (a subordinate any commander would happily send elsewhere) headed north with Livingston and Duggan to recruit more Canadians, and then occupied Longueuil. Few habitants took the bait. Local leaders, especially the clergy, made every effort to dissuade their neighbors from joining the Americans, and one group even wrote to Carleton, begging his pardon for not turning out with the militia. These loyalists expected immediate aid from Carleton, but he chose to remain in Montreal, which - though correct militarily - led many citizens to question the wisdom of openly backing the British. While few Canadians helped Livingston, none tried to hinder him and he was able to intercept all vessels coming up the Richelieu from Sorel. On 24 September, Allen and Brown met at Laprairie and hatched a plan to capture Montreal. The idea was presented by Allen, who was upset at losing command of the Green Mountain Boys to his cousin Seth Warner, and now had a commission but no command. Brown would cross from Laprairie and land south of the city with 200 men. Allen, with 30 men detached by Brown and 80 of his own (mostly Canadians), would cross from Longueuil and attack from the north. Allen ferried his men across during the night of 25 September and by dawn was awaiting the signal that Brown was ready. It never came.