Arnold's march through Maine part 2 (Quebec 1775)

Arnold had estimated the distance to Quebec at 180 miles (290km); it was actually over 300 miles (480km). A mild taste of how much the terrain would exacerbate that underestimation occurred just half a mile (0.8km) beyond Fort Halifax, an abandoned outpost at the mouth of the Sebasticook River. The men had to hoist the bateaux out of the water, carry them along a thickly wooded bluff, then row upstream over five miles (8km) of rapids, before hoisting the bateaux and their contents up the 100ft (30m) rock face of the Skowhegan Falls. As they completed this task, an icy rain began to fall and the next morning their clothes were frozen. At Norridgewock, the last human habitation before the Chaudiere, Arnold found Greene's command discarding spoiled food, leaving only salt pork and flour (both also in short supply). A growing number of men had dysentery and to make matters worse, the bateaux were capsizing as the green wood warped. Arnold had carpenters brought up from Gardinerston to make the necessary repairs, but it took almost a week and Arnold had to wait until 9 October before leaving Norridgewock. However, at Carritunk Falls Morgan's men managed to kill a moose and catch trout to augment the rations and the following day saw further progress up the Kennebec River, now just a fast but shallow stream. By nightfall Arnold could see the mountain that marked the 12-mile (19km) "Great Carry" - a portage that avoided an impassable stretch of the Dead River just west of its junction with the Kennebec. The portage also included three large ponds that were quicker and easier to navigate than the meandering, tree-infested river. On 11 October, the first three divisions arrived at the first pond, where Arnold set up his headquarters. The following day one of Arnold's scouts, Lieutenant Steele, reported that one of his men had seen the sun shining on the Chaudiere Pond, 15 miles (24km) distant, from a tree. Arnold ordered 20 axemen to clear the trail up as far as Sartigan, a former French outpost and the first human habitation on the Quebec side of the frontier. Goodrich's company built a storehouse to hold supplies for a possible retreat, and also a log hospital for the growing number of sick (now including men who had drunk the brackish water of the second pond). On 16 October, the force reached the third pond, which had clean drinking water and from where the portage ran downhill for two miles (3.2km) to a small plain. This looked firm from a distance, but proved to be a swamp. The men stumbled through it until they reached another watercourse that brought them finally to the Dead. The river lived up to its name, running so still that the troops could hardly make out which way it flowed. It also meandered so much that the mountains to the north were behind the men as often as they were in front. That night Arnold bivouacked with Greene, whose men were now on half rations. Arnold sent Bigelow to collect food from the rear division and, while they were waiting, Meigs brought up two freshly butchered oxen. The following day heavy rain prevented further progress for all but the advance party. As darkness fell, the fierce wind uprooted trees and forced the men to pitch their tents in clearings for safety. By the next morning the Dead River had risen over 8ft (2.4km), spoiling supplies, drenching clothing and tents, and making it more difficult to follow the line of the river.