My research on Ulysses Grant's military campaigns progressed smoothly with more reading about Grant's early movements in Missouri in 1861 and the Yazoo Expedition during his Vicksburg Campaign. I aim to learn more about these areas in which I need to familiarize myself with using the ORs. Nevertheless, I finished Timothy Smith's last volume on the Inland Campaigns for Vicksburg. This volume and The Siege of Vicksburg are some of his best works. The other book I am wrapping up is Gary Gallagher's edited book, The Wilderness Campaign. It was published roughly twenty years ago, but I don't know why I did not read it sooner. It is a beautiful collection of essays by historians such as Carol Reardon, John J. Hennessy, and Robert K. Krick. Their work covers the decisions of Lewis A. Grant, Morale in the Army of Northern Virginia, and the Lee to the Rear episode. However, a tip of the hat must go to Peter. S. Carmichael's essay, "Escaping the Shadow of Gettysburg: Richard S. Ewell and Ambrose Powell Hill at the Wilderness." His reevaluation of Hill and Ewell shed a very different light on the two men. Hardly characterizing them as military geniuses, their decisions at the Wilderness were sound, given the contradicting orders of Robert E. Lee. Nevertheless, I highly recommend all these books.
My last name, "Provost," is French. Before its Americanization under my great-great-grandfather, it was "Prevost." From my paternal side, they originally came from Quebec and immigrated to the United States sometime in the 1880s. However, it was almost the case that my name would have been Americanized well before the 1880s had Richard Montgomery successfully taken Quebec during the War for American Independence. In 1775, the Patriot forces experienced great success, taking advantage of the weak British position in the colonies by besieging Boston. However, they knew British reinforcements would arrive the following year, so they needed to act now. Initially, the Continentals sought Quebec to join the cause as the 14th colony. Still, due to the British native allies and French Catholics living in the region, they felt more safe under British rule than under American rule. Therefore, Quebec rejected the Continentals' invitation to join their cause. Philip Schuyler was initially promoted to major general by the Continental Congress, while Richard Montgomery was promoted to Brigadier General. They were to implement a plan to take Quebec for the Americans.
Richard Montgomery was a well-seasoned veteran and competent leader. He was well educated in his youth, only to serve under British forces during the French and Indian War, participating in various actions against the French, such as the Siege of Louisbourg. He then served in actions against the French and Spanish in the Caribbean. His leadership and movement north against Quebec led to Fort St. John and Montreal's capture, forcing the British General, Guy Carleton, to flee to Quebec City. Richard Montgomery worked in tandem with Benedict Arnold. Arnold convinced Washington to coordinate a movement against Quebec City through what is now the state of Maine, managed to capture Fort Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen before embarking on his expedition through Maine. Despite the challenges of weather and poor maps, many of Arnold's men deserted before reaching Quebec City. On the other hand, Montgomery's men fared better. Positioned outside Quebec City on the Plains of Abraham, they strategized on how to breach the city's walls without a direct assault.
Montgomery and Arnold had little time to lose because some of the men's terms of service were about to expire, and British reinforcements were coming. Therefore, they waited until a snowstorm hit to attack the city's flanks and storm the fortress from the rear of the town. Montgomery attacked the southern flank of the city. An aggressive officer, Montgomery, stormed the southern part of the city but was killed, leading a charge against a makeshift blockhouse occupied by British forces. Those remaining patriot forces opted to flee. Arnold's attack made more progress as they advanced from the northernmost flank of the city. Arnold was wounded in the fight, but he had a competent officer, Daniel Morgan, leading the charge. With an aggressive attitude, he made it some way into the city before being attacked on all sides pus, hed back into a corner, and blocked from either flank, preventing his escape. British forces captured him and his men after being surrounded.
Nevertheless, the Patriot forces stayed on the Plains of Abraham, hoping to find an opening to attack the city. Reinforcements eventually appeared, but the British received another 11,000 reinforcements. Arnold fell back, fighting a series of delaying actions to keep his army intact. They lost all previous gains made earlier in the campaign, but Arnold somehow managed to get the rest of the forces back to Philadelphia. Should Montgomery have survived, they could have met up with Arnold's flank in the center or drawn off some British forces surrounding Morgan's men. There could have been a greater chance of success had the soldiers signed up to serve longer than anticipated, giving them time to reinforce their army outside Quebec City. Nevertheless, the British held onto Quebec by the skin of their teeth. However, there was the off chance it very well could have become our 14th colony.
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