New-York tribune., 1901-11-24

The Macmillan Company.
Although the invasion Of Canada was a
cornplete failure, and Americans have been nat
u-ally willing 70 forget Benedict Arnold's ser
vices, not even the infamy OF his treason has
ere- been able 10 take from him the credit for
6eTo-iOr, bravery and fortitude in mis- terrible
march through the Maine woods and more ter
r15le winter before the walls Of Quebec. Mr.
Goldman. who did not live TO see his book pub
Eshe5 followed Arn0lds route up the Ken
rebec and down the Chaudiere and made q
thorough study Of all the journals and other
sources Of information harmonizing them into
: delightfully."- COMPACT readable and generally
--.ls-rvorrhy history Of the Quebec campaign
= 5s ---.n that he was devotee OF Parkman,
though ID his emulation Of that lnlmta Die
writer he fell into 2 TOO rhetorical mode Of
describing natural scenery The story Of Ar
Mods struggles with nature offered almost ir-
-esis-ibIy tempting opportunities for the in
d1.!cence Of his Qerfe-vid taste in this regard
tn s--en6ices for which other hands may be
RESPONSIBLE do not display the same care for
accuracy that the -ext reveals. and contain
several mistakes OF fact and date. notably con-
ce-ning the subsequent careers Of Morgan
Nelgs and Enos- These are defects however,
which DO not seriously detract from the charac-
tar q the book as one Of the most valuable OF
recent studies il the history Of the Revolution
The expedition TO Quebec Is commonly r.
Ea-zed as an IL judged and tooIhardy unde--
taking that never had any chance Of success
Even Montgomery. whose death at the head
q his assaultirg party has enshrined him for
ever n the affections OF his CcUntryner- -
cHten thought Of with rather UityIns admiration
ss the hero OF QuiXouc exploit me ooe9
indeed were heavily against the Americans ouJ
Is NJ Goldman shows, the project was ny no
means due 70 overconfidence and hravado- Ia-
end TO be gained was worth great risks to-e-
r;aIs who remembered how DUquesu= and
Yaudre5.zI had threatened from French Canada
20 break through their narrow territories and
almost drive them into th= ocean could easily
rorasee the campaigns of BurEoyne and -
I.eze- and the devastation Of their frontiers -
-he I-o4uoEs nc longer their friends i England
should retain military base IL l1elr rear al
Cu-Hse They could not count on BursoEle
a-G clinton Just falling ny q narrow margin. as
1r-v did. to grasp tn-lr opportunity 10 eut OF
England cror -ae other States and COM
p-e--.v wreck Jhe patriot cause quebec. a. Il
Ia 5a-n fifteen years before. was fairly 70 De-
considered The key To III Atlantic states 10 ae
fought for by those who would rule America.
Therefore QueLec should be Won before Eng
land had time 10 make Il ln1T-eGuahie. Nor vas
tbe enterprise chIruer5aaL The Canadians were
To- unfriendIy- But for che impoitic uttecanc-s
o. narrowly Protestant Continental Congress
abo1t French Jurisprudence and Roman Cathoi-
ie5zrl. they might IN q body have been active
-ez-a.uriorists As II was. some Of them actually
toz--E the Americans. others quietly aided them
and al stood ready 70 rally about them with
The prospect Of success. The English had the
advantage Of d strong defensive position but
Carleto-.'s force was little superior % that with
which Washington planned 10 confront him.
nor was the army which actually reached
Cu-b,-c after all its hardships and decimaJion
one which Carleton could afford 70 despise-
The campaign was vel planned on approved
Ia-s. Montgomery followed il the footsteps OF
Amherst dorn Lake ChauplaIr, took Montreal
and almost captured Carleton himself Arnold
undertook The task Of Wolfe, but instead Of sail
5nS comfortably 70 The - Lawrence. was com
PEELED 10 make MS approach through The Maine
wilderness The best information obtairabI-
grea-ly Lr5eres-.ulate5 The distance. floods
HIieA -he-e was no reason TO expect delayed
him and destroyed his equipment: and one Of
the four divisions Of his army, under Enos, de-
serted nm half way TO Quebec. taking back
large share Of The reserve provisions IutrUsted
% Il The rear guard In spite of these dis
coUrage geTnerts Arnold pressed on with untjring
energy Had all his men been like the PennsyI-
raria rifemen and Morgan's Nirginians he
might have told different story but many OF
the New-E England troops showed that same lack
-f h. all rbz 7aTrS