The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-18
A NIGHT ATTACK UPON QUEBEC.
The Dramatic story of Montgomery
FutiIe Attempt.

Justin II. Smith, in the Century.
The last weekday Of the year arrived.
and the afternoon brought a cold, buster
ing snowstorm from the northeast At a
quarter past 4 o'clock, when the sun was
supposed to be setting, one could hardly
see. Favored once more" thought Mont
sault Quebec-a night when Fortune could
keep a tryst without fear OF detection.
Dark? No; black-olack as the bore OF a
fine snow whirled and drifted; hail stung
the air, kissing.
About half past 4 in the morning Mall
colin Fraser rushed down st. Louis street,
crying like a tocsin: Turn out. turn outi
turn out!" and Quebec awoke with a start
and a cry. Two rockets had gone up from
the foot of Cape Diamond bastion; firing
had begun there; men were seen approach
ing the walls. Out rang the great bell or
the cathedral. One by one. but all quickly,
of the Jesuit College and the Recollet
Monastery gave tongue. The gentle prayer
bell of the Ursulines Joined in the turmoil,
while the sisters fell on their knees in the
Dieu, praying in the vaults. felt the jar
and heard the dull clang Of their own bell
swinging furiously: and far away In the
the cry for help. The dogs barked madly.
Cannon began TO thunder. A torrent OF
shells came in from the American mortars
in st. Roch, and the city walls quivered
with the retort. Fire balls glared and
sputtered in front of the bastions. Drums
beat wildly. VI and down the streets in
the glow OF lanterns and the smoky fare
of torches. Officers roared their orders.
Citizens rushed hither and thither TO their
posts. Boys and old men OF seventy
shouldered guns. Squads OF sailors and
Maclean's enIigrants. in green coats faced
with scarlet: squads OF the fusiliers. in
red with facings of blue; squads of militia,
in green coats. bun breeches and bun
waistcoats, met, stared th~reateningly at
one another In the dim light. and then
hurried on. Children woke Up and held
their breath, too frightened TO cry. Even
at the general hospital. a mile away the
nuns were sure that a fatal hour had
come, for the town blazed and its thunder
enveloped them. and they tremblingly par
ring OF fire. a crater OF tumult The fright
full din of IL swept on up the st. Lawrence.
tossing and whir1ing and writhtng In the
tempest; and in the midst of oil this Gov
ernor Carleton. calm, alert, fearless,
walked down the steps OF the castle and
marched across TO the Recollet Monas-
terry, the place of assembling.
For a time the firing ragged all along the
fortified front and beyond IL. but in a little
while the attack seemed to be dying out
An attempt TO burn the palace gate came
to nothing. LivingstoI's Canadians were
soon scampe~ing for shelter. Browns men
kept up a rafting fire below Cape Diamond
What Gid IL mean? Then came some
school boys from the Lower Town. crying
at the top Of their voices that Americans
had got in there. What? Yes. had got IN.
they insisted. Carleton sent Maclean TO
investigate. Soon he was back by God,
And so the battle ended. "A completes
failure" says Trevelyan. No doubt; but
that is not the wonder. The wonder 10
that human beings dared the venture.