Talk:Battle of Longue-Pointe

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After the stirring success of driving the British from Boston and Ticonderoga the American’s hatched upon a daring scheme… the invasion of Canada. Not only did many colonial leaders want control of Canadian territory, the American military command also pointed out that the capture of Canada would help secure the colonies against invasion from behind. A mission was hastily devised where two small forces would invade Canada and capture Montreal and Quebec. At his own suggestion and with the need for scouts and Rangers high, the now General Allen and his Green Mountain boys were assigned to the invasion force.

The plan was for two forces to invade from separate routes. One would invade from Ticonderoga and the southern approaches to Canada and the other under Benedict Arnold would march through Vermont, and Maine, then back down the St. Lawrence river and attack from the North. While the plan looked good on paper, it was critically flawed. The attackers were forced to move out late in the season, lest their militia leave in the middle of the assault when their enlistments ran out. Further, there was not enough food to support Arnold on his long northern march, especially for an army moving through New England in winter.

Allen, with 100 Rangers, was assigned with American General Montgomery to attack Montreal from the south. As the army began pushing north Montgomery elected to attack a strategic British Fort named St. Johns, which quickly turned into a siege. Recognizing the British might mobilize their Canadian forces while the American’s were bogged down in their siege, Allen took his troops on a daring march north in an attempt to capture Montreal quickly. Allen moved north through the woods stealthily, attempting to recruit native Canadians to his cause along the way. Allen met with some success, and conceived a risky plan for a converging attack on Montreal by splitting his force and attacking from two directions simultaneously. Allen and his men would move to an area known as Longue-Pointe.

On the 24-25th of September 1775, Allen and 110 men crossed the St. Lawrence river north of the town, but was suddenly left to fend for himself when his Canadian recruits failed to show up. Meanwhile Sir Guy Carleton, the British commander, mobilized with a force of 235 British, and an additional group of Indians. Allen was at this point unable to re-cross the river safely and took up a defensive position in the woods a few miles from town.

Some of his new recruits fled as soon as the British force arrived, but the Green Mountain Boys continued to put up a stubborn fight. As the British pressed them from the front, their Indian allies constantly flanked Allen on his sides. Allen began a fighting withdraw which went on through the Canadian forests for over a mile. Finally, when reduced to 31 men, and surrounded by Indians on all sides, Allen surrendered.