On This Day: Washington asks injured Benedict Arnold for supplies |
The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a new series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Jan. 12, 1776
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Two weeks after the disastrous American assault on Quebec, known as the “attack on Quebec,” Gen. George Washington remained unaware that the invasion failed or that Gen. Richard Montgomery was killed on Dec. 31.
The decision to invade Quebec rested on two assumptions. First, many colonists, mainly British Protestants, still viewed Catholic French Canada as a lingering threat. Second, Quebec was seen as a natural fit for the American cause, with many in the Continental Congress believing it “deserving” of a place in the new union.
Unaware that the city had not fallen, and that Montgomery was dead, Washington