Quebec Expedition, 1775


[Upon the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in May, '75, the project of invading Canada became popular both in Congress and the Army. Gen. Montgomery having been authorized to make the attempt by way of Lake Champlain, Washington organized an expedition to co-operate with him by the way of the Kennebec and the Maine woods. This force was composed of thirteen companies of volunteers detached from the several New England regiments around Boston and the Penn. and Va. rifle companies lately arrived in camp--the total number of officers and men being 1300. Connecticut's quota was one full Company, 100 strong. Col. Benedict Arnold was assigned to the command of the force with Lieut. Cols. Green, of R. I., and Enos, of Conn., and Maj's Bigelow of Mass. and Meigs of Conn., as the other field officers. The Connecticut Co. was commanded by Capt. Hanchett. Montgomery and Arnold joined forces before Quebec and attempted its capture by assault, Dec. 31, '75, with the well known disastrous result.]


FIELD AND STAFF

Colonel: Benedict Arnold New Haven Appt. by Washington, about Sept. 1, '75, Col. Comding Exp.; wounded in assault upon Quebec, Dec. 31, '75; cont. in comd before Queb. Until relieved by Gen. Wooster, Ap. 1, '76. See Ticond. Exp.
Lieut.-Colonel: Roger Enos Windsor Lt.-Col. Spencer's (2nd) Regt. In command of Arnold's rear division; returned with his party, through lack of provisions, to Camp at Boston; tried by Court-martial and acquitted of blame; served with militia in '76-'78; removed to Vermont and there appt. Brig.-Gen. militia; served as such in North. Dept. in 1781.
Major: Return Jonathan Meigs Middletown Maj., Spencer's Regt. In command of Arnold's second division; taken pris. In assault upon Quebec, Dec. 31, '75; released on parole, May 16, '76; exch. Jan. 10, '77; re-ent. Cont. service in '77.
Quarter Master: Benjamin Catlin Wethersfield Appt. from Serj., Chester's Co., Spencer's Regt.; pris. At Quebec, Dec. 31, '75; exch. Jan. 10, '77.
Volunteer: Eleazer Oswald[Footnote: Oswald, a young man, native of Great Britain, was residing in New Haven in the fall of '74, and assisted in organizing the Second Co. Gov.'s Foot Guards. Marching to Boston in the Lexington alarm, he went with Arnold to Ticonderoga and Crown Point and again on the Quebec Exp. Returning to New Haven after his exchange, he was appt. Lieut. Col. of Lamb's artillery, and assisted in recruiting the Conn. quota. In private letters he mentions his wife and child in New Haven, and in 1779 his name appears among the Officers whose families were then at Farmington.] New Haven Of 2d Co. Gov.'s Foot Guards; pris. At Quebec, Dec. 31, '75; exch. Jan. 10, '77; ent. Art. Service in '77. See Ticond. Exp.
Volunteer: Samuel Lockwood Greenwich Lieut. 3d Co., Waterbury's Regt.; marched with Montgomery's force to Quebec; pris. Dec. 31, '75; exch. Jan. 10, '77; re-ent. Service in '77.

CAPT. HANCHETT'S COMPANY


Captain: Oliver Hanchett Suffield Capt. 10th Co., Spencer's Regt.; comding the Conn. Co. in the Exp.; pris. At Quebec, Dec. 31, '75; exch. Jan. 10, '77.
Lieutenant: Samuel Cooper Chatham Lieut. 2d Co., Spencer's Regt.; killed in assault upon Quebec, Dec. 31, '75.
2d Lieut: Abijah Savage Middletown Lieut. 4th Co., Spencer's Regt.; pris. At Quebec, Dec. 31, '75; exch. Jan. 10, '77; re-ent. Cont. service in '77.
Ensign: James Knowles Wethersfield Appt. from Serj., Chester's Co., Spencer's Regt.; rept. Later in privateer service.

The following is "a true List of the soldiers....that were Taken at the Defeat of Quebec the 31st of December, A. D. 1775, Belonging to Capt. Oliver Hanchett's Company."

Rev. War, Vol. III., p. 649. Remarks added.
Names And Rank Remarks
Serjeants
Gabriel Hodgkiss 5th Co., 1st Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Gershom Willcock's 3d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
David Sage 2d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Corporals
Roswell Ransom Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
John Risden 10th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Jonathan Taylor 3d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Privates
David Sheldon 10th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Elijah Marshall 2d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Moses White 3d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Samuel Bliss Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Samuel Burniss (Barrows) 8th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Nathaniel Coleman 9th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Daniel Royce Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Richard Bruce Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Abner Stocking 2d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Samuel Biggs 7th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Edward Lawrence 5th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Privates
Isaac Knapp 5th Co., 1st Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Ichabod Swaddle 3d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Noah Whipple 5th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Patrick Nugent Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Isaac George 5th Co., 1st Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
William Goodrich 2d Co., 2d Regt.; killed Dec. 31, '75.
John Morris 10th Co., 2d Regt.; killed Dec. 31, '75.
Peter Heady Regt.; killed Dec. 31, '75.
Spencer Merrick Regt.; killed Dec. 31, '75.
Nathl Goodrich 2d Co., 2d Regt.; killed Dec. 31, '75.
Elishma Brandekee 2d Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Pelletiah Dewey Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Joel Loveland 10th Co., 2d Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
died Feb. 28, '76.
Simon Winter Regt.; pris. Dec. 31, '75.
Jedediah Dewey 10th Co., 2d Regt. Of Suffield; died at Que.
Solomon Way Regt. Of Suffield; died at Que.
Drummer Major
John Bazzle Regt. Of Suffield; died at Que.

[George Hubbard of Hanchett's Company died Jan., '76. Alexander Spencer, of Sharon, stated to have died on the march.]

[The following men not included in the above list, are reported on the rolls or in the pay table accounts as having marched with the Expedition.]

FIRST REGIMENT

5th Company

Joseph Lewis, ret'nd
Samuel Barnes, ret'nd
Benjamin Warner, ret'nd
John Wise, ret'nd
Samuel Barney, ret'nd

SECOND REGIMENT

1st Company

William Johnson, ret'nd

2d Company

Theodore Hooker
Jacob Crow, ret'nd

3d Company

Aaron Bull [drummer]
William Mitchell [Serjt. Sept. 1, '75]
John Cole [Corpl.]

5th Company

Daniel Rice

7th Company

Charles Ferguson

8th Company

Joseph Goff

9th Company

Lyon Wentworth, ret'nd

10th Company

John Conly, fifer
James Morris, pris.; disc. from Queb. May 6, '76.

THIRD REGIMENT

2d Company

Charles Bartlett [died Oct. 20, '75]. 5 men marched.

4th Company

3 men marched, ret'nd

5th Company

Asa Davidson
Daniel Owen

6th Company

11 men marched

7th Company

Marmaduke Allyn, ret'nd
Phineas Child, ret'nd
Elihu Johnson, ret'nd
Theophilus Luther, ret'nd
Martin Lewis, ret'nd
Jonathan Mason, ret'nd
Benjamin Scott, ret'nd
Zechariah Smith, ret'nd

8th Company

1 fifer & 1 drummer, ret'nd

SIXTH REGIMENT

1st Company

5 men marched

9th Company

Az. Hebyard, ret'nd
Gideon Porter, ret'nd
James Moore, ret'nd

EIGHTH REGIMENT

2d Company

Jos. Hurlburt, ret'nd

3d Company

David Leamons
Elijah Boardman, ret'nd
Jos. Curtis, ret'nd

GUNS LOST IN ARNOLD'S DETACHMENT BY:

Eliphalet King, John Sheldon, Nathaniel Norton, William Green, Elijah Sheldon [Selden]?, Jos: Forward, Lot Loveland, Mark Lun, Noah Coleman, Freeman Judd, Benj. Atwell, John Dewey, Aron Fosbury, Theophilus Hyde, Eben. White, Richard Leming, Benjamin Lyon. Jonathan Bill, of Lebanon, states that at the assault he "just ascaped with the loss of his cloathing and arms while he was helping to carry off the sick and wounded."[Footnote: The above eighty-nine men, with the eight officers and two "volunteers," represent very nearly the full complement called for from the Connecticut regiments for the expedition.]

[ Connecticut In The Revolution ]