ff the field
back to the General Hospital, where, to his intense chagrin, he soon
learned the defeat and death of Montgomery. The command then devolved on
Morgan, who, after a gallant charge, carried the first barrier, taking a
number of prisoners, and pushed to the second and more important one
further in the interior of Lower Town. On the way, his men scattered and
disarmed a number of Seminary scholars, among whom was Eugene Sarpy.
Many of these escaped to Upper Town and were the first to acquaint
Carleton with the grave condition of affairs. He instantly despatched
Caldwell with a strong force of his militiamen, including a body
commanded by Roderick Hardinge. Thus reinforced, the defenders of the
second barrier made so stout a resistance that Morgan was completely
baffled. In the darkness and confusion occasioned both by a murderous
enfilading fire and the fury of the snow-storm, he could scarcely keep
his men together. In order to recognize each other the Continentals wore
a band of paper around their caps, with the words _Mors aut Victoria_,
or _Liberty for Ever_, conspicuously written. But even this was of scant
avail. For the purpose of further concentration, Morgan decided on
abandoning the open street and occupying the houses on the south side,
whence he could keep up a telling fire on the interior of the barricade.
He thus obtained some shelter, but he could not prevent his ranks from
rapidly thinning under the artillery and musketry fire of the enemy. His
men fell on every side. Several of his best officers were killed or
wounded under his very eye. The brave Virginian stormed and raged, but
his most valiant efforts were futile. There was a propitious moment when
he might have retreated in safety. He chafed against the idea, and his
hesitation proved fatal. Carleton sent out from Palace Gate a detachment
of two hundred men, under Captain Laws, to march up Sault-au-Matelot
street and take the Continentals in the rear. The movement was
completely successful. Morgan was forced to understand his desperate
situation and yielded bravely to fate. He surrendered the remnant of his
shattered army, a total of four hundred and twenty-six men.

This was the dread culmination. The great stroke had been made and it
had disastrously failed. Quebec still remained towering on its granite
pedestal. British power still stood defiant. The Continentals had broken
their victorious campaign against this gigantic obstacle. Montgome