ied. While in hospital we were treated with some
humanity, but when in prison we experienced much insolence from the
garrison set over us.

After we had been some time in the old Dauphin Gaol, which was built of
stone, and proof against musket and cannon balls, our fidelity was so
much relied on by most of the King's officers, that they scarce guarded
us at all. They appeared to consider us as deluded by the facinating
sound of liberty and freedom, and induced to take up arms when we were
not at heart inimical to his Britanic Majesty. Considering locks and
keys as useless, they committed the sole care of the prison to one of
our sergeants, who was faithful to the trust reposed in him, until about
the first of April, when we formed a plan for our escape.

We had now lost all hopes of the city's being taken by the American
arms, and we resolved to regain our liberty by our own efforts, or lose
our lives in the attempt.

Having watched the movements of the enemy for several days, unknown to
them, we determined with a party of 60 men to rise on the Gaol guard,
and disarm them, which consisted of 14 old decrepit men and young boys,
(whose appointment over us we considered rather an insult, than good
economy in the commander:) next we were to proceed to St. John's Gate,
about eight rods distant from the gaol and attack and disarm that guard,
consisting chiefly of English sailors, 18 in number, from whom we
expected a pretty warm reception: should we be thus far successful, an
hundred men, or more, were to proceed under the command of Colonel
Ashten, formerly sergeant major of Captain Lamb's train of artillery, to
turn the cannon on the battery, which were kept constantly loaded,
against the town, and to maintain this position at all hazards until
notice could be given to our army, and thus be the glorious means of
obtaining the object of all our toils, the possession of Quebec.

We made every preparation for breaking gaol, which we could do at a
moment's warning. We had previously procured by means of some friends in
town, six pistols, a sufficient quantity of powder and ball, and a good
supply of port fire; and in addition, a number of old iron hoops with
which we made cutlasses. Thus equipped, we intended the first stormy
night to put our bold and desperate plan into execution. But we had
among us a vile traitor[3], who discovered our plot to the barrack
master: it was a deserter from the King's troops at Boston. The
in