now, it was determined to storm the place. The force was divided
into four small columns for this purpose: two of which, under Majors
Livingston and Brown, were to make feigned attacks upon the upper town,
while the other two, led by Montgomery and Arnold, were to make real
attacks on opposite sides of the lower town, where all the wealth of
Quebec was deposited. Montgomery had succeeded in passing the first
barrier, that of the block-house, and had reached the Pot-ash battery,
which he was on the point of attacking, when he was shot dead, with
Captain Macpherson, his aide-de-camp, and several other officers, with a
well-charged gun from that battery. The rest of the column which he
led instantly fell back, and in the mean time Arnold himself had been
severely wounded. He was passing through the narrow street of the
Faubourg St. Roque towards the Saut de Matelot, where there was a strong
barrier with a battery of two twelve-pounders, one of which on his
approach was fired, and shattered his leg in so fearful a manner that he
was carried off the field to the rear in anguish. One Morgan now led
the column, and he rushed forward and took this battery, and then pushed
rapidly to another about forty paces distant. But here he was foiled.
Guns loaded with-grape shot met him and his men in the teeth, while
a fire of musketry was opened on both their flanks, so that they were
compelled to retreat into some stone houses in the suburb of St. Roque.
The attempt signally failed. In the end Morgan and his followers, to the
number of 340 men, surrendered themselves prisoners of war, and nearly
one hundred were slain. The rest still continued to blockade the city,
encamping in the best manner they could behind the Heights of Abraham,
and being still commanded by Arnold. They maintained their position for
four long wintry months, and reduced the city to great distress, but
they were finally compelled to give up the enterprise.

DISPOSITION AND REVOLT OF THE VIRGINIANS.

In the great southern state of Virginia Lord Dunmore, the governor, made
a bold stand in support of the authority of the mother country. Knowing
that it was about to be used against him, he seized all the gunpowder in
the magazine at Williamsburgh, and put it on board a schooner then lying
in James's River. This, however, involved him in a quarrel with the
corporation of that town, who demanded the powder back again. This was
refused, and Patrick Henry, the orator