Memoirs Of Aaron Burr, Volume 1 - Matthew L. Davis (top android ebook reader txt) 📗
- Author: Matthew L. Davis
Book online «Memoirs Of Aaron Burr, Volume 1 - Matthew L. Davis (top android ebook reader txt) 📗». Author Matthew L. Davis
Richard Montgomery, And The Deep Sense They Entertained Of The Many
Signal And Important Services Of That Gallant Officer, Who, After A
Series Of Successes, Amid The Most Discouraging Difficulties, Fell, At
Length, In A Gallant Attack Upon Quebec, The Capital Of Canada, And To
Transmit To Future Ages, As Examples Truly Worthy Of Imitation, His
Patriotism, Conduct, Boldness Of Enterprise, Insuperable Perseverance,
And Contempt Of Danger And Death, A Monument Be Procured From Paris,
Or Other Part Of France, With An Inscription Sacred To His Memory, And
Expressive Of His Amiable Character And Heroic Achievements; And That
The Continental Treasurer Be Directed To Advance A Sum, Not Exceeding
Three Hundred Pounds Sterling, To Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Who Is
Desired To See This Resolution Properly Executed, For Defraying The
Expenses Thereof."
This Resolve Was Carried Into Execution At Paris By That Ingenious
Artist, M. Caffieres, Sculptor To Louis Xvi., King Of France, Under
The Direction Of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. The Monument Is Of White
Marble, Of The Most Beautiful Simplicity And Inexpressible Elegance,
With Emblematical Devices, And The Following Truly Classical
Inscription, Worthy Of The Modest But Great Mind Of Franklin.
To The Glory Of
Richard Montgomery,
Major-General Of The Armies Of The
United States Of America,
Slain At The Siege Of Quebec,
The Thirty-First Of December, 1775,
Aged 38 Years.
This Monument Was Erected In Front Of St. Paul'S Church, In The City
Of New-York, In The Spring Of 1789.
General Arnold Temporarily Became Commander-In-Chief Of The American
Army Near Quebec, And Was Accordingly Removed To Headquarters. Young
Burr Was Now Called Upon To Perform The Duties Of Brigade Major.
Arnold'S Plan Was, By A Close Blockade, To Starve Out The Enemy; But,
From The Weakness Of His Force, He Soon Discovered That This Was
Impracticable; And He Knew That, On The Opening Of The Spring, He
Could Not Retain His Present Position, But Must Retreat. He Therefore
Resolved To Send In A Flag Of Truce, And Demand A Surrender.
Chapter VI Pg 54He
Informed Captain Burr That He Was About To Send Him With A
Communication To General Carlton, The British Commander. Captain Burr
Required That He Should Be Made Acquainted With Its Contents. Arnold
Objected; Whereupon Burr Remarked That, If The General Wished It, He
Would Resign; But That He Could Not Consent To Be The Bearer Of The
Communication Without Possessing A Knowledge Of Its Character. At
Length, It Was Exhibited To Him. It Was Demanding A Surrender Of The
Fortress, But In Terms That Captain Burr Considered Unbecoming An
American Officer, And He So Stated To The General; Adding, That The
Bearer Of Such A Message, If He Were Permitted To Deliver It, Would Be
Treated By The British With Contumely And Contempt; And Therefore
Declined The Mission. Another Officer Was Selected, And Met The Fate
Burr Anticipated. Shortly After (April 1St, 1776), General Wooster
Arrived From Montreal And Took The Command. He Was Succeeded By
General Thomas About The 1St Of May; And, On The 5Th Of May, It Was
Determined In Council To Raise The Blockade Of Quebec, And That The
Sick And Wounded Should Be Immediately Removed, With The Artillery And
Stores, By Boats, To Three Rivers, Preparatory To A Retreat.
Burr'S Perseverance And Zeal During The March Through The Wilderness
With Arnold, His Subsequent Boldness In Joining Montgomery, And His
Intrepidity At The Assault On Quebec, Had Acquired For Him Great
Reputation In The Army, And Had Drawn Towards Him The Attention Of
Some Of The Most Distinguished Whigs In The United Provinces. From
Every Quarter He Received Highly Complimentary Letters. From A Few Of
Them Extracts Are Made. Colonel Antill, A Resident Of Montreal, Who
Had Joined The American Army, Thus Addresses Him, Five Days After The
Fall Of Montgomery:--
Chapter VI Pg 55"La La Chine, 5Th January, 1776.
"Dear Burr,
"I Have Desired Mr. Price To Deliver You My Pistols, Which You Will
Keep Until I See You. They Are Relics From My Father'S Family, And
Therefore I Cannot Give Them To You. The General (Wooster) Has Thought
Proper To Send Me To The Congress, Where I Shall Have An Opportunity
Of Speaking Of You As You Deserve.
"Yours,
"Edward Antill."
Chapter VI Pg 56On The 4Th Of January, General Wooster Writes From Montreal To General
Arnold:--
"Give My Love To Burr, And Desire Him To Remain With Colonel Clinton
For The Present. [1] Not Only Him, But All Those Brave Officers Who
Have So Nobly Distinguished Themselves. I Shall Ever Remember With
Gratitude And The Highest Degree Of Approbation, And Shall Not Fail To
Represent Them Accordingly.
"David Wooster."
Chapter VI (From A College-Chum Of Great Merit, He Received A Letter) Pg 57
"Philadelphia, January 24Th, 1776.
"Dear Burr,
"I Am Informed A Gentleman Is Just Setting Off For Quebec, And Snatch
The Opportunity Of At Once Condoling With You For The Loss Of Your
Brave General, And Congratulating You On The Credit You Have Gained In
That Action. 'Tis Said You Behaved Well--You Behaved Gallantly. I
Never Doubted But You Would Distinguish Yourself, And Your Praise Is
Now In Every Man'S Mouth. It Has Been My Theme Of Late. I Will Not Say
I Was Perfectly Disinterested In The Encomiums I Bestowed. You Were A
Son Of Nassau Hall, And Reflected Honour On The Place Of _My_
Education. You Were My Classmate And Friend, And Reflected Honour On
Me. I Make No Doubt But Your Promotion Will Be Taken Care Of. The
Gentlemen Of The Congress Speak Highly Of You.
"Your Affectionate,
"William Bradford, Jun."
Chapter VI (Judge Tappan Reeve Writes) Pg 58
"Stockbridge, January 27Th, 1776.
"Dear Burr,
"Amid The Lamentations Of A Country For The Loss Of A Brave,
Enterprising General, Your Escape From Such Imminent Danger, To Which
You Have Been Exposed, Has Afforded Us The Greatest Satisfaction. The
News Of The Unfortunate Attack Upon Quebec Arrived Among Us On The
13Th Of This Month. I Concealed It From Your Sister Until The 18Th,
When She Found It Out; But, In Less Than Half An Hour, I Received
Letters From Albany, Acquainting Me That You Were In Safety, And Had
Gained Great Honour By Your Intrepid Conduct. It Gave Us A Kind Of
Happiness That I Should Be Very Loath Ever Again To Enjoy; For It
Never Can Be The Case Until You Have Again Been Exposed To The Like
Danger, And Have Again Escaped It, Which I Hope May Never Happen. To
Know That You Were In Safety Gave Great Pleasure. It Was Heightened By
Hearing That Your Conduct Was Brave. Could You Have Been Crowned With
Success, It Would Have Been Complete.
"It Was Happy For Us That We Did Not Know That You Were An
Aid-De-Camp, Until We Heard Of Your Welfare; For We Heard That
Montgomery And His Aid-De-Camps Were Killed, Without Knowing Who His
Aid-De-Camps Were.
"Your Sister Enjoys A Middling State Of Health. She Has Many Anxious
Hours Upon Your Account; But She Tells Me That, As She Believes You
May Serve Your Country In The Business In Which You Are Now Employed,
She Is Contented That You Should Remain In The Army. It Must Be An
Exalted Public Spirit That Could Produce Such An Effect Upon A Sister
As Affectionate As Yours.
"Adieu.
"T. Reeve."
Chapter VI (His Friend, Jonathan Bellamy, Writes) Pg 59
"My Very Dear Friend,
"Be You Yet Alive? I Have Been Infinitely Distressed For You; But I
Hope It Is Now As Safe With You As Glorious. Doctor Jim Cogswell Has
Left The Army. A Few Days Ago I Received A Letter From Him. 'I Doubt
Not,' He Says, 'You Have Most Sensible Pleasure In The Applauses
Bestowed On Our Friend Burr; When I Hear Of His Gallant Behaviour, I
Feel Exquisite Delight.'
"Curse On This Vile Distance Between Us. I Am Restless To Tell You
Every Thing; But Uncertainty Whether You Would Ever Hear It Bids Me Be
Silent, Till, In Some Future Happy Meeting, I May Hold You To My
Bosom, And Impart To You Every Emotion Of My Heart.
"Yours Sincerely,
"Jona. Bellamy."
Comments (0)