omas was seized with the small=pox, of which he died.[27]

[Footnote 27: Whilst the troops of the United Colonies were
flying from the vicinity of Quebec, an unexpected calamity
befel them in a different quarter of that province.

Colonel Bedel, with three hundred and ninety continental
troops and two field pieces, had been stationed at the
Cedars, a point of land about forty miles above Montreal,
which projected far into the St. Lawrence, and could be
approached only on one side. Early in the spring, General
Carleton had planned an expedition against this post, the
execution of which was committed to Captain Forster, who
commanded at an English station on Oswegachie. At the head
of a company of regulars and a body of Indians, amounting in
the whole to six hundred men, he appeared before the
American works early in May. Two days previous to his
appearance, Colonel Bedel had received intelligence of his
approach; and, leaving the fort to be commanded by Major
Butterfield, had proceeded himself to Montreal, to solicit
assistance. Arnold, who then commanded at that place,
immediately detached Major Sherburne to the Cedars with one
hundred men; and prepared to follow, in person, at the head
of a much larger force.

Although the place could have been easily defended, the
besiegers having no artillery--Major Butterfield,
intimidated by the threat, that should any Indians be killed
during the siege, it would be out of the power of Captain
Forster to restrain the savages from massacreing every
individual of the garrison, consented to a capitulation, by
which the whole party became prisoners of war. The next day,
Major Sherburne approached without having received any
information that Butterfield had surrendered. Within about
four miles of the Cedars, he was attacked by a considerable
body of Indians; and, after a sharp conflict, surrendered at
discretion.

On being informed of these untoward events, Arnold, at the
head of seven hundred men, marched against the enemy then at
Vaudreuil, in the hope of recovering the American prisoners.
When preparing for an engagement, he received a flag,
accompanied by Major Sherburne, giving him the most positive
assurances that if he persisted in his design, it would be
entirely out of the p