ir
feelings. This done, and having landed his baggage and provisions, the
general proceeded along the Sorel River the next day with his boats,
until within two miles of St. Johns, when a cannonade was opened from
the fort.

In the night the camp was visited secretly by a person who informed
General Schuyler of the state of the fort. The works were completed,
and furnished with cannon. A vessel pierced for sixteen guns was
launched, and would be ready to sail in three or four days. It was not
probable that any Canadians would join the army, being disposed to
remain neutral. This intelligence being discussed in a council of war
in the morning, it was determined that they had neither men nor
artillery sufficient to undertake a siege. They returned, therefore,
to the Isle aux Noix, cast up fortifications, and threw a boom across
the channel of the river to prevent the passage of the enemy's vessels
into the lake, and awaited the arrival of artillery and reinforcements
from Ticonderoga. In the course of a few days the expected
reinforcements arrived, and with them a small train of artillery.
Ethan Allen also returned from his reconnoitring expedition, of which
he made a most encouraging report.

Preparations were now made for the investment of St. Johns, by land
and water. Major Brown, who had already acted as a scout, was sent
with one hundred Americans and about thirty Canadians towards
Chamblee, to make friends in that quarter, and to join the army as
soon as it should arrive at St. Johns. To quiet the restless activity
of Ethan Allen, who had no command in the army, he was sent with an
escort of thirty men to retrace his steps, penetrate to La Prairie,
and beat up for recruits among the people whom he had recently
visited.

For some time past, General Schuyler had been struggling with a
complication of maladies, but exerting himself to the utmost in the
harassing business of the camp. When everything was nearly ready, he
was attacked in the night by a severe access of his disorder, which
confined him to his bed, and compelled him to surrender the conduct of
the expedition to General Montgomery. Since he could be of no further
use, therefore, in this quarter, he caused his bed, as before, to be
placed on board a covered bateau, and set off for Ticonderoga, to
hasten forward reinforcements and supplies.

On the 16th of September, the day after Schuyler's departure,
Montgomery proceeded to carry out the plans which ha