During the American occupation of Montreal in 1776, a series of military engagements known as the Battle of the Cedars unfolded west of the city. These skirmishes, though not large-scale battles, represented significant setbacks for the American forces and highlighted their vulnerabilities in maintaining control over the broader Quebec territory. The events at Les Cèdres, Quinze-Chênes, and the subsequent negotiations reveal the complex interplay
of military strategy, local loyalties, and the challenges of supply lines during the American Revolutionary War's northern campaign.
British and Indigenous Forces Gather Strength
As spring approached in 1776, the American occupation of Montreal faced increasing threats from British garrisons upriver that had previously been overlooked. At Oswegatchie, one such garrison, bands of Cayuga, Seneca, and Mississauga warriors began to gather. This provided Captain George Forster, the British commander there, with a growing force to challenge the American presence. Forster had actively recruited these Indigenous allies based on recommendations from Loyalists who had escaped Montreal, indicating a coordinated effort to destabilize American control.
Adding to the American difficulties, a policy reversal by the congressional delegation inadvertently aided the British. General Wooster had previously prohibited trade with Indigenous peoples upriver, fearing supplies would reach British forces. However, the congressional delegation overturned this decision, allowing supplies to flow out of Montreal and potentially into the hands of Forster's growing contingent. This strategic misstep underscored the lack of unified command and understanding of the local dynamics among American leadership.
The Surrender at Les Cèdres
In response to rumors of Indigenous gatherings and to prevent supplies from reaching British forces upriver, Moses Hazen dispatched Colonel Timothy Bedel with 390 men to Les Cèdres, located 40 miles upriver from Montreal. There, Bedel's forces constructed a stockaded defense. However, Colonel Forster, informed of these movements by Indigenous spies and Loyalists, began his advance downriver on May 15 with a mixed force of approximately 250 Indigenous warriors, militia, and regulars.
What followed was an unusual series of encounters. On May 18, Bedel's lieutenant, Isaac Butterfield, surrendered the entire American force at Les Cèdres without a fight. The situation worsened the following day when another 100 American reinforcements also surrendered after only a brief skirmish. These rapid surrenders without significant combat represented a considerable loss of manpower and morale for the American forces in the region, highlighting issues of leadership and preparedness.
Arnold's Response and the Prisoner Exchange
Upon receiving news of Butterfield's capture, Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, then in command at Montreal, immediately began assembling a force to recover the prisoners. He entrenched his troops at Lachine, just upriver from Montreal. Meanwhile, Captain Forster, having left the American captives at Les Cèdres, moved closer to Montreal with his force, which had grown to around 500 men. However, on May 24, Forster received intelligence that Arnold was expecting significant reinforcements that would vastly outnumber his own dwindling force.
Facing a potentially superior American force and with his own numbers decreasing, Forster initiated negotiations. He proposed an exchange of the captured Americans for British prisoners taken during the Siege of Fort St. Jean. After a brief exchange of cannon fire at Quinze-Chênes, Arnold agreed to the terms. The prisoner exchange took place between May 27 and May 30, concluding this series of engagements. While Arnold managed to secure the return of American prisoners, the Battle of the Cedars ultimately represented a tactical defeat for the Americans, exposing weaknesses in their control and defense of the occupied territory.
