There being no roads, the British, debarred from the water line, were unable to advance.

Sir Guy Carleton, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in Canada, strengthened the works at St.John's, and built a schooner; but his force was inadequate to meet that of the Americans.
The seizure of the two posts, being an act of offensive war, was not at once pleasing to the American Congress, which still clung to the hope of reconciliation; but events were marching rapidly, and ere summer was over the invasion of Canada was ordered.

General Montgomery, appointed to that enterprise, embarked at Crown Point with two thousand men on September 4th, and soon afterwards appeared before St.John's, which after prolonged operations capitulated on the 3d of November.

On the 13th Montgomery entered Montreal, and thence pressed down the St.Lawrence to Pointe aux Trembles, twenty miles above Quebec.

There he joined Arnold, who in the month of October had crossed the northern wilderness, between the head waters of the Kennebec River and St.Lawrence.On the way he had endured immense privations, losing five hundred men of the twelve hundred with whom he started; and upon arriving opposite Quebec, on the 10th of November, three days had been unavoidably spent in collecting boats to pass the river.