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The true reason, however, was, that Colonel M'Clean, the British commandant, a vigilant and experienced officer, knowing the weakness of his own garrison, deemed it impolitic, if not unsafe, to receive a flag from Arnold. The first plan for the attack upon the British works was essentially different from that which was subsequently carried into execution.

The widow had not been more than a minute gone, when the door opened, and in walked, without note or preparation, a stout swarthy looking fellow named M'Clean. "Well, Tom," said Val, "is this you?" "Brother M'Clean," said Solomon, "how are you?" "What would ail me?" said M'Clean, "there's nothing wrong with me but what money could cure if I had it."

Early in June, Colonel M'Clean, with six hundred and fifty men, had penetrated from Nova Scotia into the eastern parts of Maine, and taken possession of a strong piece of ground on the Penobscot, which he had begun to fortify. The state of Massachusetts, alarmed at an invasion which threatened a serious diminution of territory, determined to dislodge him.

"Why, what did you hear?" asked M'Clean. "I heard you fired into his house; that you know was dangerous." "All right," said Phil; "what right have. Popish priests to live under a Protestant government? By my sacred honor, I'd banish them like wild cats."

With this view, he paraded on the adjacent heights for some days, and sent two flags to demand a surrender. But the presence of Colonel M'Clean restrained those measures which the fears of the inhabitants dictated. Deeming any communication with the assailants dangerous, he refused to receive the flag, and fired on the officer who bore it.

One of his Indian messengers, despatched with letters to General Schuyler, had either betrayed him or been intercepted; and thus intelligence of his approach was communicated to Colonel M'Clean who was then at the mouth of the Sorel. Trembling for the capital of the province, that gallant veteran determined to throw himself into it, and endeavour to defend it.

"No," said M'Clean, in reply to Val, "we did not; all we did was to play 'Croppies lie Down, as we passed the house, and fire three volleys over it not into it; but if there was e'er a one among us with a bad aim you know, that wasn't his fault or ours; ha ha by Japers," said he in a low, confidential whisper, "we frightened the seven senses out of him, at any rate the bloody Papist rascal for sure they are all that, and be d d to them."

Being entirely abandoned by his Canadians so soon as they were informed of the defeat of the governor, and having also received information that Arnold was approaching Point Levi, M'Clean retreated to Quebec. The Americans occupied the post he had abandoned, and erected batteries on a point of land at the junction of the Sorel with the St.

Colonel M'Clean, a veteran officer, with his regiment of royal highland emigrants, and a few hundred Canadians, was posted near the junction of the Sorel with the St. Lawrence. General Carleton was at Montreal, where he had collected about a thousand men, chiefly Canadians.

At the head of these troops, he hoped to effect a junction with M'Clean, after which he designed to march with his whole force against Montgomery, and endeavour to raise the siege; but, on attempting to cross over from Montreal, he was encountered and entirely defeated at Longueisle by a detachment of the American troops under Colonel Warner. Another party advanced on M'Clean.