Presentation on 250th Anniversary of the Siege of Quebec with Jay Dickey
On December 6, 2025, AHP President Jay Dickey will deliver a talk on one of the defining events in the American Revolution, involving one of the greatest villains of the 18th century. The talk is entitled “Before He Was a Traitor: Benedict Arnold and the Siege of Quebec.” 250 years ago in 1775, American troops launched an expedition that was dubbed the “Arnold Expedition,” the purpose of which was to march from Massachusetts through the forests of northern Maine in the middle of winter, surprise British forces in Quebec, and seize the otherwise impregnable British fort there. Invading Canada was a fixation of many of the Revolutionary War leaders, and Arnold volunteered to lead the expedition. Other notable soldiers who joined him were Daniel Morgan, General Richard Montgomery and Aaron Burr. The march to Canada and the siege itself were disasters for the Americans. Many soldiers died on the way to Canada, and when Arnold made the decision to attack the British fort in a snowstorm on New Year’s Eve, the Americans were crushed, with many men killed or taken prisoner. Arnold himself was badly wounded. Yet, he emerged a hero of the battle, and soon became a revered military leader. Jay will share the story of Arnold’s heroism, and the courage of the American troops who took on an impossible task. Jay’s talk will be presented to the Cascade Centennial chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, located in Seattle, Washington.
