Colonel Arnold raised the pine-tree flag over his tent, the men firing a salute and giving three cheers, as soon as it was raised.  On the same day, Major Bigelow went up to the top of the mountain, expecting to see the spires of Quebec.  But he weren’t a Moses; he didn’t see the promised land.  After that, I believe the people gave the Major’s name to the mountain.  Ninety men were sent back to the rear for provisions which now began to grow scarce.  It began to rain before we left the encampment, and it rained the best part of three days; every man and all the baggage were drenched with water.  Morgan and Arnold, with the first and second divisions had gone ahead, and we followed.  One night, we landed at a rather late hour, and were trying to get a little rest, when we were awaked by the freshet, which came down upon us in a torrent; O’Brien waked Johnson and myself just in time to allow us to get out of the way.  The water arose to a great height, covering the low grounds on each side of the river, and the current became very rapid.  As the batteaux moved on they would get entangled among the drift wood and bushes.  Sometimes we wandered from the main stream into the branches, and then we would have to fall back into the proper course.  The number of falls seemed to increase as we advanced, and of course, there was a portage at every one.  I was almost worn out with toil and sickness, yet I was sustained by the hope of succeeding in the expedition, and of doing some injury to the enemy before I died.  You know how an excited spirit will overcome weakness of body.  At length a disaster happened to our party which almost checked the expedition.  By some bad management, and partly by accident, seven of our batteaux were overset; O’Brien, Johnson and myself were among the men thrown into the water, and we had a terrible time of it, clinging to the bottom of the batteaux.  We pushed the boats ashore, and not a single man was drowned; but all the baggage and provisions in the boats were lost.  That made such a breach in our provisions, that the boldest hearts began to be seized with despair.  We were then thirty miles from the head of Chaudiere river, and we had provisions for twelve days at the farthest.  A council of war was held, and it was decided to send the sick and feeble men back, and press forward with the others.  Colonel Arnold wrote to Colonel Greene and Colonel Enos, who were in the rear, to select such a number of their strongest men that could supply themselves with fifteen days’ provisions, and to come on with them, leaving the others to return to Norridgewock.  You know how Colonel Enos acted upon that order; he marched back to Cambridge, while Colonel Greene obeyed Colonel Arnold’s instructions.”

“People have different opinions of that man’s conduct,” said Kinnison.  “For my part, I think he was a poor-spirited man, if not a coward.”

“I think so too,” said Davenport.  “Although his court-martial acquitted him, General Washington, and other officers showed such dissatisfaction, that he resigned his commission.”